Philips HID Conversion Kit, Lexus IS-F Shift Knob, Kenu Airframe

[BRON]

Installed some aftermarket parts this week.

Genuine Philips HID Conversion Kit (6000k) - Imported from Japan by Nigel-JDMParts. They are essentially Philips Ultinon Flash White bulbs rebased to H11. Puts out an intense white beam of light with a hint of purple and blue (you only see white from behind the wheel). Works spectacularly during rain and snow and on dark and twisty roads. No complaints from fellow drivers on brightness - the stock projectors are aimed well.

Lexus IS-F Shift Knob - Looks classier and is better-to-the-touch than the plasticky stock shift knob. Wrapped in perforated leather.

Kenu Airframe - Simple and well-designed. Holds smartphones securely. Can sit horizontally and vertically. When mounted on a dash vent, the iPhone USB cable can reach the USB port in the center console.

 

[Blackzilla]

looks man man i wanna change the shift knob too. are there specific knobs we have to get or is any automatic transmission one ok

 

[BRON]

looks man man i wanna change the shift knob too. are there specific knobs we have to get or is any automatic transmission one ok

Thanks black! We do need to use shift knobs of a specific size to match the shift lever so that they will fit. The shift knob screws onto the shift lever like a nut and a screw. The IS-F shift knob hole (and by extension the OEM Mazda6 shift knob hole) is 8 mm. in diameter so you'll want a shift knob in size M8 (M8 x 1.25 to be specific).

 

[Blackzilla]

awesome and i meant looks good man haha did you order it or did you swap with someone

 

[BRON]

awesome and i meant looks good man haha did you order it or did you swap with someone

LOL I got it used on eBay for $50. It's $75-$100 new depending on who you order from.

 

[palomatic]

hey man, did you replace the projectors too? or using the same projectors for low beam? Also, did you by chance change the high beams/DRLs as well to match the white light?

I am considering the Elit HID system from TRS.

 

[BRON]

hey man, did you replace the projectors too? or using the same projectors for low beam? Also, did you by chance change the high beams/DRLs as well to match the white light?

I am considering the Elit HID system from TRS.

Hi palomatic, the only things I replaced were the low-beam bulbs. I kept the stock projectors and high beam/DRL bulbs.

 

[palomatic]

oh okay. And you don't have any issues with the HIDs being used inside stock projectors, right? I might even do that.

 

[BRON]

oh okay. And you don't have any issues with the HIDs being used inside stock projectors, right? I might even do that.

No issues at all; they distribute light very well and I haven't been flashed by oncoming drivers yet. You won't need to replace the projector housing.

 

[palomatic]

You used the 6000k bulbs, but the TRS people recommend using the 4300k as they are industry standard, not sure how much difference that would make. Your take on that?

 

[BRON]

You used the 6000k bulbs, but the TRS people recommend using the 4300k as they are industry standard, not sure how much difference that would make. Your take on that?

The two differences between 6000k and 4300k are color and brightness. Anything from 5000k to 5500k is pure white, so 4300k is white with a hint of yellow and 6000k is white with a shade of blue. In normal cases, 4300k (and 5000k) puts out more light than 6000k, but I think it has to do more with what brand you use / the quality of the HID kit. I see more with my 6000k Philips kit than my old 5000k brand X kit. Comparing a 6000k kit to a 4300k kit from the same brand though, the 4300k would put out more light.

Whatever the any case, you'll do fine with the 4300k kit from TRS. They have a very good reputation and fellow members here can vouch for their product.

 

[palomatic]

I see. That's good to know. And yeah, I did read a lot of reviews for TRS and they seem to be very reliable.

 

[palomatic]

Hey Bron,
Not sure if I asked you this already on some other board, but did you remove your bumper to your bulbs and other harness/ballasts installed? and how long did it take for you to install?

 

[BRON]

Hey Bron,
Not sure if I asked you this already on some other board, but did you remove your bumper to your bulbs and other harness/ballasts installed? and how long did it take for you to install?

I did it another way - I removed the wheel well covers, took out the old bulbs and installed the kit. It took about an hour to do the whole thing.

 

[palomatic]

Wheel well covers? is that the black wall type of thing that separates the wheel bay from the hood? How hard is it to take it off?

When I looked at the bulbs from the hood, it looked near impossible to play with the lights without actually removing some stuff.

also did you stick the ballasts/relay wires anywhere inside the hood or kept it hanging?

 

[BRON]

Wheel well covers? is that the black wall type of thing that separates the wheel bay from the hood? How hard is it to take it off?

When I looked at the bulbs from the hood, it looked near impossible to play with the lights without actually removing some stuff.

also did you stick the ballasts/relay wires anywhere inside the hood or kept it hanging?

The wheel well cover can be pulled open by first removing the push pins with a flat-head screwdriver. It didn't require a lot of effort to pull open. There's plenty of flat spaces inside that you can stick the ballasts to.

 

[palomatic]

unfortunately I don't have a garage, so I may have to defer this to sometime when the weather gets a little better. There's just too much snow around here in Illinois. Appreciate all the comments and suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Moose Muscles]

Wish the shift knob was available to match the tan interior

 

[BRON]

Polarg 402TS P2833W (T10, 6500k, 40 lm.) - Cold, crisp white LEDs to match the headlights! Perfect color and intensity.

 

[palomatic]

Is it required for us to connect the HID set to the battery for power supply or can it be powered using the stock wiring? Also does HD Relay take care of grounding or does it have to be grounded no matter what?