BE JDM HID Headlights - YES I've read all the other posts...

[stoggy]

So after sorting through all 23 pages I dug up some very useful information regarding the swap of JDM BE headlights. I have ordered a set and now I have a few questions that I couldn't find answers for--so here goes:

First, pics of the lights themselves (I believe they are the A-C type?):

FRONT:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/10/headlamps_front-2.jpg

REAR:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/10/headlamps_rear-2.jpg

1. For those out there that have done the conversion, how is your light output? ie: light pattern. I've read the posts about blacking out part of the reflector so as to eliminate the high cutoff on the left side of each light. How many people have actually done this and is it worth it?

2. What bulbs are you running? I have a set of Philips 6K D2R's sitting here that I know will fit. I'm wondering if people with cutoff issues are using incorrect D2S bulbs or worse, Chinese bulbs. I understand that the ceramic coating on proper D2R bulbs is there to eliminate glare for the reflector type HID setups, that said...does anyone have any pictures of what the light patterns look like with proper bulbs?

3. Aiming. At this point I don't plan on running a levelling switch because I could care less about adjusting the aim while driving. Can you manually adjust the vertical and horizontal positions?

I know it's a lot of questions but I'd like to avoid any unnecessary steps when putting these puppies in.

Thanks everyone.

Cheers.

[Huffer]

While I have no direct experience with the actual BE lights, I believe the majority of issues that LHD owners face are primarily because the reflector bowls and aiming mechanisms of the JDM lights are because they are RHD orientated.

There's a fella on this board who is from the Toronto area and has spent a small fortune making his maroon BE as authentically JDM as possible. He might have some good info for you.

[Airgne]

light output is good. i used 6600k PIAA bulbs. also wired mine in so that my highs are on when the lows are. i used PIAA crystal ion buils for that to cut down on the blinding people. also i use a 50% smoke tint from headlight armor. i think mine turned out good. dont get flashed to much. if i do get flashed i flash back with 2 6in PIAA daylighters. people around wear i live stopped flashing me. there is a way to wire it in right, but i didnt know it at the time. i do have the light aiming switch, just never wired it. i alos run 2 more 6 in PIAA crystal ion fogs with my normal lights. i like to see at night. i like lights too!

[chuckthefuk]

1) Light output is much better then any Halogen bulb.
2) The rightside is higher then the left... The aiming switch does not correct this :-(
3) Using stock D2* bulbs that came from Subaru... 4300k i belive.

[stoggy]

Chuck do you get flashed at all? My most important dilemma at the moment is determining whether or not it's worth it to seperate the housing and paint that part of the reflector to eliminate the glare on the left.

I take it you haven't done any mods to it? Do you know if the Lights can be adjusted manually or do you have to have the switch to aim them?

[chuckthefuk]

My buddy Bataru has them on his BE but there Model D "RSK or whatever"..
My buddy JP has the A-C type you listed above.

I asked both of them about the light difference and all they had to say:
- right side cut-off is higher..
- rarely gets flashed
- compared to high-end luxury / ricers the OEM D2* subaru bulbs/housings barley get noticed.
- Both A-C / D have electric/manual aiming switch.

Don't worry about it...
-Chuck

[stoggy]

Ok awesome, thanks Chuck. I PM'd Bataru to see if he has any pictures of the light pattern, more for curiosity sake than anything, I mean I ordered them so they're going in regardless haha.

Hopefully he does!

[stoggy]

Well here we go! Received the lights a few days ago, and installed them. Thanks to Ben for the help with the wiring. They came from Japan with stock Philips 4300K bulbs. I will be changing them out for Philips 6000K when they arrive. Cheers.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/11/jdm_lights_1-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/11/jdm_lights_2-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/11/jdm_lights_3-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/11/jdm_lights_5-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/11/jdm_lights_4-1.jpg

[rougeben83]

looks good, glad they worked for you. They look blue enough to me, but you probably took those in the first 10 minutes or so of firing up the lights...I run 4300k in mine though, I've found the bluer tint washes out more easily in rain and fog.

[stoggy]

Actually these are 4300K too, it's what the lights came with...Philips bulbs. The reason for the blue is probably because I took the pictures on my iPhone instead of a real camera. Either way, they are really nice and I don't think I'm going to worry about painting that little area to change the cutoff. I haven't been flashed yet and I've got them aimed pretty high up. I will be installing Morimoto 50W ballasts though as they are not as bright as I expected. Andrew from TRS says Philips bulbs are robust enough to accept 50W so I should be ok. Here's hoping...

Cheers ya.

[Cheers!]

Hi Guys,

Sorry to revive an old thread. I was searching around the various Subaru Forums looking for more information for the Type AC headlight install in a Canada/USDM BE legacy. I got 2 questions...

1.) Did you source the headlight through Ebay?
2.) Do most people skip getting the headlight level part of the install? If no, how did you get the harness/electrical sorted out for it? Also did you source a switch off of a STi and place it into your dash?

[stoggy]

Yes I sourced the lights from eBay. 'new_stars' is a good seller to check out. I didn't install any electronic leveling or switches. The JDM lamps come with manual adjusters and that was good enough for my needs. Hope this helps.

[Cheers!]

Hi Stoggy,

Thanks for the reply. It is greatly appreciated. For the manual levelers is there a knob that is accessible inside the cabin? Or is the manual leveler inside the engine bay as part of the light housing? I ask because I drove around a Mazdaspeed6 for a bit, it had manual leveling as well, but there was a small knob inside on the lower part of the dash that could aim it up or down.

Cheers!
Jason

[stoggy]

What you're describing with your Mazda is an electronic leveling system. It utilizes stepper motors on each headlight (one each headlight) to move the headlight beam up or down. The knob is a resistive switch that increases or decreases voltage to each motor causing it to move the beam up or down. Subarus use the same system except I believe it's a thumb wheel switch but it serves the same purpose.

The way I described that I installed it utilizes the manual adjusters on the headlight assemblies themselves. There is no knob or switch or anything that I installed except the JDM lights themselves. Should you choose to adjust the headlights you will need to physically open the hood and adjust each threaded rid individually (one for vertical and one for horizontal, per headlamp).

Hope it clears things up.

[Cheers!]

Understood. Thanks! going to check out new_stars on ebay.

Cheers,
Jason

[rkrenicki]

The levelers are not required, but if you want the adjustability it is not overly hard to add.

The leveler switch looks like this:
http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o739/rkrenickisli/IMAG0088.jpg

If you do decide to add it, make sure you get the correct type. A~C type switches and D type switches are not interchangeable.

[Cheers!]

hrm... I'm pretty sure that spot on my dash where you have the tilt switch mounted is occupied by my heated front windshield for the wipers switch...

[rkrenicki]

Yes, my car also had that, I wired the front de-icer into my rear de-fogger to make room for the leveler. I also swapped around the Cruise and Fog lights so I can more easily see when my cruise is on without looking around the turn signal stalk.