How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

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fatbaldingoldgit
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How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by fatbaldingoldgit » Sun Jun 08, 2014 7:46 pm

This How To details the difficult bits of installing LED halos into my headlights to provide Daytime Running Lights.
Finished only a couple of days ago and recently admired by Ray and Janet my lovely neighbours on the Register stand at the Bromley Pageant of Motoring...go on..go on..show us the lights again..te he...! Obviously folks of good taste and discernment.
So..what did I use?
- a spare pair of TF front headlights - no point boogering my own and being without a car!
- 2 pairs of Morimoto XB LED Angel Ayes 80mm white - to be installed on the chrome headlight rings
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/led-li ... 5M56C82wr4
- 1 reel of OCI Butyl Rubber glue - to refix the plastic headlight covers
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/access ... 5Nd_BaaHvY
- DRL relay module - to control the DRLs
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DAYTIME-RUNNI ... 566499f8c4
- Various connectors and cable
- 0.2mm stainless wire - to fix the halos to the chrome rings

and this is how I did it:

Jack up car, place on axle stands, remove front wheels, inner wheel arch protectors, front bumper and front lights.
Take the light units, remove all the bulbs and accessories and slam in the oven for 7 mins at 130 degrees C to soften the sealant. Dig out the sealant with a screwdriver or anything else that comes to hand. This needs to be repeated until enough of the sealant has been removed so the plastic headlight covers can be detached.
P1010683.JPG
P1010681.JPG
Remove the clear plastic headlight cover and clean off the sealant from the lens and the headlight body.
Remove the internal section holding the chrome rings by unscrewing the 4 small torx screws. Some of these are hidden under the remaining black sealant.
P1010673.JPG
P1010672.JPG
P1010709.JPG
Last edited by fatbaldingoldgit on Sun Jun 08, 2014 8:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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fatbaldingoldgit
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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by fatbaldingoldgit » Sun Jun 08, 2014 7:52 pm

Remove the chromed plastic rings. They are fixed in by plastic welding..Cut the melted plastic welds using a modelling knife or modelling small chisel.
P1010730.JPG
Drill holes in the internal section for the Halo wires
P1010831.JPG
Drill holes on top of the rings on either side at roughly 120 degrees using a thumb tack to mark the position and the pin wheel and .5mm bit to drill the holes.
P1010724.JPG
P1010716.JPG
Cut a recess for the cable ends
P1010723.JPG
"You can’t be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline – it helps if you have some kind of football team, or some nuclear weapons but at the very least you need a beer"
- Frank Zappa

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fatbaldingoldgit
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Model of Car: MG TF LE500 #493
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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by fatbaldingoldgit » Sun Jun 08, 2014 8:01 pm

Use a Dremely thingy to remove the plastic
P1010769.JPG
use .2mm SS wire to secure
P1010774.JPG
P1010770.JPG
P1010773.JPG
P1010720.JPG
"You can’t be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline – it helps if you have some kind of football team, or some nuclear weapons but at the very least you need a beer"
- Frank Zappa

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fatbaldingoldgit
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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by fatbaldingoldgit » Sun Jun 08, 2014 8:10 pm

Replace modified ring back into the internal section and secure using blobs of 2 pack 30 minute epoxy. Feed the cables through the holes first.
P1010779.JPG
Drill hole in the headlight body for new cables. I drilled next to the existing electric plug to keep all the cables together.
P1010783.JPG
Re-install internal section into the headlight back and feed cables through the hole
Lay new butyl rubber into the headlight recess
P1010792.JPG
Refit the plastic lens and push into the butyl, put the headlight unit into the over for 7 mins at 130 degrees C to soften and while soft push the lens into final position. Leave to cool.
Fill any gaps with black low modulus neutral cure silicon
P1010793.JPG
Install the lights into the body and wire up. Hide the DRL relay unit and wiring in the front chassis member
P1010798.JPG
"You can’t be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline – it helps if you have some kind of football team, or some nuclear weapons but at the very least you need a beer"
- Frank Zappa

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fatbaldingoldgit
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Model of Car: MG TF LE500 #493
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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by fatbaldingoldgit » Sun Jun 08, 2014 8:21 pm

This particular DRL relay unit is wired this way:
DRL wiring diagram.jpg
There are a number of different relay units available..Most come from China, Until I fitted mine it wasn't entirely obvious from the less than clear instructions exactly what additional functions beyond the normal - illuminate when ignition on, dim or off when lights on. This particular unit dims the halos when the sidelights are on and flashes the appropriate halos when the indicators flash. It's not clear whether having white halos flashing as well as the amber indicators is strictly legal. It appears to contravene the MOT requirements. It does however make it very clear to everyone else on the road that you are indicating. If it proves illegal I'll either search for another relay unit or just disconnect the existing unit from the indicators.
A live feed was taken off the wiper motor (green/grey) on with ignition
P1010804.JPG
The unit was wired into the right and left indicator circuits, the side light circuit, a chassis ground and the battery positive using a 7.5amp fused connector. The DRLs take 6 amps in total normally.
And this is what they look like un-illuminated.
P1010808.JPG
P1010809.JPG
The DRLs are illuminated when the ignition is on. They are very bright. They dim as soon as the side lights are turned on. Each side flashes with the appropriate indicator and they stay on for several seconds after remote locking.
Perfect!
Last edited by fatbaldingoldgit on Mon Jun 09, 2014 5:03 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by talkingcars » Sun Jun 08, 2014 8:25 pm

They look good and a brilliant write up worthy of CJJ.
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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by Mykel » Sun Jun 08, 2014 8:31 pm

Top write-up! Great mod, defo worth an article in SF.


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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by Mykel » Sun Jun 08, 2014 8:33 pm

Or FTF, of course.


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MGTF:
2004 TF 135 in Monogram Spectre, black leather, RHD
MGZR:
2001 ZR 160 in Solar Red, LHD, LPG conv
Classic:
1972 MG Midget MkIII RWA in Blaze Red
MGF Register regional rep for Germany -- germany@mgfregister.org

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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by Rob Bell » Mon Jun 09, 2014 10:15 am

Superb write up and how-to!!! :D

This is something that is tempting to do with MGF headlamp units but for the fact that the main and dipped beam - and particularly the latter - are ellipsoidal rather than circular. I am not sure that there is anything suitable to modify or fit?

To my mind, Mykel's modified clear indicator lenses are the best option for MGFs at the moment...

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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by carlvk » Mon Jun 09, 2014 12:30 pm

I stumbled around Mykels site looking for these and failed to find them, is there a link that you know of please?

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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by Rob Bell » Mon Jun 09, 2014 12:33 pm


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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by Jmh » Mon Jun 09, 2014 12:35 pm

Had no intention of modifying our new pride and joy, but having seen the results on Dave's TF are now sorely tempted! Great write up. Ray & Janet

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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by carlvk » Mon Jun 09, 2014 1:10 pm

Rob Bell wrote:Here you go: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=7094&p=57954 :)
Thanks :thumbsu:

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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by fatbaldingoldgit » Mon Jun 09, 2014 4:17 pm

Jmh wrote:Had no intention of modifying our new pride and joy, but having seen the results on Dave's TF are now sorely tempted! Great write up. Ray & Janet
Well seeing as how you need a new headlight unit anyway you might as well have a go...use the cracked one for practice...happy to help if you need it...I have loads of SS wire, for instance...and the tools..PM me if you need anything...:D

Good to meet you both yesterday....hope your journey home wasn't too tiring...
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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by talkingcars » Mon Jun 09, 2014 4:26 pm

Rob Bell wrote:Superb write up and how-to!!! :D

This is something that is tempting to do with MGF headlamp units but for the fact that the main and dipped beam - and particularly the latter - are ellipsoidal rather than circular. I am not sure that there is anything suitable to modify or fit?

To my mind, Mykel's modified clear indicator lenses are the best option for MGFs at the moment...
Search the web for how to make angel eyes, the same method can be used to make elliptical rings that would be powered by LEDs.
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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by Rob Bell » Mon Jun 09, 2014 5:11 pm

Okay, will do - thanks James. The other question is: will it look daft on an MGF???

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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by talkingcars » Mon Jun 09, 2014 7:56 pm

Rob Bell wrote:Okay, will do - thanks James.
You're welcome.
Rob wrote:The other question is: will it look daft on an MGF???
I'll let you know when I see the photos of yours.
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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by Lyal Sutton » Wed Jun 11, 2014 3:42 am

Getting back to Mykel's DRL's in the MGF, didn't he find the LEDs expired due to the heat?
Or have I missed an update?
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Re: How to fit LED Halo DRLs to my TF

Post by Mykel » Wed Jun 11, 2014 6:13 am

No, it wasn’t the heat, Lyal, it was just bad quality LEDs I got. I bought them off Ebay and had to find out that they wouldn’t stand up to the roughness of an automotive environment.

I then got a pair of small DRLs from the same source and took them apart, using just the PCB with the LEDs to be fitted inside the indicators. These still work fine after more than a year now. And it’s much easier to do, no soldering involved, just dremel off the indicator lens, glue the PCB in place using the wiring provided and back on with the lens. The rest of the setup was unchanged from my previous version, just one relay, they come on with ignition and will be switched off when the side lights are on.

I’ll have a look later which DRLs I used in the end.
MGTF:
2004 TF 135 in Monogram Spectre, black leather, RHD
MGZR:
2001 ZR 160 in Solar Red, LHD, LPG conv
Classic:
1972 MG Midget MkIII RWA in Blaze Red
MGF Register regional rep for Germany -- germany@mgfregister.org

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fatbaldingoldgit
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..and they would pass the MOT too!!!

Post by fatbaldingoldgit » Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:12 pm

I spoke to my local MOT tester today to check whether these lights would fail the MOT. He said that these kind of issues with after market DRLs are well known in MOT tester circles..in this case where the DRLs flash white although in sequence with the amber indicators (so an apparent MOT failure..because they don't flash amber) it would generate an advisory...but it would still pass the MOT..that was an official decision not a discretionary one.

He was very comfortable with how the DRLs operate and saw no real issue with their effect in reality..even though they contravened the letter of the MOT regs.

I'm pleased with that, obviously..coz I think they are just right as they are..and I don't really want to disable the indicator function. :D :D :D
"You can’t be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline – it helps if you have some kind of football team, or some nuclear weapons but at the very least you need a beer"
- Frank Zappa

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