I just received my Hella 90mm lights today and I have to say they are very very nice. I am still waiting on my buckets, they were shipped out today, but I was wondering if anyone has any tips and tricks for installation or a good write-up on it. I've searched and not really found anything on installation. A list of the tools needed or used for the job would be very helpful too.

The instructions that come with the lights are a little vague. What is the best way to get the tri-lobular light retainer clips installed and rotated 30 degrees or whatever it is, to hold the light in? They mention using petroleum jelly, which makes sense but any tips other then that? Is it better to mouth the adjuster screws onto the light first and then mount the whole thing to the bucket, or is it easier to mount the adjuster screws to the bucket and then mount that to the light?

It is also mentioned a the paper that is in with the adjusters that two of the three mounting "screws must be blocked to prevent manipulation by the car owner." How is this done? Thank you, any information on this is much appreciated. After spending this much on these I want to make sure that I don't break anything and they are installed properly.

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Good question! Here's a bump.

Well since it doesn't seem that anyone is responding I guess I will make this a how to thread of my own that will hopefully help others in the future. I will update this as I go along.

quote Originally posted by zmcdonal: The instructions that come with the lights are a little vague. What is the best way to get the tri-lobular light retainer clips installed and rotated 30 degrees or whatever it is, to hold the light in? They mention using petroleum jelly, which makes sense but any tips other then that? Is it better to mount the adjuster screws onto the light first and then mount the whole thing to the bucket, or is it easier to mount the adjuster screws to the bucket and then mount that to the light?

Well after much experimenting today I was able to answer these two questions myself. First to answer the easy question, the adjuster screws definitely need to be mounted to the light first. Looking at the set-up I was able to answer this question, because clearly the light goes between the tri-lobular retainer clips and the bucket. Also after wrestling with the adjusters trying to get them on the light, there is no way they could be installed after the adjusters are mounted to the buckets!!!

What is the best way to get the retainer clips on the light? To be honest I still do not know the best way, but I will tell you the methods that I tried and what I finally got to work.
Here is a pic of the adjuster screws and a pic of the light just for reference:




You can't really tell from the pic, but the retainer clips have three prongs on the front of them and look just like the holes on the light, and there is a locking tab on the back. (if I was thinking I would have taken a picture of one of mine before I finished installing them all)
Methods I tried:
A. pushing on the locking tab to twist the retainer clip with a screwdriver from the back side. (didn't work at all)

B. using a hammer on the screwdriver, thinking maybe it required a bit more force. (also didn't work at all)

C. using a 1/2 socket on the front of the retainer while holding it in place, because it fits rather well, to turn it in place. (didn't work, not enough for the socket to grab onto)

D. running the retainer clip all the way to the back (the end with the hex head standard screw head) thinking that I could push and twist with the standard screwdriver (didn't work at all because the hex head standard end is just pressed onto the end of the threads and came right off)

Only method I had success with:
using two small standard screwdrivers from the front of the clip and prying against the housing working the clip around a little bit at a time.

(in the instructions supplied, they recommend using petroleum jelly, I used that on one adjuster and I really do not think it helped at all, I think it may have made things more difficult because it just made it slippery and hard to work with)

Like I said I do not know that this is the best way, but I sure can tell you that it worked. It really wasn't too bad once I figured out a method, it still was not easy but not too bad. Luckily with all of my messing around trying different methods there was no damage done, I sure was holding my breath at times though. That is as far as I have gotten because I do not have my buckets yet, but I will update this again on how the rest of the installation goes.

[This message has been edited by zmcdonal (edited 03-12-2010).]

Getting those clips installed in the light housings is a MAJOR pain in the butt. I ended up using needle-nose pliers in a similar way you used the two screwdrivers. Why they used 3 tabs on those clips instead of 2 or 4, I have no idea.

You WILL need the grease for the ball-and-socket joints on the ends of the adjuster screws. Without it, it will be very difficult to pop the adjuster screws into the bushings. And turning the screws (to adjust the lights) will also be difficult without lube.

If I remember correctly, the assembly procedure I followed went like this:

1) Install bushings into bracket assembly
2) Install clips into lamp housings (and swear a lot)
3) Thread adjuster screws into clips
4) Pop adjuster screws into bushings (remember to grease them)
5) Turn adjuster screws until base of each lens is flush with front of bracket assembly

Good to see this. Will be doing it soon. Thanks!

Those little black bucket break REALLY EASY. and no you cant buy replacements. You will have to buy an entire adjuster kit to get a single bucket.

The whole thing is take your time and plan. If you rush you will screw it up. and if you install the lights wrong, you have to destroy the little buckets to remove them.

I found the instruction sheet that came with the adjusters to be quite clear. you're reading the english side right?

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Best RV, Camper, and Trailer dealer in West Michigan. http://www.cliffstrailersales.com and he's a fiero owner too!

quote Originally posted by timgray: I found the instruction sheet that came with the adjusters to be quite clear. you're reading the english side right?

The instructions were pretty clear, I just think they could be a little bit better, I mean they went to the trouble of recommending petroleum jelly, it would have been nice if they gave a suggestion on how to get the adjusters in the lamps. I know that's a lot to ask for and no instructions do that, just saying that it took a bit of trial and error. And I don't know what instructions you got but mine are only one sided and only in English.

quote Originally posted by Blacktree: If I remember correctly, the assembly procedure I followed went like this: 1) Install bushings into bracket assembly 2) Install clips into lamp housings (and swear a lot) 3) Thread adjuster screws into clips 4) Pop adjuster screws into bushings (remember to grease them) 5) Turn adjuster screws until base of each lens is flush with front of bracket assembly

I had a good laugh at #2, there was definitely some swearing involved. Maybe that's why there is no write-up on here of how to do it, because no one really knows the best way.

How did you pop the adjuster screws into the bushings? Any tips?

My buckets arrived today and man they look nice, so after paint or powder coat, not sure which I am going to do yet, I will finish the write-up.

I used a C-clamp to pop the adjuster screws into the bushings. You should be able to feel/hear when the screw head pops into place. And once again, make sure the screw heads are lubed beforehand.

Well today I dropped my buckets off for powder coat and the guy told me that they will for sure be done at the latest Friday.

For those of you that may still be waiting on your buckets but already have the lights and want to install the adjusters I thought it would be helpful to post this picture. I mounted my adjusters before I got my buckets and I mounted mine this way because I noticed in one of Oreif's pictures that his were done this way and I figured there was probably a reason.



These look like the best place to mount the three adjusters for each light in my opinion. The next pic might help you see why I would not put them in the outside bottom corners. With the way the bucket assembly curves in it looks to me like it would be difficult to mount the lights if the adjusters were in the lower outer corners.



Here is a link to Oreif's write-up on making the harnesses as well as the schematic and some tips and notes on making them.
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/095436.html

[This message has been edited by zmcdonal (edited 03-15-2010).]

Thanks for the pics. Do you have any for the front side? I opened my boxes today and I was clueless.

[This message has been edited by Alex4mula (edited 03-15-2010).]

quote Originally posted by Alex4mula: Thanks for the pics. Do you have any for the front side? I opened my boxes today and I was clueless.

Here are some pics of my lights just sitting in the buckets, No final assembly pics until I get them back from the powdercoating though.
Passenger side mock-up:


Drivers side mock-up:


Here is just the lamps for the passenger side without the buckets, but you can see the adjuster screws installed:


Here is the driver side lamps without the bucket:


Finally, here is a pic that I borrowed from another thread that shows the adjuster screws in the ball ballsocket in the bucket:


Here is a sketch I made in paint to illustrate how the ballsocket fits in the buckets: (someone please correct me if I'm wrong)


I hope these pics are helpful.

If you want a really durable paintjob. Black truckbed coating. works great, but go very thin around the small holes.

quote Originally posted by timgray: works great, but go very thin around the small holes.

...or be prepared to do a lot of filing.

Well it's time for an update. I picked up my buckets from the powder coater today and boy do they look nice. The finish I picked is really nice because it has a little texture to it and really makes them look like a factory part,



The ball sockets snapped right in with no problems, I told the powder coat guy about the clearance issue so he put rubber plugs in the holes to keep them the same size.



To get the actual adjuster screw into the ball socket I did not use a C-clamp as some people here have recommended simply for the fact that I don't own one and didn't feel like running to the store. I screwed the adjuster screws most of the way to the front, put plenty of petroleum jelly on the end, and then found a socket that would fit on the back of the adjuster put and extension on there and hit them with a hammer while I hand my hand between the bucket and the carpet on my workbench. That method seemed to work great. I am sure a C-clamp may have made that job a bit easier though.

Here is a before shot of my headlights with my sylvania silverstars, which are now long gone:



And here is a before/after shot with one side done:



Took it out tonight and adjusted them. I had a couple small issues with adjustment. SOMEHOW I had one of the adjuster screw come out of the ball socket, I have no idea how that happened since they are such a tight fit. After that, and this one really boggles my mind, one of the tri-lobular light retainer clips that were a major PITA to install, came off of the light. At that point I thought I was totally screwed but I was able to get it back in place with no damage done. HUGE DIFFERENCE in lighting, HUGE, 100's of times better then my silverstars.

Thanks for the tips, and good luck to everyone with their installs. I hope this write-up will be helpful. Feel free to ask me any questions!!

P.S. I think I have the only bumper-pad with these lights.

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Anyone knows other place to get the CPH4CM - H4 connectors? Susquehanna is out of them (per web site).

I got mine from comagination.com I had never heard of them before but they were quick with shipping and I have no complaints.

Let me share my install and the little problem at the end.

1. Install the plastic clip. Using this tool and your fingers is very easy.


Then if you get these the next two steps will be a breeze. You just hold at the bottom with yor fingers and twist at the top. 2 seconds each. Same for both lights.




Then put some lubricant on the ball end and use one of these $5 C clamps to snap each end. Not too hard at all.


This is the end results


Then go all excited to the car, remove old bucket and then install new one. Then realize that you forgot to install the plastic bottom thingy cover. So then remove new bucket again, install this plastic piece and reinstall bucket again. Ok, you can learn something from this


Then install harness and go open and admire your new piece


Then do the same for next side. But on this one I have problems. The bucket side wall is hitting the door plasitc side arc wall. Door doesn't close completely and makes weird noises. See arrow below

Yes, the rubbing is annoying as hell... I was able to bend the 'ears' in to alleviate the rubbing on the sides, where you pointed out, and I put black door edge guard on the edge at the top, above the headlight modules, to stop the bucket from eating at the headlight door frame... much quieter now. The sides will clearance themselves after it grinds away the aluminum(it is not plastic as mentioned above), if you don't bend the tabs in. The bucket WILL eat though your headlight door frame if you do not correct issue with the top. I was told there were no clearance problems, but I have had to correct a couple... The buckets had already scraped the paint off and shaved metal on the headlight doors where they contacted the smooth rounded arcs, the door edge guard gave that a new non metal wear surface.

The suggested method of painting, self etching primer and enamel, has also started to flake off the galvanized surface, especially and obviously where they were scraping on the headlight doors, so I am going to have to pull them back out and have them refinished at some point. They should be rust protected just fine with the galvanic coating but they are going to end up looking like butt if I leave them the way they are. I may have to talk to a powder coater about doing these up. Sigh.

[This message has been edited by carbon (edited 05-11-2010).]

Ok. So I'm not the only one. I ordered some new bushings for the top two bolts of the buckets as on each side one is gone and I didn't know. That alone lets the bucket twist a little. If after that it needs more correction I'll try to bend it. Mines are powdercoated but that top edge is already scratched. I see now it is because that arc is not soft plastic as I thought. I rarely drive at night (so why did I upgrade these??) so I won't be using them any time soon.

I do have to say that I F'ING LOVE the light output and the look, so I don't have any regrets... Synthesis' wire harness is awesome as well.

I just wish I would have known some of the issues with clearance before I installed them, so I could have taken some steps to prevent some of the wear issues that I have run into.

I used the c-clamp method after trying to pound in the adjusters... your technique with the oil and towels was better than mine though I would say that using a properly applied c-clamp is probably the most effecient and safest method for installing the adjusters.

[This message has been edited by carbon (edited 05-11-2010).]

Good tip with the angled needle nose pliers to install the adjusters into the lights. I have a pair of those, but for some reason did not even think to try them.

I had some issues with rubbing as well, I used some t-top trim, same kind of idea as door guard on the top edge to keep the buckets in nice shape. The whole headlight assembly is adjustable a little bit from side to side. I had to mess with it for a bit adjusting the whole assembly as well as the alignment of the headlight door before I was finally happy with the fit. Of course by this time the powder coat on the edge that had been rubbing on the door had been kind of scraped off, so I had to touch it up with some paint, but you could never tell by looking at it.

quote Originally posted by zmcdonal: .. The whole headlight assembly is adjustable a little bit from side to side. I had to mess with it for a bit adjusting the whole assembly as well as the alignment of the headlight door before I was finally happy with the fit. ....

Yeah, I just found out that the whole unit on the driver side is 1/2" lower than the passenger side. You can notice in the picture that the lower part of the circle gets cut a little. Don't know why I never noticed it with the stock units. Go figure... I'm just waiting on the bushings to then try to align better the passenger side which is the one rubbing. Hopefully at the end all will be right. They look so much better

[This message has been edited by Alex4mula (edited 05-11-2010).]

quote Originally posted by Alex4mula: Yeah, I just found out that the whole unit on the driver side is 1/2" lower than the passenger side. You can notice in the picture that the lower part of the circle gets cut a little. Don't know why I never noticed it with the stock units. Go figure... I'm just waiting on the bushings to then try to align better the passenger side which is the one rubbing. Hopefully at the end all will be right. They look so much better

That's kind of strange because I had the rubbing problem with my passenger side too. Have you had a chance to check them out at night yet? You mentioned that you rarely drive at night, I think you will start to come up with excuses to take it out now, I know I have, lol.

quote Originally posted by zmcdonal: That's kind of strange because I had the rubbing problem with my passenger side too. Have you had a chance to check them out at night yet? You mentioned that you rarely drive at night, I think you will start to come up with excuses to take it out now, I know I have, lol.

Not yet. Haven't even aligned them. I guess that will be another "How To" to look for.

The things are cake to align, but make sure they are level as Alex says above. I aligned mine and found that I had one a half inch lower than the other and now that I adjusted it its obviously aimed higher now.

Make sure you get all four headlight modules to the same depth on the adjusters before you align them as well. I am at work right now so I will leave the aligment pics to someone else, but you can follow any how-to online though. Park the car perpendicular to a wall on flat ground, mark the height and seperation of the headlights on the wall with something like blue painter's masking tape. Back the car up 25ft and align the beams so that the drive side step starts just at the mark to the inside and the passenger side is directly on the mark. Then adjust the low beams so that the cutoff lines to the left of the step are about 2 inches below the mark. The high beams should be centered on the mark and dead level.

Thought I had them aligned last night and went for a drive. Quickly found out they were pointing too low. Stopped at a closed garage and tried to align them higher. Then one side wasn't doing anything. I foound out that the plastic beam holder (three tab one) in that corner somehow got loose. Tried to mess with it but these things get very hot!! So I drove back to fix today. Anyone knows how high does the top of the light beam needs to be?

DOT regulations state the cutoff line of the beam should be 2 inches below the installed height of the headlight at a distance of 25 ft. on level ground. You will have trouble lighting up high road signs at this height... This is an issue with most cars I have been in with projector low beams.

[This message has been edited by carbon (edited 05-13-2010).]

Well, I installed the new bushings and that helped with the interference I had before. Not perfect but tolerable. Now I still haven't been able to fix this.

When I installed my Hella lights, I bought a bunch of nylon washers, and used them as spacers between the new headlight bucket and the Fiero mounting bracket assembly. That moved the mounting flanges on the buckets just enough to keep the headlight doors from rubbing. You can also tweak the headlight buckets by pushing the bucket left or right to center it under the headlight door. Plus, the headlight doors have a little bit of adjustability, as well.

[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 05-14-2010).]

quote Originally posted by Alex4mula: Well, I installed the new bushings and that helped with the interference I had before. Not perfect but tolerable. Now I still haven't been able to fix this.

Sorry to say. but when I designed my own, I came across all the problems mentioned. The door hinge on mine was hitting the 45° ears and so I too had to tweak it so they didn't.... 3 tries on new ears each time. Finally I got it - no more 45° angle.. On the rubbing issue - notice on the stock setup there are two tabs that rub on the door to help push it opened and not using the front/top of the bracket - stocks don't ride on the curved plastic section of the lid which these new ones seem to do.... I took this in consideration and designed tabs for mine along with tweaking the top corners a bit to get them out of the way.. problem solved and no paint loss

My head light doors are all the way down, but I bent my ears in... I still need to re-aim them as she's a wee be high on the passenger side... ok.. a lot high

I can't attach the plastic bottom thing. the screws from the stock lights are too big to fit in the holes on the bucket. I forgot to install the plastic thing before I installed the buckets haha. So what size screw do I need to attach the plastic bottom piece?

I used the original screws that held them on. I just used a small drill-bit to ream out the holes a bit, the torx screws still took a bit to thread in but worked great.

quote Originally posted by fierogt17: I can't attach the plastic bottom thing. the screws from the stock lights are too big to fit in the holes on the bucket. I forgot to install the plastic thing before I installed the buckets haha. So what size screw do I need to attach the plastic bottom piece?

I went to by bin of mixed screws and found two to fit. For whatever reason one hole is a little bigger than the other.

quote Originally posted by Alex4mula: Well, I installed the new bushings and that helped with the interference I had before. Not perfect but tolerable. Now I still haven't been able to fix this. http://images.fieroforum.co...G_4173rs.jpg

I had a similar problem with one of the headlight doors. I was able to fix it by shifting the whole headlight assembly downward a bit.

[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 05-24-2010).]

I love the look of these, with the low profile set up

I'll need to take a closer look at mine when I get home tonight, but I don't remember mine having any screwheads that are visible from the front of the buckets. I have the long screws as pictured, and the stupid little three-prong fixtures, and the "ball socket buckets" that fit into the headlight bucket. I put the screws through the fixtures, through the back of the headlights, and the ball popped into the socket fitting into the headlight bucket.

I thought I had to adjust the damn things by opening my hood and messing with the screws from the back, close the hood and check again (wound up screwing one out too far and popped the ball joint out (and the prong fixture), had to use pliers to squeeze/hold the prong fixture and headlight 'ear' and headlight bucket while I screwed the screw back in, pushing the ball joint back into place.

Bookmarking this thread so I can read through it more closely tonight and go look at my headlights closer.

I drove at night last Saturday for 1st time after having all adjusted (or so I thought). Found out at the highway that they are pointing way high and outward. I can light an overhead sign like over 1/2 a mile away and a stop sign almost until it is at my door side, LOL! No wonder I'm not happy how they light the ground in front of me. More adjustments to come...

Here's a really, really indepth write up on how to *aim* (not adjust) pretty much any kind of headlight out there - covering the angles, distances, and specific techniques. The Hella 90mm headlights seem to be "VOL" type headlights.

http://www.danielsternlight...om/tech/aim/aim.html

what bracket assemblies are these? are there two different ones made? these seem to be metal and the onces ive seen from projectorretrofit are plastic. also, where do you get the HID version of the projectors? ive only seen the H9 version on hella's web page. and it wasnt even the projector one.