Finally got around to doing this today, I'm going to try and make this post as detailed as possible to maybe help someone out in the future.

Parts used:
Clear headlights and corner markers from Ebay seller parasitesingle
Clear turn signals bought off of another forum
DDM Tuning 55w 5000K Raptor HID kit
Zip ties as needed
One ring terminal

Here's how it looked when I started:

Its funny how the orange lenses and diffuser headlights don't seem so bad until you've seen the rig with the good stuff installed!

Pull the grille and headlight surrounds. The headlight surrounds can be a real PITA because you've got to snake your arm around between the radiator support and batteries to get the 2 11mm nuts off of the turn signal lenses before the surrounds come out... not fun. Next pull the header panel out. This step isn't completely necessary, but makes getting the headlight housings out way easier. There are 11 8mm bolts holding the header panel in. You end up with this:



Remove the headlight housings from the header panel. I use a pick to help remove those dang clips... once you see one and fight with it for a while you'll figure out a good method that works for you.
Now you get to figure out how to run the wiring for the HID harness. The kit I bought is a high/low kit and has this little electrical gizmo box:



I mounted it on the passenger side of the header panel with a self tapping screw:



The HID harness comes with a connector to tie into one of the factory headlight sockets. The kit didn't come with instructions but a quick phone call to DDM got me the info I needed to get the wires in the right spots. Blue (high beam) to the left, brown (ground) in the center, and white (low beam) to the right:



The wiring going to the driver's side headlight I ran along the factory wiring harness and zip-tied it in place.
Now, time to figure out where to put the dang ballasts:



There are two ballasts (one per side obviously) and the DDM kit doesn't come with any kind of a mount for them, so I bought some 24 gauge sheet metal at Home Depot and used my superior sheet metal fab skills to make myself a couple mounts:



So... where to put the dang things? I was having a hard time finding a good place for them that the wiring harness could reach. As luck would have it though, the OBS header panel has a spot in it that makes a perfect place to mount the ballasts. DDM said not to put them behind the grill, so I mounted them on the back side of the header panel using a couple rivets to hold them in place:


Ballast mounted, this is the rear side of the header panel


Front of header panel showing rivets holding the ballasts in place. Unseen with everything reinstalled on the truck.

 

Rear side of header panel with both ballasts mounted


Front side of header panel

I didn't have to trim anything off the header panel to run the wiring, there was enough clearance already which was nice. There is one connection on the ballast that will be kind of a pain to get to, but I think by pulling the grille I can get to it without much trouble. I couldn't come up with another good place to mount the ballasts and have the wiring tucked away like I wanted.
Which reminds me... the new harness comes with a fused lead that goes to a +12v source. I ran mine to the always hot side of the starter solenoid on the passenger side fender (no pic of this... pretty self explanatory). There is also a ground for each plug that goes to the ballast that I put behind a header panel bolt. Zip tie wires down you suit your fancy.
Install the headlights back onto the header panel. I reused the stock mount screws on my new headlights because the lower ones that came with the new lights were super cheesy, and my **** retentiveness wouldn't let me just replace the lower ones so I swapped them all. Be careful when doing this so you don't break anything. Reinstall the header panel. Connect all the connections for the new headlights- easy access through the hole in the header panel/rad support. Install new clear corners and turn signals into headlight surrounds and reinstall.
Reinstall the grille. Sit back and marvel at how much better your truck looks now!



Night shots will be posted later. I spent way more time on this job than I needed making sure everything was right and trying to make the install as clean as possible.

A few notes:

The HID lights come with a base that you unsnap from the bulb, install in the housing and install the lock ring, then you have to install the bulb and twist it to lock it in. I had to use a screwdriver to turn the bulb and get it to lock in.
I went with the DDM kit based on the price. Hindsight being what it is, if I had to do it over again I'd have gone with a Retro Solutions kit because they are more complete and come with good instructions. Cost is about double what my kit ran but would have saved a lot of time.
The lights are slow to turn on, which kind of bums me out. I was thinking they'd be quicker but I've heard its common with HID's to have a start-up delay.
I replaced all the bulbs in the corner markers and turn signals with LED's. The bulbs are clear but light up orange... super slick.
The headlight housings I bought are close to, but not quite, a factory fit. There are some small gaps between the light and the chrome surround that weren't there with the stockers.
All in all I'm really happy with how it turned out. Any questions/comments give me a shout.

 

Tried again, this set turned out half decent.


Crappy wide angle shot


Close up of turns/corners


Can you see the truck? ;D


This was with no flash...

I wish I had gone with clear bulbs for the corner markers because the HID's just wash the orange out and you can't see it anyways. And I'm pissed that even though they are the same brand the small bulb and big bulb in the turn signals are different colors so I'll probably end up changing them all out at some point.

 

looks good. I would like to do that soon

 

So over all what did this cost you! I like it and want to do it but need to do some other stuff first.

 

I don't have exact numbers, I'd guess I'm into everything around $200 or so.

 

what are into for just the headlight assembly?

 

I bought the headlights and clear corners as a set for around $80 shipped IIRC. Probably around $60 shipped for just the headlights.

 

Very pro work and very good write up. Congrats.
The leds you used doesnt make any differences in the electrical function, because I have read that when you put some leds in the tail ligths or in the travel trailer, you can get some kind of issues IDK.
I tried to rep you but you know the story.

 

The LED's don't cause any issues, they have built-in resistors so that they pull the same amount of current as a regular light bulb. Most of the issues with LED's start when you use them in the tail lights, but I think the newer ones all have a built-in resistor to overcome that problem.

 

Okey Dokey. Yes seems that they have to have the built-in resistor because a lot of newer cars has LED´s.

BTW I liked A LOT your superior sheet metal fab skills to make yourself a couple mounts.

 

I posted this on multiple forums so I didn't use any smilies, but that was a joke. Those mounts are crude at best but they get the job done.

 

Nice Job!

 

Chase, good job brotha. Looks like you have the same problem that i did with that passenger side headlight at a weird angle. I got mine to settle most the way back right, but not perfect. Glad your starting in on the mods on the OBS.

 

Yeah I'll give it a few days to see if some driving time will help it "seat in" properly. Quality control issue with the aftermarket lights I'm guessing... fit isn't perfect like the OEM was. It might just be the pic too, because I don't remember it being that bad