My HID install: F4i specific
 

Mods: This is not an in-depth how-to, and this is specific to an F4i install, thus the location of this thread.


I just wanted to share my experience installing a HID kit and some thoughts/tips I believe could help anyone thinking about doing this project.

So I ordered HIDs from sharphid.com. This place charges about $15 more than other places, but they actually have customer service and shipped in a timely manner. From purchase date to arrival on my doorstep it was 8 days.


The kit I ordered was a DDM 6000k 35w slim ballast HID kit.

I read around some how-to's on this forum and others and gathered the basic knowledge to begin the task.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg402...jpg&res=medium

The kit included 2 of the picture above ( 2 bulbs, 2 ballasts, etc). The plastic spaced did need to be trimmed and be very careful not to trim too much. I luckily got them to fit perfectly.

So after I had stock bulb removed:
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg197...jpg&res=medium

I then ran all of the new wiring for the HID kit:
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg30/...jpg&res=medium


And let me explain that doing everything up to this point was very easy. Once I plugged everything in and made sure the bulb actually worked I cleaned everything up and positioned all the wires under the intake cover so no wires are visible...which I forgot to take a picture of :)


As far as where i put the ballasts, I think some people have over thought this by drilling holes and wrapping them in foam and other things. These, very simply and snuggly, fit in the location below:
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg10/...jpg&res=medium

You can see the red and black wire coming out from the top of the ballast. I then just zip tied them in place. I think these are the best place to put them because they are completely out of sight, safely snug, and make for a very clean install.

I then just repeated the process on the high beam side and voila!
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg191...jpg&res=medium



If anyone has any questions on the install please feel free to ask.

Like I said, I think some people over think the install and really this is a very simply project to do. Everything can be tucked away neatly without any drilling and all that has to be removed is the windshield and intake covers.

Great write up... been thinking about getting the HIDs for a while now... nice to know that there is another way to get DDM stuff without waiting as long... so they ship it out instead of drop shipping from China? Also.. if you have an issue (warranty) do you go through them or DDM?
Your 6Ks look very blue... I was leaning towards 5K but Brian @ DDM recommended the 6K since he said that the 6 would be white with a hint of blue while the 5K might have a hint of a slight yellow to it..

6K's are the way to go. Ive got a 6k Low beam and a 3K high beam. Looks funky but I like all the strange looks i get.

SharpHid honors the warranty and you do everything directly through them. They dropship like everywere else, but I still got mine super quick. IMO the extra money spent is well worth the customer service.

In person they are mainly white with a hint of blue. I think 6k is the way to go because they don't have any yellow in them and still put out enough light to be more than safe.

I originally started with the 6k version that came with the kit (I used Xentec) - maybe the globe was poor quality, but it was just too blue ... problem with that is when it rains, the bluer the light (in my experience with car globes too), the harder it is to pick out undulations and holes on the road ... I recall the rally drivers of past years had bright yellow (3k colour temp?) Hella spotlights for that reason - so the road surface could be picked out better ....

Anyway I replaced my globe with a 5.3K one, and that's almost a perfect white ... very happy with it. So no, I would never use a 6k myself ....

i ordered from ddm tuning and got my stuff the following week.
i do have a question though- those exposed connectors on the wiring with the bulbs, where did those connect to?

The difference between a 6k and a 5.3k is probably not even visible to the eye....the guy probably told you it was a 5.3 and its really a 4k or lower....

They connect to the stock power on each headlight.

so i'm sure i will need to use some electrical tape to secure those leads when i install my kit, correct?

Yeah I just wrapped a little electrical tape around them to be snug and secure. They fit in tight as is so a little will do the job.

cool thank you