Did some minor modding this weekend.

[DaveyKid]

Some minor improvements, but nothing major....

Started with the foglight mod since no one seems to be able to do it any other way than the fuse tap method
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/Daveykid/foglightre-wire.jpg">

Then I helped polish a friends (DH Press from the Audioworld board) gateshift. Was knicked and scratched but now it's a nice brushed aluminum look.
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/Daveykid/shifter1.jpg">

Then I practiced the clear corner mod on an extra one I had laying around.
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/Daveykid/clearcorner.jpg">

And finally, I had enough of the cargo net always popping off it's anchors, so I took off the OEM plastic clips and installed S.S. safety clips.
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/Daveykid/cargonethooks.jpg">

[Aronis]

You have too much free time on your hands!

Yes, I am gealous, I did not have time to even wash my car this week!

Work, Work, Work...

Mike

PS, the cargo net idea is GREAT!

[DaveyKid]

I just ordered some black metal carabiner clips made by Omega Pacific. $7/piece.
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=11353422&storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&langId=-1&addon=662847-682510&ext_cat=REI_RELATED_ITEMS_PRODUCT_PAGE&vcat=REI_SSHP_CLIMBING_TOC

[nene]

Great work Dave. When do you plan to take the clear corner mod to your real housings? Looks like your practice run came out perfect.

[DaveyKid]

One thing I forgot was that I just Clear Bra'd my front end including my headlight housings. Doubt they will take the 250 degree baking in the oven. Not sure if I want to peel them off and just have it reapplied or have them do it for me. Kind of dumb on my part to not be thinking about it ahead of time knowing I eventually wanted to do the mod. Oh well.

[JAXRS6]

My gateshift is looking a bit scratched up, too. How did you clean it up, DaveyKid?

[DaveyKid]

Do you know how to do that or do you want me to type that up?

[JAXRS6]

Originally posted by DaveyKid
Do you know how to do that or do you want me to type that up?

Actually I'd like to start with the part that removes scratches: How do you do that, once it's removed? What do you use?

Then, if that looks like something I can/will do, it would be great if you want to type that up!:D

[DaveyKid]

Used a handheld orbital sander with around 800 grit paper to start. Depends on how deep your scratches are. You can go higher to like a 1000 grit if they are merely superficial. Depending on whether or not you want a "pattern" to it, you can either allow it to swirl a nice finish or you can use up/down or left/right patterns. Then from there, go to a hand polish using 0000 steel wool. Again, depending on the finish, you can go real smooth or a little more patterned. I've done about 4 of these now and I've done them every different way. The housing is all aluminum and aluminum is a pretty dirty metal so when you initially start this process don't be afraid of taking off the current finish and seeing a little "black" or dirt under the finish. It's NOT plastic you are going into. It's all aluminum.

Still interested because explaining how to get it off is a little more consuming, but pretty easy for the most part?

[JAXRS6]

Thanks -- but I have no orbital wheel and probably shouldn't take time for this right now since removing the gateshift is even more involved. (Plus I would be in serious trouble if something went wrong where I couldn't use the car, at least here!)

If someone else wants instructions now, and/or if you want to explain it now anyway, fine. I do hope to get to it later, probably after returning to Michigan, where I have more room to work on my car than here. But I can & probably should wait, for now.

[Bauer]

Davey-

I am packing up my headlight housings and shipping them to you:D :hahahehe:

[audirs6sport]

Originally posted by DaveyKid
One thing I forgot was that I just Clear Bra'd my front end including my headlight housings. Doubt they will take the 250 degree baking in the oven. Not sure if I want to peel them off and just have it reapplied or have them do it for me. Kind of dumb on my part to not be thinking about it ahead of time knowing I eventually wanted to do the mod. Oh well.

You do not need to worry about your clear bra. All you gotta do is go buy yourself a heat gun, apply heat around the pre-existing "dumb dumb" and pull them apart. This is the most efficient way to take your housing apart. Leaving it in oven is what ricers do to save 30 bucks from home depot.

[DaveyKid]

or do you still need to remove it from the car? I'll take a look this morning but removing it and getting to the passenger side screw/bolt on the underside is what the pain in the ass is all about.

[choppo]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DaveyKid
[B]Some minor improvements, but nothing major....

Started with the foglight mod since no one seems to be able to do it any other way than the fuse tap method
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/Daveykid/foglightre-wire.jpg">

Hey , Could I inquire to the fuse tap method please ?
I like that alot
Thanks

[choppo]

Originally posted by DaveyKid
or do you still need to remove it from the car? I'll take a look this morning but removing it and getting to the passenger side screw/bolt on the underside is what the pain in the ass is all about.

Snap on tools makes a bend to shape flex tool that once you loosen the screw down there ,
you can grab it with the tool pick up and twist it off.
The tool actualy will grip the screw hord enough to put in in and take it out but no amount of torque just easy and won't loose it.
If anyone wants a pic of that tool let me know.
All though you can use a magnet but that is a accident waiting to happen as far as dropping the bolt and then fishing for it or dropping the bottom cover.
Headlights are easy like nene said like 7 minutes is about right :)

[DaveyKid]

I'm going tool shopping this afternoon. Might as well know what I'm looking for!

As for the foglight mod, I'm going to send you to Dave Press. He's on the audiworld board and he actually did it for me while I was messing around with something else so I didn't watch him. It took him like 5 minutes, max. He goes by DHPress and he's usually on the Chicagoland board or the A6/S6 C5 board. Tell him I sent ya!

[choppo]

Here you go ,
Get it from the Snap-on website or a tool van guy

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=10593&group_ID=1273&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v734/choppo/Tool/DSC01448.jpg"><br><br>
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v734/choppo/Tool/DSC01447.jpg"><br><br>

[DaveyKid]

I'm assuming the end has prongs that slide out to grab the nut head? I have a tool just like that.

[choppo]

Yes but, the prongs are "V" shaped and the tool can be formed in one position and have the rigidness to un-screw or to screw the bolt in pretty tight .

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=10593&group_ID=1273&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

[DaveyKid]

I can't even find the bottom screw to know where I'm trying to loosen it. Seems like way too much plumbing up front to work around. Did you unplug the headlight assembly first to at least clear the wires out of the way? Geez!

[choppo]

Yeah I unplug it and then unscrew it.
Oh yeah they give you little room to work I know.
It was almost as bad as on the S4
It always helps to have a small flexible light in there so to see the screws when grabbing them.
Also I have to use glasses's I am somewhat blind and getting old.
also after all screws are out the headlight must be pushed out from middle to side of car to clear the last holding peg.
also you must loosen the screw with the torx 1st then grab it with claws and twist.
You can always put a luttle grease or sticky stuff on claw to if you want.

[DaveyKid]

Just hate to scratch or damage anything in the process for a luxury and not a necessity!

[choppo]

well I dunno about dropping bumper.
if there anything like a S4 light no need if your kinda crafty moving in and out.
If you look close to the fender you will see a hole in wich the screw
here is better info below stoneys



<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v734/choppo/Tool/headlight.jpg">

Here is a pic of the whole unit. There is a lens repair kit available but that is just the lens. Hope this helps a bit. No part number listed in my Bentley CD Rom.

Remove both Torx bolts (T30) -1-.
- Remove interior Torx bolt (T30) using 1/4"-Torx- bit insert and extension.

Note:

If necessary, use magnet to remove bolt.

- Disconnect multi-function harness connectors for headlights.
- Turn headlights -2- toward center of vehicle and remove from chassis toward front.

[DaveyKid]

What cracks me up is you have to remove the headlight assembly just to remove and replace the turn signal bulb! Great engineering.

[choppo]

No Doubt.
I am purchasing a used/new set of HID's complete with bulbs/ballasts and motors to try and convert them to eurpoean e codes.
Does anyone know if the low beam projector and city light hookup are the ONLY diffirences in a dot and european light?
Gonna add the low beam ECE projector and city light to the new headlights.
Once I am finished if anyone wants to to do same with a spare set of complete set HId's so they don't have to do the ones in there car and no down time , eMail me.
This will be a fun project :)

[audirs6sport]

If you're stuck on anything let me know. It should be fairly easy to swap out the projectors. Least for me it was. :) Besides the projectors and the city light, the difference is the corner signal bulb where the european headlight housing has a cover on top of it. You should purchase a set of bi-xenon projectors, not just the low beam only. Your high beam will be a day and night difference. :D

[choppo]

like so
below

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7970328998&category=36476


Wait a second I am confused,

what does the low beam have to do with the high beam in our cars ?
I thought they were seperate reflectors/projectors with seperate bulbs ?
I assumed the low beam just stayed the same when high beams were activated am I wrong ?
Or does the HID bulb in the low beam do something that I did not know ?
I realize that the low beam pattern on a e code Xenon is better cause I had them on the S4 but now I have doubts about it all.
I know questions questions questions LOL
TIA

[DaveyKid]

Lever that directs the beam pattern up to accompany the bright lights. Turn on your headlights, find a wall at about 20' distance and hit your brights. Notice how instantaneous your brights appear? Part of that is the low beam being shofted upward very rapidly. The high beams are slow in comparison.

[audirs6sport]

There is a solenoid that is built-in the projectors where it redirects the beam pattern. Think of like having a piece of mirror in front of the flash light and moving it up and down to change the view. =) It works off one existing D2S bulb, it being used for both high and low beam. Our factory high beam is halogen, not xenon. Only our low beam is xenon unfortunately... =(