How To: Customize 13+ Projectors - 08/16 UPDATE - Lights Are Installed On The Truck!!

***** This write-up is a WORK IN PROGRESS and will be updated as the work is done. Video will be uploaded after the lights are finished, installed, the write up with pictures is done and then after I edit the video. Please be patient. I expect to be done this entire tutorial, video and all, within the next 14 days. Thank you for your patience. *****


Ok, so I am finally getting around to doing my custom 13+ Projectors and wanted to make a thread for the build so I can hopefully share my knowledge and experience with anyone else who wants to do this mod. I havnt seen a full in-depth guide yet with pictures and a video so I figured I would help out the community and make one.

I already have the lights, they are TYC Replicas, NOT OEM. So if you have OEM, everything will be the same except baking times and how hard they are to open.


What is being done:
• Custom Painted Flame Red & Black
• Tinted (smoked) Corner Reflector & Turn Signal Lense
• Diode Dynamics HD LED Projector & C-Bar Switchback Halos
• Diode Dynamics Lower Turn Signal/Running Lights Switchback LED Boards


Things needed:
• 13+ OEM or TYC Projector Housings
• Retroshop Adapter Harness (needed for 09-12 Rams and 13+ that came from the factory without oem projectors)
• Diode Dynamics 13+ Ram Projector/C-Bar Switchback HD LED Halo Kit
• Diode Dynamics 13+ Ram Turn Signal/Running Light HD LED Boards
• T10 Torx Bit or Driver (for headlight disassembly)
• 10mm Socket (to remove dust cap)
• Flat Head Screw Driver or Prying Plyers
• Fine-grit Sandpaper (if painting)
• Twist Ties (kind with small metal wire inside of the tie)
• Dremel or drill with small drill bit
• Epoxy or JB Weld or Silicone
• Morimoto Butyl Headlight Sealer or any other brand
• Spray Paint, Prime & Clear Coat (your choice if color)
• VHT Nightshades (for smoking corner reflector & Turn Signal lense)
• Wire Cutters, Connectors, Clamps, Sodering Iron (not required)
• Tie Down Straps or Vice Grips (You will need 4 straps or 8 vice grips. These are to force the light housing to seal properly when resealing)
• Rubber Gloves (powderless and dry)
• ..... I might be forgetting a few things, i will update this list as i progress through the build.


I have the lights, and I've started with taking them apart on video. I am ordering the halos and LED Boards tomorrow from JJ at Retroshop so hopefully they are here by the end of the week. In the meantime I will begin disassembling the headlight housings and preping and painting them. I have someone video recording the entire process so I can also include a video tutorial. I should be all done painting and prepping by the time the halos and boards arrive, so hopefully I can be done by the end of this weekend and have the guide up then.

• 2012 Ram 1500 RCSB Hemi • 22" SRT-10 Wheels Plastidipped Black w/ Bridgestone Tires • Smoked Taillights • Custom Quad Headlights • Opt-7 FluxBeam-X 6000k LED Lows • MicTuning 6000k LED Fogs • K&N 63 Series CAI • Flowmasters Muffler • Line-X Bed • OEM Black Badges All Around • 20% Tint All Around • Lund Tri-Fold Tonneau + plenty more coming soon...

Reserved for Write Up Part #1

• 2012 Ram 1500 RCSB Hemi • 22" SRT-10 Wheels Plastidipped Black w/ Bridgestone Tires • Smoked Taillights • Custom Quad Headlights • Opt-7 FluxBeam-X 6000k LED Lows • MicTuning 6000k LED Fogs • K&N 63 Series CAI • Flowmasters Muffler • Line-X Bed • OEM Black Badges All Around • 20% Tint All Around • Lund Tri-Fold Tonneau + plenty more coming soon...

Reserved for Write Up Part #2

• 2012 Ram 1500 RCSB Hemi • 22" SRT-10 Wheels Plastidipped Black w/ Bridgestone Tires • Smoked Taillights • Custom Quad Headlights • Opt-7 FluxBeam-X 6000k LED Lows • MicTuning 6000k LED Fogs • K&N 63 Series CAI • Flowmasters Muffler • Line-X Bed • OEM Black Badges All Around • 20% Tint All Around • Lund Tri-Fold Tonneau + plenty more coming soon...

Reserved for Final Pictures, Video and extra space if needed.

• 2012 Ram 1500 RCSB Hemi • 22" SRT-10 Wheels Plastidipped Black w/ Bridgestone Tires • Smoked Taillights • Custom Quad Headlights • Opt-7 FluxBeam-X 6000k LED Lows • MicTuning 6000k LED Fogs • K&N 63 Series CAI • Flowmasters Muffler • Line-X Bed • OEM Black Badges All Around • 20% Tint All Around • Lund Tri-Fold Tonneau + plenty more coming soon...

Its going to be sweet when its done. I have 16 laramie and wanting to paint the inside flame red and mask of chrome.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Just ordered the following from Jeremy at RetroShop.us



- Diode Dynamics Switchback Halos & C-Bar Led's
- Diode Dynamics Switchback LED Turn Signal Boards
- 09-12 Projector Lights Adapter Harness

I also bought everything else i will need from Pep Boys, including sandpaper, paint, primer, paint stripper, prying forks (to open lights), black silicone for extra sealant after they get sealed with Morimoto Retrorubber, clear epoxy to help mount halos and those twist ties with metal inside them, T10 torx driver to disassemble the lights, and some dremel bits I'll need.

So far ive got $540 in parts and tools. The lights cost me $250 (I know I basically stole them. They are mint and look brand new). So im at $790 right now for everything and there is still a couple small things I'll need. You may be able to keep the amount lower if you have some of the tools and items needed.


And this is pretty much the exact same color scheme im going for, except the bottom turn signal lense will be lightly smoked black with VHT nightshades.



I will post the full written guide and before, during and after photos once the lights are done. I'd prefer to type it all up at once so I don't get lost and confused.

• 2012 Ram 1500 RCSB Hemi • 22" SRT-10 Wheels Plastidipped Black w/ Bridgestone Tires • Smoked Taillights • Custom Quad Headlights • Opt-7 FluxBeam-X 6000k LED Lows • MicTuning 6000k LED Fogs • K&N 63 Series CAI • Flowmasters Muffler • Line-X Bed • OEM Black Badges All Around • 20% Tint All Around • Lund Tri-Fold Tonneau + plenty more coming soon...

nice project. this should look awesome and have great output

Ram into a huge snag.

Headlights won't fit into the oven lol.... It's a small oven.

Had to break out the heat gun. What a bad idea. The outer lip of the housing took one hell of a beating and is pretty bent up.

I finally got both open. First one took 2+ hours. Second one took 1 hour.

Today, I'm going to use the heat gun to reform the lip of the housing and the locking tabs.

USPS says the halos and boards will be here friday, so I've got a few days to prep, paint and get the housings back to normal.

Oh, i had a single headlight from my old 2006 Ram in my shed. Tried to sell on eBay for 6 months and no luck so I decided to use it as a test light.

Here are some pics of the old 2006 Spyder light.
And here it is after I soaked it in Easy Off Oven Cleaner. Took 60 seconds and all the chrome disappeared. Perfect.


Im using this light to test certain things before I use them in my good lights.

• 2012 Ram 1500 RCSB Hemi • 22" SRT-10 Wheels Plastidipped Black w/ Bridgestone Tires • Smoked Taillights • Custom Quad Headlights • Opt-7 FluxBeam-X 6000k LED Lows • MicTuning 6000k LED Fogs • K&N 63 Series CAI • Flowmasters Muffler • Line-X Bed • OEM Black Badges All Around • 20% Tint All Around • Lund Tri-Fold Tonneau + plenty more coming soon...

Update.

My Morimoto Retrorubber came yesterday.

My box of goodies came from Retroshop today.


I stripped, wet sanded, primered and painted the housing and projector shrouds. Came out really nice.







I got the Switchback LED Boards mounted and wired in. I also wired in the Switchback Halos and C-bars. I temporarily mounted them with beading wire so I can hook it all up on my truck and test everything before I permanently mount them with epoxy and then discover a problem.

Here is a picture of how the first light looks all test mounted. The bottom DRL running light lense is off as im waiting for the Klearz Smoked Lense to be delivered. The Side Reflector is off aswell, as im waiting for the Klearz Smoked side markers to be delivered aswell.

Overall im super happy with them as they sit right now. So excited to install them when their done and finally have proper Hids.

More updates as they happen. Full install write up will be posted once they are complete and working properly.

• 2012 Ram 1500 RCSB Hemi • 22" SRT-10 Wheels Plastidipped Black w/ Bridgestone Tires • Smoked Taillights • Custom Quad Headlights • Opt-7 FluxBeam-X 6000k LED Lows • MicTuning 6000k LED Fogs • K&N 63 Series CAI • Flowmasters Muffler • Line-X Bed • OEM Black Badges All Around • 20% Tint All Around • Lund Tri-Fold Tonneau + plenty more coming soon...

Just tested everything out and the lights are properly wired up and everything works.

Write Up and how to guide and video should be done and uploaded here by next weekend.


• 2012 Ram 1500 RCSB Hemi • 22" SRT-10 Wheels Plastidipped Black w/ Bridgestone Tires • Smoked Taillights • Custom Quad Headlights • Opt-7 FluxBeam-X 6000k LED Lows • MicTuning 6000k LED Fogs • K&N 63 Series CAI • Flowmasters Muffler • Line-X Bed • OEM Black Badges All Around • 20% Tint All Around • Lund Tri-Fold Tonneau + plenty more coming soon...

You plan on doing a video of taking the factory lights apart? When I did my quads it was a huge pain in the ass, swore i’d Never do it again... are the projectors just as bad? Any better ways to do it?

walker111 said:

You plan on doing a video of taking the factory lights apart? When I did my quads it was a huge pain in the ass, swore i’d Never do it again... are the projectors just as bad? Any better ways to do it?

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You don't even want to know lol... They wouldn't fit in the small ass oven at my house, the housing was touching the top and sides of the oven and i was afraid the corners would burn or melt so I had to use a heat gun... horrible idea lol...

The housings took a beating to open them up, but once they were open, i used the heat gun to bend back the channel where the glue goes so they are sorta ok now.

Little tip, be careful when using a heat gun... They get HOT lol I burnt my leg by accident when the heat gun fell off the table it was on inbetween uses.

• 2012 Ram 1500 RCSB Hemi • 22" SRT-10 Wheels Plastidipped Black w/ Bridgestone Tires • Smoked Taillights • Custom Quad Headlights • Opt-7 FluxBeam-X 6000k LED Lows • MicTuning 6000k LED Fogs • K&N 63 Series CAI • Flowmasters Muffler • Line-X Bed • OEM Black Badges All Around • 20% Tint All Around • Lund Tri-Fold Tonneau + plenty more coming soon...

Brave man lol. I did one set and will never do again. What a pita. I bought my latest set and will all going forward. Yours look great.

Any updates yet?

DonnyP said:

Any updates yet?

Click to expand...

2 things holding me up right now.

First, my order from Klearz.com is taking forever. Their customer service is ****. I paid $30 extra to get "2-4 DAY RUSH DELIVERY" for my my smoked drl lenses and clear corners. So I placed my order on 7/27 and it didn't even ship until 8/02. That should have been a sign right there. I emailed them 3 times between 7/27 and 8/2 and didn't get a response until 8/3. 6 days later. Now my estimated delivery is 8/8 which is 6 days. I paid $30 for 2-4 day and it's taking 6. They had a 6 day option that cost $13. I emailed them and asked why I was charged $30 and I'm receiving the $13 shipping speed. They told me that's just how it works. I told them well don't ******* advertise 2-4 day if it's not even possible.

So from order to delivery will be 12 days.... 12 days!! I paid extra for rush 2-4. This company is a joke!


Second thing holding me up is my truck is at my local Ram Dealer to get 3 broken manifold bolts removed and replaced. Well they made an appointment to drop it off Monday at 9am. Well I called Wednesday and the service advisor said it would be done tomorrow (thursday) by 4 or 5pm. I called back Thursday at 530pm to ask what was up. The same service advisor from the day before said "oh the tech is working in it but the paperwork isn't up here so he's not done. We're here til 11pm so you could get a call later tonight that it's done". So today, around 3pm I call to find out wtf is going on. The SAME service advisor answers and says lemme find out. He comes back to tell me the mechanic was "sick for 3 days" and is extremely backed up. My truck won't be done until NEXT THURSDAY OR FRIDAY!!!! I don't ******* care if he's sick, you have a day and night shift, that's 20-35 mechanics in your shop. Get someone else to ******* do it right now. They said its an 8hr job, and its going to somehow taking 10-11 days?!?!?!?!

I'm going up there tomorrow to flip out at the Ram service manager. I'm done with this dealership. They have done nothing but **** me and my truck over every time I go there. This is totally unacceptable.



But yea.... thats where I'm at right now. Worst part is, i got a new radio off eBay and i cant even plug it in to see if it works and needs an antitheft code. By the time I get my truck back im worried I won't be able to file a claim with eBay or PayPal if it's broken or locked. This dealer is ******* me over so badly. Why even make an appointment for last Monday at 9am if the mechanic wasn't going to work on it for 10-11 days?!?!?!

• 2012 Ram 1500 RCSB Hemi • 22" SRT-10 Wheels Plastidipped Black w/ Bridgestone Tires • Smoked Taillights • Custom Quad Headlights • Opt-7 FluxBeam-X 6000k LED Lows • MicTuning 6000k LED Fogs • K&N 63 Series CAI • Flowmasters Muffler • Line-X Bed • OEM Black Badges All Around • 20% Tint All Around • Lund Tri-Fold Tonneau + plenty more coming soon...

OnSale said:

2 things holding me up right now.

First, my order from Klearz.com is taking forever. Their customer service is ****. I paid $30 extra to get "2-4 DAY RUSH DELIVERY" for my my smoked drl lenses and clear corners. So I placed my order on 7/27 and it didn't even ship until 8/02. That should have been a sign right there. I emailed them 3 times between 7/27 and 8/2 and didn't get a response until 8/3. 6 days later. Now my estimated delivery is 8/8 which is 6 days. I paid $30 for 2-4 day and it's taking 6. They had a 6 day option that cost $13. I emailed them and asked why I was charged $30 and I'm receiving the $13 shipping speed. They told me that's just how it works. I told them well don't ******* advertise 2-4 day if it's not even possible.

So from order to delivery will be 12 days.... 12 days!! I paid extra for rush 2-4. This company is a joke!


Second thing holding me up is my truck is at my local Ram Dealer to get 3 broken manifold bolts removed and replaced. Well they made an appointment to drop it off Monday at 9am. Well I called Wednesday and the service advisor said it would be done tomorrow (thursday) by 4 or 5pm. I called back Thursday at 530pm to ask what was up. The same service advisor from the day before said "oh the tech is working in it but the paperwork isn't up here so he's not done. We're here til 11pm so you could get a call later tonight that it's done". So today, around 3pm I call to find out wtf is going on. The SAME service advisor answers and says lemme find out. He comes back to tell me the mechanic was "sick for 3 days" and is extremely backed up. My truck won't be done until NEXT THURSDAY OR FRIDAY!!!! I don't ******* care if he's sick, you have a day and night shift, that's 20-35 mechanics in your shop. Get someone else to ******* do it right now. They said its an 8hr job, and its going to somehow taking 10-11 days?!?!?!?!

I'm going up there tomorrow to flip out at the Ram service manager. I'm done with this dealership. They have done nothing but **** me and my truck over every time I go there. This is totally unacceptable.



But yea.... thats where I'm at right now. Worst part is, i got a new radio off eBay and i cant even plug it in to see if it works and needs an antitheft code. By the time I get my truck back im worried I won't be able to file a claim with eBay or PayPal if it's broken or locked. This dealer is ******* me over so badly. Why even make an appointment for last Monday at 9am if the mechanic wasn't going to work on it for 10-11 days?!?!?!

• 2012 Ram 1500 RCSB Hemi • 22" SRT-10 Wheels Plastidipped Black w/ Bridgestone Tires • Smoked Taillights • Custom Quad Headlights • Opt-7 FluxBeam-X 6000k LED Lows • MicTuning 6000k LED Fogs • K&N 63 Series CAI • Flowmasters Muffler • Line-X Bed • OEM Black Badges All Around • 20% Tint All Around • Lund Tri-Fold Tonneau + plenty more coming soon...

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Wow, sorry bud. Thats horrible news. I guess I shouldn't have asked for updates lol.

Well we hope you get your truck back ASAP and its all fixed and ready to go.

Just pumped to watch your tutorial video. I'm looking to possibly do some work on my headlights and it would help out greatly.

Probably paint the housing black, do the amber/white switchbacks and install the retro quik kit from the retrofit source (FX-R lenses and HID setup).

Interested in this also. Wanna paint match mine to the brilliant black with a matte bronze (where you have the white)
What else did you do?

Itsme71190 said:

Interested in this also. Wanna paint match mine to the brilliant black with a matte bronze (where you have the white)
What else did you do?

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The white parts are Diode Dynamics Switchback Halos and C-Bars, not paint. Here is a list of what will be done when their finished.

• Diode Dynamics Switchback LED DRL Turn Signal Boards
• Diode Dynamics Switchback LED Projector/C-Bar Halos
• Klearz Smoked Clear Corners
• Klearz Smoked DRL Lenses
• Retroshop 09-12 13+ Projector Adapter Harness
• Retroshop Morimoto XB35 6500k HID Kit
• Morimoto Retrorubber Re-Sealant
• Custom Painted PR4 Flame Red & Gloss Black

• 2012 Ram 1500 RCSB Hemi • 22" SRT-10 Wheels Plastidipped Black w/ Bridgestone Tires • Smoked Taillights • Custom Quad Headlights • Opt-7 FluxBeam-X 6000k LED Lows • MicTuning 6000k LED Fogs • K&N 63 Series CAI • Flowmasters Muffler • Line-X Bed • OEM Black Badges All Around • 20% Tint All Around • Lund Tri-Fold Tonneau + plenty more coming soon...

holy s... so basically its going to a disco in your headlights. I dont link i could dump 400+ into my headlights right now haha.
But where you have the red i could go bronze and do the halo c bar

Itsme71190 said:

holy s... so basically its going to a disco in your headlights. I dont link i could dump 400+ into my headlights right now haha.
But where you have the red i could go bronze and do the halo c bar

Click to expand...

No disco lol.... switchback means it's a bright Solid white with the running lights on, and when you hit the turn signal it turns amber. When the turn signal turns off it goes back to white.





• 2012 Ram 1500 RCSB Hemi • 22" SRT-10 Wheels Plastidipped Black w/ Bridgestone Tires • Smoked Taillights • Custom Quad Headlights • Opt-7 FluxBeam-X 6000k LED Lows • MicTuning 6000k LED Fogs • K&N 63 Series CAI • Flowmasters Muffler • Line-X Bed • OEM Black Badges All Around • 20% Tint All Around • Lund Tri-Fold Tonneau + plenty more coming soon...