DDM Tuning HID Kit

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: Russell
Bit extreme IMO


Which part? Every sentence of my post states a fact.

It's a fact that you cannot separate the legality of HID retrofit kits and glare production (they're illegal BECAUSE they cause a lamp to become non-compliant). It's a fact that the rules here say that we cannot discuss illegal activity. It's a fact that the only legal way to add HIDs to a car is with engineered solutions.

Do the rules indicate that we cannot "discuss" or do they prevent us from "promoting" an illegal activity? IMO, there is a, perhaps subtle, difference. I think that is what i meant?

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Russell
Do the rules indicate that we cannot "discuss" or do they prevent us from "promoting" an illegal activity? IMO, there is a, perhaps subtle, difference. I think that is what i meant?

This is what it says: "Each member agrees that he or she shall not post any material which is false, defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of any person’s privacy, or otherwise in violation of ANY law."

I'm not a moderator, and really don't want to come across to them (or to anyone else) as trying to be the forum police--that's not my intent. I posted that initially as kind of a wink-wink hint..."guys, we're not supposed to be talking about this ANYWAY, regardless of if it's a good idea in practice or not."

I guess I will close my participation in this thread with this: OP, the the best way to maximize night-driving safety with your current headlamps is by ensuring that they're absolutely clean and fog-free, by installing the best 9006 bulbs you can buy (Philips Xtreme Vision)...or by installing a modified pair of 9012 HIR2s...by ensuring the lamps are aimed properly, and by driving at slower speeds at times of limited visibility. It's been said that a majority of drivers "overdrive" their low beams on a regular basis, meaning that we collectively haven't been trained to slow down at night, even in clear conditions. I'm as guilty of that as anyone else.

 

[Vikas]

There had been quite a few topics created simply to tell everybody how fast one was on a public road. You see, there is some gradation between illegal and ILLEGAL!

 

[yonyon]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd

This is what it says: "Each member agrees that he or she shall not post any material which is false, defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of any person’s privacy, or otherwise in violation of ANY law."

The way I parse that, it means you aren't allowed to post anything such that you are in violation of decency or law by making the post. If I'm reading it correctly this means that you can't make a post to:
-disseminate protected trade secrets
-organize a lynching
-provide detailed instructions for building WMDs
-confess what you would like to have done with your 4th grade English teacher if she would have gone for it
But it doesn't mean you can't discuss that time you got away with driving 20MPH over the speed limit or risk/cost analysis of buying tobacco on an Indian reservation.

 

[Vikas]

I am wondering if truckers have an application on their iPhone (or GPS) which tells them which weigh stations are open right now and how to bypass them?

Similarly, can we discuss (only hypothetically) any route which exit just before a toll booth and rejoin just after the toll booth? Especially if that toll booth extracts $8.00 a pop from you :-(

Just came back from NE - Northern VA trip!

I think DDM HID kit is probably lower on the scale than the above discussions which to the best of my knowledge are not immediately squashed down.

 

[meep]

I always respect Hokiefyd. -- he is educated and knowledgable, and helpful.

That said, I'm going suggest that we help folks asking these questions by ***explaining*** why certain considerations be made for keeping things safe.

So to the OP---- I think it would be fair to discuss ways to keep things SAFE, and help you get there-- as I would personally like to use this forum to teach each other "best practices" and share knowledge. I like Hokie and am not countering him. Just saying I don't want to leave anyone out in the cold if they are indeed trying to figure out a "best way" to do something.

I've tried retrofits and projectors. The projectors give better results and are far more polite in traffic. I have *never* seen a swap-in retrofit that really I had any respect for. And like Steve said above, I don't bother the flash them--- it's not like they are going to go home and change it. I just kinda pity them for not understanding any better.

If HIRs don't fit your lamps, I might almost be inclined to wait. LED stuff is coming along quickly. the first products I've seen have the output, some have at least decent upper cutoffs. But the retrofits, just like the HIDs, throw too much close in and can't get the hot spot right under the cutoff where it should be. BUT, I think the LED stuff is going to be better than HID once it matures.

You might google that classic hella projector HID conversion with the modified coke-can cutoff shield and basically build a set of smooth-glowing projectors yourself, and add them to the car. effective, nice...

 

[Jeff_in_VABch]

Originally Posted By: meep
check out theretrofitsource.com. excellent service, the products are good, you get what you pay for. Morimoto hi/lo's are a nice upgrade. I've purchased 2 sets there when I couldn't use HIRs. there's still a bit too much foreground light but it's far better than stock, and I've had zero issues with stray light glaring others.


Lancer:

I agree with Meep to go with theetrofitsource. They are very knowledgeable and have great service.

I would only go with a 35W HID system for you application. The 55W ballasts are way too intense. Unless your headlight capsule reflectors are very poorly designed, you will get a huge increase in light output. Just remember to aim the headlights so they do not blind oncoming drivers.

I would also go with the 4300K bulbs. They are the brightest and have a very pure white color.

 

[Vikas]

The problem with the reflector HID even with the cutoff shield is that

1) too much light
2) not emitting from the exact same spot as the halogen bulb

One can adjust the headlight so that it will not glare the incoming traffic but then you end up with lots of light near your vehicle and proportionally not enough light further ahead. This destroys your peripheral vision and now you are worse off than before.

Having said this, I have not personally tried this to know the validity of the above argument but it passes the rational sniff test.

 

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
The problem with the reflector HID even with the cutoff shield is that

1) too much light
2) not emitting from the exact same spot as the halogen bulb

On can adjust the light so that it will not glare the incoming traffic but then you end up with lots of light near your vehicle but proportionally not enough light further ahead. This destroys your peripheral vision and now you are worse off than before.

Having said this, I have not personally tried this to know the validity of the above argument but it passes the rational test.

I installed 4300k 55w DDM HIDs in my 95 e34 BMW about 8 years ago. It does have projector lights. Even so I spent a lot of time to adjust the lights so they were not blinding to oncoming traffic. Took a while to get the balance. I feel much-much safer at night. BTW, the lens are glass and round on the older "classic" BMWs.

 

[Vikas]

with projector, I don't see much of an issue. I have personally seen two conversions using DDMtuning 35W kit and I liked them. I would not have any qualms using it with projector.

 

[meep]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
The problem with the reflector HID even with the cutoff shield is that

1) too much light
2) not emitting from the exact same spot as the halogen bulb

One can adjust the headlight so that it will not glare the incoming traffic but then you end up with lots of light near your vehicle and proportionally not enough light further ahead. This destroys your peripheral vision and now you are worse off than before.

Having said this, I have not personally tried this to know the validity of the above argument but it passes the rational sniff test.


this is the money post. spot on.

 

[randomdude]

several members on a volvo forum i attend have used DDM kits and all have been happy with the quality of the units.

 

[GatorJ]

Originally Posted By: Russell
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: lancerplayer
I am aware that putting HID lighting into a halogen housing can potentially cause some glare to be produced. That being said, I have a few friends that have done this install and have never been flashed or had an encounter with the law. Let's try to stay on topic and not focus on this aspect.


You really can't separate the two.

Rule #5 of BITOG prohibits the discussion of something that breaks ANY law.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/944248/Forum_Rules#Post944248

That should be the end of the discussion on an HID retrofit kit.

As others have posted, the best way to add HIDs, and the only legal way, is to add engineered HID lamps to the front of your car.

Bit extreme IMO


Not at all. The retrofit kits (I am not referring to kits where the entire assembly is replaced) are absolutely illegal to sell in the US and most of the civilized world. It is illegal in every state in the country for a motor vehicle repair shop to install them. They are specifically prohibited by statute to drive with in most states. Due to Federal preemption, no state can authorize their use. In addition, they are dangerous and ineffective for their intended purpose.

No wiggle room here.