My Apex GT Projector Headlight Retrofit (HID enabled)

[actionjack]

I did a quick search and it appeared that the exact unit came up at the top of the list. I identified it by the dimension details and ~$ mentioned.

 

[Snowmobileaddict]

Yep. All items came from that one auction website that I won't mention here.

Total project cost was $76.02 USD. Keep in mind I already had ballasts and relay harness onboard my sled from the drop-in Hi-low HID kit mounted in my stock reflector housing that I was upgrading from.

How much do this mod if I shipped ya my headlight? My wife would kill me if I put my headlights in the oven

I know what you mean, my wife had a puzzled look when she saw what I was doing!

Most people bake cookies this time of year not headlights! However, this method is not new at all. In fact there are scores of message boards like hidplanet.com devoted to people doing this very thing to modify their street vehicle headlights. Just google mini h1 projector retrofit and you'll get zillions of hits.

These types of retrofits are becoming quite routine and parts (bulbs ballasts and projectors) to do them are literally a commodity now many places on the Internet.

Also, just to let folks know 260 degrees F isn't incredibly hot. There aren't any odors or smoke or anything like that. It just has to soften the rubbery glue that the manufacturer uses. I actually only had to use oven mitts to get the housing out of the oven and onto my kitchen island. Then it was pretty much bare handed prying open evenly with a flat blade screw driver. Once you get it started you just pull it apart with your hands.

I'd love to help you out, however I posted this topic to give folks the inspiration to do their own retrofits.

Awesome job snowmobileaddict, looks fantastic & the light quality is superb!!! Where did you order the projectors/kit from & how much did it cost in total? Thanks alot for the pics & detailed instructions!!!

 

[Snowmobileaddict]

This thaw we are experiencing now is a real drag. All I want to do is get out for more night rides. Trails somehow are still open in my county but they are really kind of shot now near my place. Time to start the snow dance again.

 

[apexxtx]

Way cool

 

[bigreis]

Now to up the ante... who will be the first one to get a self-leveling beam system figured out for these things?

 

[Snowmobileaddict]

Now to up the ante... who will be the first one to get a self-leveling beam system figured out for these things?

HA! Now that would be the next logical step!. A self leveler system would have to be working overtime to keep up with ever-changing trail conditons effecting the yaw of the sled.

 

[BETHEVIPER]

my viper years ago had electric adjust. I used a rear view mirror motor mounted to the back with a lighted toggle mounted where the dimmer is. It was not fast but was great to adjust when the trail changed, between in the woods slow and down the rail bed.

 

[gun nut]

headlights

I have the multicolored prism around my bulbs. Really look cool, but go unnoticed to most observers.

 

[Snowmobileaddict]

Re: headlights

I have the multicolored prism around my bulbs. Really look cool, but go unnoticed to most observers.

I thought about including CCFL "Angel Eyes" in my retrofit but decided against it.
Angel Eyes

I didn't want to have to deal with potentially reopening the headlight housing in case one of the CCFLs failed. I'd rather try to keep it a once and done kind of deal. That, and like you said, the only place an observer would be able to notice it is if it was parked outside a tavern or something with the angel eyes turned on, which my sled never is.

Regardless, angel eyes or not, this upgrade does increase the BLING factor.

 

[bigreis]

In looking at the projector kits available, is there any benefit with getting a larger one? The size of the ones you installed look appropriate, but just wondering if going a little bigger gives more light? Or is the 2.5" all that fits in the housing???

Also, did you happen to come across any projector housings that would hold an H4 bulb? I have the SledStart kit and would like to keep the same bulbs if at all possible.

 

[bigreis]

my viper years ago had electric adjust. I used a rear view mirror motor mounted to the back with a lighted toggle mounted where the dimmer is. It was not fast but was great to adjust when the trail changed, between in the woods slow and down the rail bed.

Did you ever do a post on this modification? I have been thinking about trying to rig up a remote adjuster... never though about a power mirror motor!

 

[Snowmobileaddict]

In looking at the projector kits available, is there any benefit with getting a larger one? The size of the ones you installed look appropriate, but just wondering if going a little bigger gives more light? Or is the 2.5" all that fits in the housing???

Also, did you happen to come across any projector housings that would hold an H4 bulb? I have the SledStart kit and would like to keep the same bulbs if at all possible.

For the yamaha apex, it seems that the 2.5" Mini H1 will be max you could go without doing major surgery on the projector shroud and the stock reflector bucket. Even then the larger 3" projector may not clear the depth of the housing.

To give you some perspective on scale, the 2.5" Mini H1 Kit I used was a snug fit. Here is a side by side comparison to a 3" FXR projector. Also, keep in mind the 3" projectors do not have a threaded base that effortlessly attaches to the stock halogen bulb mount. They require drilling 4 holes in your reflector bucket or a modified user-supplied backer and mounting it with bolts.

I found it to be a gamble to even buy the kit I chose because I was on the fence as to if it would even fit inside the stock housing. It is kind of hard to measure for clearances with the housing not split open. So I was really pumped when I put the projectors in and they cleared the front of the stock housing. If it hadn't fit, I planned to install them on my car.

To answer your question about bulb type, no I have not found any retrofit kits that use the bulbs that came with your sledstart kit.

Remember that on the sled start kit the hi/low function is facilitated by the moving hid bulb fore and aft. The projector retrofit kits utilize a fixed postion bulb with a shutter that raises and lowers to provide for high and low beams.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread HID gear has become a commodity especially on that online auction website. I got a pair of warranteed bulbs for my projectors shipped to me for free from a US seller in New Jersey for $9.99.

 

[Snowmobileaddict]

my viper years ago had electric adjust. I used a rear view mirror motor mounted to the back with a lighted toggle mounted where the dimmer is. It was not fast but was great to adjust when the trail changed, between in the woods slow and down the rail bed.

Did you ever do a post on this modification? I have been thinking about trying to rig up a remote adjuster... never though about a power mirror motor!

Follow this link for a fellow Ty'ers manual remote adjuster: Manual Remote Adjust on TY

 

[UNSC_WARRIOR]

Re: headlights

I have the multicolored prism around my bulbs. Really look cool, but go unnoticed to most observers.

I thought about including CCFL "Angel Eyes" in my retrofit but decided against it.
Angel Eyes

I didn't want to have to deal with potentially reopening the headlight housing in case one of the CCFLs failed. I'd rather try to keep it a once and done kind of deal. That, and like you said, the only place an observer would be able to notice it is if it was parked outside a tavern or something with the angel eyes turned on, which my sled never is.

Regardless, angel eyes or not, this upgrade does increase the BLING factor.

I put the CCFLs on mine and I didn't have a problem yet in 500 km. However, if I had to do it again, I'd go with Morimoto XB LED angel eyes as they are more reliable and have less stuff that can fail.

 

[subysti04]

Could you pm me where you got the projector kit. I have the drop in kit and think I would like to go with projectors. I also ordered short hid adapter cables so I didn't have all that extra cable bundled behind the gauges. Thanks!!!