1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

HID cutoff not as good as I thought?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by F8L, Apr 24, 2012.

  1. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    You're a nut!

    Ohh, btw I need you to re-measure the Harley headlight. I talked to my buddy at the stereo shop and he said you have no room behind the headlight once it is installed. They work on a lot of Harleys but maybe he doesn't know your model well?
     
  2. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2009
    5,683
    953
    124
    Location:
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Just visual inspection on the 2010/11 and 2012. I'm just wondering if the 2012 headlights are worse for HID cutoff, as others have shown really nice cutoff on the 2010/11 (unless of course they didn't tell us the whole story).
     
  3. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I went back and looked at the pictures we have both seen and they are all too close to the wall to show the problem. I noticed on two of the pics that the edge are bowing but the shrubs/landscaping blur the edges.
     
  4. wick1ert

    wick1ert Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2009
    1,311
    183
    2
    Location:
    Delawhere
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I can't argue that statement, lol. I've always been a little bit out in left field.

    He may be correct on the Harley, as it's hard to really see in there given the whole bat-wing design. It's been a pretty standard layout on that particular model for a few years. I was thinking it may be best to just go with that place and get a bulging front piece to do the install. That way, you don't go far out the back. It's a Street Glide (FLHX) model, so that might help him next time you talk to him.
     
  5. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2009
    5,683
    953
    124
    Location:
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Yeah, so we probably didn't get the whole story.
     
  6. sfv41901

    sfv41901 Masta S

    Joined:
    May 5, 2010
    4,591
    5,292
    0
    Location:
    Palmdale, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I actually have a set in my garage along with a set of FX-Rs collecting dust. I just need to find a cheap donor light
     
  7. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    See post #20! :D
     
  8. leeb18c

    leeb18c Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2009
    272
    202
    0
    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I'm not sure if I can help with measurement and stuff. I have a prius halogen projector and chrome reflctor part that kept before throwing away the damage headlight from my accident. If you guys are interested, I can take picture of it and measure the mounts to see if it matches with other Toyota/Lexus projectors. However, you'll have to bake and open the headlight even just to get access or to swap the projector out. There is a extra metal piece attached to the cutoff plate that I haven't seen on other projectors before.
     
  9. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    That would be very helpful. I wish I had know sooner or I would have asked you to bring it to the meet this last weekend. :)
     
  10. wick1ert

    wick1ert Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2009
    1,311
    183
    2
    Location:
    Delawhere
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    You plan to donor my Harley light? lol
     
  11. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,901
    16,125
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It shouldn't bow out like that unless Toyota has changed the projector lens for 2012. I can try taking it at 25' (two Prius lengths would be 27' I think?) but my parkade isn't the flattest one in the world.

    I think the one I took last time might be closer to 14 or 15' away.
     
  12. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Fixed! LOL

    When I looked at the beam against my garage door as I was pulling out everything looked somewhat ok except for the big square box of light from the squirrel finders. It was when I pulled onto the street and started lighting up the interior of cars parked on the side of the street when I got worried. So I drove to one of my testing walls and saw the full pattern.

    You don't have to be exactly 25' away. Just try to find a wall and parking lot that will allow you to cast the full pattern on the wall. :) We're not going for beauty shots here but since you have a decent camera it wouldn't be bad to have a few more good shots floating around. ;)
     
  13. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I added a second pic, on the first post, to show the far left side of the left beam a little better. I ran out of wall though. :)
     
  14. leeb18c

    leeb18c Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2009
    272
    202
    0
    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Do you pass by SF or SJ often. I have no use for it and you can have it.
     
  15. wick1ert

    wick1ert Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2009
    1,311
    183
    2
    Location:
    Delawhere
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
  16. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I know someone who does... :) Where is The Critic?
     
  17. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,901
    16,125
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Here's another round of shots from an iPhone4 with and without HDR enhancements. You can use the holes in the walls as markers. I think it was fairly flat in that area of the parkade.

    [​IMG]

    HDR:
    [​IMG]

    Mine doesn't seem to exhibit the bowing effect that is shown in your photo.
     

    Attached Files:

    1 person likes this.
  18. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,901
    16,125
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Oh, I used my iPhone this time.

    Here's an older one I took. It's closer than 25' and into the carwash bay so you can see the reflection off the side walls. As you can tell, the carwash bay isn't level lol.

    [​IMG]
     

    Attached Files:

  19. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It is hard to see in the pics because of high ambient lighting but the bow is there from what I can tell. Look at the lighting in front of and above the hood of the red car on the right. You can also see the cutoff bending up on the left starting just before the wooden pallet and continuing up and into the chainlink fence?

    The light in that upper potion of the bow is lighter than the main beam in both of our photos. Because yours were taken in higher ambient lighting it makes your bow less visible but I believe it is there. :(
     
  20. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,901
    16,125
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It should bow to the right but not to the left to illuminate the side of the road. I thought you were concerned about the left side shown in your pics. The squirrel finder box is barely visible too (again, because of the high ambient light).