Changing headlight bulb

[Bounce]

What mileage is everyone having to change out these bulbs?

The left low beam on my Philips died at almost exactly 20,000 miles after the pair were installed. Because the right (good one) is the tougher of the two to swap, I swapped them as a pair and kept the right H4 bulb as a spare. I still have my OEM H4's from when I swapped in the Philips.

 

[FJRocket]

What mileage is everyone having to change out these bulbs?

The left low beam on my Philips died at almost exactly 20,000 miles after the pair were installed. Because the right (good one) is the tougher of the two to swap, I swapped them as a pair and kept the right H4 bulb as a spare. I still have my OEM H4's from when I swapped in the Philips.

I still have mine, too. They will get sold with the bike in the spring.

Silver Stars can be purchased at a great price from Powerbulbs.com . Cheaper to buy them by the pair and get them shipped from UK.

Osram Silver Star H4

I also bought a set of these:

Phillips Blue Vision 4000K

They may end up as a door prize at an FJR gathering.

 

[JohnBryer]

What mileage is everyone having to change out these bulbs?

I got my '04 in August '03. It currently has 33K miles on it. This was the first bulb to burn out.

 

[Yambone]

QUOTE (FriscoJim @ Nov 2 2005, 01:02 PM) What mileage is everyone having to change out these bulbs? 

I got my '04 in August '03. It currently has 33K miles on it. This was the first bulb to burn out.

+1-- Just burned original left bulb on my '04 at 32K miles. Swapped with a cheapo Slyvania H4 from Schucks which I understand is a poor cousin to the Osram. Will do the SkooterG cheapbastid trick and leave in the right for now, see if world comes to an end. Will order up some Osrams, seems to be one of the better H4 bulbs out there.

Changing the bulb out was relatively easy, once I realized I had to pull out the rubber gasket first. Was able to get 'er done without removing any panels. A definite fumble-rooski to get it back installed. Those pix posted by Ignacio on page one give you and idea of the spring mechanism, very helpful!

 

[motorgod]

I checked the FJR Tech sight looking for instructions on how to change the headlight bulb, with negative results.....is it difficult? do I need to take the dash apart?

 

[Ignacio]

No, you need't take the dashboard apart. You can get to everything with the average hand and average set of fingers. You just have to do it blind. It takes a bit of time to visualize the scene with your hand removing the connector plug, taking off the rubber boot, moving the spring clips out of the way, getting the bulb out, and then reversing the process. Took me about 20 minutes the first time.

Things that help:

Warm working environment

Having found the G spot before (on somebody else or yourself)

Things that hinder:

Having farkled under your panels and covering up the boots.

Fat fingers.

 

[Yambone]

(Looks like I was writing while Ignacio posted, but I'll leave this in...)

The owners manual says remove the dash panel, but I did the left side bulb without doing this. Some have said the right is a tighter squeeze, but still doable.

Refer to Ignacio's pictures of the parts involved and his procedure on page one of this thread.

Push handlebars to one side to get best access from the top. Disconnect electrical connector at the back of the lamp assembly. Pull out rubber gasket that surrounds the lamp housing--it has a 'tab' at the top and bottom, which makes it easy to get ahold of. Push on wire spring which acts as a retainer for the lamp housing. This spring will release and bulb assembly will come out.

Reverse procedure for re-install. Tricky part is getting the spring retainer back into position on the lip of the lamp assembly, as you need to do this in the blind.

 

[motorgod]

Thanks....think I have a handle on it now.

 

[SkooterG]

Fooey on ya both!!!!
I had a headlight burn out 5 weeks and 5000 miles ago.  Only replaced the one.  The other one is doing just fine.

Your other bulb will go out on you at ~ 1AM during the Spank Rally.

Change it now. Seriously.

Another naysayer!

You tryed to this same boring old scare tactic last time as I was preparing for the LOE1000. And of course everything went fine.

:bleh:

Tell you what, how about a little wager?

If it lasts through the SPANK rally, then..........oh.............um..............you buy me that new Garmin 2730 GPS.

And if it goes out, what would you like?

Free babysitting duties? Condoms? Just don't tell me I have to shave your legs! :dribble:

Ok, so for those of you that can remember back to the oh so exciting controversy of me NOT replacing both headlight bulbs at the same time................

The other one finally went out today..............

7 weeks and 9,000 miles after the first one did.***

I will consider that a moral victory! So Warchild - you own me a brand spankin new GPS!!!!



*** That may only be 7 weeks, but 9,000 miles is like 7 years ing BrunDoggie years! :bleh:

 

[wheatonFJR]

QUOTE(JohnBryer @ Oct 31 2005, 01:08 PM)
I've got a burned out light and I'm trying to install a new one. I can't figure out where the metal clips in there attach to. Anyone have any insight?
If I understand the question right.....it's either how you push, turn, twist or otherwise manipulate that metal clip to get the light bulb out or back in? Doing it blind with fat fingers is tough.

You've pulled off the three prong plug and you've pulled off the rubber boot with a hole in the center and about three inches around. A metal clip spans the back of the bulb. One end of it sort of sticks up and feels a bit springy when you push it.

Push it.

But, besides pushing it you're also deflecting to one side and then relaxing. One of the directions and the retainer will pop open.

Putting it back in is a bit harder

I couldn't find an FJR specific image, but I did find these to help visualize.

Just one you have to free on the FJR though The other retainer spring is sympathetic to the first.

THANKS!

Excellent pictures. My RIGHT retaining clip must not be in it's original shape, as it's not going in. AT ALL. I'm about to use some firearms to help it. <fook me>

BTW: Zombie thread.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Oh, BTW, due to the help of this post from 2005...I was able to figure out 2 minutes ago why I couldn't get that clip in. As many hours as I have futzed with this "5 minute job", the above picture is the best picture on the neenernet for this bulb change.

THANKS IGGY!

FJRFORUM ROCKS!!!!!!!

Now I can get ready for a trip with my son to Cheeseland! I love cheese!...or atleast the roads that transport the milk from the farms to the dairy.