Headlamp problem?

[admiral]

Hi,

I changed the main headlight bulb today on my 06 R1200 GSA, however as pushed the power cable back on, I think I may have been a bit heavy handed and I felt the bottom of the reflector 'give' a little. Now the bottom of the reflector goes in and out about a quarter of an inch. Hope I have explained it ok. What have I broken, can I fix it?

Regards

Admiral.

 

[autogs]

try taking bulb out and hooking your finger through hole to pull reflector back on its ball

 

[admiral]

Thanks AutoGS. It is indeed on balls.
Had to take the headlight unit plus instrumentation pod off bike to get it right!


Regards

Admiral.

 

[admiral]

Looks like I celebrated too soon.
Have spent hours trying to get the reflector back onto the ball seat(s), but have not managed to do it. Must be some technique to it?
Southport Superbikes are now trying to do it for me, before I have to spend £230! on a new Headlight assembly.

Regards

 

[swissrob]

if u move the lever does the beam still move up down? i had somth similar last week - just keep turning the adjuster and it came back - but have the lever in the horizontal position.

oh and no need to buy a new headlamp at worst case - remove it and split it apart and reseat the ball - u might need to put it in the oven 100C for 110 mins should be fine if its a bonded assy.

 

[RickG]

Happened to a few of us. If you do a search you'll find a series of 'fixes'. A coathanger can be bent to manipulate the ball back on it's seat. I drilled a small hole in the headlight surround and used a nail to push the socket upwards to allow the ball to be popped back in.

It's a crap design, and some new bulbs are a tight fit, so it just forces the ball off it's socket.

 

[admiral]

Thanks for the replies guys.
I am a little disappointed that changing a bulb has made me miss riding this bank holiday and could cost a lot to fix. SSB tried for a BMW goodwill fix as I am six weeks out of warranty, but BMW declined. I hope SSB can sort it, but if not I will try the bent coat hanger and maybe drill a small hole (I like that tip, cheers).
Pressure is on though, as I depart for Spain in 8 days time. (ferry to Santander, across Pyrenees, Barcelona for Motogp, up to Millau and back to Santander. Just thought i would let you know )

Cheers

Admiral

 

[Cole]

Has happened to many of us ... it pops out a little too easily.

Took me 3 or 4 hours full of frustration and swearing and 3 holes drilled in the black plastic lamp housing to get it back in.

Its not easy !!

Note finger marks on the aluminum coated reflector are a bitch to get off too !!!

 

[nedflanders]

I know this is an old thread but just had this problem after buying a headlight on fleabay ready to return to Blighty, managed to fix it with some lockwire threaded round the white ball and back through the main beam hole, pulled liked a nutter and it just popped back in, mind you did get that horrible feeling it was about to snap before it reseated

 

[marcooz]

I had the very same problem when I changed my bulb a few months back and the main beam bulb was sitting too damn tight. I couldn't get it out and when it finally did it managed to pop of the balls. Then I spent a good few hours getting it back onto the balls. In the end as mentioned before I used a wire coat hanger bent to shape and inserted through the main beam hole to force it back on. What a - never had so much fun fiddling about with my balls .

Perseverance and patience is the key here though.

 

[sham]

Hi folks Had lots of fun with this problem over the weekend.
I think that the max dia. of the lamp (Bulb) where it fits the reflector should be
26.1 mm . The hole in the reflector would be slightly bigger, one would assume.
Mine (and it seems others) appears not to be so. Does anyone have the tools and patience to measure it properly.

 

[swissrob]

wouldnt it be quicker to unscrew the lens and then just push the reflector back on from the front , rather than pissing about for a few hours??

 

[Magwych]

wouldnt it be quicker to unscrew the lens and then just push the reflector back on from the front , rather than pissing about for a few hours??

Yes it would.


If only you could unscrew the lens and remove it The glass is bonded to the plastic shell. There is a surround to the glass held on with screws that can be seen when looking at the unit from behind, but that is that these screws hold on.

 

[swissrob]

Yes it would.


If only you could unscrew the lens and remove it The glass is bonded to the plastic shell. There is a surround to the glass held on with screws that can be seen when looking at the unit from behind, but that is that these screws hold on.

well scrap that then........ i saw the screws and thinking like a normal person assumed removing that will allow access to the reflector!

 

[Magwych]

I thought the same, that's how I know

 

[sabang62]

Please Do anyone have som pics of how they fix this shitty thing.
Cant get that thing back.
It to drill a hole....Were do I drill it??

 

[RickG]

If you go down the hole route rather than the bent coathanger, you need to drill through the underneath of the headlamp unit right in the middle (there's silver sticker there) so when you poke a rod through the hole you can intercept and gently bend the white plastic socket into which the headlamp adjuster ball should sit. You can judge exactly where the hole needs to go by looking for the socket that you'll need to push against. Only needs to be a small hole (4mm) and be careful the drill doesn't slip else you'll mash up the insides.

 

[sabang62]

Will the ball fit good in the socket.
Im not sure if its in place now, Should it be possible to move it a little even when its in the socket?
Is the socket right under the white plate with the 2 screws?

 

[RickG]

It's been 3 years since I was last inside the headlight so my memory is not so good. The socket is part of the white plastic thing. When the ball is properly located in the socket the inner reflector shouldn't be quite solidly mounted and not rattle about at all. If you are really unlucky you may have displaced the other ball and socket (yes, there are two I'm afraid) the other one is further inside the headlamp unit but it's possible to get that one hooked up without any special tools. Basicly the inner unit is suspended at 3 points to allow it to be adjusted: two ball and sockets plus the screw thing you use to alter the height of the headlamp.

 

[sabang62]

Have now manage to get it back in place.
Hope I will never have to this again

Thanks for help