Do the headlight bulb wire connectors just pull off of the bulb or do you have to release a catch. I am unable to get mine off.
Headlight bulbs
- Thread starter robert kreider
- Start date
Yes, there are "locks" on the connectors. It's a tight fit to change the bulbs, and several others have posted their tricks for doing the job. This is what worked for me to change the rider's right side bulb; and the reverse for the left side. Changing both bulbs took about 15 mins. (The explanation takes about as long as the job, but here it is, step by step!
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Turn the bars full left. Standing on the right side of the bike, reach down with your left hand and put only your left forefinger on the left side of the connector. Press with your left forefinger and exert slight rearward pressure, just enough to release the lock and clear the detent on the left side. Then go around to the left side of the bike and with your right hand reach across the tank and down to the connector. Now you can get your thumb on the top and middle finger on the bottom of the connector; and forefinger on the right side. Push the lock with your right forefinger (be careful not to "re-lock" the left side) and pull the connector off with your thumb and middle finger. In other words, unlock the connector one side at a time. Then off with the dust cover, release the retaining clip, out with the old bulb and in with the new one.
Hope this helps. Good Luck!
) Turn the bars full left. Standing on the right side of the bike, reach down with your left hand and put only your left forefinger on the left side of the connector. Press with your left forefinger and exert slight rearward pressure, just enough to release the lock and clear the detent on the left side. Then go around to the left side of the bike and with your right hand reach across the tank and down to the connector. Now you can get your thumb on the top and middle finger on the bottom of the connector; and forefinger on the right side. Push the lock with your right forefinger (be careful not to "re-lock" the left side) and pull the connector off with your thumb and middle finger. In other words, unlock the connector one side at a time. Then off with the dust cover, release the retaining clip, out with the old bulb and in with the new one.
Hope this helps. Good Luck!
I do mine the same way although I can get the connector off without having to go to the opposite side of the bike to do it. I have small hands though so maybe I'm just special that way.
It is a trick to do and some people go up from the bottom to do this but I prefer not to lay on the ground and contort myself to get up in there. Reaching down from the top is easier IMO and I've done it a couple times now.
One thing is that the left bulb (I think it was the left one) tends to go out more then the right. In fact I have replaced my left bulb twice now but still have the original right one in there.
Good Luck with it. Take your time and don't get frustrated. You can squeeze the side catches and wiggle it off the bulb. I do know that some have a harder time with it than others. The harder part might come in putting the bail clip back on after you get the new bulb in.
To release the bail clip take a look at some pictures I have of it here so you can picture it in your head when you go to do it on the bike.
http://www.hard-core-ware.com/howtos/index.php?page=headlamp
Pictures 5 & 6 will give you close ups of how the bail is hooked and how it hinges once it's unhooked. If you are facing the back of the headlamp (which you will be) the catch is at about 2:00. You push in on it (as far as you can) and then slide the bail from the 2:00 position towards 1:00. It should slide out from underneatht the catch and release. Now the bail will come out and hinge diagonally out and down to the 8:00 position. The pictures show it fastened and released.
Get it back on is a trick too. Once you have the bulb in place and firmed up swing the bail back up into the catch. Now push down on the bail as hard as you can and slide the bail from the 1:00 position to the 2:00 position. This seems to be hard to do sometimes but pressing down to give the bail the room to clear the catch seems to be most of the trick.
Anyway I hope that helps.
Curt
It is a trick to do and some people go up from the bottom to do this but I prefer not to lay on the ground and contort myself to get up in there. Reaching down from the top is easier IMO and I've done it a couple times now.
One thing is that the left bulb (I think it was the left one) tends to go out more then the right. In fact I have replaced my left bulb twice now but still have the original right one in there.
Good Luck with it. Take your time and don't get frustrated. You can squeeze the side catches and wiggle it off the bulb. I do know that some have a harder time with it than others. The harder part might come in putting the bail clip back on after you get the new bulb in.
To release the bail clip take a look at some pictures I have of it here so you can picture it in your head when you go to do it on the bike.
http://www.hard-core-ware.com/howtos/index.php?page=headlamp
Pictures 5 & 6 will give you close ups of how the bail is hooked and how it hinges once it's unhooked. If you are facing the back of the headlamp (which you will be) the catch is at about 2:00. You push in on it (as far as you can) and then slide the bail from the 2:00 position towards 1:00. It should slide out from underneatht the catch and release. Now the bail will come out and hinge diagonally out and down to the 8:00 position. The pictures show it fastened and released.
Get it back on is a trick too. Once you have the bulb in place and firmed up swing the bail back up into the catch. Now push down on the bail as hard as you can and slide the bail from the 1:00 position to the 2:00 position. This seems to be hard to do sometimes but pressing down to give the bail the room to clear the catch seems to be most of the trick.
Anyway I hope that helps.
Curt
Thanks for the info I will give it a try soon.