Running_riot Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 So some of you may know I was hit by a fuckbag retard who thought red lights don't apply to him, in March. GEICO, being the cheap asses they were used an aftermarket headlight on the passenger's side. Aside from one lens being clean and another not, the beam patterns were wildly different. I replaced the drivers side with a headlight of the same brand (Keystone?) I finally got around to tearing in to them (literally doing that now) to compare the two, maybe swap lenses over or see if I can do an hid retro on the aftermarket ones. One of the first questions Ive been asking myself for weeks now is is there any clarity difference in the lens itself? I've been on everything for Acurazine forums to the Z forums, nobody has a specific thread comparing aftermarket (not the General Tso eBay variety, they are obviously crap) but OE replacement like Depo. Clearly my headlights aren't Depo brand but it's a brand thats available for other 5TH Gen Legacy users and maybe the quality won't be that bad and it will serve somebody at some point. First thing is first. I haven't removed the headlight from the car yet, but looking in to the lens, right away the shield on the Keystone lamp and the OE lamp are drastically different. This is the Keystone lamp, looks like it has two fingers coming out, like a Starwars imperial destroyer. This is the factory lens. The shield looks like a small window. No apparent differences in lens clarity though. This is view of the Keystone lamp from behind the bulb holder. OEM view from behind the bulb holder. Keystone scatter shield. OEM scatter shield. Keystone replector bowl. OEM reflector bowl. This isn't very scientific but it illustrates a point. This is the cut off for the Keystone lamp. It has a very HID type cut off that steps down. The squirrel finders are clearly visible. This is the OEM lamp. Different cut off. Centered hotspots, no step but good output none the less. So I'm kind of undecided here as far as output and quality. Although different, it didn't seem to be a huge difference in quality. I'm going to play with bulb alignment and see what that does to light output. Someone want to lend a fresh pair of eyes, find something I'm not seeing? Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootyologist Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Get these: https://www.theretrofitsource.com/all-products/black-series.html?carDisplay=2011+Subaru+Legacy&preselect=&preselect_restrict=1 I swapped them out when i blacked out my housings. They make for an awesome sharp light cutoff. You'll also want to fill in the "squirrel finders" while you have them torn apart. Read through the headlight blackout thread, there are a ton of helpful photos on how to go about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running_riot Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 So I had some Morimoto bulbs hanging around the house and thought I'd play around with it some. Interesting conclusions I came to. Notice the white ground lead on the bulb is parallel to the tab at the base of the bulb? Notice the position of the tab on the lamps? When the bulb is inserted in the holder, the ground wire appears to be blocking half of the reflector bowl. Notice in this picture, the hotspot is in the middle of the box, below the cutoff. (Picture taken at ISO 100 1/250 SPEED WB 6500) With a little snip Now in the bulb holder, the negative is at 12 o'clock. Result (same ISO 100 1/250 6500) Fairly dramatic result. Hotspot is well at the cutoff and the bowl appears to be fully illuminated. Tab at 7 oclock Tab at 6 o'clock 7 6 What about the LED? Same concept. Tab at 6 o'clock puts the diodes at 9-3. Focused, wide flat consistent illumination. Tab at 7 o'clock, diodes at 7-2. Shit focus, scattered output, patchy illumination. Fabulously terrible. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running_riot Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 Get these: https://www.theretrofitsource.com/all-products/black-series.html?carDisplay=2011+Subaru+Legacy&preselect=&preselect_restrict=1 I swapped them out when i blacked out my housings. They make for an awesome sharp light cutoff. You'll also want to fill in the "squirrel finders" while you have them torn apart. Read through the headlight blackout thread, there are a ton of helpful photos on how to go about that. Did you do JUST the lens? I was eyeballing the retroquick set up as well that has the clear lenses included. Did you use the stock bowls? Aftermarket? Full retro? Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running_riot Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 I'm gonna rock the LEDS for tonight and hit some back roads. If the output is still poopoo I'll swap in the Morimotos. Pictures to follow. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootyologist Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 Did you do JUST the lens? I was eyeballing the retroquick set up as well that has the clear lenses included. Did you use the stock bowls? Aftermarket? Full retro? Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalkyup, I did just the lens. kinda wish I would have ponied up for the hid kit when I did it. Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running_riot Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 I really want to stick with LEDs. The ones I'm using now have shit output but I had thought about using clear lenses with LEDs and see how that worked. My roads are poopy and on my last foray through the Adirondacks, the roads claimed a bulb. LEDs are just more reliable. I'll probably end up putting hids in there anyway lol Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nads Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 I did the full retro, well worth it to get the correct optics. I can't use enough puns to impress how much better it is over stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running_riot Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 yup, I did just the lens. kinda wish I would have ponied up for the hid kit when I did it. Sent from my Nexus 5X using TapatalkYou try rotating the bulbs like I did? See if that helps? Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running_riot Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 Ok so the LEDs came out. I should have gone with the XenonDepot ones but the problem is, you can't adjust those for the correct output. With the factory lamps, I've concluded that HID is the only alternative to crap halogens. So the HID Morimoto bulbs are back in. They'll suffice for the time being until a full retro. Aftermarket lamps. LED low beam only Low beam and LED fog light Low beam+ LED High beam Morimoto HID low only Morimoto low and LED fog Morimoto low and LED High Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootyologist Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 You try rotating the bulbs like I did? See if that helps? Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalkhelps what? the clear lenses with halogen lamps are fantastic. they're brighter and you get the awesome blue/purple cutoff that is super sharp. Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running_riot Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 helps what? the clear lenses with halogen lamps are fantastic. they're brighter and you get the awesome blue/purple cutoff that is super sharp. Sent from my Nexus 5X using TapatalkHelps with the focus of them. I've played with both factory and aftermarket, LED and HID and having the tab in the bottom position has made a huge difference in output and focus. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrD123 Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Looking into a garage full of stuff probably isn't the best way to judge light output - looks like a ton of glare from the HIDs - looks like much too much unfocused light up close to the car, as well. Which LEDs were you using? I am waiting for someone to try the lights where the LEDs are in a narrow array that more closely approximates a filament bulb - curious if the OEM optics are able to handle that better than other aftermarket LED/HID bulbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running_riot Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 Looking into a garage full of stuff probably isn't the best way to judge light output - looks like a ton of glare from the HIDs - looks like much too much unfocused light up close to the car, as well. Which LEDs were you using? I am waiting for someone to try the lights where the LEDs are in a narrow array that more closely approximates a filament bulb - curious if the OEM optics are able to handle that better than other aftermarket LED/HID bulbs.XenonDepot Is one you should try. I had a lot of success with them. Well made bulbs. They're in my 17 Civic, I had them in my 17 Ridgeline too. Made to optimize light in the same pattern as halogen. Yes, the light scatter sucks. That's why I'm going to do the retrofit. As far as the crap in the garage, I was focused more on light intensity than beam pattern. I know hid in halogen projectors was going to suck, we all know it. I was curious as to the differences in intensity and light quality between aftermarket and factory lenses. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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