Replace the tube with an A8 tube and you’re good to go…
Just got a 170 lumens bump on a HD 2010 by wiring in that solder wick. There's factors though, I soldered the spring down better than what it was before, so maybe a difference on that alone? Maybe you could replace the stock spring with a better qual spring? But how do you really know a spring is high qual and better than the stock springs? What the seller says? The higher cost? Can you get an exact size replacement? So, probably easier to just wire the spring.
Also, on my original mod'ed HD2010, I noticed I could no longer get the high lumens, high throw #'s I used to get. Then yesterday, decided to take apart the tailcap to see what I did there as a reference - and there it was! The solder wick gave way and was all cramed up on the top of the spring! Mystery solved! That was before I did the solder wick in a better way. Early, I ran it outside the spring -- now I put it inside the spring. Also, to get rid of the solder flux in the wick, I am soaking it first in acetone -- this keeps the solder from running up/down the solder wick that sitffens it up.
get a convoy l2 and put an xp-g2 in there, its an instant step up on most xm-l throwers, I’m still waiting to get some xp-g sinkpads but I suspect that the xp-g2 will soon become the top dog for throwers, for example, check what the deft x is using.
If you follow toms examples for cutting circuit resistance to a minimum as they will help any light, stock or modded, sinkpad your xp-g2 and just take care mounting everything I highly doubt an xm-l/l2 will come close in throw.
My l2 build is very agricultural compared to toms work but the host is probably the best budget thrower platform you can lay your hands on, I’ve also read about a high amperage driver in the pipeline for exactly that host as the driver cavity is its only weakness.
You can easily put 2 18650’s in that light. Some of us have parallel arrangements (post 552).
Yeah, I’m not really trying to fab that 18650 adapter. And I don’t have an A8 (of course…). I’ll keep it in mind for sure.
Might spring for a JM26 instead.
I’ve found an a8 clone on ebay, tube screws straight into the defiant head and its about half the price of an a8, colours god awful but I bought it to mod for use in my work tools, as it takes a 17mm and 20mm star, that at least will be easy enough.
How much was that clone?
$10 or so, hang on…….
there you go. These are pretty rife on ebay now.
At about a hundred dollars the K40 is a quality light with no need to mod. Not quite 70 but not 150 either. I think it can take the slot directly before the BTU. There are crelant models at about 70k stock as well for a little less that can take up a slot before the K40.
I like single cell shorties, so kinda like that actually 
yeah, its handy, just a shame the tube light is not black as I doubt the defiant will flame but you could de ano and polish everything
Paint/coat the coffee tube white for some storm trooper badness.
Did your a8 clone come with a 18650 adapter by chance?
it did indeed, not the usual cut down piece of conduit either, its one of the best budget ebay lights I’ve bought, once I get some qlite drivers I’ll be building it up and putting it to work.
Nice. Think I’m gonna give it a shot.
The Crelant 7G9, it outhrows the hd2010 and is under $90 at MDlightaource
60-70k lux
T13 for $24 at manafont here: http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/small-sun-zyt13-t6-5mode-1200lumen-led-flashlight-black-218650-p-10728
Resistor trim pot from FT, qty 5 for $2: http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10002999/1224400-10-ohm-potentiometer-trimpots-5-pack
U3 1C emitter for $5: http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10001903/1189702-cree-xm-l-u3-1c-6500-7000k-1100-lumen-white-led-em
I'm getting 56 kcd on the stock emitter trimmed to 3.4A effective (1.7A measured at tailcap).
Replacing with U3: maybe 60-70 kcd?
De-dedomed in gas: maybe 120-140 kcd?
All for $31 out of pocket. Simple, pretty easy mods. I would add $3-$4 for a SinkPAD though 
.
Now we’re getting somewhere! Several of the suggestions look like they have promise. It looks like there aren’t many off the shelf choices. I checked out the Crelant 7g9, the small sun zy-t08 w/mods, and the t13 w/mods. I have to be honest I love the Convoy L2. I’m thinking of getting the host edition.
My first and only mod was with the Keygos M10. I mimicked gords mod with the same driver with lots of groups and U3 led. It was pretty simple. It’s much brighter than the stock one. Yes I bought 2 M10’s just so I could compare. On my fluke its running 4.2 amps at the tail.
So what does the group think of this:
*Convoy L2 Host, same driver as the keygos M10 mod, dedomed U3.
*
It’s either that or go with the East driver like in my direct drive HD2010. Not sure how good that is with the 2 battery config of the L2. I’ll attempt to gas dedome for the first time. I’m such a nerd.
Depending on the quality of the batteries, using the East driver could smoke your LED. Don’t be afraid of gas dedoming. It’s very simple. Toss the led in gasoline one night and remove it the next. You might want to give the glass a few swirls or spray the led when your done to get the loose bits off. Tom E started a good thread on dedoming here.
Both driver choices sound like single cell drivers, reducing the L2 to a 1 cell light only -- not a good choice for an XM-L2 but if you stay with a U3, better, but I'd rahter use that nice host with 2 batts.
This is it right here. $59.49 78mm head this thing throws like you would not believe it.
Trustfire X7 aka T8 SST-80 (actually a SST-50) It’s amazing the way it is also easy and cheap to mod it.