ZKW or STI Clear Lenses?

[rod.bearings]

Anyone know which clear lens work best for the e82 headlights? I have adaptive xenon headlights. I know have researched and know they are made by VALEO. Anyone had their lenses swapped by OSS, ONEighty, LightWerkz, etc.?

[reisf]

Silly question: Why do you want to do this?

If your lenses are dull just get them restored professionally.

[Gray_Panther]

Contact The retrofit source. I believe ZKW will be lens to have. Good luck!

[rod.bearings]

Originally Posted by reisf

Silly question: Why do you want to do this?

If your lenses are dull just get them restored professionally.

I'm referring to the projector lens not the actually headlight plastic cover lens.

I'm planning to retrofit some LED angel eyes in my headlight and thought I might as well do a clear lens while I'm at it. A clear lens provides a better light output and sharper cut off line.

Here's a DIY thread about it
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=847884

[rod.bearings]

Originally Posted by Gray_Panther

Contact The retrofit source. I believe ZKW will be lens to have. Good luck!

Yea I did but unfortunately they didn't have a solid answer =\
Asked a few companies but I got different options

Finally took a leap of faith and went with the STI lens since the E90 headlights are more similar to the E82

[Gray_Panther]

Good luck. Here's my video explaining (not showing) how to open up housings.

Also, be sure to use paper spacers to tune the output to get that intoxicating colour flicker!

[rod.bearings]

Originally Posted by Gray_Panther

Good luck. Here's my video explaining (not showing) how to open up housings.

Also, be sure to use paper spacers to tune the output to get that intoxicating colour flicker!

Thanks man! This actually helps alot, haven't been able to find much info about the E82 headlights.

[Gray_Panther]

Np. Feel free to pm me if you need further help.

[dzid_]

Originally Posted by krazi3azn

Yea I did but unfortunately they didn't have a solid answer =\
Asked a few companies but I got different options

Finally took a leap of faith and went with the STI lens since the E90 headlights are more similar to the E82

So did STI work?!

[rod.bearings]

Originally Posted by dzid_

So did STI work?!

It's neither. Valeo projectors are hard shut.

[dzid_]

You mean the Valeo projector lens is hard glued or something?

Seems like it is also 3", but maybe Valeo have different focal length than e90's Hella? https://www.hidplanet.com/forums/for...-2011-bmw-135i
It's not clear to me if Valeo projector lens can be swapped with anything on the market. Did you try?

[westie135]

I'd have to dig around for the thread on HIDPlanet, but I think the issue is that the lens carrier on the projectors used in the E82 is plastic, and the lens is more or less cast into it. No swapping. The next best thing is either finding a retrofitter willing to polish the lenses while they're still attached to the projector assemblies or just bolting other projectors into the housings.

[_das_bae_]

Originally Posted by dzid_

You mean the Valeo projector lens is hard glued or something?

Seems like it is also 3", but maybe Valeo have different focal length than e90's Hella? https://www.hidplanet.com/forums/for...-2011-bmw-135i
It's not clear to me if Valeo projector lens can be swapped with anything on the market. Did you try?

I decided to try this and swapped in ZKW lenses, I have a X1 which has a similar projector as the E82, The focal length is slightly different but there is a way to counteract the effects with using an LED bulb instead. The other option would be to add spacers which another forum member has done with thin paper washers. To me, even with that spacing due to the floating cut off shield, the projected cutoff would still not be as sharp as the E46/ZKW style without extensively modifying that piece.

Originally Posted by westie135

I'd have to dig around for the thread on HIDPlanet, but I think the issue is that the lens carrier on the projectors used in the E82 is plastic, and the lens is more or less cast into it. No swapping. The next best thing is either finding a retrofitter willing to polish the lenses while they're still attached to the projector assemblies or just bolting other projectors into the housings.

This is correct, the lens carrier is plastic and is indeed cast in. That does not mean you cannot swap the lens...most people stop here instead of going further. You will need to modify the projector shroud as well as the lens holder. You will need to remove the plastic rivets with your tool of choice, then once you disassemble the components you will need to break the old lens out of the plastic. Once you do that you will see a non-uniform plastic edge around the lip of the edge of where the lens would sit. You then will need to trim down or grind this edge flat to make a mating surface for the new lens and epoxy them together. The overall output is definitely an improvement over stock, I haven't been flashed for blinding other cars or pedestrians. If I were to go back in to add the spacers it would make the projected reflections a bit sharp in the center where the step is and then softer in-between (this is currently negligible to me)

Hope this helps someone who wants to attempt the same thing. I will post more pictures and a write up of the process soon. All the pics are taken with my phone through tint.