gulfstreamblues

I'm a new 2009 XB owner here and I've been researching the MobileHID kit for my box. There seems to be some glare when they are installed in the factory Halogen projectors and I would like to eliminate this. I have seen the black tape mod, but I am looking for something a little nicer than this. Does anyone offer HID bulbs with shields that provide a clean cut-off line. I really don't want to get into retrofitting HID projectors, so something like bulb shields would be the perfect solution. I want the extra light that HIDs give you, but I don't want to offend/distract other drivers. Maybe Clifford can help? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

-gulfstreamblues-

rosedaleny806

i think ur talking about the squirel finder? its liek a tab inside the projector where u put the bulb in that u have to bend up so u dont see a tiny oval above the cutoff line on each headlights

gulfstreamblues

Ha "Squirrel Finder"....Yes, the oval shapes above the cutoff line is what I am trying to eliminate. Your solution sounds like it might work. How easy is it to bend the tab? Do you have to remove the headlight housing? And lastly, do you have any pictures of the cut-off after the mod or of the tab you need to bend? Thanks.

rosedaleny806

yes thats it lol i have NO clue about how to bend that thing i know a few people on here actually did sumthing recently about it umm try searching Squirrel Finder and it should show up i dont think its hard though u dont need to take out ur headlights if u can poke ur head in there and if u see a tab coming down thats it lol

rockthebeef

For some reason I thought you had to remove the headlight lens to get to the squirrel finder. I could be 100% wrong though. I have mobile HIDs too and if it's easy enough to do than I want to do it. I haven't seen anybody explain exactly how to remove the squirrel finder. Maybe it warrants a new thread dedicated to this one mod?

rosedaleny806

actually i have no clue i dont think u have to take it off theres actually a thread on here that was jus recently started up dedicated to the squirrel finder and how to bend it let me try and find it

AAG

iTrader: (1)

Just install them and aim them down a bit. I've had mine for almost a year and I've never had anyone high-beam me.

It's really not that bad IMO. Hell even stock HIDs produce glare (ex. 07+ Escalades are really bad).

rockthebeef

I guess this is the thread.

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...uirrel+finders

I might look into this myslef. I just don't know exactly what to look for, but I have an idea. Thanks

rockthebeef

Mine are aimed down a bit. I've never had a problem with being flashed, and it's been almost a year. Maybe I should leave the lights alone. Sometimes I just look for *something* to do to the box, you know?

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

Here's the thread with pictures of the squirrel finder; and shots of the HID headlights on, before & after squirrel finder removal:

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...=asc&&start=60

T_A_N_K

I removed mine, and it was really simple. Great results. You should just use the above post for reference. I didn't cut or grind mine though, i just pulled them of with needle nosed pliers. The aren't riveted on like they look, they are just pressed together. My cutoff is now perfect (though not as sharp as retrofitted projectors). It's a really easy process, it just takes a little while because of all of the steps you are taking. If you are going to paint the inside of your lights, this is the time to do it also. If you have any questions, just lemme know...

rockthebeef

This is the thing that still confuses me. of course I haven't touched my headlights since I installed HIDs almost a year ago, so I'm not too familiar with how they look.
Is it necessary to bake open your lights to access the squirrel finders? Or can you access them from the hole where the headlight bulb goes through? Thanks.

xseveredveganx

Yes, you will have to bake your headlights to take them apart, AND to access the squirrel finders. You'll have to d*mn near disassemble the whole light.

I was going to remove my squirrel finders, but I didn't. I reeeeeally think I'll have to, though.

T_A_N_K

From what I remember (of course I didn't take any pics ) you can't access the squirrel finder without pulling your headlights and baking them. In this post: http://<br /> https://www.scionlife...uirrel+finders they talk about just pulling the bulb, and using a screwdriver, but I don't know about that. If I remember correctly, the squirrel finder is not visible until you pull the headlight apart, and dismantle the projector. That could also just be what I remember from the 2am headlight project, mixed with a bit of vodka.

It's honestly not that hard to do it all, it just takes a few hours of your time. I actually baked my headlights twice. 1st time was to paint, and the 2nd was to pull the squirrel finders.

After all the work is finally done and you go for a drive, the difference is priceless. It looks waaay better. you still get a little bit of light throwing up onto the signs, it's just not as bright. Before I pulled my SFs, I remember that it looked like there was a horizontal black stripe in my light beams driving down the road. the bottom 1/2 shined up, then there was a gap of no light, and then the 'overspray' of the glare from the SFs. Now it looks perfect. The light flows up from the bottom, then just stops once it hits the cutoff. Perfect.

Make sure before you do surgery on your lights you mark where they are aimed now. Like, mark on your wall with a pencil or whatever at the point that the cutoff is for both headlights. I didn't do this, and spent several different nights adjusting them so that they were just right.

If you do decide to do it, be gentle when you are removing the projector housing. I cracked the part that attaches to one of the ball joints and had to fix with some jb weld and a zip tie. you can't see it though, cause it's on the inside. lol.

rockthebeef

Thanks T_A_N_K. That was very helpful.

T_A_N_K

lol. No problem man...