Headlight Cleaning / Disassembly

[BigtowH8]

Headlight Cleaning / Disassembly

R1150RT Headlight PN: 63 12 7 680 471, New replacement cost $1400 (US)

Problem: interior side of glass has streaks from condensation.  The condensation drain/vents at the bottom of the housing was plugged by an insect nest causing condensation to form on the inside of the headlight housing.  Insect and nest have been removed, condensation evaporates as it should, but it left streaks on the inside of the glass lens.

I would like to clean the glass lens if possible, but I am not willing to do exploratory surgery on a fourteen hundred dollar headlight without knowing the lens and housing can be split open without damage and resealed without the use of Flex-tape or JB Weld.  

I have considered using long handled swabs with alcohol, but am not sure if I have enough access through the bulb ports to clean the entire lens. 

If you have experience with cleaning or disassembly with a headlight assembly, I would appreciate your input. 

Thank you.

[Hirnbeiss]

Did you ever make progress on this project?

[duckbubbles]

Inside the headlight lens of my '03 R1100S a film had developed over the years and appeared like a lot of car headlights with discoloration.  A friend had some BB sized ball bearings made of steel.  I removed the headlight from the bike and took the bulbs out.  I put a mild soap solution in there and inserted the BBs.  Holding the light upside down I rolled the BBs around the inside of the lens for about 5 minutes.  Used a magnet to remove the BBs and rinsed the light out with water several times finishing with distilled water and set it aside to dry.  The lens cleared up to new appearance.  I read about this procedure in another forum and it worked.

 

Frank