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Diode Dynamics SS3 LED Pods in stock Off Road Light Location - In Progress

40K views 283 replies 64 participants last post by  GreenBay1921 
#1 ·
Hi All!

I am came across 4" LED roof light in stock housing post recently and decided to try something similar
(How-to: Rough Country 4" LED Roof Lights in Stock Housing).

I decided I want something in the stock locations that would have a tighter beam pattern, more reach and less hood glare.

Figured I would share my progress so far. I decided to go with the Diode Dynamics SS3 Pro SAE Driving pods (Stage Series 3" SAE/DOT White Pro Round LED Pod (pair)). The SS3 Pro is quite bright, I am super happy with the output. Below are a couple images where I wired up one of the pods to compare the output compared to the stock high beams, the cheap 30" Chinese LED light bar on my brush guard and the stock off road halogens.


Top very bright spot is the SS3 the amber light below is the stock high beams. There is also one of the stock off road halogen still wired up and that is the amber light band above the high beams on the right side of the image. Please note the SS3 is not aligned in these images and is literally resting on the air dam.

Sky Light Night Cloud Automotive lighting


This image also has the spot/flood combo 30" Chinese light bar that is on the brush guard. I reduced the exposure to help make it easier to see the difference between the light bar and the new pod. Really no comparison. So I imagine after I finish installing the SS3's in the stock off road location the Chinese bar is getting pulled and replaced with some other Diode Dynamics pods or bars not sure which ones yet.

Light Automotive lighting Lighting Night Darkness


After I got all the parts off the Xterra, I decided the best course of action was to design a bracket to allow the reuse of the stock halogen lighting housing (black part). So I sketched up something on the Alibre CAD software and am having a friend 3D print a prototype this weekend.
127207

If that fits then I am probably going to have the real part made from ABS or something similar. One thing I am still trying to decide on is how I where I want the front face of the new pods to be. Flush mounted (covers would no longer be usable) or recess like the stock halogens. I like the look of the flush mounted pods but also like the idea of being able to cover them when not in use. The current prototype will be the recessed version.

Any case, I'll post more images etc. once I get the first one mounted and then after I get the final parts from the 3D printers.
 
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#2 ·
I got the first prototype from the 3D printer yesterday. Made a couple errors measuring the stock halogen, but it was close enough to be able to do some test fitting. The beam seems pretty level, however, the pod itself is physically, lower, and more offset towards the center of the car than I'd like. I have an updated bracket getting printed again with higher infill to make it a little stronger, adjust for my errors, etc.
Automotive exterior Vehicle Windshield Auto part Car
Motor vehicle Automotive wheel system Automotive tire Wheel Art


One thing I hadn't realized ahead of time is the front surface of the off road light housings aren't perfectly parallel to the front of the Xterra, so the pod will likely not be able to be positioned flush to the front surface of the housing if I want the beam pointing perfectly forward. I'm also a little concerned with heat generation in a flush mounted configuration.

The new design has a yaw in the pod mounting locations in order to help align the beam spread. Currently it seems it is pointing to much to the driver side. I haven't decided how much beam overlap I want to set up. These pods are a 8x18 pattern. This is what I am hoping to take a look at with the next bracket, in addition to attempting to center the pod better in the stock housing.

Once that is all sorted out I think I will make one additional bracket design that flush mounts the pods to the housing, however this will prevent the use of the covers if I wanted them for some reason, in addition to possibly making ventilation worse.
 
#188 ·
I got the first prototype from the 3D printer yesterday. Made a couple errors measuring the stock halogen, but it was close enough to be able to do some test fitting. The beam seems pretty level, however, the pod itself is physically, lower, and more offset towards the center of the car than I'd like. I have an updated bracket getting printed again with higher infill to make it a little stronger, adjust for my errors, etc.
View attachment 127244 View attachment 127245

One thing I hadn't realized ahead of time is the front surface of the off road light housings aren't perfectly parallel to the front of the Xterra, so the pod will likely not be able to be positioned flush to the front surface of the housing if I want the beam pointing perfectly forward. I'm also a little concerned with heat generation in a flush mounted configuration.

The new design has a yaw in the pod mounting locations in order to help align the beam spread. Currently it seems it is pointing to much to the driver side. I haven't decided how much beam overlap I want to set up. These pods are a 8x18 pattern. This is what I am hoping to take a look at with the next bracket, in addition to attempting to center the pod better in the stock housing.

Once that is all sorted out I think I will make one additional bracket design that flush mounts the pods to the housing, however this will prevent the use of the covers if I wanted them for some reason, in addition to possibly making ventilation worse.
Hi All!

I am came across 4" LED roof light in stock housing post recently and decided to try something similar
(How-to: Rough Country 4" LED Roof Lights in Stock Housing).

I decided I want something in the stock locations that would have a tighter beam pattern, more reach and less hood glare.

Figured I would share my progress so far. I decided to go with the Diode Dynamics SS3 Pro SAE Driving pods (Stage Series 3" SAE/DOT White Pro Round LED Pod (pair)). The SS3 Pro is quite bright, I am super happy with the output. Below are a couple images where I wired up one of the pods to compare the output compared to the stock high beams, the cheap 30" Chinese LED light bar on my brush guard and the stock off road halogens.


Top very bright spot is the SS3 the amber light below is the stock high beams. There is also one of the stock off road halogen still wired up and that is the amber light band above the high beams on the right side of the image. Please note the SS3 is not aligned in these images and is literally resting on the air dam.

View attachment 127208

This image also has the spot/flood combo 30" Chinese light bar that is on the brush guard. I reduced the exposure to help make it easier to see the difference between the light bar and the new pod. Really no comparison. So I imagine after I finish installing the SS3's in the stock off road location the Chinese bar is getting pulled and replaced with some other Diode Dynamics pods or bars not sure which ones yet.

View attachment 127209

After I got all the parts off the Xterra, I decided the best course of action was to design a bracket to allow the reuse of the stock halogen lighting housing (black part). So I sketched up something on the Alibre CAD software and am having a friend 3D print a prototype this weekend.
View attachment 127207
If that fits then I am probably going to have the real part made from ABS or something similar. One thing I am still trying to decide on is how I where I want the front face of the new pods to be. Flush mounted (covers would no longer be usable) or recess like the stock halogens. I like the look of the flush mounted pods but also like the idea of being able to cover them when not in use. The current prototype will be the recessed version.

Any case, I'll post more images etc. once I get the first one mounted and then after I get the final parts from the 3D printers.
Hey there, I'm Tug. I heard from someone on Xterra page that you can make more and you are willing to sell? I'm so excited about my Xterra even though I get shit on all the time because it's "not a real off roader" in other people's eyes. If you could I'd love to buy these brackets and install them. Look up your directions if you supplied them. I really love diode ss3 and will be installing them for my fog lights.
 
#4 ·
Will do! Got the second prototype back from my friend this afternoon. Looks like the offset and the daft angles to get the pod closer to perfectly forward worked, at least from a design standpoint. It's raining here, so I won't be able install it on the Xterra until later this week. Here's a picture of the second design with the pod mounted into stock internal housing. Hopefully more pictures tomorrow!

Automotive lighting Auto part Headlamp
 
#5 · (Edited)
Got delayed a bit here. I made a mistake on the previous version in the CAD file and the chamfers to align the beam better didn't make it into the printed part. I took that opportunity to make some other modifications and got the third version printed over the weekend and this time we mirrored the part and made brackets for both sides. We used a new spool of PLA and something appeared to be the matter with it. This resulted in some areas being very rough and poorly printed, however, it is good enough to test beam alignment and general robustness.
Metal


Auto part Automotive lighting Headlamp Engine


Table Furniture


Land vehicle Vehicle Car Motor vehicle Hood


Automotive exterior Bumper Luxury vehicle Furniture Vehicle


Overall they looked much better positioned than before. I'll get some better close up later, after I check the beam pattern tonight. I will likely run these brackets for a little bit to see if there are any issues with the pods rotating in the assembly. Meanwhile, my friend with the 3D printer is picking up some PETG to make another set. The PETG brackets should be stronger, in addition to being water safe and UV stable. The down side is the part might be a little rougher compared to the PLA, but as long as it works I don't really care how it looks. The only other area I still need to tweak is the anti rotation support, located under the pod, was a little too long and had to be trimmed and generally didn't work as I had hoped.
 
#7 ·
Diode Dynamics sells adapter dongles. Find them here, there are several different options available: Deutsch DT Adapter Wires (pair).

Also, The brackets seem to be holding up good so far, we've had a few 90+F days (main concern was over high temperature deformation). I'll take some pictures this weekend of the lights on the same garage door to show everyone. Also, I have a 30" Diode Dynamics flood bar coming to replace the cheap Chinese one, so I'll add more photos of that to compare further once it arrives.
 
#9 ·
Apologizes for the long delay. I've been working on finishing my attic. I went to take more images and the pods had loosened and were misaligned. Not sure if it was from vibration, the PLA softening from the heat or some other cause. I have the PETG parts being made currently. I also added tooth washers and new lock nuts to help keep things from loosening from vibration while I wait for the new parts. The pods are back on the Xterra, and I'm going to be taking it off road next week a little, so if it is vibration that is causing the issues we should know soon. Once the PETG versions are done I'll get them installed and run them for awhile to see if the loosening issue is resolved. Hopefully, I won't have to switch to a metal part and they would cost a lot more.

On a related note, I have a 30" flood light bar from DD that just shipped, so soon I will have even more light!
 
#10 ·
The PETG parts were finished a few weeks ago and I installed them on the Xterra. I just got back from a road trip from Minneapolis, MN to Phoenix, AZ and back. Total miles was about 4000 or so. We did Louis Lake road, Cottonwood Canyon road, House Rock road among others, so there was a fair amount of shaking, vibrations and generally rough roads. In addition, temperatures in Arizona was in the mid 90s. The pods didn't move at all, so it seems as if the PETG was the solution here. I would like to improve the design more, but it currently appears to be fully functional! I will look into how much it would cost to print several sets.

Also, I'd like to point out how bright and how far the SS3 Pro Driving pods throw light. With the current aim, it looks like they are able to illuminate highway markers out to about 3/4 of a mile or so. So much brighter than the headlights there isn't even a comparison. Next up for the Xterra is probably a set of the Pro fog lights, so I can adjust my flood bar up a little to eliminate the small dark zone between the flood bar and the pods.
 
#11 ·
This is awesome news and they look so slick! Put me on the list for a set when you figure out pricing!

I see that you are using an adapter dongle - does that plug directly into OEM and the OEM wiring can handle the juice to power the SS3s?
 
#14 ·
Awesome. Please add me to the list when you figure pricing. I'd love to put some SS3 pods in the stock offroad light location. Already have Diode Dynamics Pro in my fogs and sport for ditch lights. Adding some yellow pro SS3s will give the final touch for the offroad lights.

Also, how is the glare on the windshield and hood with the driving beam for the SS3? Does it reduce the glare for a tighter beam or is it about the same as the stock housing, and spot beams would be better?

Thanks
 
#18 ·
Apologizes this is taking longer than expected. I'm waiting on confirmation of a change to the shell thickness on the parts from the 3D printing company. I would imagine I will hear back tomorrow or Thursday at the latest.

Thanks for your patience.
 
#20 ·
Okay, so I think I have it all sorted out with the 3D Printers. They can't quite exactly replicate what my friend did for the earlier prototypes, but they are close and their printing parameters should result in the parts being at least as strong as the ones I have (most likely much stronger). The brackets require 10-32 bolts at somewhat odd lengths (1-5/8 and 1-3/4) I will order some of these from McMaster to include with the brackets, along with the lock washers and lock nuts that have worked for me. Once the batch arrives I'll check one set in my vehicle to make sure that they actually are the same for fit etc.

The brackets are working great on my Xterra so far, but I can't guarantee that they won't loosen or break in some other way over time. So, I propose that I have 5 sets made now and offer them at around my cost (3D printed brackets, hardware and a little money per unit to my friend who spent a few of his weekends babysitting the printing of the prototypes for 12 hours each time...). That would put the brackets at ~35 plus shipping for a pair. They fit in the small flat rate box from USPS so shipping should be pretty low. After the first 5 sets, I'll pause offering any more for a while (probably at least a few months) to see how those 5 perform and if you guys have any issues with them. If everything goes smoothly I will then offer more, but at a higher price so I could make it worth the effort. If there ends up being systemic issues with this design (they all somehow fail), I'll work on a new design to fix the issues and if successful, would be willing to send out the modified brackets those 5 people again at cost.

Finally, I need to note that it is somewhat tricky to get the bolt started on the loose nut which is located inside a pocket on the SS3 pods ( the pocket prevents the nut from spinning once threaded, clever design but not ideal). This is made more tedious due to this needing to be done after the bracket is placed in to the stock ABS housing. If you have large fingers it may be difficult to manipulate the nut such that it will start. In order to have the pods face correctly when installed, the part of the bracket where the bolts go through have a draft angle such that when assembled the front surface of the pod is not planar with the bracket ring. Due to the draft angle and other design limitations this means in order to start the nuts on the bolts, the nuts need to be at a slight angle to the wall of the pocket. That is what makes it more difficult then one might think. I have some practice at it, and last time it took probably about 45 minutes to get the set assembled and installed on the Xterra, with the majority of that time spent working on getting the nuts started. Best advice on this part is take your time and don't try to force the nut to start. The bolts are fine threaded and it is possible strip the starting threads enough to make starting the nut nearly impossible.

Let me know what your thoughts on the pricing and the general approach.

Thanks,

Tyler
 
#21 ·
Okay, so I think I have it all sorted out with the 3D Printers. They can't quite exactly replicate what my friend did for the earlier prototypes, but they are close and their printing parameters should result in the parts being at least as strong as the ones I have (most likely much stronger). The brackets require 10-32 bolts at somewhat odd lengths (1-5/8 and 1-3/4) I will order some of these from McMaster to include with the brackets, along with the lock washers and lock nuts that have worked for me. Once the batch arrives I'll check one set in my vehicle to make sure that they actually are the same for fit etc.

The brackets are working great on my Xterra so far, but I can't guarantee that they won't loosen or break in some other way over time. So, I propose that I have 5 sets made now and offer them at around my cost (3D printed brackets, hardware and a little money per unit to my friend who spent a few of his weekends babysitting the printing of the prototypes for 12 hours each time...). That would put the brackets at ~35 plus shipping for a pair. They fit in the small flat rate box from USPS so shipping should be pretty low. After the first 5 sets, I'll pause offering any more for a while (probably at least a few months) to see how those 5 perform and if you guys have any issues with them. If everything goes smoothly I will then offer more, but at a higher price so I could make it worth the effort. If there ends up being systemic issues with this design (they all somehow fail), I'll work on a new design to fix the issues and if successful, would be willing to send out the modified brackets those 5 people again at cost.

Finally, I need to note that it is somewhat tricky to get the bolt started on the loose nut which is located inside a pocket on the SS3 pods ( the pocket prevents the nut from spinning once threaded, clever design but not ideal). This is made more tedious due to this needing to be done after the bracket is placed in to the stock ABS housing. If you have large fingers it may be difficult to manipulate the nut such that it will start. In order to have the pods face correctly when installed, the part of the bracket where the bolts go through have a draft angle such that when assembled the front surface of the pod is not planar with the bracket ring. Due to the draft angle and other design limitations this means in order to start the nuts on the bolts, the nuts need to be at a slight angle to the wall of the pocket. That is what makes it more difficult then one might think. I have some practice at it, and last time it took probably about 45 minutes to get the set assembled and installed on the Xterra, with the majority of that time spent working on getting the nuts started. Best advice on this part is take your time and don't try to force the nut to start. The bolts are fine threaded and it is possible strip the starting threads enough to make starting the nut nearly impossible.

Let me know what your thoughts on the pricing and the general approach.

Thanks,

Tyler
Hey Tyler,
Appreciate the breakdown here. I'd gladly be a beta tester in the first group of 5 - $35 plus shipping works fine for me.

Let's do this thing!
 
#24 ·
This is awesome. I think $35 plus shipping is fair. And your approach sounds pretty good. Get several starters and revise if needed. Maybe see who wouldn't mind the first run and go with that number? I'm sure whoever gets the first run wouldn't mind paying for a revised one if needed. I wouldn't mind.

Thanks
 
#26 ·
Hi all, I have three of the five sets reserved. If you are interested in one of the two sets left and have not sent me a PM, please do so. I am planning on submitting the order to the printers on Wednesday. Thank you for everyone's interest and support!
 
#27 ·
I’ve been jammed up for not having covers on my lights by a, in my opinion, over zealous CHP Officer. Did you ever get the covers to fit? I was skimming the thread if it’s covered my apologies.


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