Headlamp knackered

[Guest Brian Robson]

If this has been covered before, bear with me.

In descending order.

1. Rattle at idle...it drove me nuts. Eventually it was traced to the little deflector in the headlamp which had broken and was merrily scratching the reflection surface.

2. Opened up the entire lens. Glass lens had a hole in it, this accounting for the condensation. The reflector surface was coming off in pieces. This not repairable, so I looked for a replacement headlamp.

3. I found a GE Nighthawk sealed beam halogen for $21. But it wouldn't fit the headlamp shell. So I used the MG base which has the little clips that line up with the black headlamp shell.

4. You need to grind down the inner plastic flange (the bslightly blurry picture with the finger) and this will allow the chrome ring to clip into place.

5. You do lose the little pilot light, but I never use it anyhoo.

6. It means a repair that can be done through any automotive store and it keeps the bike looking original and improves the light

Hope this is of help and that the pictures make sense.

 

The grinding was done with a dremmel tool, and its not neat, but I can't use the base again, so practicality beat out beauty.

[Admin Jaap]

Brian, excellent "how to..." ! I've moved it there,

[Guest Brian Robson]

Went out last night in the mist and the frost and the new beam is much more focused than the original, with a very defined cut off on dip.

I found the original to be very vague and poor even on main beam.

[twhitaker]

Forgive my stupidity but does the sealed beam fit within the stock reflector or does the sealed beam replace the reflector and the lense?

 

I've long since removed that little deflector thingie. Just recently noticed a chunk of lense rattling around inside so I'll be doing your fix soon.

 

Got a part number on the bulb?

[Guest Brian Robson]

The sealed beam does fit in the stock reflector, but replaces the glass lens, after sanding the edge of the reflector down and providing 3 cut outs for the sealed beam. The chrome ring then clips onto the original reflector and holds everything in place thereby fitting directly into the black plastic shell.

There is a reason why I don't write technical manuals

The part number is H6024NH and its a GE Nighthawk sealed beam.

[twhitaker]

Thanks for your help. If I had the headlight assembly in hand I think your instructions would be obvious. I had the assembly apart summer before last and it went back together albeit with a LOT of four letter words and I'm loath to repeat that experience unless I'm absolutely certain I'm on the right path.

 

When I noticed the chunk of lense laying inside the shell I got pretty pissed because the last I read about the light was replacement very expensive, buy the lense protector or ride at your own risk.

 

If I recall it correctly your solution has reduced the cost of this fix by about 90%.

Now if I can only do it and still have ten fingers left when I'm done.

[jsciullo]

Brian-

Interesting item. This is a warranty item - I have had three replaced - so far. I could not get the wire clips back on - what a pain in the butt.

Jim

[Guest Brian Robson]

No offence, but rather than wait for a warranty replacement, I simply changed it and in my opinion made it better. I use the bike for work and put on a lot of miles and can't really have downtime.

The dealers here are terrific, but almost everything has a mileage attachment, and for the cost of twenty bucks or so, the bike is back on the road within an hour.

As an aside, I've been riding this winter and the difference between the two lights is literally that between night and day

[twhitaker]

I bought the headlight and am in the process of modifying the reflector to get the bulb to fit. I started off cutting the 3 notches illustrated. Bulb would not seat far enough to get the rim in place. More whittling. The automotive shop did not have the GE brand so I bought a Wagner. Same part number. Could there be enough difference in brands to make this fix work?

 

I took some modeling clay to figure out where the bulb was hitting on the reflector. It was hitting on the inner rim that holds the gasket in place. More whittling. This definitely a job for a person who can accept frustration. I am at a point where I cannot go back and put it back together like it was. So it's this way or the $250 way. Good thing my hammers are under lock and key.

 

Brian,

Any suggestions?

[Guest Brian Robson]

You don't really need the gasket and you can slice away the retaining inner "wall".

It is of course a sealed beam and as such requires no gasket.

Good luck.

[twhitaker]

All my efforts of recent have been devoted to getting the bulb to go down that last millimeter into the reflector. I've cut down the inner flange to the point it is not interferring. The bulb is resting on the inner edge of the outer flange now and the rim will still not seat onto the clips. Those clips are a bitch! Did you have to grind down the outer flange as well?

[twhitaker]

I think I've answered my own question. I put the sealed beam in the reflector and took a measurement with a pair of dial calipers. .785 inch. I then replaced the sealed beam with the original lense and took the same measurement. .720 inch. I need to machine .065 inch off the flange to get this light together.