Retrofit Source - RetroQuick Install and Review

Waterfowler41 · July 11, 2018

Sierra's only -

I originally bought this kit because I thought I broke an actuator in my stock projectors with all the HID work I was doing, pulling wires and what not, thought I was a little too rough. Instead of a new OEM SLE headlight at $400 or new aftermarket headlights for $450+ the Retroquick system was a perfect solution to my issue at around $200. I found out later that a high beam wire was caught in the gears for the high beam shutter stopping it from moving. Once the wire was cleared, the shutter worked fine but as far as my wife is concerned, the stock projectors were shot... I purchased the Retroquick kit as well as D2S 5,500K bulbs and igniters. I already had the relay harness and ballasts from my original TRS HID kit just needed new bulbs for the new projectors and igniters to fit the bulbs.

I filmed this install for my YouTube channel (link below) but here's a write up with pics I took along the way.

The kit comes with NHK G5-X projectors and bracket to adapt projector to stock housing along with some nylock nuts and screws which is all you need to upgrade from meh lighting to amazing lighting. As with anything from TRS shipping was fast from ATL to Chicago.

1. I assume you know how to remove your headlight so first step is to mark your cut line. The rear of the headlight needs to be cut so you can remove the stock projectors. OEM projectors are very wide at their base so you'll need to cut pretty low on the housing to get them out. Use a permanent marker to mark the line. Try to keep all cuts flat so gluing the housing back together is easier. I used a cutoff wheel on my dremel to cut the housing. It cuts like butter. Keep the headlight project facing up so the shavings from your cutting fall to the ground, not into the headlight housing. Pic below after the back was removed.

2. Unplug the white plug feeding the shutter actuator then remove the 4 torx screws holding the projector to the headlight housing (circled in red in pic above). Projector should slide right out.

Note: Side by side you can see the difference between OEM and NHK projectors. The OEM uses a lot of plastic and the dimpled lens is horrendous. New projectors are all metal with a crystal clear lens.

Edited July 11, 2018 by Waterfowler41
changes

Waterfowler41 · July 11, 2018

OEM lens:

New NHK G5X lens:

3. After the stock projectors are removed you have a few steps to fit the aftermarkets to the headlight. First, there are some plastic tabs on near the projector mourning holes inside the headlight, these need to be clipped or filed down. The aftermarket bracket needs to sit flat against the mounting posts. Next, the custom bracket for the new projector needs to be "fit" to the new projector. I had to sand down a couple spots to make sure the bracket fit cleanly.

4. Once sanded down and fitted, the bracket can be installed on the back side of the projector and the new projector can be installed in the housing and secured using the 4 OEM torx screws that were holdings the original projector in place.

5. Clip the white plug off and connect the two black wires on the new projector to the orange and green wires for the high beams. No need to worry about polarity, they work in normal and reverse wiring.

6. TEST THE HEADLIGHTS and hi-beams!!!!!! After this point, there's no turning back.

7. Using millwork square brackets I purchased form Menards, I applied a thick bead of Permatex black general purpose silicone to the headlight then attached the bracket and siliconed over it. The brackets are used to hold the headlight together while the silicone cures.

8. While the headlight is drying, I drilled out the rear dust caps to 1" so I can fit the new D2S igniters and grommets. The new igniters mount inside the headlight instead of outside so it really cleans up the wiring a bit.

9. Let the headlight cure overnight then reinstall on your truck.

Enjoy a beer because you just retrofitted your headlights.

Waterfowler41 · July 11, 2018

My opinions

Install - Once you make the cut, its smooth sailing. Take your time and leave yourself some room to mount the brackets on both sides of the cut and you should be good. All down hill after the cuts are made. The rest of the kit came together nicely with some minor sanding here and there but nothing crazy. The gluing part sucks and Permetex is messy shit.

Light output - 10 out of 10 on this one. The light output from the new projectors is sharper, clearer, and the hot spot is more than twice as bright as the OEM projectors with HIDs. In my video I tested it with my Extech light meter. The coverage of the projectors is much wider than OEM. The dimpled lenses in the OEM housing is crippling. They diffuse too much light, the clear lenses on the new projectors perform far better. Picture below shows the OEM projector and the new NHK G5X on the right. Both projectors are using HID bulbs but the cut line and the clarity of the right (newer) projector is noticeable.

Final product with some excellent cutoff lines after aiming.

Here's the video of the install, enjoy! Let me know if you guys have any questions.

Crstfr · July 11, 2018

wow.. great write up!!!!... very nice man~... my 16 has the LED projectors... pretty happy with those... but again.. great job!

Chelsea-Vick · April 10, 2019

@Waterfowler41 , did you have to grind down the screws on the back of the projectors to get the adapter brackets to fit? I'm in the middle of installing this kit w/ D2S 5.0s on my '15 Sierra and the bracket hits the back side of the screws that hold the projector together so it won't sit flat against it.

Waterfowler41 · April 10, 2019

28 minutes ago, Chelsea-Vick said:

@Waterfowler41 , did you have to grind down the screws on the back of the projectors to get the adapter brackets to fit? I'm in the middle of installing this kit w/ D2S 5.0s on my '15 Sierra and the bracket hits the back side of the screws that hold the projector together so it won't sit flat against it.

I only had the grind the plastic bracket to make them fit. I did not grind any screws but I could see how they could possibly get in the way.

Chelsea-Vick · April 10, 2019

3 minutes ago, Waterfowler41 said:

I only had the grind the plastic bracket to make them fit. I did not grind any screws but I could see how they could possibly get in the way.

Yeah there are 6 screws that stick out like 1/8" on the back side where the bracket is supposed to sit. If I cleared the bracket to fit there would be no bracket left on the sides, haha. I messaged TRS trying to see what's up. They are supposed to fit these projectors so I'm not sure why they don't.

Chelsea-Vick · April 10, 2019

@Waterfowler41 Also - did your adapter brackets come with 4 screws and 4 nuts? I see your pictures show you used 4 of each. Mine only came with 4 screws and 2 nuts each. I think I'm missing some parts here.

Waterfowler41 · April 10, 2019

11 minutes ago, Chelsea-Vick said:

@Waterfowler41 Also - did your adapter brackets come with 4 screws and 4 nuts? I see your pictures show you used 4 of each. Mine only came with 4 screws and 2 nuts each. I think I'm missing some parts here.

If I recall correctly, I had to find some nuts in my random parts jar. Quality control on the kit left a lot to be desired... Outcome was great but minor things here and there during install.

Chelsea-Vick · April 10, 2019

1 minute ago, Waterfowler41 said:

If I recall correctly, I had to find some nuts in my random parts jar. Quality control on the kit left a lot to be desired... Outcome was great but minor things here and there during install.

Thanks for the help man, I appreciate it. Haven't heard back from TRS yet so at least someone is helping me out, haha.

Waterfowler41 · April 10, 2019

8 minutes ago, Chelsea-Vick said:

Thanks for the help man, I appreciate it. Haven't heard back from TRS yet so at least someone is helping me out, haha.

Call them, way easier than email. If you email them multiple times, it keeps bumping you down the queue resetting your position every time the email is received (as it was explained to me by one of their operators)