[walky_talky20]

I don't know about PA, but in VA it's wayyy too cold to be working on the car...

It was freezing! I was installing the housing as fast as I could, but my fingers were still frozen for a good hour and a half.

Here's a couple pics:

This was the only tricky part mounting the new projector. This screw is a little hard to get at, but it goes.

And my cable glands. Darn you!

No pics of the install in the car yet. My hands were frozen and useless.

 

[Nick0matic]

Jacob is right, I was stupid and made a 1" hole in the center of both dust caps without even looking at fitment. It wasn't even the outside fitment that was a problem, it's that the hole was right behind a 90° igniter (like your fourth pic), so the cable had nowhere to go.

Space is really tight behind the headlights, so it's a measure thrice, cut once affair. Great job braving the cold, here's hoping the ballasts can too!

 

[walky_talky20]

I decided to fix my dunce move by just plugging the filler neck hole, and then storing the washer filler neck in the garage for when I need to top up. Took me a while to find something that would work to plug the hole which would be easily removable, seal off well and not fall in. In the end a worn out distributor rotor from a late 80's Toyota did the job nicely.

I also adjusted the aim a little bit and hooked up the Bi-Xenon solenoid wires.

HOLY CRAP. Even with just one headlamp converted, the lighting performance is amazingly improved. Night driving is so much better, especially dipped beam coverage. Distance, width, brightness - it's all good.

I decided that I will probably go in and shim the projectors down a bit to get the halogen high beam up where it should be. While the Bi-Xenon high beam coverage is very good, the extra halogen illumination at mid-range detracts slightly from long distance visibility. Can't wait to get the other side done, too.

 

[LizardOfBodom]

I decided that I will probably go in and shim the projectors down a bit to get the halogen high beam up where it should be. While the Bi-Xenon high beam coverage is very good, the extra halogen illumination at mid-range detracts slightly from long distance visibility. Can't wait to get the other side done, too.

Can you explain more please? Is it to lower them down vs the mounts or you are messing with shutters? I am asking as I keep thinking about modding the shutters myself as I feel those can be fixed to have wider light displacement, may be wrong but looks like those can be upgraded somehow...

 

[walky_talky20]

Via the mounting points. Bolting straight in has the beam aimed without much separation from the high beam reflector. It needs the mounting position to be adjusted (tipped) down slightly for the high beam throw from the reflector to be ideal. It's very usable as-is, it's just not exactly right.

 

[LizardOfBodom]

Via the mounting points. Bolting straight in has the beam aimed without much separation from the high beam reflector. It needs the mounting position to be adjusted (tipped) down slightly for the high beam throw from the reflector to be ideal. It's very usable as-is, it's just not exactly right.

Ah ok, gotcha. Got the same issue on my 1st retrofit but sorted it out using metal washers between the projector mount and projector itself. 2 on lower screw and whole projector started aiming down by a smal degree that was enough to correct it. Maybe try same before shimming?

 

[walky_talky20]

lol. Yes, I will try exactly that.

Shim: a washer or thin strip of material used to align parts.

 

[theshadow27]

Can you explain more please? Is it to lower them down vs the mounts or you are messing with shutters? I am asking as I keep thinking about modding the shutters myself as I feel those can be fixed to have wider light displacement, may be wrong but looks like those can be upgraded somehow...

Just to clarify, you cannot modify width via the shield (shutter) - that is a function of the lens: see http://forums.swedespeed.com/showth...HID-Retrofit&p=5739721&viewfull=1#post5739721

 

[LizardOfBodom]

lol. Yes, I will try exactly that.

Shim: a washer or thin strip of material used to align parts.

Damn!, Sorry, english is not my native language, always thought its something like filing or polishing... :-O Ill just shut up now

theshadow - I didnt explain myself properly, my bad. I know I cant make the beam wider (pity, as the beam is very narrow and often I need to turn the foglamps on to find a turn in the unlit rural road) but I thought MAYBE by experimenting with shutter I can let some light out and make the beam hitting more of the roadside. Havent tested it and obviously wouldnt do anything without proper experimenting, but rough concept can be seen on my awesome and super accurate technical drawing below that I just created

One thing I have to say about aftermarket projectors - shutters are sh*t! just a plank of metal with 2 lines giving very unnatural output on the road and creating dark spot where OEM projectors have nice curvature and lighting up parts of the road. Plus the cutouts are a bit crooked from the factory so even straightening them would help....

 

[walky_talky20]

^Hey, quit showing off. You know, not all of us have access to AutoCAD.

 

[LizardOfBodom]

^Hey, quit showing off. You know, not all of us have access to AutoCAD.

You're lucky I didnt create 3DStudio rendering ;P

 

[theshadow27]

Lol. But back OT...

For those who have installed their SKBOWE - is there anything you would recommend I tweak for batch 3? I.e. longer wires, shorter wires, instructions, harness orientation, etc?

One change I was considering is going to 16 AWG wire for improved flexibility over the #14 to help routing the harness through tight spaces. The rest of the headlight harness is in 18AWG so voltage drop not a huge concern. I still have a bunch of #14 left so that might be a batch 4 thing (if that ever happens).

 

[evy0311]

Lol. But back OT...

For those who have installed their SKBOWE - is there anything you would recommend I tweak for batch 3? I.e. longer wires, shorter wires, instructions, harness orientation, etc?

One change I was considering is going to 14 AWG wire for improved flexibility over the #12 to help routing the harness through tight spaces. The rest of the headlight harness is in 16 or 18 so voltage drop not a huge concern. I still have a bunch of #12 left so that might be a batch 4 thing.

My wires seemed to be a pretty good length. More flexibility would be easier but overall my install was very easy... The only time I had issues routing wires was with the actual HID kit itself that I bought. But I'm very pleased with the SKBOWE

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

 

[walky_talky20]

Yes. The stiff wires were a bit difficult to work with. Especially in freezing temperatures. I feel like the lengths were pretty good.

I think an upgrade option for a pro-install mounting bracket would be awesome. Perhaps pre-drilled to fit one or two types of popular HID ballasts? And maybe other options for adapter cables and grommets to complete the install kit. Just a thought.

 

[theshadow27]

 

[theshadow27]

Baking the first of Batch 3 now...


https://www.skbowe.com/a/category/build-updates/

Back in the beginning of the KBOWE project, I bought enough stuff to build 100 sets (wire, PCBs, connectors), and then ordered capacitors and enclosures as I built the batches (these are the majority of the cost). Preorder, Batch 1 and Batch 2 came to 50 units. I decided to do 40 in Batch 3 (rather than 25 and 25 in B4) so there is inventory for a while. 9/40 have been sold so far, and on average they sell about 3/month, so with any luck there will be stock until the end of the year.

 

[theshadow27]

Batch 3 is back to 25 units (13 left), seems to be the limit before my carpel tunnel starts acting up. There is a lot of repetitive motion with stripping and crimping all the connectors.

https://www.skbowe.com/a/2018/02/28/skbowe-batch-3-ready-ship/
That leaves a nice even 25 units for Batch 4, to round out the 100 units promised at the start of this thread.

62 SKBOWEs have been shipped so far! The world map is getting crazy...

 

[evy0311]

I seriously love my SKBOWE and my HIDs. They work so well! And I haven't even done the bi-xenon projectors yet but that's coming soon...

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

 

[walky_talky20]

I stopped in at my local Ford/Volvo Dealer the other day to pick up some parts for our shop. I had the parts guy run the number for the DRL delete software. He said the software was $33 and labor would "probably be the same for a replacement key coding, so $50."

$83 plus tax. Not terrible. I may make an appointment soon.

 

[theshadow27]

Been super busy, sorry for the lack of updates, 67 SKBOWEs sold total, 8 left in Batch 3, the final Batch 4 will probably get built in a June/July timeframe. Finally sent one to Sweden (what took so long?!?). Coolest part for me is hearing from all over the world - I guess the site has done well on Google rankings - and I've gotten emails from Australia, Singapore, and South Africa. International shipping is insanely expensive, but the DIY KBOWE has been replicated many times over.

$83 plus tax. Not terrible. I may make an appointment soon.

Yeah that's not too bad, seems it all comes down to the dealership.. Some will gouge $150+ and others will refuse all together.