Retrofit Projector Headlights
Retrofit projector headlights are an upgrade that can help your car see the road better. They use an elliptical-shaped reflector and a cut-off shield to direct light downward, avoiding glare for oncoming traffic.
If you want to make your projector headlights even brighter, consider using LED bulbs. These are more energy-efficient and last longer than halogens.
High Beam
Unlike classic reflector headlights that use a single lens to diffuse the light from a bulb, projector headlights have a lens on the inside that will shape and aim the light. The elliptical-shaped projector lens will direct the light from the bulb to a cut-off shield that prevents glare from blinding oncoming traffic. The shutter will then activate during low-beam to allow only a narrow portion of the beam pattern through, preventing drivers from being blinded by your headlights.
A high-beam retrofit kit is the perfect way to upgrade your headlights. Whether you already have a halogen projector or want to convert to HID or LED, these kits will give you the brighter and more focused high-beam you’re looking for. The key to a good high-beam retrofit kit is using an all-in-one design that includes a modified reflector, shutter and lenses. This means that you’ll only have to bake your headlight open once, rather than multiple times during a DIY process.
Morimoto is the leader when it comes to vehicle-specific and universal projector headlights, and they offer an all-in-one high-beam retrofit kit for almost every car. Their kits are easy to install, and you can choose between a halogen or an HID version for your specific model. To install the high-beam retrofit kit, you will need to open your headlights and trim the shroud to fit the new reflector and shutter.
Low Beam
Unlike HID bulbs, which are merely lights with powerful output, projectors have the capability to shape and direct the light retrofit projector headlights into a precise beam pattern. This is how they improve road visibility and reduce headlight glare for other drivers.
Most retrofit projector headlights feature a shutter inserted inside the housing to deliver this precise beam pattern. This is something that classic reflector headlights don’t have. This is why a properly installed projector headlight is so much brighter than your car’s stock headlights.
Many of the best projector headlights are built to fit a wide range of vehicles. They’re also compatible with a variety of headlight bulb options. Typically, the most common type of headlight bulbs used in a projector are halogen bulbs. However, more recently LED bulbs have become popular.
When installing a projector in your car, it’s important to make sure you get the right kind of bulb. You want a high-quality LED bulb that will provide great output, while still delivering a focused beam pattern. This is why we recommend choosing a bulb like the Max3 LED headlight bulb.
Some projectsors offer a hybrid design that uses a projector for low and high beams, while other models use a single projector. If you’re looking for a hybrid model, it would be wise to consider a bi-xenon projector. This will allow you to run a halogen bulb in the original factory headlight housing for your high beams, but the projector will drop down a shield when engaged to let the bulb shine through.
Daytime Running Light
When it comes to upgrades, nothing beats a projector setup. It gives you a massive improvement in output over stock halogens, or even HID/LED bulbs thrown into your factory housing. However, when you swap out the lights for a new pair, it can be a big process. Usually, it involves a rats nest of wires behind the headlight housing. Luckily, USR makes it easy by designing the LED projectors to be built-in. This allows for a cleaner wiring job, and the result is a set of lights that look just as good as the stock ones.
The LED projectors aren’t the only thing that make these lights unique, though. They also come with a custom DRL/parking check and sequential LED turn signals. All of this adds up to an amazing upgrade, and they’re DOT-compliant to boot.
While HID bulbs in reflector headlights can blind other drivers, projector headlights have a filter that softens the cutoff line between light and dark. This way, the beam of light is emitted evenly, instead of concentrating a bright spot in one area.
Brake Light
Adding LED brake lights to your vehicle is a great way to make it easier for other drivers to see your car when you are slowing down or stopping. They’re also more energy-efficient than halogen bulbs and will last longer. LED bulbs are brighter and respond to your brake pedal much faster than traditional halogen headlight bulbs, giving other drivers enough time to react and avoid an accident.
Typically, if your vehicle currently has projectors in it (or at least reflector housings), you can easily retrofit projector headlights swap out the existing bulbs for HID or LED bulbs. These types of bulbs are more intense, allowing you to see the road better and giving your car a premium look. Just be sure to install the new bulb into a projector housing, as installing an HID into a reflector headlight will produce massive amounts of glare for other drivers.
There are a few companies that specialize in making retrofit projector headlights to replace your stock reflector-based headlights. One of the most well-known is Morimoto, who started this trend by modifying his own Dodge Stratus in his garage. Their XB LED and XB LED Hybrid headlights are plug-and-play units that are backed by a warranty. Another good option is Alpharex, who offers headlights in a variety of different styles and price ranges.