Why do you need to remove the reflector before modifying it?

The reflector must be taken out of the headlight housing so it can be cut and shaped to accept the new projector, as shown in the video before any modification begins.

How is the reflector removed from the headlight housing?

You back out the aiming adjuster screw all the way and pop off the one or two ball joint sockets on the back of the reflector using a small flat blade screwdriver, being careful since they are delicate but not easily broken.

What has to be removed from the reflector before cutting holes?

The original halogen bulb cap or holder is removed first, usually by squeezing in a couple of flanges with pliers until it pops out, clearing space for the projector cut.

How do you determine where to cut the hole for the projector?

The video uses a permanent marker to draw reference lines centered around the original bulb holder, sized to the specific projector such as the FXR, starting with a smaller hole and enlarging it as needed.

What is done to the reflector after the hole is cut and fitment is confirmed?

Once the projector fits properly in the modified reflector, it is cleaned with compressed air or washed in a sink to remove dust, preparing it for painting if desired and eventual reassembly.

How to Modify Headlight Reflectors for Projector Retrofits

Retrofitting projectors into a factory reflector housing is one of the most rewarding projects in automotive lighting. It can also be intimidating for first timers. In this guide, we walk through exactly what we did on the bench when modifying headlight reflectors for projectors. We cover everything from removing the reflector from the housing to marking, cutting, and cleaning it up for reassembly.

For this build, we used an FXR projector. The same principles apply whether you are working on a low beam pocket or a full dual projector setup.

Before you dive in, it helps to have a clear plan and the right projector for your build. If you are still choosing your hardware, our Universal Projector Retrofit Kits are a great place to start. They are designed to fit most reflector housings with a little modification.

Removing the Reflector From the Housing

Once you have the lens off, the first step is removing the reflector from the headlight. This gives you access to begin modifying it. You cannot cut or shape the reflector while it is still bolted inside the housing. Removing it always comes first. In general there are usually one or two aiming adjuster knobs on the back of the headlight. The housing we worked on only had one adjuster. These adjusters are essentially long screws that hold the reflector in place.

To remove the reflector, we backed the aiming adjuster screw out all the way. That is the screw responsible for setting the vertical or horizontal aim, and it doubles as a mounting point. Take your time here so you do not strip it.

Backing out the aiming adjuster screw on a headlight reflector — The aiming adjuster is simply a long screw holding the reflector in place

This particular headlight also had two ball joint type sockets holding the reflector in place, one on each side. Those need to come off too. They just pop off, but you have to be careful with them because they are pretty delicate. That said, they will not break really easily, so do not panic. Usually a small flat blade screwdriver is all you need to wedge them off.

Popping off ball joint sockets from the reflector — Using a small flat blade screwdriver to carefully remove the ball joint sockets

Our reflector was held in place by one adjuster screw and two ball joint sockets. Your housing may have one or two of each. Check the back carefully and identify all mounting points before trying to remove the reflector.

Removing the Original Bulb Cap

With the reflector out on the bench, we can start to modify it to accept the new projector. The first thing to deal with is the factory halogen bulb cap. Many headlights have small caps or holders where the original halogen bulb was. These are usually easy to remove. The one we were working with just had a couple of flanges that needed to be bent in.

We squeezed the flanges together with a pair of pliers, working on one side at a time. After that, the holder usually pops right out. Set it off to the side. Clearing that holder out gives you the open space you need to cut for the projector.

Squeezing the flanges to pop out the factory bulb holder

Sizing and Marking the Reflector for the Projector

Now it is just a matter of sizing up the projector according to the reflector you are going to put it in. Since the FXR is going into the low beam here, we want to sink it back as far as possible.

Our approach is to start with a small hole in the back of the reflector. From there, we slowly make it larger until the projector sits at the correct depth. This gradual method helps prevent cutting too much too soon.

Depending on the size of the projector, we use a permanent marker to mark the reflector and get a better idea of where to cut.

It looked like about there, maybe about here, just some good lines for reference. This is only a start, so we connected the dots into a nice full circle. Generally you want to center this right around that original bulb holder location.

Marking reference lines on the reflector with a permanent marker — Drawing reference lines centered on the original bulb holder before cutting

One habit worth adopting: as soon as the reflector is out, mark the top so you do not get confused. It can be a little hard to tell the difference between up and down once the reflector is outside the headlight, so writing a small “top” on it saves headaches later. From there we made reference lines with the permanent marker showing exactly what is up and down and side to side, then sketched a couple of similarly sized holes that we planned to cut in the back of the housing.

There is no real science to how you do this. Ultimately you just have to size according to the particular projector you selected for the retrofit. The FXR bowl is a pretty average size, so that dictated our hole. If you want to explore different optic sizes and how they change your cut, it is worth comparing a few options before you commit. While you are planning your build, it also pays to think ahead about the cosmetic side, and our full selection of projector shrouds can help you dress up the finished projector once it is seated.

Cutting the Hole

With the reference lines drawn, it is time to cut. The golden rule here is measure twice, cut once. It is usually best to start smaller and then make the hole bigger if you need to in order to sink the projector further back. If you need to adjust it and make it bigger, no problem, but you cannot add material back once it is gone.