Euro Headlights RHD to LHD?

[m3f_TPR-10]

Do I need to swap the projectors if I bought a RHD set of Bosch Euro Headlights and putting it into a E36 M3 LHD now?



I placed the headlights in my car and the lighting is not much better so I must be doing something wrong.



Please help...



Thanks,



B

[m3f_suaveflooder]

Shrouds are wrong. That's what you need to replace. Easier would probably be to have them retrofitted, or find someone who has, and get their old projector housing with the correct shroud.


As far as lighting is concerned, I've noticed the same. My cheap, stock, plastic seemed to have better lighting than the ellipsoids. Just picked up some silverstars and gonna try those for now. If it doesn't get much better, oh well. I plan to retrofit mine in the near future


Edit: See below. That's pretty sweet! I read that you had to change them! Learn something new every day!

[m3f_englishtom1596q]

you do not need to replace anything!!! the housing unscrews and you rotate it to the other side. simple as a 5 minute job.

[m3f_Braymond141]

Shrouds are wrong. That's what you need to replace. Easier would probably be to have them retrofitted, or find someone who has, and get their old projector housing with the correct shroud.


As far as lighting is concerned, I've noticed the same. My cheap, stock, plastic seemed to have better lighting than the ellipsoids. Just picked up some silverstars and gonna try those for now. If it doesn't get much better, oh well. I plan to retrofit mine in the near future

No.


Euro Bosch have superb light output low beam and high beam, they are better than US lights. Compared to most every other light OEM others and Replica, US lights are better, especially when comparing the high beams.

you do not need to replace anything!!! the housing unscrews and you rotate it to the other side. simple as a 5 minute job.

Thank you.

[m3f_englishtom1596q]

i was going to find my pics from when i did mine but you beat me to it braymond

[m3f_suaveflooder]

No.



Euro Bosch have superb light output low beam and high beam, they are better than US lights. Compared to most every other light other OEM and Replica, US lights are better, especially when comparing the high beams.

Hopefully, you are correct. So far, I have not had the same experience. My OEM's were better than what I have now. Swapped bulbs out today.

[m3f_haus]

Hopefully, you are correct. So far, I have not had the same experience. My OEM's were better than what I have now. Swapped bulbs out today.

Something is seriously wrong with your lights or the installation if the stock output was better. We're not making this up - it's a very worthwhile upgrade. Post a pic of your beam pattern from 20 feet away against a flat surface like a wall, building, or even a garage door.

[m3f_suaveflooder]

Something is seriously wrong with your lights or the installation if the stock output was better. We're not making this up - it's a very worthwhile upgrade. Post a pic of your beam pattern from 20 feet away against a flat surface like a wall, building, or even a garage door.

I was thinking the same thing. Idea all along was to retrofit eventually, but the lights that came with the lights were BAD! I mean bad enough for me to double check that they were on. I swapped the cheap bulbs they gave me for some silverstars and hoping that's all it was…a cheap bulb. I'm waiting for it to get dark…I'll post pics then


Edit: As far as installation, I'm pretty sure car was in a minor accident on the drivers side. You can't see it from looking, and no noticable damage to the underside, but little things (cracked, broken, off centered) on the drivers side are leading me to believe it was hit at some point.

[m3f_haus]

Forgive the weird shot, I was bench testing these against the side wall of the garage when I was rebuilding mine, but this is what you should be seeing at the right edge of the cutoff before it veers upward (toward the right side of the road). These were the H1 bulbs that came with the lights from the UK, they looked pretty old. I replaced them with Silverstars on a friend's recommendation but even these were vastly superior to the OE plastic lights. One of the best simple upgrades for the US M3.

[m3f_suaveflooder]

Forgive the weird shot, I was bench testing these against the side wall of the garage when I was rebuilding mine, but this is what you should be seeing at the right edge of the cutoff before it veers upward (toward the right side of the road). These were the H1 bulbs that came with the lights from the UK, they looked pretty old. I replaced them with Silverstars on a friend's recommendation but even these were vastly superior to the OE plastic lights. One of the best simple upgrades for the US M3.

If I can get mine to look like that I would be stoked!

[m3f_TPR-10]

I just ordered a set of FX-R projectors and D2S HID and will do a retrofit install. I guess this will no longer matter since I order a LHD set now.



Thanks for the input...



Wish me luck on the install.

[m3f_englishtom1596q]

I just ordered a set of FX-R projectors and D2S HID and will do a retrofit install. I guess this will no longer matter since I order a LHD set now.



Thanks for the input...



Wish me luck on the install.

post pics of your project! i want to tackle this job down the line...if i keep it.

[m3f_suaveflooder]

Forgive the weird shot, I was bench testing these against the side wall of the garage when I was rebuilding mine, but this is what you should be seeing at the right edge of the cutoff before it veers upward (toward the right side of the road). These were the H1 bulbs that came with the lights from the UK, they looked pretty old. I replaced them with Silverstars on a friend's recommendation but even these were vastly superior to the OE plastic lights. One of the best simple upgrades for the US M3.

Bulbs. Silverstars….MUCH better. I honestly couldn't tell the lights were on before.

I just ordered a set of FX-R projectors and D2S HID and will do a retrofit install. I guess this will no longer matter since I order a LHD set now.



Thanks for the input...



Wish me luck on the install.

AWESOME!!! VERY jealous!

[m3f_haus]

Unless your driveway slopes down, your beams are way too low. There are aiming instructions floating the net that can help. You don't want to blind oncoming drivers, but with projectors in particular, if the beams are too low it's impossible to see anything (and dangerous).



At least it looks like you have a good spot to aim those; you need level ground about 20' or so and a vertical surface you can mark with tape and a tape measure. Your brightness looks fine.

[m3f_suaveflooder]

Unless your driveway slopes down, your beams are way too low. There are aiming instructions floating the net that can help. You don't want to blind oncoming drivers, but with projectors in particular, if the beams are too low it's impossible to see anything (and dangerous).


At least it looks like you have a good spot to aim those; you need level ground about 20' or so and a vertical surface you can mark with tape and a tape measure. Your brightness looks fine.

It slopes up, actually (water run off for buildings. Most will/should do this). My car is on the flat spot. I took it to a school, drove up close to the wall, marked it, and then measured out 25 feet (I read 25 not 20...oops) and adjusted


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk