How-To: Ford Focus HID conversion kit retrofit

[hidusa]

I didn't create these images as I built my headlights, but rather I snapped these images when I last had them apart for adjustment, so it isn't THAT in-depth, but there is enough information to get it done...

First off, of course, is to know your headlights...projector headlights. I've done this mod to two different styles, and I've found my current model (which happends to be one of the first halo projectors available for the Focus) to be by far, the easiest to mod. Which isn't to say it can't be done with other styles...it'll just be more work. I'm much more impressed with the build quality and construction of my current lights BTW...

After removing the lights from the car, you'll want to preheat the oven...
Don't go over 200 degrees! That is plenty hot enough to soften the adheasive and make the plastics easier to manipulate...
Heat it to 250 degrees first, then set it down to 200 when you put in the light...

Mmmmm....hun, what's for dinner??

Leave in the oven for maybe 10 minutes. I've found that you do not need to remove the rubber trim or the boots/wiring. They can easily handle the heat!
This isn't too hot to handle with the bare hands...

Once you remove the light, you'll want to work fast, but carefully....
With a flat-blade screwdriver, pry back the tabs holding the two halves together...

Do one side of the housing, then start prying them apart...

The adheasive will be stringy, so you'll want to cut it with a sharp knife to prevent it from breaking and sticking to areas where you don't it!

Continue working around the housing, making sure the tabs are released, prying apart as you go, and trimming the goo in half to seperate...

Remember to keep working quickly, as the warmer the parts, the easier it comes apart. I've don't these lights MANY times in the oven, and it is a reliable and safe way to do it, when done right...

Now, your in!!
This pic shows the HID projector already mounted. The halogen projector was mounted the exact same way, and in fact, was very close in dimension to my e55 projector...

However, the cutout where the projector passes thru the mounting plate needed to be opened up with a grinder prior to install...
In this pic, you can see where the projector passes thru the bracket...

The overall length of the HID projector, with the igniter mounted, is slightly longer than the original set up....

But the dust cap is able to cover this...I mounted my projectors on 'posts' in order to space them closer to the front. This allows more room to work with in behind, and a closer, cleaner look at the front where the lens is...

You'll HAVE to mount the projector at three points on this bracket!
The lower mount is made stationary, and your fine tuning adjustments will be made using the upper two mount points...

The image below shows how to mount the top two mounting points....
The bolt is mounted solid the the bracket using nut "A". This will always be fixed to the bracket....
Nut "C" is what holds the projector to the bracket...
Nut "B" is probably the most important to a successful retro! This is where you'll make adjustments, moving the nut in and out to change the angle of the projector.

The image below is of the drivers side projector...
To adjust vertically, you'll move both "B" nuts together, in or out. This is only for fine tuning however. The housing has provisions for verticle adjustment only.
For horizontal adjustment (i.e. left to right), you'll have to move the top "B" nut AWAY from the lower fixed mounting point. This will permit horizontal adjustment without adversely effecting the verticle adjustment...

One thing to consider, and this is VERY important, is rotational adjustment. You HAVE to have your projector perfectly horizontal!! Otherwise, the pattern will suck, the light throw will suck, and you'll probably blind other drivers and police....not good!
To allow for rotational adjustment, what I did was ream open the mounting holes thru the projectors a little larger than the bolts it mounts to, allowing me to 'twist' the projector slightly to achieve a level pattern throw...

As far as wiring, I made my own harness with info supplied from http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/
using a 30amp fuse and Bosch relay...

For connecting the ballast to the harness, I purchased these 2-prong connectors from a local electronics shop...they are oriented, so they can't be plugged in backwards!

For the rest of the wiring, I used some leftover molex connectors from an old PC that was laying around...

This powers everything else in the housing...black is for ground of course, and the other three are for the city light (wired to fogs), halo lights (wired to parking lights), and highbeam, wired to the H1 reflector and bi-xenon solenoid...

As for the ballasts themselves, they are mounted using double-sided tape...drivers side beside the battery...

...passenger side in front of the coolant resevoir...

And thats basically it....remember to be patient, because the outcome, done properly, is WELL worth the effort!! I swear, with my highbeams on, the light can be seen from space!