How-To Install Stealth Auto 6000K HIDs in a Magnum SRT8

[GoofyTimL]

This will be submitted for the Tech Tips section also (or moved there) although be aware that it pertains to a Magnum SRT8. I can not draw conclusions as to whether the initial OEM power connection requirements are the same for the 300 LX models.

I would like to thank Aaron for the opportunity to work out this pictorial with their top-notch HIDs. So here goes...

Installation of 6000K HIDs (9006 equivalent)

from Stealth Auto, Inc.,

into a 2007 Magnum SRT8

The package arrived by FedEx, a box labeled DDM in an over-pack:


Inside the over-pack were: two Capacitor assemblies

Inside the DDM box were:
Generic Instructions (which were basically useless)
Two 35W Ballast assemblies with connected 35W Ignitors
Two HID assemblies with moisture seals and auxiliary power cords
One zip-lock baggie (not shown) with
four foam core double-sided adhesive
pads, (2 green/white, 2 white/yellow)
and misc. small white cable ties

Here's everything layed out...




The Magnum SRT8 Conversion Project, from 55W Halogen bulbs to 35W 6000K HIDs:
Does it take gearhead skill/experience? NO!
Should you read the enclosed instructions? NO! They are useless, and don’t really match the hardware.
The DDM instructions are not Stealth Auto issue.
Should you read these instructions? YES… Of course!!
If I can do it… so can you!!


Getting Started:
Layout the hardware, as in the image above and be sure
that you have everything, and know what each piece is. Throughout this install ensure that you never touch the halogen, or HID bulb glass with your fingers!

Take some time to remove the HIDs from their hard plastic protective enclosures.



Obviously, the bulb’s base will NOT go through the base of the clear plastic. I suppose you could use a pliers and crack/break the plastic piece in two. However, with patience, diligence and a little force you can pull the bulk of the cord assembly the opposite way through the base.



Of course only after I did this, did I discover that for the Magnum you don’t actually need the red/ black power cords with the OEM connectors. So I snipped them off. I suggest you do this first! LOL.



More to come in next post...

[GoofyTimL]

Remove the headlight first… or not?
This is up to you. It can be done without removing the Magnum headlight assembly from the vehicle, but it is far easier to access the bulbs and make connections if you do (for a 300C this probably isn’t necessary because the back of the bulbs are much more accessible). Still, removing the Magnum headlights takes some mechanical and wrench skill. So, assuming you will want to take the headlight out, here’s how.

Remove the black covers next to the hood latch. The three clips holding each piece release with a gentle pull "up" from one end to the other.



Then, with a towel to protect the finish use a flat-head screwdriver to lift the top fascia security pins (one side at a time) to loosen the front fascia.



Once the pin is fully "up" you can pull the two pieces out as a unit. Don't be concerned if you separate the pin from the base, it will reinsert easily. Set these aside until reassembly.



The headlamp is held in place by an outboard positioning pin and two 8 mm bolts. One bolt is on the inboard side under the upper black cover, and the second is centered below the headlamp assembly and behind the fascia. Use your fingers to bend the fascia plastic under the headlamp and you can see the bolt.



Getting to the upper, inboard bolt is easy. Getting to, and removing the bolt underneath is challenging to say the least. This picture shows the approx. location of the bolt. Note the use of a towel to protect the finish. Use a medium extension on your 1/4 in. socket wrench.

But... you WILL LOSE the bolt down into the fascia unless you have a gripping socket. I don't, so I got the idea to use the twist-tie that came with the kit (around the HID assemblies), and bent one end into the 8mm socket.



I found this was enough to allow a "snug" fit on the bolt head so that it would not drop out of the socket upon removal. Likewise, it held the bolt in the socket when it came time to reinstall! Without this "innovation" I had dropped the bolt more than once in a previous headlight project. Grrr.


More to come in the next post...

[GoofyTimL]

Once the bolts are out, a buddy would be helpful. Otherwise you have to both move the fascia and pull on the headlamp assembly yourself. Maneuver the headlamp to get the outboard positioning pin out of its socket, and then free the headlamp from under the hard corner of the Magnum's fender metal. The headlamp assembly, then, will lay out in front of the car.





The torx screws on the security ring holding the bulbs are #2, and need only be loosened slightly. If not removing the headlamp from the car, you can see and reach two of the three and that will/should suffice. Once loosened, turn the bulb 1/8 turn CCW. This is relatively easy with the OEM halogen bulb due to the right angle connector. Once the three tabs are lined up with the slots in the "keeper" ring, the bulb comes out easily.

The HID bulb is keyed similarly, and will go "in" only one way. However, the new bulb doesn't have the right angle connector, and getting enough leverage to twist the bulb into the security ring is a function of the size of your hand/fingers, tightness of the torx screws, and your grip (particularly if you don't take the headlamp assembly out of the vehicle).





Upon insertion of the HID, bring the rubber seal up to the back of the bulb. I took this picture below during the initial install before I clipped and removed the red and black loomed power cords and connectors that aren't necessary. The back of the HID is too long to allow the rubber seal to touch the security ring, and there is NO room under the security ring to keep things tight if you could get it under there. So, really, the seal is unnecessary and could be removed at the same time as the power cords.



Once the HIDs are in the headlamp assembly, reverse the process to reinstall the headlamp in the car... or if you did not take the assembly out, you now can start working on identifying the mounting locations for the ballast, ignitors and anti-flicker capacitors.

More in the next post...

[GoofyTimL]

The green/white foam adhesive pads in the baggie are the exact size needed to place on the back of the thin 35W ballats. No cutting or trimming is required. I put the green side to the ballast, and the white side to the car.



On the other hand both the capacitors and the ignitors take some custom cutting of the other white/yellow foam adhesive pads.

Measure and use a good scissors to cut the other foam adhesive pad for the ignitors first (one thickness will do). Then cut two pieces the size needed to fit "in" the capacitor's base. It will take two layers to fill the slightly concave dimension of the base so that the adhesive surface will contact and "stick" to the wheel well (or wherever you chose to mount the capacitor). This pictures below show how I chose to mount each piece on the wheel well of of the passenger side. And the driver's side. Ok... so I'm not that good at pre-planning!

Passenger side...



Driver's side...





Now as to the connections:
This shows the male end of the OEM power connector (removed from the Halogen bulb) with its security clip on the upper side.



"Normally" you would think to connect this to the corresonding female end of the capacitor so that the security tab mates with the clip. HOWEVER... if you put it together this way, the lights will NOT work! They won't even give a flick! LOL



Fortunately, the contact pins within the power connector are not keyed to a particular orientation for the coupling. So the easy “fix” is simply to put the coupling together backwards, i.e., the security clip and the security pins on opposite sides.

For the purist, however, reverse the wires in the capacitor's female connector and then hook up the coupling normally.

Refering to the previous pictures...
The male connector from the capacitor then attaches normally to the female connector of the ballast, security clip to security tab. And the two connectors from the ignitor connect to the corresponding connectors of the HID bulb. They will only connect one way. The ignitor is hardwired to the ballast so there is “user” connecting with that.

It really is as "simple" as that! You're DONE.


Now for a few more pictures... in the next post...

[GoofyTimL]

These two pictures show the backside of the HID bulb installed on each side.

Passenger side... Eventually I will remove the rubber seals...


Driver's side....


The look of the OEM headlights...


The new look with Stealth Auto 6000K HIDs...



And a couple night shots to show how these HIDs compare to the OEM HIDs of our 300C Heritage Edition.

The Magnum SRT8...


The Heritage Edition 300C...


The H.E. projector bulb has a very well defined mask line (somewhat expected from a projector lens I suppose), whereas the non-projector Magnum headlamp's have a fuzzier upper cut-off. It seems apparent from these images that I may have to play with the aim of the Magnum assemblies (if I can, other than up/down) to minimize the separation between the bright spots although in driving at night there is no noticeable dim area on the roadway.

The viewing distance with low beam is greatly improved without hazard to on-coming drivers as far as I can tell. The color simply is white with only a very slight twinge of blue (I suppose)... much like the Heritage Editoin bulbs and I've had those since we bought the car last March (2006 and 20k+ miles ago). Never a problem with drivers or police.

Just like with the Heritage Edition, the high beams help extend vision further and broader, but you can tell there's a color difference. I'd say, although the Stealth bulbs might be a little brighter, the Mag's high beams seem to be a better intensity match than those on the H.E. But the difference (if any) is only slight.

Both HIDs (H.E. OEM, and MSRT8 Stealth Auto) are SO MUCH BRIGHTER and whiter than OEM halogen bulbs! Yet nobody, so far, as flashed their lights at me indicating that I was blinding them. SO I don't hesitate to say I am VERY pleased with how this mod turned out. But you don't use these HIDs just to illuminate the garage do you?

Ok... I'm done.

[Rambit]

Once again another fine write up by you Tim!!!

Bernie

[StealthAuto]

Absolutely amazing!!!!! You're truly "The Man" Tim.

If anyone has any questions please let me know.

Sincerely,

Aaron

[fmarullo]

Tim - Mine came with orange o-rings which (even with a dab of grease) would not go into the female side of the housong and fit flush. I took the yellow o-rings off the original bulbs, and now they fit flush, however I can twist a nd remove w/o loosiening the torx screws. Did you have any issue getting the stealth auto bulbs to seat properly? I thought I had them in correct unitl when I installed them yesterday only to find out last night I had very poor lighting. I disassembled this AM to discover this as a root cause. I re installed and tried this trick / work around.

Pedro - you there? It seems the outside diameter with the large orange o-rings do not allow the assembly to slide into the recepticle and stay flush. I noticed in Tim's review the rings are blue and not as hefty as the orange ones on my light kit. Is this a change along the way?

[GoofyTimL]

fmarullo... Pedro posted an HID fog light install to FireMedic23's 300C and the O-rings for the H10 fogs was fat and yellow and didn't allow the kit to fit. Is it possible you didn't get the right bulbs?

I'll see if I can find that thread... Here it is

[fmarullo]

Tim,
Yeah that looks like the same issue I had except I was isntalling the low beams. I was beyond dissapointed last night when I went for a cruise to check them out... I was glad to discover what was causing it today. I am slightly concerend because the original o-ring on that assembly fits but now its a tad too loose, I can twist and remove the bulbs w/o touching the screws. I also can wiggle it but hopefully it will stay put and not bounce when I drive. I cant wait for it to get dark to so I cn see if I am good (and reap the benefit of those sweet looking IDs! Worst case I go o-ring shopping and find some the are just right.