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YOUR RESEARCHLED headlight conversion
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Adjust with the standard leveling mechanism
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The cut-off of the Bi-Xenon and bi-LED is identical and can be adjusted with the standard leveling mechanism.
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I recommend leaving the ballast in place (disconnected) and I have a rubber grommet to close the wiring hole.
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I had the clears already, and had replaced the bulb with a LED, but I've got a pair of Adrian's LED taillights so it matches a bit better with that.
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I recommend leaving the ballast in place (disconnected) and I have a rubber grommet to close the wiring hole.
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The service and the quality from RetrofitLabs is excellent, and would recommend your product to anyone looking to do something like this.
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It is said to have a life of 10,000+ hours, so this should not be a problem, but in the unlikely event that the LEDs would fail, it would require you to open up the headlight to replace the entire projector assembly.
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The only thing I see on that page is an LED replacement for the halogen bulbs. Generally speaking they really don't work very well in terms of providing better lighting. You end up with a scattered beam pattern, poorer visibility, and also possibly annoying/blinding other drivers. They might look cooler when you stand outside the car and look at them but that's about it.
What you really want is a RetrofitLab kit. There's a vendor on here who handles USA sales. Here's his website for 996 stuff:
https://www.adriantaillights.com/sto...986-c114018836
Thank you for your answer.
I'm trying to find a better solution for the 996-2, I just bought. Unfortunately, it seems that there is a web-consensus regarding the poor quality of the LED kits for Porsche confirming your comment. My precedent 996 had new OEM Litronics headlights. They were far less bright than my Camri-hallogen-bulbs.
The bi-xenon retrofit is far and away the best bet for those who already have litronics, if the headlights are oxidized that will cut a lot of light output regardless, for $20 you can get a good improvement just dealing with that.
I bought those morimoto side markers just because I have some other morimoto stuff already on the car, nothing earth shattering but if you have the original ambers and want to swap to a clear look its not a bad option. I had the clears already, and had replaced the bulb with a LED, but I've got a pair of Adrian's LED taillights so it matches a bit better with that. The quality of the unit is pretty good I'd say.
Comparing the oem clears(top) vs the morimotos(bottom).
Hi,
I see you have a 2003. The 996.2 kits are easier to install since it doesn't require separating the lens from the housing.
Here's a good video from RFL. This is for the bi-Xenon kit, but the mechanical installation of the bi-LED kit is very similar, even somewhat simpler since there are no ballasts or igniters to install & find a place for.
I do provide an additional tips & tricks video for folks that order from me
You Tube
@playswithcars
Can you comment on the difference in light output and visibility between the LED vs Xenon retrofit for those with halogen set ups? The LED set up looks cleaner and easier to install but I'd prefer whichever has better light output.
It is really a matter of personal preference.Both kits provide a comparable light output and light color. Retrofitlab did a side-by-side of the two options, and needed a light meter to determine that the bi-Xenon version was slightly brighter than the bi-LED, but it was not visible with the naked eye. One disadvantage of the bi-Xenon kit is that there is more wiring to find a place for as it has ballasts and igniters where the bi-LED kit doesn�t.One disadvantage of the bi-LED kit is that, unlike the bi-Xenon kit, it does not have replaceable bulbs; the LED light source is built-in and a part of the projector. It is said to have a life of 10,000+ hours, so this should not be a problem, but in the unlikely event that the LEDs would fail, it would require you to open up the headlight to replace the entire projector assembly. Again, this is a low risk, and I have not heard of any instances where this happened, however, if this is something you are concerned about, then you might want to opt for the biXenon kit for that reason. Hope this helps!
Hi all
I know this is an older thread, but I installed the Retrofit Labs Bi-LED kit a couple of years ago, and it is an amazing improvement. I just posted a very comprehensively detailed video about a month ago. You can check it out Part 1 on YouTube here :
You Tube
and Part 2 here:
You Tube
Or search this forum for "Poorish 911 Guy'
Hope this helpful
Great video
@Poorish 911 Guy
!
Just a reminder that I am the exclusive US dealer for retrofitlab. I have all Porsche 986/996 kits in stock in Denver, CO and can ship within 1-2 days, free shipping within the lower 48. My prices are comparable to ordering from the Netherlands. I also offer internal harness replacements for 986/996.1 headlights, taillight LED halo conversion kits and installation service!
www.PorscheRetrofits.com
�Adrian - also on here as @playswithcars
Hey Adrian
Thanks!
Like I said in my original post, I did the conversion about 2 years ago. I filmed everything
took me this long to get the YouTube video edited and published
So, I can say that over the two years the RetroFitLabs Bi-LED Conversion has worked without issue, and is a vast improvement over the original factory Halogens.
I bought my kit from the Netherlands... possibly before you came on the scene(?).
The service and the quality from RetrofitLabs is excellent, and would recommend your product to anyone looking to do something like this.
My YouTube video is public, so feel free to use any, or all of the video, if you find it helpful.
Cheers!
You can certainly do that by ordering the halogen to LED kit. It will also fit in the Litronic headlights. I guess there are just not many folks that want to move from litronic to LED. Definitely an option!
This is almost exactly the situation I�m in. Cracked 996.2 Litronic housing. Want to replace whole housing and upgrade to new projector at the same time. The question becomes: Can I buy the standard Halogen housing and upgrade to LED projector OR do I need to start with a new Litronic housing? Over a $900 difference between the two housings.
I keep a supply of used 996 headlights in various states of (dis)repair and could probably help you.
That would involve me doing the rebuild of your light(s) though; I am not interested in just selling you the housing.
Also be a great opportunity to upgrade them to the Retrofitlab projectors!
PM me if you want to explore further!
BTW: the halogen housings will be missing some of the essential mounting points for things like headlight washer, leveling motor, among others.
--Adrian
Thanks Adrian! Will PM you for options. For general pop education, what does a new 996.2 housing come with? Matt Ross� video does a good job talking to the subject and also highlights the reality of 20-something year old cars and potentially the downside of environmentally friendly materials (think 991.1 door card glue). The insulation on the wiring just crumbles with age. I�m amazed that mine have not shorted out already. So would like to know if buying the new housing gets you new wiring also? This is kinda a crappy situation in that this car was supposed to be the guilt-free less expensive purchase compared to other 911 models. It�s like I tell my son though, just just cuz it�s an old car doesn�t mean the new parts and dealer labor is going to be less�..😜
Yikes, what happened to your car? Are those tire marks across the entire side?
Like they say, the cheapest Porsche ends up being the most expensive one...
I can certainly provide a refurbished harness with the housing.
I-75 in FL. Truck, car, me� Didn�t hear a thing and a 4 foot long chunk of tire tread literally appears in my windshield. Zero time to react even though I was well back from car in front of me. Was on the way to Tail of the Dragon in NC. Slight wrinkle to my plan� Just lucky it wasn�t the wheel too or would be the end of me🙏
Having been infected with the Porschenitis, I was more pissed that I couldn�t test out all the performance mods I had done including: KW-V1, Numeric Shifter, and Tarett Engineering adjustable swaybars. I do all my own wrenching, so have skin in the game beyond money outlay�.
Wow. When I used to ride motorcycles, I'd always pass big trucks a quickly as possible because I was concerned about this scenario. I always see chunks of rubber on the highway.
Yeah trucks are scary, especially in a tiny low car like the 996.
Where I'm from (Netherlands) trucks stay in the right lane and have a 80-90 km/h speed limit. Here they take up all lanes and go as fast as cars, if not faster.!!
Case in point:
why do folks not want to move from bi-xenon to LED? I am trying to determine the best route for me and I have the original 996.2 bi-xenons and find myself driving by candlelight at night.
does going to LED in this set up cause extra glare for oncoming drivers or any related issues since the housing is set for bi-xenon lights? does the LED throw further down the road (or less far) then the bi-xenon you offer?
It is mostly a personal choice. The RFL projector kits are very comparable when it comes to light output. RFL did a side-by-side and could only tell the difference with a light meter.
I believe that most folks with Litronic headlights tend to want to stick to bi-Xenon to keep the car as original as possible. The RFL bi-Xenon kit re-uses the OEM ballast which are awesome and bomb proof.
Another (small)consideration is that the Litronic lights have two holes in the back cover for the ballast wiring. I recommend leaving the ballast in place (disconnected) and I have a rubber grommet to close the wiring hole.
The reason the OEM lights (whether halogen or Litronic) are like driving by candlelight is the aging and deterioration of the projectors. The lenses become foggy and the reflective surface behind the lens starts dulling and flaking.
There is no extra glare by switching to bi-LED versus bi-Xenon projectors. LED glare is mostly due to folks putting LED bulbs in non-projector headlights. The cut-off of the Bi-Xenon and bi-LED is identical and can be adjusted with the standard leveling mechanism.
I'm linking my side-by-side comparison video that I shot a few years ago below:
Vimeo
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