Fixing my ZKW's this weekend, am I doing this right?

[elsanto]

After the fact!

So I ended up just Retrofitting the AL bowls and lens holder, with the ZKW lens into my ZKW frames. This is MUCH easier and actually worked no problem.

To give you an idea of involvement, I spent:
• 3 hours trying to get the AL frame into the ZKW housing ended up giving up because the 2 just wouldn't work
• 1 hour test fitting, gluing, and aiming the AL optics into the ZKW frame.

Backside view.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/IMG_0201.jpg

Closeup of some of the frame that was dremeled so the high beam flapper will clear
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/IMG_0202.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/IMG_0203.jpg

Epoxy locations(used Gel 6 min from HD)
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/photo1-1.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/photo2-1.jpg

Wolstentech board location
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/IMG_0205.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/IMG_0206.jpg

All together
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/IMG_0204.jpg

[Hornung418]

Heres what i think you should do, because I dont know if the AL frame will mate to the ZKW housing: Get your ZKWs repaired through a member here (Clemsone46). Sell the lights as a whole. Use that money to repay the cost to retrofit complete ALs.

I think a wrecked M3 or an early coupe/sedan will work. Bosch housings will also support the AL frames. Best of luck!

Sent from my GS3.

[elsanto]

Thanks for the really quick response.

I was basing that part of the project off of this thread on e46F. http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showpost.php?p=12713358&postcount=52 Seems a few people in there say it will work. I'll let you know when i get it all apart, but if you see any holes in that thread please LMK as I'm pretty new to E46 headlights.

[elsanto]

This may show it more accurately.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1585551-DIY-Say-Bye-Bye-To-Night-Vision-Goggles-ZKW-Content-Easiest-Retrofit-Ever-!

[Hornung418]

Okay. Then that will definitely work. I vaguely remember that thread when it was posted. Didn't have a ZHP at the time so I mostly ignored it.

Good luck, I'm about to do the same. I will have some FX-R 3.0 projectors for sale if this works out well. I was only able to retrofit one... I needed to get my drivers side fixed real bad. That was the cheapest option.

[elsanto]

Excellent, feel free to update this thread with your progress.

[Hornung418]

Yeah. My last car had an awesome set of AL bixenons retrofitted into a preface housing so they would fit into my 328i. Updated my LCM and the extra wire to operate the shutter.

They are still in my basement. Didnt know I could swap them into the ZKW housing.

Sent from my GS3.

[Hornung418]

Separated the AL frames from their chassis. Guess I need to order the Weinstein tech things...

Sent from my GS3.

[elsanto]

Thats great man, anything catch you off guard, or different from the tutorial?

[Hornung418]

Nope. I did break the leveling piece on the frame. The part that the ball slots into. I think I can salvage the one from the ZKWs. I will try to swap the alignment screws before I do any cutting. That would allow me to save time...but if that won't work I will hack em up.

Sent from my GS3.

[elsanto]

Actually diving into this, THIS weekend :) will update as i go.

[Hornung418]

Nice. I have the AL ballasts...I read that you can somehow use them instead of buying the boards from wolstentech.

Sent from my GS3.

[elsanto]

So I tore into this tonight

Completely took apart the ZKW's and inspected the bowls, only to find that they looked really good! So I cleaned everything up and installed the new bulbs with everything else stock ZKW. light is noticeably brighter with the bulbs and cleaning (my projector lenses were really cloudy for some reason).

Previous owner had a clear bra installed with headlight film, I'm going to remove the film as its a little hazy, hopefully that'll do the job.

Non burnt ZKW bowls
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/photo1.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/photo2.jpg

[Avetiso]

Still got plenty of life in them.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

[Hornung418]

Wow! That is miraculous. Enjoy the output while it lasts!

Sent from my GS3.

[ELCID86]

Nice cheap fix. Congrats

[iZHP]

Wow! That is miraculous. Enjoy the output while it lasts!

Sent from my GS3.

This is literally, word for word, what I was gonna say! Lol




-Sent via iPhone 5S

[jiggz]

My situation was kind of similar...

My light output was not very good, at least compared to my prior E46 that had AL xenons. So I decided to do the FX-r retrofit through Lightwerkz and when I removed my headlights, the passenger side bowl was mint/perfect while the driver side had minimal burn. This caught me by surprise - I was expecting a lot more damage considering the poor light output. Mileage was 63K.

I still went through w/ the retrofit and the difference was substantial.

[elsanto]

So not being one to leave good enough alone, I attempted to retrofit the entire AL frame, bowl etc into my drivers side housing.

If you're reading this and thinking about trying it, please stop now. I have no idea what the guy in this thread (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1585551-DIY-Say-Bye-Bye-To-Night-Vision-Goggles-ZKW-Content-Easiest-Retrofit-Ever-!) did, but he's either full of it, or a genius.

issues:

DRL/High beam doesn't line up with the hole in the housing. there is no way to remove or insert a bulb, or bulb holder in there.
Top Aiming adjuster "cup" doesn't fit in the AL frame, the tutorial i saw suggested putting some tape around it, but I don't see how that would work, I ended up gluing it in.
Once re-assembled my low beam is pointing at the ground. I'm sure I can re-aim it but at this point I'm trying to figure out how to put just the bowl and lens into my ZKW frame.

Positives:
The Wolstentech adapters work great.
ZKW clear lens fit directly into the AL holder.


Here is a photo of the DRL alignment, the AL bulb holder goes AROUND the socket, and will not fit in there without some serious modification.http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/photo.jpg

[elsanto]

So I ended up just Retrofitting the AL bowls and lens holder, with the ZKW lens into my ZKW frames. This is MUCH easier and actually worked no problem.

To give you an idea of involvement, I spent:
• 3 hours trying to get the AL frame into the ZKW housing ended up giving up because the 2 just wouldn't work
• 1 hour test fitting, gluing, and aiming the AL optics into the ZKW frame.

Backside view.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/IMG_0201.jpg

Closeup of some of the frame that was dremeled so the high beam flapper will clear
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/IMG_0202.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/IMG_0203.jpg

Epoxy locations(used Gel 6 min from HD)
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/photo1-1.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/photo2-1.jpg

Wolstentech board location
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/IMG_0205.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/IMG_0206.jpg

All together
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/elsanto_parts_2006/IMG_0204.jpg