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Retrofits shake like crazy

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by Garvin74, Aug 26, 2017.

  1. Aug 27, 2017 at 1:21 PM
    #31
    Garvin74

    Garvin74 [OP] New Member

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    Tomcat likes this.
  2. Aug 27, 2017 at 1:23 PM
    #32
    dandailey

    dandailey King Tundra

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    Bakflip Revolver X2 ,Nestahedition Firestalk antenna, TRD dual exhaust, WeatherTech liners, in channel deflectors, 20% tint front, Tundra bed mat.AFE pro dry s filter,SA XDM 3.8 compact 9mm., Wheel to wheel N-Fab 3 steps.Lamin-X yellow on fogs, Bilstein 6112's top setting, BFG KO2's 275/70-18.Pioneer HU, JL RD amp, Focal speakers everywhere.
     
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  3. Aug 27, 2017 at 1:27 PM
    #33
    Tacogrande

    Tacogrande New Member

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    Well i do think its different...now i dont know if these are the super bright headlights or not? If its the same brightness as stock then to me its fine. But i think when you have a vehicle with super bright lights, it is a safety issue and blinds other drivers so it affects others on the road. A lift, bigger tires and sugar does not affect others on the road. Looking at super bright headlights coming on causes people to squint. Does that make sense?
    Why should a customer have to fix headlights that are brand new out of the box?
     
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  4. Aug 27, 2017 at 1:53 PM
    #34
    nowayout

    nowayout New Member

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    Its not really "fix" the headlights. If you have ever driven a vehicle with excellent HID lights you will most likely never be able to go back to a vehicle with halogen lights. I am very sensitive to these differences and on the drive home in my brand new Tundra I knew the first thing I was going to do was get top of the line HID's for it. I sent my lights out with 250 miles on my truck. The difference is literally night and day (pun intended)
     
  5. Aug 27, 2017 at 2:20 PM
    #35
    Tacogrande

    Tacogrande New Member

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    I meant why should he have to shim the light so that it does not shake.
    Oh no doubt you can see better with bright ass lights, but everyone else on the road is ducking blinded. Do headlights have to be DOT approved for brightness?
     
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  6. Aug 27, 2017 at 2:31 PM
    #36
    tomsinamerica

    tomsinamerica New Member

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    "bright ass headlights" are either caused by really bad headlight adjustment or people putting the wrong bulbs in for their applications. "Retrofits" aren't simply changing them out for a bright ass bulb. It changes the entire light dispersion method. Rather than using a reflective bowl, it uses an optical lens. They come as standard on high end cars and are really sweet to drive with. If installed correctly, you, as another road user, wouldn't or shouldn't notice anything different when facing them in oncoming traffic but to the driver, everything is clearer, especially in shitty lighting situations like driving at night in the rain. The stock lights on these tundras are awful - yes, if you're on a quiet country road and it's not raining, they work ok... out in a dazzling environment such as city driving at night in the rain... only a couple of weeks ago, i had to get out to check the damned things were on
     
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  7. Aug 27, 2017 at 2:56 PM
    #37
    eledobleu

    eledobleu retrofitwholesale.com

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    Koito Bi-LED Retrofit
    As stated above, retrofits dont blind oncoming traffic. DOT does not control brightness. The aftermarket projectors are mainly designed based on stock OEM projectors. And of course the RX350 are the projectors in the Lexus RX350, just slightly modified for maximum light output.
     
  8. Aug 27, 2017 at 2:57 PM
    #38
    Tacogrande

    Tacogrande New Member

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    So it's
    Thanks for explaining. So it's basically taking the same brightness rated bulb and dispersing it much more efficiently? I always wondered what the big deal was because I've see lots of guys here upgrading headlights. Seems like most all of the blinding lights on the roads are small cars. My wife and I complain about it when we drive at night.
     
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  9. Aug 27, 2017 at 2:59 PM
    #39
    T-Rex266

    T-Rex266 Elon approved Staff Member

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    What have you found to be successful in regards to placing something in-between to prevent the shaking that he can do quickly by himself?
     
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  10. Aug 27, 2017 at 4:22 PM
    #40
    tomsinamerica

    tomsinamerica New Member

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    that's a great way of explaining it actually... take a given light output for a bulb... projectors are better at putting more of that light down on the road in front of you...

    Around here, the cars that dazzle me are the old rickety bangers with bad headlamp adjustment or dickbags in trucks with the dumbass reverse rake... and of course the asswipes that don't take their lights off full beam for oncoming traffic...
     
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  11. Aug 27, 2017 at 5:08 PM
    #41
    MotoTundra

    MotoTundra The Ocho

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    -TRS Mini D2S Retrofit on TRD Pro Headlights (Apollo 2.0 Shrouds, 35w XB Ballasts, 5500k Bulbs) -Baja Designs Squadron R Sport Aux lights. -TRD Pro Grill -TRD Rear Sway Bar -BakFlip VP Tonneau w/BakBox -Dipped wheels & bumpers -Iron Cross HD steps -Undercover Swingcase -SunTek Paint Protection film -Tinted glass -Bedmat -OEM Towing Mirrors
    Generally speaking when you are getting blinded they are doing it wrong. Think of high end cars and the headlights they have, that is what a retrofit should look like when it's coming at you.

    Our headlights have a reflector bowl which is specifically designed to reflect light from a Halogen bulb onto their road where it is supposed to go. When guys put HID bulbs or LED bulbs in that headlight the light will scatter all over, basically like driving with their high beams on and blinding oncoming traffic. The reflector bowl is not designed for those type bulbs.

    A retrofit uses a projector specifically designed for HID bulbs that is properly aimed, with HID bulbs. The stock reflector bowl is no longer used to reflect light. This results in bright light going exactly where it is supposed to go. This is what some Volvo, BMW, Lexus, Benz, etc. headlights will look like.
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2017
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  12. Aug 27, 2017 at 5:15 PM
    #42
    Stig

    Stig New Member

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    Seems to me that it is just not worth it to put a $40/pair projector in these headlamp housings for a $30-45k truck, especially after all the labor to open up the permaseal. The mini H1's are $130 for the pair and are super easy to install and align properly and have a good track record for reliability and performance.

    OP, if I were you I would learn from this and get those projectors switched out for the mini H1's. That should be a much quicker job than the first time since they should have been resealed with the regular butyl sealant and not permaseal like the factory does it.
     
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  13. Aug 27, 2017 at 5:20 PM
    #43
    eledobleu

    eledobleu retrofitwholesale.com

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    Again guys, if you are going with Budget Retrofits, please note that they are mainly for "Looks" only. Any performance issues should be expected. Although I try my best to give the best customer service possible, there are certain things out of my hands. You can't expect the cheapest projector to be perfect. Im honestly very frustrated about this. As far as my work, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the quality of my retrofits and if there is I fix them and make them right. Though I have no control over parts, when they go bad I do replace them under warranty. But when it comes to the budget retrofits and Acme projectors, this is something that comes this way from the factory and can be easy fixd. After this ordeal, I think im going to get rid of the Budget Retrofits all together and only retrofit with the higher quality products.
     
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  14. Aug 27, 2017 at 5:32 PM
    #44
    MotoTundra

    MotoTundra The Ocho

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    -TRS Mini D2S Retrofit on TRD Pro Headlights (Apollo 2.0 Shrouds, 35w XB Ballasts, 5500k Bulbs) -Baja Designs Squadron R Sport Aux lights. -TRD Pro Grill -TRD Rear Sway Bar -BakFlip VP Tonneau w/BakBox -Dipped wheels & bumpers -Iron Cross HD steps -Undercover Swingcase -SunTek Paint Protection film -Tinted glass -Bedmat -OEM Towing Mirrors
    Seems like a good move. Even with a disclaimer about the shaking and the affordable cost, those issues down the road for both customer and seller won't happen with the higher quality stuff.
     
  15. Aug 27, 2017 at 6:00 PM
    #45
    MTwiford

    MTwiford The second mouse always gets the cheese

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    +1. @eledobleu did mine with RX350 projectors and I have no shaking at all. Nothing’s wrong with the quality of his work from everything I have seen. Seems like a case of you get what you pay for, like someone else mentioned. Hopefully you guys can work something out to get the issue resolved.

    I agree with @MotoTundra. Your work is much higher quality than budget material. Drop them from what you offer to prevent future issues. Spyder’s will meet the budget buyer’s needs.
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2017
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  16. Aug 27, 2017 at 7:12 PM
    #46
    HUTCHJ

    HUTCHJ I can ride my bike with no handlebars

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    Mine will shake just a tad bit if I'm on a very bumpy road. Other than that they are solid.


    Edit. I should say that I went with the morimoto DS2 4.0s. They have been great. Only issue was a ballast and an igniter being bad but were replaced very quickly.


    All in all, I'd do it all over again if I had to.
     
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2017
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  17. Aug 27, 2017 at 7:24 PM
    #47
    T-Rex266

    T-Rex266 Elon approved Staff Member

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    @eledobleu can we do anything to help @Garvin74? What have you found to work the best to act as a place holder to stop the shaking?
     
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  18. Aug 27, 2017 at 7:45 PM
    #48
    hdzeke

    hdzeke New Member

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    I'm curious why you didn't just do this before sending them back to Garvin74?
     
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  19. Aug 27, 2017 at 8:30 PM
    #49
    HUTCHJ

    HUTCHJ I can ride my bike with no handlebars

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    If it's any consolation, the morimoto DS2 4.0s are solid af. Seriously. No clue about the other "budget" projectors out there but I'm very happy with them.
     
  20. Aug 28, 2017 at 3:25 PM
    #50
    Garvin74

    Garvin74 [OP] New Member

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    I'm not complaining about his work. His work is great. The projectors look good. When I did my research he indicated on another forum that the only differences between the acme and morimoto was that the morimoto where brighter but that's it. But they would be brighter then stock. There was no disclaimer about the projectors being shaky.

    My problem is when I tell him about this he tells me it's not his problem because he just installed the projector I wanted and that this is a defect from the manufacturer. He stated some of them do this and others don't. I told him I wanted him to install a acme projector not an acme projector with a defect. I had known this was an issue with this projector I would have bought the morimoto. But when he claims the only difference is brightness I figured that would be great since they are brighter then stock. Even saying well they are cheap so you get what you pay for they should still hold a bulb tight. I understand not the straightest cutoff line or blurry line or not as bright or doesn't project as well but it should still hold a bulb properly. I driven plenty if cars with projectors none of them shake. Why would I expect these to shake because I didn't pay the morimoto price. I do agree that he should stop selling projectors that he admitts to knowing has a defect from the manufacturer.

    I'd like to say again the quality of his work is great. But so far the customer service has been the complete opposite. When the projectors arrived they came with bad ballasts. Emailed him back and forth for hours trying to tell him they were bad. But he just kept telling me it was my ground connections. Even after I sent him pictures of them he still told me it was my connections. I finally bought a brand new set of ballasts and ignitors from trs and low and behold they came right on.

    He offered to refund 40 dollars if I sent them back. I thought that was fair but why did it take me having to buy a new set.

    He gave me no instructions on where to send the core exchanges to, no address. I should have asked but I was frustrated. So I look at his mailing address attached to his paypal. I send them there. Well he isn't there anymore and said he'd try to get them but he hoped i had insurance. He knew this since last week that I sent them to the wrong address I don't know how because I didn't give him a tracking number nor did I tell him. So apparently someone told him there was a package at his old shop but he put no forth any effort to obtained that package. Now I can't get my core exchange refunded. I'm out 860. Sorry for the long rant. But I'm not the kind of person to cause senseless issues which is what I'm being made out to be. I have all emails from Leo to confirm all of the above.
     
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  21. Aug 28, 2017 at 3:35 PM
    #51
    T-Rex266

    T-Rex266 Elon approved Staff Member

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  22. Aug 28, 2017 at 3:46 PM
    #52
    Garvin74

    Garvin74 [OP] New Member

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    Thank you Sean I received it.
     
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  23. Aug 28, 2017 at 3:47 PM
    #53
    be77solo

    be77solo New Member

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    Thanks for the great info, been watching this thread... no retrofits for me ha!
     
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  24. Aug 28, 2017 at 3:53 PM
    #54
    Garvin74

    Garvin74 [OP] New Member

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    This is my experience and from my research Leo has good reviews. I don't want this thread to keep Business from Leo, he already stated he may stop selling the budgets because of the known defect. But I do think I deserve a little better customer service and some kind of remedy.

    I feel bad for what this thread has turned into because it started out as me asking you guys if you had some kind of solution for my shakes. I had no intention for this to thread to possibly take business away from Leo.
     
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  25. Aug 28, 2017 at 4:09 PM
    #55
    be77solo

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    And you came across calm and cool all along. It's the lack of a legit solution that the seller offered that killed it for me after multiple interactions. I'm with you, "performance" means brightness, not shaking. I expect all lights to be rock solid and vary in brightness. I'd never be happy with lights that shake at any price.
     
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  26. Aug 28, 2017 at 4:19 PM
    #56
    PermaFrostTRD

    PermaFrostTRD Tumescent Member

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    I can't imagine anyone having the expectation that because their lights were the "cheaper" or budget route, they'd be doing this:
    Brightness was absolutely the "performance drop" I'd expect.
     
  27. Aug 28, 2017 at 4:24 PM
    #57
    joonbug

    joonbug °°°°°°°°°°

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  28. Aug 28, 2017 at 5:33 PM
    #58
    Tomcat

    Tomcat Ever see a motorcycle outside a shrinks office?

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    That would drive me nuts. I'm glad I didn't get mine done now. I was considering it several months ago. I couldn't justify the price.
     
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  29. Aug 28, 2017 at 5:47 PM
    #59
    Tomcat

    Tomcat Ever see a motorcycle outside a shrinks office?

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    I would not expect my headlights to be jumping all over the place under any circumstances.
     
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  30. Aug 28, 2017 at 5:50 PM
    #60
    Tomcat

    Tomcat Ever see a motorcycle outside a shrinks office?

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    X 10.
     

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