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2013 SHO Lamin-X Tints and LED conversion

Started by BiGMaC, December 27, 2013, 06:23:03 AM

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BiGMaC

Help Please.  :help2:

Well I'm still studying the 2013 SHO for access to the side-markers from inside the engine compartment... so far I can't even see them either side.  I think I can feel the one on the passenger side..... they are just lateral to the HID housing. The manual is no help.  Don't know WTF Ford was thinking.  :hmmm:

So I'm throwing out this question:  What is the best way to access the front side-marker on a 2013 SHO?   :dunno:
I figure I'm gonna have to do some R&R of parts of the car, but I don't want to take the bumper off only to find that I can't get to the bulbs/back of the headlight housing.

Anyone?

I wasn't going to do a "how to" on this..... maybe I should once it's all figured out.

•2013 Taurus SHO nonPP - All Ford factory options, 3BAR MAP, LMS v8 tune (mods for 3BAR, DPs, and T-stat), Paint & plastic correction, CQuart finest all exterior surfaces, limo black window tint,VLED Triton switchbacks, Daytime BrightLites switchback DRLs, full interior and exterior LED conversion, Lamin-X charcoal blackout tail lights and reflectors, PPE catted and coated downpipes, EBPP coated hotpipes with BoVs VTA, MDesign CAI
•2013 F250 CC Lariat 6.7EB Diesel -stock

DJE624

When I swapped my headlights, I had to take the bumper cover off. If you pull out the head light assembly you will have access to the side markers.  It's a pain but not too difficult.  The worst part is getting those "arrowhead" screws out where the bumper cover meets the fender.  At least it's like that on a 10-12.  Your results may vary. 

BiGMaC

#32
Thanks Dave. I'm still studying it, but don't see another way now.  :crybabysmiley:  The bright side is that I can get to the turn signals for the switchbacks pretty easy...but the side markers, wow!  Gonna read bpd's how-to on that.

What was the Ford engineer who designed this deal thinking about? $2 bulb... R&R required $200,   :pat:  still... Maybe I can get the dealer to do the side-markers... You know I'm lazy.  :rofl:

•2013 Taurus SHO nonPP - All Ford factory options, 3BAR MAP, LMS v8 tune (mods for 3BAR, DPs, and T-stat), Paint & plastic correction, CQuart finest all exterior surfaces, limo black window tint,VLED Triton switchbacks, Daytime BrightLites switchback DRLs, full interior and exterior LED conversion, Lamin-X charcoal blackout tail lights and reflectors, PPE catted and coated downpipes, EBPP coated hotpipes with BoVs VTA, MDesign CAI
•2013 F250 CC Lariat 6.7EB Diesel -stock

DJE624

Actually, after you pull the bumper cover off and replace it a couple times, it's not really that difficult.  Just a big pain. And it does put a lot of wear and tear on the fastening system.

dalum

You can also get to them through the inner fender well.  I don't know if you can just turn the wheel and remove the front few screws or if you have to take off the wheel and/or whole thing.

Have you decided where to tap for the dimmer wire yet?
2013 Non-PP SHO

BiGMaC

#35
Quote from: dalum on December 29, 2013, 02:38:00 PM
You can also get to them through the inner fender well.  I don't know if you can just turn the wheel and remove the front few screws or if you have to take off the wheel and/or whole thing.

Have you decided where to tap for the dimmer wire yet?

Not yet... I may wire them first without and see if I get flashed ...but you're right, Thanks. I should decide and leave a tail to tap if/when I need the dimming function... Any ideas on the best place to attached the dimmer?

Going out to lift the car now and remove the lower engine shield to see if I can get access that way.. I can change the side-markers by feel if I can just get to them ...I thought the switchbacks would be the hard part... NOT!

•2013 Taurus SHO nonPP - All Ford factory options, 3BAR MAP, LMS v8 tune (mods for 3BAR, DPs, and T-stat), Paint & plastic correction, CQuart finest all exterior surfaces, limo black window tint,VLED Triton switchbacks, Daytime BrightLites switchback DRLs, full interior and exterior LED conversion, Lamin-X charcoal blackout tail lights and reflectors, PPE catted and coated downpipes, EBPP coated hotpipes with BoVs VTA, MDesign CAI
•2013 F250 CC Lariat 6.7EB Diesel -stock

SwampRat

#36
I ordered  my V3 Tritons several months ago , As stated by  Dalum earlier in this thread  he said he could not get either version 1 or 2 to work on his 13 SHO . Evidently this has become a known issue to VLeds since they have come out with a revised socket Adapter to solve the problem .. I guess I need to call them and have them send me the new socket adapter.... Hopefully they will provided them to me for free since mine was order prior to this being known as an issue ....
2013 SHO  ....  not mine anymore

2021 Edge ST

BiGMaC

Quote from: kbeck59 on December 29, 2013, 08:23:47 PM
I ordered  my V3 Tritons several months ago , As stated by  Dalum earlier in this thread  he said he could not get either version 1 or 2 to work on his 13 SHO . Evidently this has become a known issue to VLeds since they have come out with a revised socket Adapter to solve the problem .. I guess I need to call them and have them send me the new socket adapter.... Hopefully they will provided them to me for free since mine was order prior to this being known as an issue ....


Yea... call them!  The install was plug and play.. literally!  They work super!  No problem except finding metal to mount the controller... other than that no directions needed.  I'll post pics later after sorting.  They are worth every penny.  I love the way they look.  I did not hook up the headlight wire for the 50% dimming on the white parking/running lites.  I thought they were a little too bright, but nobody flashed me. 

Do you know of a good point to access the positive headlight wire and what color it is... with the HIDs the wiring is not straight forward.

Pics later, but call vLEDs and get that adapter from my earlier pic... Again, very easy install, and work like a charm

•2013 Taurus SHO nonPP - All Ford factory options, 3BAR MAP, LMS v8 tune (mods for 3BAR, DPs, and T-stat), Paint & plastic correction, CQuart finest all exterior surfaces, limo black window tint,VLED Triton switchbacks, Daytime BrightLites switchback DRLs, full interior and exterior LED conversion, Lamin-X charcoal blackout tail lights and reflectors, PPE catted and coated downpipes, EBPP coated hotpipes with BoVs VTA, MDesign CAI
•2013 F250 CC Lariat 6.7EB Diesel -stock

DJE624

Great to hear it Tom!  Did you end up pulling the cover?

BiGMaC

#39
Quote from: DJE624 on December 29, 2013, 10:47:49 PM
Great to hear it Tom!  Did you end up pulling the cover?

I wimped out on the side-markers...   :chair:  so no.... but by removing the factory CAI I had plenty of room to install the switchbacks.  :bangin:  They are pretty incredible at 600 lumens!...   :dude:  ...wondering what the 800 lumen puddle lights will be like.... and still thinking about finding the Headlight hot and reducing the running/parking (white part) to 300 lumen.
Anyway gotta feed the horses and then sort the pics of install and results.. will post later tonight.

•2013 Taurus SHO nonPP - All Ford factory options, 3BAR MAP, LMS v8 tune (mods for 3BAR, DPs, and T-stat), Paint & plastic correction, CQuart finest all exterior surfaces, limo black window tint,VLED Triton switchbacks, Daytime BrightLites switchback DRLs, full interior and exterior LED conversion, Lamin-X charcoal blackout tail lights and reflectors, PPE catted and coated downpipes, EBPP coated hotpipes with BoVs VTA, MDesign CAI
•2013 F250 CC Lariat 6.7EB Diesel -stock

dalum

I'll try to look through my service manual tomorrow and find the headlight wire, but it might not be untill later.  I never got past the testing phase but I wasn't to concerned about finding metal to mount it to.  I think it only uses the resistor while the turn signal is high so it shouldn't really get that hot.  If we had high parking light as our factory drl then it would be hot as a mother all the time  >:D
2013 Non-PP SHO

mjhpadi

Quote from: BiGMaC on December 29, 2013, 10:53:05 PM
Quote from: DJE624 on December 29, 2013, 10:47:49 PM
Great to hear it Tom!  Did you end up pulling the cover?

I wimped out on the side-markers...   :chair: 

I did my side markers and they were a pain to reach no matter what I tried...I went at them from the fender liner and could just barely reach them...and you can't tell the LED's from the regular bulbs.... so if you are going to the work of changing, the switchbacks would be the way to go.
2010 Candy Red SHO, Livernois Stage 4 Tune, Airaid CAI, Tinted Headlamps & Tails, LED Interior Lighting, LED Running Lights, LED Puddle and License Plate Lamps, LED DRL's, Window Tint, Rear Window Spoiler, V3 Triton Switchback Running Lights, Colgan Bra, Ford Racing Gauges (oil pressure, oil temperature, boost/vacuum)
Replaced by 2020 Hertiage Edition GT-350

BiGMaC

Quote from: mjhpadi on December 27, 2013, 11:36:52 AM
Those seats are great...I have a bench one with wheels from Adam's Polishes...but it doesn't come with the "Oh my God, you're fat" weight capacity rating....

After this weekend I'm having one then!

•2013 Taurus SHO nonPP - All Ford factory options, 3BAR MAP, LMS v8 tune (mods for 3BAR, DPs, and T-stat), Paint & plastic correction, CQuart finest all exterior surfaces, limo black window tint,VLED Triton switchbacks, Daytime BrightLites switchback DRLs, full interior and exterior LED conversion, Lamin-X charcoal blackout tail lights and reflectors, PPE catted and coated downpipes, EBPP coated hotpipes with BoVs VTA, MDesign CAI
•2013 F250 CC Lariat 6.7EB Diesel -stock

BiGMaC

#43
So ... Finally here are the pics on the vLED Triton switchbacks and install. ... But first... When I got home from the horse show today (the other kind of horsepower I participate in!) ... the mailman had left my LED puddle lights.  They are Daytime Brightlites, and yes I paid too much, but I had christmas gift cards and they had an 800 lumen puddle lights at a sale price!...Also, I always assume my time is part of the cost and i'd rather drive than solder. The vLED Triton switchbacks you'll see later are 600 lumen. And yes, I can be lazy at times.  I won't bore you with the puddle light install... The company put up a video and it's easy.  One word of caution, work gently with the plastic retainer clip or you'll break it. Instructions also come in the pack. Basically pop out and pop in, and the less force the quicker it goes... took <5 min with pics.

Here's the pics of them and the before/after pics. Labels are above each pic... all camera settings (my phone) are the same... and it doesn't do well in the dark, LOL.  They are much brighter than OEm. Compare to the LED interior lights as well.

First a pic of what came in the box (also got instructions)


Now a pic of the stock puddle light on the right side


Finally, the LEDs on in the left side puddle light


On to the Switchbacks!   (Once again, pardon the dirty car, I live on a unpaved road and haven't washed in a week.) They are vLED Triton V3's with a color temp of 5K on the white part (they offer 6K if you want the blue look).  The white is 600 lumen (on a meter, not just adding the numbers for the individual chips which is an incorrect measure).  The pic of what came in the package with connections labeled is posted earlier.  They worked first time and the instructions are easy and intuitive, except..
I'm still hunting for the headlight + wire to try the 50% reduction option when headlights are on.... any help here would be appreciated!

The company warns about heat from the control module which is about 1/3 heat radiation fins and recommends mounting to metal... I never realized how much plastic there is in our crowded SHO engine compartments. 

On the left side I removed the air intake... familiar to those with a CAI.  I could see the park/run/blinker but couldn't reach it with the air intake in place... so out it came.

The air induction removed and set to the side in this pic


Lean over a little and look toward the left front tire. You'll see the tan bulb socket just medial to the HID housing. BTW, all Ford lighting sockets unscrew counter clockwise (as you face it from the side you'd grab to rotate it)


Here are three pics.... The first one shows the Triton system assembled and plugged in to the OEM socket (which I secured and protected with electrical tape) lying on the air filter support... The next one shows where I mounted the control module on a body panel support out of site and zip tied all the wiring (the only hole i drilled)...and the third is the Triton bulb and socket in the headlight cowl OEM opening




On the right side the window washer fluid container neck was flexible enough that I didn't have to do any R&R to install the Tritons.  I cut away a 3"x4" area of a sound deadening sheet and mounted the control module on the wheel well using an OEM electrical ground screw that was there.  Sorry.. no pics, couldn't get the camera to focus through the foreground things.  The Below are a series of comparison pics with only the left system install. Be careful not to damage the washer fluid hose.

Below is a series of comparison pics done mostly during daylight that allow comparison of appearance/brightness/color with various functions... The white is a perfect match for the OEM HIDs and the amber is a little more yellow... but they told me it would be.. The white part is 600 lumens and the amber is 430 lumens.   Labels are above the pics, and there is a video at the end also. These were all done with just the left side Triton system installed

Stock Right, Headlights off


Triton Left, Headlights off


Both seen with Headlights off.. OEM passenger side, Triton Driver side (The car is on ramps because a I dropped a ratchet and had to open the under engine panel.)


Headlights on (no blinkers)


Headlights on with flashers


Left side in the dark shows a pretty good white color match with the "accessory parking lights"  and HIDs at the 5K color temp


Here's a video demo with all combinations of the lighting functions shown.  This was done with the left side Tritons installed and the right side remaining OEM so you can compare: It shows the color match, even yellow is fine, as well as the crisp action of the LEDs and their brightness.

http://youtu.be/1zex4WRtlbE

If you've read this far, Thanks for your interest!  Any comments or questions welcomed!

As you noticed if you've been following, I still need to replace the side-markers with LEDs, but you can't even see them looking under the hood...they are behind large panels. I have to believe that Ford has a way without removing the entire front clip.  I loaned my jack stands, but if I haven't found the trick for access soon, I'm going to put the SHO on jacks with front wheels off and remove the wheel well liners... I took a little peek and it might work to access the side-marker bulb sockets.

And yes......... I did install both sides!!

Thanks again.... the modding continues.... spent a lot of time between classes at the horse show texting with Brandon as performance oriented mods start in Jan with a baseline stock dyno this Friday...... with more, like subs and DSP, to follow.  I have a terminal case of mod bug infection!

•2013 Taurus SHO nonPP - All Ford factory options, 3BAR MAP, LMS v8 tune (mods for 3BAR, DPs, and T-stat), Paint & plastic correction, CQuart finest all exterior surfaces, limo black window tint,VLED Triton switchbacks, Daytime BrightLites switchback DRLs, full interior and exterior LED conversion, Lamin-X charcoal blackout tail lights and reflectors, PPE catted and coated downpipes, EBPP coated hotpipes with BoVs VTA, MDesign CAI
•2013 F250 CC Lariat 6.7EB Diesel -stock

DJE624

Great job Tom!  Thanks for the pics and video.  That is a really cool set up.  Good luck with the next project!