ThreeWheels
Active member
First, I'd like to shout out to Doc-Riverside.
I put out an SOS for help on this install, and Doc stepped up to the plate with a PDF file with some detail pictures as well as a phone number where we could chat. I want to thank him very much for his help. I have shamelessly plagiarized some of his instructions in this post.
Here are some of the details for my installation of the HID kit from KB Carstuff, a site sponsor here.
http://www.xenondepot.com/9005-HID-Kit-Xtreme-HID-p/xt-9005.htm
This kit costs roughly $150 compared to almost $1100 for the parts from BRP. The main difference is, the KB Carstuff kit replaces the halogen headlight bulb with a xenon HID one, along with the electronics to support it. The BRP kit replaces BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES as well as the bulbs and electronics. While replacing the headlight assembly makes for an easier installation, it is also an unnecessary expense.
An important point, the Xenon Depot kit comes with a relay harness to connect the headlights directly to the battery. This is unnecessary. The HID lights use less power than than the standard Halogen bulbs, so you can draw power directly from the headlight circuit, just as the OEM HID lights do. The kit has a power connection in it that mounts inside the headlight cap. You attach this kit connector to the OEM connector that normally attaches to the bulb. The power then flows through the ballast, the transformer and then to the HID bulb.
Here is a photo I received from Doc-Riverside that shows the components lined up to complete the circuit.
The first step (as with EVERYTHING dealing with the RT) is to remove panels. I won't go into details, enough has been written and videoed on how to remove panels.
Remove the front fascia to expose the headlights.
Here is a photo of the headlights exposed with the locations I chose to mount the components.
All the components are mounted to the cowl, so that in the event of future upgrades or repairs, i.e. tri-axis bars, the cowl still comes out in one piece.
Here is a photo of the components mounted on the left side. There were mounting points for the tie wraps for the transformer.
I secured the ballast in place using a 1" screw.
You have to drill a 1" hole in the headlight cap to allow the wires to pass through. Here is a photo I stole from Doc-Riverside, and a few of my own that detail the installation.
First is the location of the hole in the cap.
Next is a photo of the wires installed into the cap. Notice the grommet that seals the hole.
Following is a photo of the HID bulb installed in the housing.
It's important to get the polarity right. The HID lights won't work if the polarity is backwards, but nothing will be damaged. Basically, make sure the black wire from the BRP headlight connection matches the black wire from the HID Kit connection. Since the polarity is either plus or minus, you have a 50/50 chance that the polarity is correct. Of course, following the 50/50:90 rule, whenever you have a 50/50 chance that something is correct, you have a 90% chance it's wrong. So on the left side, I needed to reverse the polarity. Below is Doc's instructions on how to do it. You can get out an electrical tester or simply plug the connectors together. If the bulb doesn't light, you probably have the polarity reversed. This won't damage anything. If you think you have the polarity wrong you can simply reverse the connector, mount it and see if the lights go on. This may light up the HID's, but the connectors won't lock together so you'll need to follow the instructions below to change out the polarity of the plug.
Of course, following the ASSUME rule, since the polarity of the left side was reversed, I just went ahead and changed the polarity of the right side before installation. Fortunately, I checked the lights before buttoning everything up because the right side wouldn't light up. Sure enough, it was the polarity. So my RT required the stock polarity reversed on the left side, but not on the right.
One other point of caution. With everything stuffed into the headlight cap, be sure the shutter mechanism works before you button everything up.
I took a photo of the lights on after I had the left side (photo right) completed. I'm not sure if the photo does the HID lights justice.
Next is a photo of the components mounted on the right side of the Spyder. I had to drill a couple of holes to tie-wrap the transformer to. The ballast is held in place with a 1" screw.
I checked everything and ran both lights, making sure that the lights and the bright/dim controls work. Everything was fine, so I buttoned up the Tupperware, and all is good.
All told, this installation took about 2 to 2.5 hours including a call to Doc.
Again I'd like to say a great big Thank You to Doc-Riverside for all his help.
I put out an SOS for help on this install, and Doc stepped up to the plate with a PDF file with some detail pictures as well as a phone number where we could chat. I want to thank him very much for his help. I have shamelessly plagiarized some of his instructions in this post.
Here are some of the details for my installation of the HID kit from KB Carstuff, a site sponsor here.
http://www.xenondepot.com/9005-HID-Kit-Xtreme-HID-p/xt-9005.htm
This kit costs roughly $150 compared to almost $1100 for the parts from BRP. The main difference is, the KB Carstuff kit replaces the halogen headlight bulb with a xenon HID one, along with the electronics to support it. The BRP kit replaces BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES as well as the bulbs and electronics. While replacing the headlight assembly makes for an easier installation, it is also an unnecessary expense.
An important point, the Xenon Depot kit comes with a relay harness to connect the headlights directly to the battery. This is unnecessary. The HID lights use less power than than the standard Halogen bulbs, so you can draw power directly from the headlight circuit, just as the OEM HID lights do. The kit has a power connection in it that mounts inside the headlight cap. You attach this kit connector to the OEM connector that normally attaches to the bulb. The power then flows through the ballast, the transformer and then to the HID bulb.
Here is a photo I received from Doc-Riverside that shows the components lined up to complete the circuit.
The first step (as with EVERYTHING dealing with the RT) is to remove panels. I won't go into details, enough has been written and videoed on how to remove panels.
Remove the front fascia to expose the headlights.
Here is a photo of the headlights exposed with the locations I chose to mount the components.
All the components are mounted to the cowl, so that in the event of future upgrades or repairs, i.e. tri-axis bars, the cowl still comes out in one piece.
Here is a photo of the components mounted on the left side. There were mounting points for the tie wraps for the transformer.
I secured the ballast in place using a 1" screw.
You have to drill a 1" hole in the headlight cap to allow the wires to pass through. Here is a photo I stole from Doc-Riverside, and a few of my own that detail the installation.
First is the location of the hole in the cap.
Next is a photo of the wires installed into the cap. Notice the grommet that seals the hole.
Following is a photo of the HID bulb installed in the housing.
It's important to get the polarity right. The HID lights won't work if the polarity is backwards, but nothing will be damaged. Basically, make sure the black wire from the BRP headlight connection matches the black wire from the HID Kit connection. Since the polarity is either plus or minus, you have a 50/50 chance that the polarity is correct. Of course, following the 50/50:90 rule, whenever you have a 50/50 chance that something is correct, you have a 90% chance it's wrong. So on the left side, I needed to reverse the polarity. Below is Doc's instructions on how to do it. You can get out an electrical tester or simply plug the connectors together. If the bulb doesn't light, you probably have the polarity reversed. This won't damage anything. If you think you have the polarity wrong you can simply reverse the connector, mount it and see if the lights go on. This may light up the HID's, but the connectors won't lock together so you'll need to follow the instructions below to change out the polarity of the plug.
Of course, following the ASSUME rule, since the polarity of the left side was reversed, I just went ahead and changed the polarity of the right side before installation. Fortunately, I checked the lights before buttoning everything up because the right side wouldn't light up. Sure enough, it was the polarity. So my RT required the stock polarity reversed on the left side, but not on the right.
One other point of caution. With everything stuffed into the headlight cap, be sure the shutter mechanism works before you button everything up.
I took a photo of the lights on after I had the left side (photo right) completed. I'm not sure if the photo does the HID lights justice.
Next is a photo of the components mounted on the right side of the Spyder. I had to drill a couple of holes to tie-wrap the transformer to. The ballast is held in place with a 1" screw.
I checked everything and ran both lights, making sure that the lights and the bright/dim controls work. Everything was fine, so I buttoned up the Tupperware, and all is good.
All told, this installation took about 2 to 2.5 hours including a call to Doc.
Again I'd like to say a great big Thank You to Doc-Riverside for all his help.
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