E55 Lighting Upgrade
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,793
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From: San Diego
2004 E55
E55 Lighting Upgrade
I want to be able to use my fog lights, but I can't use them morally, due to the difference in color temp between the stock xenons and the halogen (I'm assuming) fogs. So I've come to the conclusion that I want to upgrade my low beams and fogs at the same time with the same manufacturers bulbs to I can guarantee that they'll match; this should be simple enough.
My problem is that I am not entirely satisfied with the stock beam pattern. I'd like something wider, especially on the drivers side as my neighborhood isn't very well lit at night. I have retrofitted Hella 90mm projectors into my old Z28 and the beam pattern was much wider with roughly the same z-pattern cutoff. But after some online searching, it appears that the stockers are Hella 90mm projectors, can anyone confirm this?? I was very pleased with the quality of the Hella products I bought in the past but if the stock projectors are Hella, I might have to explore some other options.
After a quick search around here I could not find any experiences with regards to what will probably be my biggest struggle: swapping in new projector housings. So I find this post:
https://mbworld.org/forums/showpost....3&postcount=10
... In THIS thread, and that is the kind of beam pattern I am looking for. The gentleman says he used projector housings from a Lexus LS430, has anyone tried this on a W211??
Any and all feedback is appreciated!
My problem is that I am not entirely satisfied with the stock beam pattern. I'd like something wider, especially on the drivers side as my neighborhood isn't very well lit at night. I have retrofitted Hella 90mm projectors into my old Z28 and the beam pattern was much wider with roughly the same z-pattern cutoff. But after some online searching, it appears that the stockers are Hella 90mm projectors, can anyone confirm this?? I was very pleased with the quality of the Hella products I bought in the past but if the stock projectors are Hella, I might have to explore some other options.
After a quick search around here I could not find any experiences with regards to what will probably be my biggest struggle: swapping in new projector housings. So I find this post:
https://mbworld.org/forums/showpost....3&postcount=10
... In THIS thread, and that is the kind of beam pattern I am looking for. The gentleman says he used projector housings from a Lexus LS430, has anyone tried this on a W211??
Any and all feedback is appreciated!
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E-ZGO 53hp., 1999 E 430 sport, 2004 E 55, 2008 Tahoe LTZ on 24"s
You will not find a BiXenon with a "wide" pattern, that is the difference.
You can give up the Bi xenon, but that is not a smart move. Converting your Fogs to HIDs will greatly improve your peripheral illumination at night.
I use Apexcone 9006 35 watt HID 5000K in my fogs and the color is close to stock BiXenon, but you could get a closer match changing low beam bulbs too.
I also added Apexcone H7 55 watt 5000K in my high beams, astounding.
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...hlight=bixenon
You can give up the Bi xenon, but that is not a smart move. Converting your Fogs to HIDs will greatly improve your peripheral illumination at night.
I use Apexcone 9006 35 watt HID 5000K in my fogs and the color is close to stock BiXenon, but you could get a closer match changing low beam bulbs too.
I also added Apexcone H7 55 watt 5000K in my high beams, astounding.
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...hlight=bixenon
Last edited by Yacht Master; Jul 16, 2008 at 10:37 AM.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,793
Likes: 44
From: San Diego
2004 E55
You will not find a BiXenon with a "wide" pattern, that is the difference.
You can give up the Bi xenon, but that is not a smart move. Converting your Fogs to HIDs will greatly improve your peripheral illumination at night.
I use Apexcone 9006 35 watt HID 5000K in my fogs and the color is close to stock BiXenon, but you could get a closer match changing low beam bulbs too.
I also added Apexcone H7 55 watt 5000K in my high beams, astounding.
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...hlight=bixenon
You can give up the Bi xenon, but that is not a smart move. Converting your Fogs to HIDs will greatly improve your peripheral illumination at night.
I use Apexcone 9006 35 watt HID 5000K in my fogs and the color is close to stock BiXenon, but you could get a closer match changing low beam bulbs too.
I also added Apexcone H7 55 watt 5000K in my high beams, astounding.
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...hlight=bixenon
1. How can I tell for sure if my car has Bixenons? I see that term thrown around here very loosely and I'd like to get the final low-down dirty on it. I know for a fact that the lights are xenon and they have the active cornering and self leveling stuff going on; but was there a xenon AND bixenon offering on these cars?
2. I do like the xenon in the fogs idea. Did you put projector lenses in the fogs or did you just retrofit xenon bulbs into the stock housing. I'll admit I haven't actually looked at the fog lights on the car yet so if they are already projector lenses, shun me accordingly hahaha.
Thanks again!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,642
Likes: 13
From: Caribbean/Florida/Colorado
E-ZGO 53hp., 1999 E 430 sport, 2004 E 55, 2008 Tahoe LTZ on 24"s
Thanks for the reply. Two questions:
1. How can I tell for sure if my car has Bixenons? I see that term thrown around here very loosely and I'd like to get the final low-down dirty on it. I know for a fact that the lights are xenon and they have the active cornering and self leveling stuff going on; but was there a xenon AND bixenon offering on these cars?
2. I do like the xenon in the fogs idea. Did you put projector lenses in the fogs or did you just retrofit xenon bulbs into the stock housing. I'll admit I haven't actually looked at the fog lights on the car yet so if they are already projector lenses, shun me accordingly hahaha.
Thanks again!
1. How can I tell for sure if my car has Bixenons? I see that term thrown around here very loosely and I'd like to get the final low-down dirty on it. I know for a fact that the lights are xenon and they have the active cornering and self leveling stuff going on; but was there a xenon AND bixenon offering on these cars?
2. I do like the xenon in the fogs idea. Did you put projector lenses in the fogs or did you just retrofit xenon bulbs into the stock housing. I'll admit I haven't actually looked at the fog lights on the car yet so if they are already projector lenses, shun me accordingly hahaha.
Thanks again!
No projectors in the Fogs, just changed out the halogen bulb with a re-based 9006 HID by Apexcone (won't throw a fault code) the beam pattern is an excellent complement to the BiXenon. The BiXenon projectors give a beam width of maybe 35* degrees and the fogs reflectors give a beam-width of 140* degrees. On some of the newer models Mercedes uses the fog lights as cornering lights.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,793
Likes: 44
From: San Diego
2004 E55
All Xenon equipped W211 are BiXenon, What that is, is a shutter that changes the beam pattern of the low beam to that of a high beam. To check it out have someone switch from low to high beams while you listen to the headlamp you will see and hear the shutter "click".
No projectors in the Fogs, just changed out the halogen bulb with a re-based 9006 HID by Apexcone (won't throw a fault code) the beam pattern is an excellent complement to the BiXenon. The BiXenon projectors give a beam width of maybe 35* degrees and the fogs reflectors give a beam-width of 140* degrees. On some of the newer models Mercedes uses the fog lights as cornering lights.
No projectors in the Fogs, just changed out the halogen bulb with a re-based 9006 HID by Apexcone (won't throw a fault code) the beam pattern is an excellent complement to the BiXenon. The BiXenon projectors give a beam width of maybe 35* degrees and the fogs reflectors give a beam-width of 140* degrees. On some of the newer models Mercedes uses the fog lights as cornering lights.
As far as the fogs go... Do the stock fog housings have a good cutoff at the top of the beam pattern? I'd like to use them for driving lights as I hardly get any fog out here and my car is not a daily driver, but I do not want to have even a hint of the light bother other motorists.
