Upgrading projector lenses

[itismebigd]

Hi all im after some info on how to upgrade my projector lenses on standard factory fitted xenons mk5 R32 as i have found out my lenses are cloudy and causing very poor light output after fitting brand new Oem D2s bulbs. And also where can i source new lenses from please thank you in advance guys and girls

[4ndy]

"cloudy" lenses can be polished using kits from 3M amongst others.  Go easy as its plastic
   

[FJ1000]

"cloudy" lenses can be polished using kits from 3M amongst others.  Go easy as its plastic
 

I think he means the projector lenses - can only access these by splitting the lights.

Also, the xenons are glass. However, you're right that polishing can massively improve the plastic (non-xenon) units.

This is my nephews car. Process was as following:
- Admire the cloudiness.
- Tape off around the headlights
- Wet sand (I forget which grade I had) until cloudy effect gone
- Admire the new Matt finish. sh*t yourself and wonder if you've done the right thing
- With a DA polisher, polish with a firm/medium pad and compound, and then buff with a soft pad
- Remove excess polish (I use gtechniq panel wipe)
- Apply sealant

Before


Closeup before


After


Closeup


Much better!



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[willni]

Think theres a guy somewhere in scotland that can take the headlights apart and replace parts for you, they can quote you a price, never used them though.

[DrG_GTi]

If your talking about the actual projector lense... you want to go for the ZKW-R mod. Ultra clear lenses instead of the cloudy OEM ones. These make for a much cleaner and sharp cut off and even shows the purple/blue on the cut off line... I got my from the retrofit source, https://www.theretrofitsource.com/all-products/zkw-r-47720.html?carDisplay=2007+Volkswagen+Golf+%28HID+Equipped%29&preselect=&preselect_restrict=1

Pretty easy to fit if you are happy taking the light unit off the car, removing ignitor and taking the full projector housing out of it (a few screws) and changing the lense. Loads of guides out there it's not difficult max. few hours with removing the light unit from car and sodding around with the bumper.

Defo worth doing if you are after a ton more light output, sharp cut off line from the oem xenons and if I were you I would upgrade the bulbs too Osram CBIs

[pudding]

If your talking about the actual projector lense... you want to go for the ZKW-R mod. Ultra clear lenses instead of the cloudy OEM ones. These make for a much cleaner and sharp cut off and even shows the purple/blue on the cut off line... I got my from the retrofit source, https://www.theretrofitsource.com/all-products/zkw-r-47720.html?carDisplay=2007+Volkswagen+Golf+%28HID+Equipped%29&preselect=&preselect_restrict=1

Pretty easy to fit if you are happy taking the light unit off the car, removing ignitor and taking the full projector housing out of it (a few screws) and changing the lense. Loads of guides out there it's not difficult max. few hours with removing the light unit from car and sodding around with the bumper.

Defo worth doing if you are after a ton more light output, sharp cut off line from the oem xenons and if I were you I would upgrade the bulbs too Osram CBIs

Superb!  Can black out the nasty chrome whilst you've got it apart too, or does that need a full strip down?  I remember my MK4 R32 Xenons being all plastic welded together (after smashing / replacing the glass), so needed specialist attention to dismantle.

Is there a UK supplier of those lenses?  Imports from the US aren't particularly favourable for us at the moment!

[DrG_GTi]

@Pudding - no uk supplier that i now of, but i have not searched recently.
To paint the chrome you would need to split the housing apart, which I'm wasn't willing to do... the lenses don't need you to do this as you can pull the projector housing out of the housing with the igniter/wires and 4 screws removed.

[lukemk5gti]

@Pudding - no uk supplier that i now of, but i have not searched recently.
To paint the chrome you would need to split the housing apart, which I'm wasn't willing to do... the lenses don't need you to do this as you can pull the projector housing out of the housing with the igniter/wires and 4 screws removed.

You've done this?

Don't suppose you have side by side photos of your GTI?

[pudding]

@Pudding - no uk supplier that i now of, but i have not searched recently.
To paint the chrome you would need to split the housing apart, which I'm wasn't willing to do... the lenses don't need you to do this as you can pull the projector housing out of the housing with the igniter/wires and 4 screws removed.

Thanks mate.  One of my projector units (nearside I think) wobbles over bumps, so I'll order a pair of these and kill 2 birds with one stone.

[DrG_GTi]

@Pudding - no uk supplier that i now of, but i have not searched recently.
To paint the chrome you would need to split the housing apart, which I'm wasn't willing to do... the lenses don't need you to do this as you can pull the projector housing out of the housing with the igniter/wires and 4 screws removed.

You've done this?

Don't suppose you have side by side photos of your GTI?

Sorry mate i don't. I'm very fussy when it comes to lights on my cars so had to get these as best as they could possibly be. I pretty much followed a load of US threads and a few including the below on the HID forums. As our Xenons use the same E46 projectors this thread applies.... you will see the difference they make, its massive. I still need to play with my adjustment screw more (its finding an appropriate wall at night to do it thats all) and i have been debating for a year whether to remove/bend the RV shield to get that blue cut off... but part of me doesn't want to f*ck the projectors up lol

The Osram Xenarc CBIs make a huge difference with these lenses with just one washer modification on each leg... but without any other tweaking, i have a nice cut off but it could be sharpened and coloured better with the adjustment screw and RV removal.

https://www.hidplanet.com/forums/forum/general-discussion/lens-swaps-color-mods/34816-swap-zkw-r-lens-into-bosch-al-e46-bi-xenon-projector/page3

[pudding]

As part of the quest to improve all things head lighting, are these worth a go?  http://www.morimotohid.com/led-lighting/d2h-d2s-morimoto-2stroke.html

P.S. I don't actually like the purple/blue cutoff line.  Is that Xenon bulb thing or a projector thing?  Is it a prism effect thing?

[DrG_GTi]

Cool, i hear you. If you don't modify the RV shield (as this diffuses the light) you wont get the full blue cut off, just a small glimpse of blue/purple due to the bulb temperature, clear lense and the sharp focus. This is why i haven't done it (and because i don't want to mess the lights up beyond repair)

Those LED D2S look interesting but the light rating of 6000k will make them more blue than white. The CBIs are rated around 5000-5500k so are white with that small tell tale xenon blue/purple right on the centre of the cut off.

[pudding]

Ah OK, thanks for the info!

Did you run into the same problems as that guy on HIDplanet with the ZKW-R lenses being slightly bigger than the OEM ones and not fitting in the metal cradle properly?

[r5gtt]

Maybe this might help you.

[DrG_GTi]

@pudding no mine fit perfectly, if I recall they revised them slightly a few years back because of that, but I did use a single washer on each leg to space it out for focusing

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