JDM 86 headlights w/o bulbs and ballasts
 

Hello All,

I am hoping to improve the lighting performance and looks of my FR-S and am looking at purchasing some used JDM 86 headlights. Sourcing them isn't hard, but it seems that most of the JDM takeoffs don't include bulbs and ballasts since they would be transplanted to the new headlights.

I've searched for a few minutes and didn't see anyone that had purchased them this way before, but I assumed you could run an aftermarket ballast and bulb and be just fine. Is that correct?

The last concern would be the cutoff on the JDM headlights. I have seen some conflicting information from different posts showing an even cutoff or a RHD cutoff from the Japanese 86 headlights (not gt86 euro lights).

I realize I could get the same performance out of a retrofitted stock FR-S unit, but I'm really not a huge fan of the stock DRL.

Pretty sure everyone retro-fitting these are running aftermarket HIDs, which is fine as long as they're of good quality like denso or phillips.

And yes, you will not have the correct cutoff, because JDM vehicles are RHD. Any posts showing otherwise are misleading and wrong. You need the LHD GT86 Euro headlights, not the JDM ones, otherwise you will risk blinding incoming traffic.

You want this:
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/ski...jectors/12.jpg

Not this:
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/ski...jectors/14.jpg

I bought my headlight with bulb and ballast in already. However, I don't see any harm in using a separate one. The convenience is that the ballast is already mounted to the headlight - in your case, you would just have to find another place to mount it.

As kbye mentioned, you need to get the LHD Euro set, not a JDM set.

Is there a way to swap the cutoff?

Yes, but it requires disassembly of the entire headlight and you need donor shields from a LHD car or you have to make your own.


Lots of work and lots of ways to screw up, so just buy the right ones in the first place :)

the stock FRS should have a halogen projector for lowbeam. you SHOULD be able to just get a PnP HID kit and it will work with a decent cutoff (so you don't blind other drivers). if you want the best performance out of your headlights, I suggest you buy the BRZ headlights and wire them in. there is a thread on this forum about the specifics of repinning the connectors. the BRZ headlights have the RX350 projectors, which is arguably one of the best projectors on the market. all you need to do is repin the connector, which is less of a hassle than a proper retrofit.

GT86 headlights likely have the same projector as the BRZ.

I think I will either go with BRZ headlights are stock FR-S headlights with a retrofit. While affordable, used JDM units do appear to have the incorrect cutoff for US roads and I don't want to blind traffic. Given the minimal cost difference, I would rather put HID bulbs in a housing designed for them as opposed to the halogen projectors.

I'll probably be on the lookout for some stock headlights that I can open up and retrofit, possibly blacking out the housings as well. It seems to be a pretty well documented setup without the potential for hotspots that running HID's in a halogen projector might have.

Hi i ran into this thread. I was wondering if you ever figured out question #2 if it was possible just to run an aftermarket ballast and bulb without de pinning anything.