JDM headlights

**Reelax** · 04-26-2005, 02:49 AM

this is at least 90% of the information you need to install '96+ JDM headlights (JDM model years, 1 and 2 piece) into the '99-'03 USDM galant. don't blame me if you try this and you are not qualified to do it. print this out and hand it to your tech at the bodyshop if you are scared or don't think you can pull it off. it is not terribly dificult to install JDM heads but you are cutting metal and modifiying your car. these are not simply bolt on.

that being said, here goes (copied from one of my old posts):

you will need to cut the metal near the inside edges where the headlights fit into the subframe. also you will need to bend the radiator rails for clearance as well. the 2 mounting points for the headlights remain the same (top and corner) but you will have to make a custom brackets or use a longer bolt into the radiator and drill a hole in the mounting tab of the headlight housing for the inner mounting points behind the upper grill. also if you get a JDM grill you will see where you have to trim some of the plastic on the back to make the grill clip in fush as well as make a small hole for one of the mounting clips. once you get your JDM headlights, compare them to the us spec and remove one us spec to see where you will have to trim the metal and some plastic on the housings to fit. the wiring is another story but it's not too hard... you will need to buy a pair each of H7 (low beam) and H1 (high beam). the corners thankfully just need a little trimming to the bulb socket (not the headlight housing) to fit and are wired and work just like stock.

my lights have a custom relay network direct from the battery triggerred by the stock wiring... i did this for my dual HID's but since HID's draw less power than regular bulbs, this was totally uneccessary and the stock wiring should hold up to any regular bulbs you put in.

now your going to do the following for each side of the car: basically to convert the H4 bulb (3 wires) to dual bulb (JDM H7 lo, H1 hi - 2 wires each, 4 total) you just need to do some wire tapping... you can even keep the H4 wiring and plug intact. basically, you tap and add wiring to each of the three stock wires ahead of the H4 plug. there are 2 positives (one for hi beam and 1 for low beam) and 1 ground (-). now just add another tap and wire to the ground (your going to need 2 of those total). the H7 low is easy, just add a female spade connector to the low beam positive and also another to one of the grounds (-); those then clip onto the bulb (H7 has 2 terminals and 1 is poitive and the other negative... they are interchangeable). the H1 is almost as easy... add a female spade connector to the hi beam positive. the other ground you extended will screw under the screw on the headliight housing itself that holds the clip that holds the H1 bulb. the reason this has to go directly to the housing is that the H1 bulb only has 1 terminal (+), the ground is the bulb's mounting collar and that contacts the headlight housing and clip. so now the clip that holds the bulb is the ground and then just clip the female spade connector onto the H1 terminal and it will have access to power.

btw, the corner 1157 sockets will fit into the housing w/ minor trimming. the grey plastic socket has locking tabs... 3 narrow and 1 wide. trim the side of the wide one down so it matches the other 3 and it should just push in and turn like US spec. also w/ this method there is no need for a new bulb / socket / wiring; it'll work just like stock

now for the diode trick...

there r 2 positive wires that go to your H7 an H1 bulbs... u want to bridge those wires w/ a diode. a diode basically is like a one-way-valve for current. you want to have the high beams (+) send power to the low beams (+), but not vice versa so that when you hit your brights, your lows stay on drawing power from the highs; not the other way around.

http://www.the12volt.com/diodes/diodes.asp

you want the ANODE side (no stripe) connected to the high beam positive (H1) and the CATHODE side (w/ stripe) connected to the low beam positivem H7). i soldered the diode to a short length of insulated wire at each end to lengthen it then wrapped the diode in electrical tape. you can simply splice these wire leads into the harness on the wires that lead to the bulbs.

the diodes you want are rated for 12VDC. you can get them at any electronics store like radio shack.

edit: it's come to my attention that in some cases the diodes have been burning up from upgraded bulbs (i'm running dual HID through relays so my diodes never see high amps). the solution for this is to just replace the diodes w/ SPDT relays to draw power directly from the battery to power the low beams when the hi beams are activated.

http://www.the12volt.com/relays/relays.asp

as in the diode trick instructions above, just replace the diode w/ a SPDT relay (like used for my bright corner re-wire).

85 taps into the high beam positive (trigger)
86 taps to a ground
87 taps into the low beam positive (output)
30 taps directly to the battery (you may want to put a fuse on this line)
87a not used (must be insulated as to avoid a short)

good luck!

edit: OK, by popular demand, here's pics and added info from:

jdm headlight install help
jdm Headlights - Problem making them flush (pics) [Resolved]

Originally Posted by Reelax

mine site pretty flush, but i cut EVERYTHING to get them that way. you will have to cut more out of the inner mounting tabs on the headlights themselves then drill a hole in them and use a longer bolt to go into the radiator/ ac condenser mounting holes. i took crappy pics w/ my phone last time i had my grill off... lemme find them.

OK found them and made them as big as possible since the quality is ass.

see... headlights and grill sit flush w/ the hood and bumper.

Anonymous · 04-26-2005, 10:52 AM

could we see pics of them installed?

8ggalant · 04-26-2005, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by Anonymous

could we see pics of them installed?

sure u can...use the search menu or look through tgc member pics forum (w8 u might have to join to see that..im not sure)

**cardude03** · 04-26-2005, 01:26 PM

whoa, what the hell, he's a guest??? i didnt know guests could post. oh my god, ummm, whoa....

**BGR** · 04-26-2005, 09:03 PM

My mistake. I locked it down for guest. They must register to post from now on.

GalantGuy96 · 04-26-2005, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by BGR

My mistake. I locked it down for guest. They must register to post from now on.

oh thank god....i thought the world was about to come to an end

**krispy03** · 05-10-2005, 06:23 AM

so how are the jdm headlights supposed to light up? standered headlights for one bulb, and dual bulbs for high beams?

**Reelax** · 05-10-2005, 03:15 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(krispy03)</div><div class='quotemain'>so how are the jdm headlights supposed to light up? standered headlights for one bulb, and dual bulbs for high beams?</div>

outside pair are low beam, inside pair are hi beam; when high beam is activated, both low and hi should be on (four beams at once).

**krispy03** · 05-10-2005, 09:58 PM

thank you

**neel9** · 05-10-2005, 10:01 PM

how much can frank b get them for? the black housing one piece?

**krispy03** · 05-10-2005, 10:08 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(neel9)</div><div class='quotemain'>how much can Â*frank b get them for? the black housing one piece?</div>
............send him a pm

**icEbErg629** · 05-10-2005, 10:29 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(krispy03)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(neel9)</div><div class='quotemain'>how much can Â*frank b get them for? the black housing one piece?</div>
............send him a pm</div>

how about checking the group buy section for prices..

**neel9** · 05-10-2005, 10:30 PM

thanks

**lonestar22** · 06-11-2005, 08:22 PM

do u still have your stock headlights. and if so would u mind 'giving' them to me lol. or how much would u part wit them for??

**Lazarus** · 06-11-2005, 10:14 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Reelax)</div><div class='quotemain'>outside pair are low beam, inside pair are hi beam; Â*when high beam is activated, both low and hi should be on (four beams at once).</div>

Holy rusted metal I got it wrong when my highs come on my lows go off. I like it like that actually

**qnz** · 12-23-2005, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by Reelax

btw, the corner 1157 sockets will fit into the housing w/ minor trimming. the grey plastic socket has locking tabs... 3 narrow and 1 wide. trim the side of the wide one down so it matches the other 3 and it should just push in and turn like US spec. also w/ this method there is no need for a new bulb / socket / wiring; it'll work just like stock

my corner 1157 harness just plugs right in into the JDM corner. no trimming invloved. i have an 03 G

**GaLaNt_03** · 08-06-2007, 11:44 PM

mhmm nice tutorial but i think its too complex for me haha....ill let ma pops do it haha...

**speedracer** · 10-16-2007, 06:41 PM

was lookin on here just got ahold of my jdm lights and was lookin on here how much i actually need to trim off the rad. support but the pictures are non-existant , does any one have a pic of how much they took off so i have a refrence so i can start cutting mine...??

thanx

**Reelax** · 10-17-2007, 01:00 AM

Originally Posted by speedracer

was lookin on here just got ahold of my jdm lights and was lookin on here how much i actually need to trim off the rad. support but the pictures are non-existant , does any one have a pic of how much they took off so i have a refrence so i can start cutting mine...??

thanx

sorry. my hosting company is screwing up right now. the pictures should be back up soon.

**BGR** · 10-22-2007, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by Reelax

Originally Posted by speedracer

was lookin on here just got ahold of my jdm lights and was lookin on here how much i actually need to trim off the rad. support but the pictures are non-existant , does any one have a pic of how much they took off so i have a refrence so i can start cutting mine...??

thanx

sorry. my hosting company is screwing up right now. the pictures should be back up soon.

Hey Rani, what tool did you use to cut the metal?