Removing headlight lenses / amber indicator bulbs
 

I'm planning on installing the angel eyes kit in my 3.0d shortly and am considering removing the plastic lenses to give the headlamps the 'clear look' and so the angel eyes can be seen.

This is a UK X5 so I'm curious before I do it whether it will still be road legal or pass the MOT. Presumably the plastic lenses are there for a reason so I don't want to take them out if it affects the beam of light, particulary as I plan to install Xenons as well. (Its also a 2003 model so the glue on the headlamp units may ruin these plans anyway :( )

If I remove the amber side 'diffusers' as well, will the bulbs still flash amber or do I need to replace these with ones which do?

Before you get started, note that for the model year 2003's BMW used a different kind of adhesive/sealant that even the experts on headlights (such as Mobile Innovations, Custom Angel Eyes, Umnitza, JLevi, etc.) claim make it almost impossible to get the lenses separated from the housing without damaging the unit.

As for the amber question, if you remove the amber lense then you'll need to install an amber bulb or else you are going to get white parking lights and turn signals. Go with something like the Silvervisions, which look silver but light up amber.

:goodluck:

p.s. - there are DIY's on how to do this in the LIGHTING section on the home page.

If you have a pre-2003, feel free to use our baking resource:

www.jlevisw.com/Bake.pdf

Good luck!
JL

well i have a 2003 3.0i with production date 11/2002..does this mean that i can bake it and it should work?

thanks!

staffop, what year is your car. Im in the UK and mine is the dreaded 2003 modem. I`m desperate to do this mod but everybody tells me the glue wont give. All eyes on your install now.

Where can i find out my production date?

I didn't see anything in the DIY about removing the actual amber side marker lenses... Has anyone done this? If it's this easy, what would be the reason to pay $1000+ for Euro clears if it's possible to just pull out the offending orange lenses, swap out for some orange bulbs, and be done with it?

Adrian,
Mine is a 2003 model but I'm praying to the X5 gods that they spared my UK car the superglue on the headlamps. Either way I'm thinking of starting with the hot air gun method & if that doesn't work then chucking them in the oven,
I really want to find out though whether the lamps are still road legal or affect the beam pattern without the plastic lenses especially with the xenons & angel eyes installed.
I'd rather not do this mod twice if I later find out the plastic lenses are required. :(

important question...
 

how many minutes working time to remove the lens once taken out of the oven before the glue hardens again?

I understand that, I`d be tempted to leave them in. Either way please let me know how you get on.

:goodluck:

let's us know how it goes!

anyone?

Ultimately with the help of pictures, this is what I am trying to achieve..
I have a funny feeling however that in the first pic of mine that the front lenses maybe part of the whole unit as opposed to plastic inserts.
Mine:
http://xoutpost.com/gallery/files/2/7/3/4/x5_mine.jpg

What I really want! (from sFkRew's X5)
http://xoutpost.com/gallery/files/2/7/3/4/x5_sFkRew.jpg

your clear lense idea will only be legal if you have the head light washers and the auto levelling function. If you do they you will be ok. :thumbup:

[QUOTE=staffop]Ultimately with the help of pictures, this is what I am trying to achieve..
I have a funny feeling however that in the first pic of mine that the front lenses maybe part of the whole unit as opposed to plastic inserts.

Looking back at your fist post you say you want to insytall Xenons - don't you have to replace the whole light unit to do that, I'm not sure you'll be able to retrofit them to the existing headlight housing.
Someone else may be able to confirm this.

If the above is right, save yourself a whole lot of pain and get Euro clear Xenons :)

You can retrofit Xenons yes with a HID kit.
These comprise Xenon bulbs, wiring loom and ballast kits (some kits have seperate ballasts & starters).
I'll be getting mine from www.hids4u.co.uk

The pilot kit they stock doesn't activate the bulb alarm on the X5 so you don't need seperate resisters. All you do is remove the old lamps, insert the new ones and plug the ballasts into the existing wiring loom.

Ultimately it comes down to cost. If I can get the headlamps open then I can upgrade the existing units a lot cheeper than buying the OEM kit.

OK, with you now.
Let us know how you get on.

My lights are similar to yours, I don't like the diffusers either.
It would be good if they can be removed, but like you say, not sure if it will affect the MOT?

So from the research I've done it seems like the OEM xenons have a projector type lens in the housing. They also have a plastic ring (see below image from the articles) in front of this which can be removed to recreate the 'Euro clear' look.
http://xoutpost.com/gallery/files/2/7/3/4/parts1.jpg

The standard halogen housings have a similar plastic ring but without the middle bit missing which is where the projector lens sticks through (see my previous post with pics).

When retrofitting xenons (i.e not OEM) into halogen housings, I'm wondering if the projector lens will fit these housings? I'm certainly more hesitant about installing Xenons AND removing the plastic lenses especially if I don't retrofit the projectors.

On the full beam I expect it doesn't matter and it looks like others in this forum have just removed the plastic lens to recreate the Euro clear look with no adverse problems (full beam always dazzles oncoming traffic anyway!)

Anyone retrofitted projectors with aftermarket Xenons into halogen housings?