dehning Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Still looking for tips on where to place the ballasts. The DDM Ballast fits perfectly on the flat vertical face of the air ducts just behind the headlight. The flat area is the perfect size for the 55W DDM Ballast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Knievel Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Still looking for tips on where to place the ballasts. The DDM Ballast fits perfectly on the flat vertical face of the air ducts just behind the headlight. The flat area is the perfect size for the 55W DDM Ballast. I suspected that's where they'd have to go. You mean inside...facing the forks...not outside...facing plastics, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 :icon_think: :icon_think: Very nice, Thanks for posting that Justin. Now I just need to quit... :icon_think: ... about it and do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaygermeister Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 :icon_think: :icon_think: Very nice, Thanks for posting that Justin. Now I just need to quit... :icon_think: ... about it and do it. Just did it today....... holly cow!! :icon_clap: http://www.cbr1100xx.org/forums/index.php?...mp;#entry762582 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB4XX Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 ordered three sets last night. doing up both the cars and the QUADXX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 I too am looking at converting my vehicle headlights, my 79 ford would be much better with them... but I need to find the conversion lenses (in Glass) at a reasonable price. Still looking. I remember when Joe showed me his HID in Arkansas, and I've wanted them ever since.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dehning Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 I found H4 lenses for my bosses Chevelle for $17 each, so they are out there. I aligned the reflectors on my XX last night to better use the HIDs, wow, makes the high beam look positively stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warp11XX Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Proper spacing/depth of the HID bulb in the housing makes a HUGE difference. I used a section of old spark plug wire as a spacing grommet. It works wonders for how the reflector projects the light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 I found H4 lenses for my bosses Chevelle for $17 each, so they are out there. I aligned the reflectors on my XX last night to better use the HIDs, wow, makes the high beam look positively stupid. Proper spacing/depth of the HID bulb in the housing makes a HUGE difference. I used a section of old spark plug wire as a spacing grommet. It works wonders for how the reflector projects the light. Pictures of the mod ?, Spacer thickness ?, .... But if you don't have those, that's alright, I was just thinking that you could save some others here the trouble of experimenting themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Knievel Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Warp11xx, Please inform about the spacer thickness. I got the bulbs in (had to shave the bases to make them fit so the clamps would hold them in), but I've not yet installed the front cowling on the bike. If I need to do something, I'd like to get it BEFORE I have to take it apart again. I like the price of these bulbs, but installation has been a bugger so far. Cutting the base so they'll go into the sockets is an oversight by DDM and finding a place for the ballasts is a challenge. After lots of tries, I'm using bolts to hold both ballasts together and I'll Velcro them into the nose cone between the two air intakes...only place that has space to hold them that I can verify. I'll zip-tie the excess wire out of the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dehning Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 So now you guy are worrying me, I just dropped the h4 lamp into the housing, didn't have to add or remove anything, why exactly are you guys having to mess with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Knievel Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 As I posted earlier, I could not get the lamp into the housing because the base did not clear the shape of the socket. I had to nip off plastic and file it down until it went in properly. NOTHING in the instructions addressed this, and without doing this, I could not get the locking springs to close over the lamp. Heck, the lamp wouldn't be sealed in the housing if I didn't do this. Now it's together, but I'm concerned about what Warp11xx said about it not being spaced properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warp11XX Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 I'm not disassembling my bike to take pics but I'll explain in as much detail as possible. Go scrounge in the garage or toolbox and find an old spark plug wire that was a take off from anything. I used spark plug wire because it is the right size and thickness, and very heat resistant. Cut a piece approximately 2 or 3 inches long to start the fitting process. I can't remember the exact length, but it isn't much. Take the short section and curl it around you finger to initially form your spacer. Place the ring of spark plug wire in the bulb housing and try to make a circle out of it that sits all the way to the bottom of the bulb hole. It doesn't have to be the perfect size, but try to get it so that there is as small of a gap as possible where the ends of the wire meet. Not much chance of significant amounts of water getting to that area, but you want it to make as good a gasket as it can be just in case. After you've formed and seated the wire grommet as deep as it will go in the socket, place the bulb in the housing and try to get the base seated against the wire grommet as flush and well fitting as possible. Close the wire bulb retaner clip now and see how it fits. The bulb base has a key tab that needs to align with the slot in the housing socket as best it can. Make sure that the base/bulb is not able to rattle around and that it is held firmly in place and as flush to the socket as it can be. There shouldn't be too much difference in most housing and socket dimensions, so I feel like it will be a near perfect fit as mine was. The depth that the actual glass bulb part extends into the housing seems to do much more to focus the light than the actual reflector position knobs do. You will still have to dial it into the sweet spot where you prefer the hot spot of the beam to be located, but it will be much easier to do and better light projection with the bulb shimmed to the back by the sprark plug wire spacer. If the arc itself is too far out, the light diffuses and is not nearly as "dense" a few yards out. HID's give great side visibility even when the beam has a very defined hotspot. I hope this helps....if not, tell me where I lost ya and I'll try again.... I also tie-wrapped my ballasts to the frame that mounts the guage cluster. They are almost perfect fit side by side and don't move at all if you use 3 or 4 large tie-wraps per ballast affixed in perpendicular fashion. I used one tie in each direction and then in an X pattern to assure they can't move around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANKSXXX Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Were the glass bulbs longer on the DDM parts than the OEM? I'm trying to remember but I think mine were the same length and as such, I didn't shim them. Are you guys shimming even the same length bulbs? Hank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB4XX Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 How long did it take you guys to get them? I ordered five days ago and have not heard whether they even shipped them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaygermeister Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 How long did it take you guys to get them? I ordered five days ago and have not heard whether they even shipped them. I got mine in a week. You should be getting it soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Knievel Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 I'm not disassembling my bike to take pics but I'll explain in as much detail as possible. Go scrounge in the garage or toolbox and find an old spark plug wire that was a take off from anything. I used spark plug wire because it is the right size and thickness, and very heat resistant. [snip] I hope this helps....if not, tell me where I lost ya and I'll try again.... In plain talk, I need to use spacers that add up to the thickness of typical spark plug wire. I'll stop by the auto parts store and see what they have. I also tie-wrapped my ballasts to the frame that mounts the guage cluster. They are almost perfect fit side by side and don't move at all if you use 3 or 4 large tie-wraps per ballast affixed in perpendicular fashion. I used one tie in each direction and then in an X pattern to assure they can't move around. I've got 3 screws/nuts to bolt both ballasts together. I'll see about binding them all up there as an option. Question, since I have easy access to the back of the instrument cluster, should I just go and replace the bulbs while I'm there? None are burned out, but I've never taken the nose off before. How long did it take you guys to get them? I ordered five days ago and have not heard whether they even shipped them. I got mine in a week. You should be getting it soon I waited a few weeks, but they were waiting for more parts to come in to fill my order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John01XX Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 way back when, the first group buy, many people stopped by Home Depot and picked up a 4-pack of the Garden Hose hard rubber gaskets for .99 cents that work perfectly instead of a homemade wire gasket. Just the right size and thickness and at the right cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Knievel Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 way back when, the first group buy, many people stopped by Home Depot and picked up a 4-pack of the Garden Hose hard rubber gaskets for .99 cents that work perfectly instead of a homemade wire gasket. Just the right size and thickness and at the right cost. How many per light? My guess would be 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John01XX Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 One or two as needed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warp11XX Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I tried that and wasn't satisfied with the fit or convinced they could take the heat without gluing themselves in place and causing problems down the road. I dunno about the DDM's specifically, but it's not as much the bulb length per say as the position of the actual arc in relation to where the filament would be positioned with an incandescent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB4XX Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 How long did it take you guys to get them? I ordered five days ago and have not heard whether they even shipped them. I got mine in a week. You should be getting it soon Got an email saying they will be here Friday. Bought the two-pack...better deal!! HIDRAPTORH7-4500K Apexcone Raptor HID Kit (35w or 55w) - DDM Tuning Options: Wattage : 35W Bulb Type : H7 Bulb Color : 4500K $29.95 (Not Taxable) 1 $29.95 Two pack for $30.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 way back when, the first group buy, many people stopped by Home Depot and picked up a 4-pack of the Garden Hose hard rubber gaskets for .99 cents that work perfectly instead of a homemade wire gasket. Just the right size and thickness and at the right cost. I would be scared.... The Spark Plug ends suggested earlier, would be made of Silicone Rubber, and would be Heat Inert, meaning they won't Shrink, or Melt, or Catch fire..... due to the heat of the bulb, etc. Not that I think it would catch fire, but.... I'd rather error on the safe side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nybryan Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 I'm confused. Why do they need to be shimed? Does the shim go between the bulb and the headlight housing or between the bulb and the wire cage that holds the bulb in place. How does this effect the tabs fiting in the grove to install headlight bulbs. Is it because the bulbs need to be thicker. I'm interested in getting some but it seems to be a pain in the ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willxx23 Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 or between the bulb and the wire cage that holds the bulb in place. Exactly ^ If you put the bulb in and swing the retaining wire over you will notice that it will not cinch down tight enough to hold the bulb in it's proper place. Now I did not use the garden hose washers as other had suggested, I used the foam ring that was included in the original packaging that my bulbs came in over 4 yrs ago.....(gasp).... Had to replace one bulb a few months back, think it may have become a victim of my stator/RR going south but just speculating on that...anyhoo the packing foam ring I had used worked very well and only showed crushing in the area it was under pressure...no spontaneous combustion or anything...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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