Just an update on my install... pics to come next week.
I brought the buckets to a friends who has a good drill press. I ended up adding a little more chamfer on the front side of the buckets and the Susquehanna plastic buckets now install easilly. I've got three of the four lenses in (have to wait for the extra adjuster screw to come because I busted one doing a Homer move) and will be doing the removal of the old headlights sometime during the week. I'll be adding my pics to my build thread.
From my POV I've got a few suggestions. An exploded view of a full assembly would have saved me a ton of grief. The Susquahenna instructions are good, but a few pictures are worth a thousand words. If I had everything to do over again, I'd simply make sure the inner thickness of the bucket/lense mounting holes was at or less than 50 thou of an inch. My bucket measure 85 thou. Timo does chamfer the mount holes from the front - but in my case (yours may vary - hence the note for you to check) I had to drill out quite a bit for the plastic buckets to snap in firmly while engaging the barbs of the plastic buckets.
More patience on my part would have helped. I do have to take some credit as I did read the Susq instructions several times carefully. If you have not installed the 90mm Hella - reading and test fitting everything before you move on will help a lot. Last little bit I can contribute here is - assemblies are designed for fairly straight forward installation. Muscle and elbow grease and hammers should not be necessary as the engineered designs are brilliant. The only time I "broke" something was when I was forcing it way beyond what should be normal. So here is the gem from my POV. If you're forcing something you've probably not read the instructions and understood them fully. Backup and look it over again.
I am hoping I get a chance to actually *install* something soon. As some consolation I do get to learn from everyone else assembling theirs while I WAIT.....
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12:39 PM
chester Member
Posts: 4063 From: State of insanity...moved in and comfortably numb... Registered: Jun 2001
Dr. CPU's suggestion about chamfering the buckets even more is very easily done. If others have the same issues with fitting the plastic retainers into the buckets please let me know ASAP and the new buckets will have the deeper chamfering.
Timo
edited for spelling.....
[This message has been edited by Fiero1Fan (edited 03-03-2007).]
Went to the hardware store for 20 minutes and sure enough, when I get back there's a little pink slip in my mailbox telling me to pick up my package from "Penrod" on Monday at the post office !
I didn't know I would have to sign for the package.....
Randy
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06:33 PM
DrCPU Member
Posts: 708 From: North Dumfries, On, Canada Registered: Jan 2004
I finished up my harnesses a few minutes ago - and will install one and aim the first headlight tomorrow. Once I got past the Doh's everything went smoothly.
I had a heck of a time getting the 3 bolts off the stock headlights. One nut was rusted badly. Cleaned up the parts - and they look goos as new now. The install of the new bucket was a snap! Timo, those headlights look awesome when they are installed!
Installed the harness today. Took one minute. All the work planning everything really paid off. I still need to wrap the harness, but everything works great. I really like the front access to the adjusters. Fine tuning of the projectors is a snap!
Knowing what I know now means I could install a set from scratch in about 1/2 hour - not counting the time to solder up the harness.
Count me in as a happy customer! Will post about 30 pics in my build thread tomorrow.
Dave
[This message has been edited by DrCPU (edited 03-04-2007).]
I would like to say I sold all but one head light kit. I had no idea I was going to sell two kits in one week. I also sold two sets of 90mm lights one guy I sold him two H9 HID kits. I have one set of head light kit which I'm going to keep for myself but I have another customer that wants a set too. I'll have to wait untill he has the funds so i can order some more.
Thanks Joe
------------------ Race-Tech Automotive inc.
Specializing in Fiero performance: 3800 swaps, custom Aluminum flywheels, Brakes, Engine's, Aftermarket Bolt on performance parts, used Fiero parts, www.racetechauto.com e-mail racetech@bellnet.ca
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10:40 AM
Marvin McInnis Member
Posts: 11599 From: ~ Kansas City, USA Registered: Apr 2002
I also sold two sets of 90mm lights one guy I sold him two H9 HID kits.
IMHO, installing a gray market, H9-rebased HID conversion kit in these Hella modules is a really bad idea, even ignoring the regulatory issues. Consider these pictures that I posted in an earlier thread.
The first picture is the Hella 90mm projector low beam module with a standard 65 watt H9 halogen bulb. Note the sharp upper cutoff of the DOT "Z beam" (a.k.a. DOT/ECE "harmonized") pattern, flat beam top, minimal color fringing, and a well-defined "hot spot" directed straight ahead:
The next picture is the same Hella 90 mm DOT/SAE low beam module, but fitted with an Asian-made, H9/H11-based, HID conversion bulb (4300K) and ballast. This particular H9/H11 HID capsule was branded "Xenon Super Vision HID." According to published specs it puts out about 50% more light than the (already very bright) H9 halogen, but note the fuzzy upper cutoff, irregular beam top, and extreme color fringing. The "hot spot" is poorly defined, and there is also a lot more light directed to the sides, where you don't really need it:
This does not mean that I'm anti-HID ... I'm just against doing it poorly, attracting undue law enforcement attention, and possibly endangering yourself and other people. I'm doing some ongoing R&D in this area and I will post the complete results on PFF as soon as I'm finished.
In the meantime, the stock H9 halogen bulbs already do a superb job in the Hella low beam modules. And if you really have to have HID right now, Hella makes both DOT/SAE and ECE compliant HID 90mm low beam modules ... but they aren't cheap!
[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 03-05-2007).]
I got my buckets today and all I can say is WOW!! Timo, these are a world class product. The workmanship on these are first class. They are well worth every penny, and the short wait. THANK YOU for investing in this venture and providing another excellent and highly desired product for our beloved Fieros.
Randy
[This message has been edited by randye (edited 03-05-2007).]
Now I have a question for those of you who have installed them. Has anyone had a problem with the right side bucket fitting through the head light opening in the lid?
I hope I am the only one. Will send you as picture tonight. I think my right have been disformed during the welding process. It might not been properly fixed during that.
Now I have a question for those of you who have installed them. Has anyone had a problem with the right side bucket fitting through the head light opening in the lid?
I had a similar problem when I changed hoods. If you have problems with the bucket and the headlight cover, The headlight assembly (motor and bucket) are adjustable and so is the headlight door.
BTW ~ I got my buckets and they look great! I am building the wiring harness now and will post pics later this week.
Sharkman, try loosening the 4 nuts that hold the motor bracket to the front wall and moving it in the direction you need. See if that helps. I will send you another bucket if you need one.
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11:08 AM
Marvin McInnis Member
Posts: 11599 From: ~ Kansas City, USA Registered: Apr 2002
Buckets arrived today (Kansas City) via USPS, only 15 days after payment to Timo. Both box and contents were in very good condition. No import duty was imposed.
Sharkman, try loosening the 4 nuts that hold the motor bracket to the front wall and moving it in the direction you need. See if that helps. I will send you another bucket if you need one.
I have done this and It did not help. I moved It as far as I could. Hope you saw something else on the pics I sent you.
Here are pics of the wiring harness I made for PaulV and myself. I stamped the H9 connectors for the lamp they go to and sleeved it using the high temp corrigated sleeving. All connections are soldered and sleeved.
How do they look?
I am hoping to get the buckets painted this weekend and hopefully everything assembled as well.
I have NEVER done this sort of wiring before, so I'm happy that mine look a lot like yours Orief !
Tested them on the car and they work great. Got to brush up on my soldering skills too. All connections nice and tight. I just couldn't figure out those little white silicone seals so they're probably not quite right but they look like they'll seal any moisture out well enough.
Now to paint the buckets.
Randy
[This message has been edited by randye (edited 03-07-2007).]
Used 14ga wire for the harness, which seemed just right for the connector fittings. Hope that's correct. I also used heat shrink tubing over my solder connections
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05:18 PM
GKDINC Member
Posts: 1812 From: East Tawas MI Registered: Dec 2001
Used 14ga wire for the harness, which seemed just right for the connector fittings. Hope that's correct. I also used heat shrink tubing over my solder connections
Yes 14 AWG is the correct size wire. I used solder splices and then sleeved them.
The silicone seals look fine as well. If you want them more flush, Just use a dab of silicone grease and a small open end wrench to push them in a little farther.
Hi Timo, A question on the rectangular head lights. Have you found a source for the lights? I have some one here who wants the buckets but I said there is a problem locating some lights. If you have a source then I'll purchase the rectangular buckets. Please let me know.
The red fiero you have on the fierst page, what lights were used to make that kit? and when you made the rectangular buckets what measurments or sample you used?
The red Fiero with the rectangular lights used single beam bulbs and aren't legal. So I can't use them. The lamps I am probably have to use are the rectangular lamps from Hella. That means I'll have to raise the front panel of the buckets 20mm to get them to fit.
I am looking for an alternative lamp that will fit better and be dual beam (H4).
[This message has been edited by Fiero1Fan (edited 03-08-2007).]
Susquehanna does list several 100 x 165 mm conversion headlamps here. My guess is that the "Ribbed Glass" you cited is the same as their number HL79566 hi/lo lamp (ECE only, not DOT compliant?), and the "Clear Glass" is their new "Free Form," DOT-compliant hi/lo lamp number HL21100
The HL21100A are what I am looking at using if I can't find anything better. (lower)
[This message has been edited by Fiero1Fan (edited 03-08-2007).]
These lamps are not DOT/SAE approved and are sold for off-road and racing purposes only. these lamps are for Right Hand Drive Countries, in other words for countries in which one drives on the left-hand side of the road, for example Australia and the UK.
