Just ordered the parts, plan on making my own eyes with a 9.5mm rod and using 8mm led lights, also thinking of tossing a little icing on the top and adding an audi style concept light bar towards the bottom, going to make that as well, will post pics plan on tackling this next weekend so any added info is much appreciated!
Angel Eyes + Extras
- Thread starter LsKd
- Start date
G-RELL
FULLY DIPPED LS
a few have tried the audi light strip at the bottom.so far, all have looked like garbage... FYI
1LoudLS
Dedicated LVC Member
the problem is that the audi strip is very hard to retro fit and not look cheap. I don't think its impossible, but I also don't think the LS shape lends itself well to that look. halos are a different story, its hard to make them not look good (unless they are too dim to see well in the daylight!)
Think I'll ditch the Audi concept then, I chose to go with a larger tubing for angel eyes so I can fit a larger led, thought ahead about the brightness. Most likely going to spray paint the bezel along with my rims as well, is plastidip good? Have yet to try it
FDR
Dedicated LVC Member
The seemingly best way to do any kind of light bar without an OEM engineering team to make the rear notches perfect (they're not just slots cut into it, they're now carefully-calculated, perfectly angled facets) is to use frosted acrylic (sanding works ok) with a full-length LED array behind it. There's plenty of room to do it, but the style is a bit hard to match.
That being said, I think halos are wildly overrated these days. So overrated that BMW is moving away from them. The LS doesn't give you nice lights to work with. The tops and bottoms of the low beams are clipped (both gens), Gen 1 highbeams have a large arc cut out of them, and Gen 2 highs are significantly smaller. But if you like them, who am I to say "no" to?
In the very least, please choose halos OR strips, not both
That being said, I think halos are wildly overrated these days. So overrated that BMW is moving away from them. The LS doesn't give you nice lights to work with. The tops and bottoms of the low beams are clipped (both gens), Gen 1 highbeams have a large arc cut out of them, and Gen 2 highs are significantly smaller. But if you like them, who am I to say "no" to?
In the very least, please choose halos OR strips, not both
That being said, I think halos are wildly overrated these days. So overrated that BMW is moving away from them.
In the very least, please choose halos OR strips, not both
Really????? 2017+ G30...
Like the kidney grille, the coronas seem to have become a BMW trademark.
The seemingly best way to do any kind of light bar without an OEM engineering team to make the rear notches perfect (they're not just slots cut into it, they're now carefully-calculated, perfectly angled facets) is to use frosted acrylic (sanding works ok) with a full-length LED array behind it. There's plenty of room to do it, but the style is a bit hard to match.
That being said, I think halos are wildly overrated these days. So overrated that BMW is moving away from them. The LS doesn't give you nice lights to work with. The tops and bottoms of the low beams are clipped (both gens), Gen 1 highbeams have a large arc cut out of them, and Gen 2 highs are significantly smaller. But if you like them, who am I to say "no" to?
In the very least, please choose halos OR strips, not both
Like i said, ditching the strips, angels with a black bezel to make them stand out is where its at
1LoudLS
Dedicated LVC Member
but thats only one model... if you check their current line up on the web sight, only the 2 series, 3 series, 4 series, 5 series, 6 series, 7 series, X1, X3, X4, X5, X6 and Z4 still have "halo" headlights... as the I8 is the future of the company and the only model that doesnt use them (they opted for a more audi like strip light), its very clear that they are moving away from them! jeezh
BMW explains right on their web site that they design all of the head light to use the corona as a daytime running light to make sure that the car is easily visible all the itme. seems like its a safety feature that they don't plan on getting rid of anytime soon
And I have mine coded for full brightness with the headlights on. I also had to code less sensitivity for the auto-headlights as they would come on too soon, IMHO.
FDR
Dedicated LVC Member
Alright, it was a little vague. Much of the lineup has squared off the rings to some degree which, to me, seems like a pretty large step away from a 30 year styling marque of perfect circles (though with some clipped tops). Maybe I'm nitpicking with the mix of rings, C's, bars, eyebrows, and straight lines being added to the designs. Maybe I read into the i3 and the i8's very square coronas (I guess it was just on the concepts?) too much. Maybe the i3/i8 was just a false flag, like when Lamborghini "stopped" having Lambo doors with the introduction of the Gallardo.
But what do I know? I drive an American knockoff of a Bimmer
But what do I know? I drive an American knockoff of a Bimmer
FDR
Dedicated LVC Member
I hope you're working on spare lights so you don't get stuck with a car you can't drive at night while you figure this out...
You mean where do you wire the halos? It depends on what you want. The options are: 1) turn on with headlights, 2) turn on with parking lights, 3) turn on when running, 4) turn on when the car is "awake" (press unlock, wakes up, stays awake for ~30 minutes after locking/no new actions are done like unlocking or opening a door, and 5) just use a switch.
Your car body is grounded to Negative. The parking/blinkers share a Positive wire that is always on (or is it on when awake?) and the car controls the negative wire. To do option 2 with parking lights, wire the halos to (if I remember correctly) what should be labeled "Common" and "Minor" on the blinker socket. The headlight are the same, just with a constant-positive and a switched negative. To do option 1 with headlights, just connect it to those wires.
If the positive wires are only powered when the car is awake, then connecting the LEDs to the positive wire and to the body will give you option 4, on when awake.
I don't think I have to explain 5.
I don't know which wires would have run-only power.
You mean where do you wire the halos? It depends on what you want. The options are: 1) turn on with headlights, 2) turn on with parking lights, 3) turn on when running, 4) turn on when the car is "awake" (press unlock, wakes up, stays awake for ~30 minutes after locking/no new actions are done like unlocking or opening a door, and 5) just use a switch.
Your car body is grounded to Negative. The parking/blinkers share a Positive wire that is always on (or is it on when awake?) and the car controls the negative wire. To do option 2 with parking lights, wire the halos to (if I remember correctly) what should be labeled "Common" and "Minor" on the blinker socket. The headlight are the same, just with a constant-positive and a switched negative. To do option 1 with headlights, just connect it to those wires.
If the positive wires are only powered when the car is awake, then connecting the LEDs to the positive wire and to the body will give you option 4, on when awake.
I don't think I have to explain 5.
I don't know which wires would have run-only power.
FDR
Dedicated LVC Member
Are you taking each bulb out of the headlight before removal? All 3 bulbs are on a short harness about the length of the headlight. You'll see a large plug with a red sliding lock mounted behind where the high beam would be...
1LoudLS
Dedicated LVC Member
if you wire them to the turn signal wire, they will only flash with the turn signals (or hazards) you will want to use the parking light wire.
1LoudLS
Dedicated LVC Member
to be clear, the 1st gen uses dual filament bulbs, there are two different sets of contacts for each turn signal bulb, one set for the dimmer parking light operation, and one set of contacts for the brighter turn signal operation.
FDR
Dedicated LVC Member
It might be time to phone a friend. I'm all for hands-on learning, but maybe this is over your head. I don't know if we're having a writing issue because Loud and I are leaving out too many details, a reading issue because you're skimming, an understanding issue by not seeing the whole picture, or what, but something just isn't working here. It's how I've learned most things car and LED related, once the initial steps are laid out. I also start with spare parts if I know there's a chance of ruining the part. I just feel like laying out more steps teaches you nothing...
All you should need to do is look at the parts you have. Did you identify the ~18" long harness I was talking about? The harness is meant to come out with the headlight so you don't have to remove all 3 bulbs from the assembly.
The blinker socket is labeled GRD (not COMMON like I thought), MAJOR (blinker), MINOR (parking). Each wire has a unique color combination.
All you should need to do is look at the parts you have. Did you identify the ~18" long harness I was talking about? The harness is meant to come out with the headlight so you don't have to remove all 3 bulbs from the assembly.
The blinker socket is labeled GRD (not COMMON like I thought), MAJOR (blinker), MINOR (parking). Each wire has a unique color combination.
It might be time to phone a friend. I'm all for hands-on learning, but maybe this is over your head. I don't know if we're having a writing issue because Loud and I are leaving out too many details, a reading issue because you're skimming, an understanding issue by not seeing the whole picture, or what, but something just isn't working here. It's how I've learned most things car and LED related, once the initial steps are laid out. I also start with spare parts if I know there's a chance of ruining the part. I just feel like laying out more steps teaches you nothing...
All you should need to do is look at the parts you have. Did you identify the ~18" long harness I was talking about? The harness is meant to come out with the headlight so you don't have to remove all 3 bulbs from the assembly.
The blinker socket is labeled GRD (not COMMON like I thought), MAJOR (blinker), MINOR (parking). Each wire has a unique color combination.
All I needed was a picture, now I'm finished. Thanks for your help.
RigsLS
Dedicated LVC Member
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That just sounds so wrong in so many ways! I've moved onto short vids instead, can usually finish by the end of the clips.
sample:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpp2NnaF4Go