R1200ST Headlight issues part 2

[DUBLINCHRIS]

During the course of replacing headlight bulb I heard a pop and noticed the reflector of headlight move forward at bottom along with 2 pieces of black plastic pop off from adjuster. The black adjusting knob and the lever itself - also the black insert with washer also popped off. All looked simple cheap parts and nothing missing so I assumed that I could put them all back together - I continued with task in hand and finished fitting bulb. Now to put the bits back together How wrong I was

 

The black adjusting "nut" does not appear to be threaded and seems to sit on pointed metal pin by pressure only. Does this mean that once it has poped off that there is no way back? Also if tuning knob is it just a grip tight fitting which assumes only small turns to adjust beam and therefore does not need a secure threaded fitting? Does the metal pin also turn and does it adjust vertical and or horizontal beam? Is there a spring at inside back of shell?

 

In my initial search on forum I turned up the issue with ST's & Rt's requiring complete replacemnet of headlight which seems crazy bearing in mind the costs involved with the plastic parts

 

Has anyone come up with a simple fix?

 

I have nearly been able to get it all back together by placing hand inside shell and getting a grip on something at base of lens that allows me to pull back lens and expose the metal pin to max length - but then due to not being in possession of more than one pair of hands I am not yet able to keep pin out while at same time trying to reassemble plastic parts.

 

I can expose pin enough to put adjusting nut back on without lever and be able to turn it to pull lens back but I having tried a couple of times I am not confident that "nut" will stay on as I assume that the metal pin is wearing inner surface of plastic and therefore will not be the same -(I was going to say as good!) as original factory fitting.

 

Again why pay someone to design such a complicated way to do the adjustment job other than it has to be a dealer job/sell me unnecessary complete headlight I think I have answered my own question AGAIN

 

All help/thoughts welcome

[DUBLINCHRIS]

I was wondering if any ST owners could advise me on the actual purpose of the head light adjusting lever on ST.

 

It would seem that by pulling the lever up you pull back the lamp against a spring?

Also the black "nut" seems to be adjustable both by finger turning and by screw driver to top of the head.

 

Are there 2 functions? i.e. height of beam and left right bias?

[lkraus]

Just guessing about your ST, but what you are describing sounds like what I found on my '06 RT. I found a picture of your ST lamp that might help show how it all goes together. The lever(3) acts as a toggle to raise and lower the beam, presumably for use when carrying a passenger. Not easy to reach, and not adjustable for varying loads, so I consider it to be a wasted effort. There is a separate right/left adjuster(2).

Hope this helps...

 

Larry

[DUBLINCHRIS]

Just guessing about your ST, but what you are describing sounds like what I found on my '06 RT. I found a picture of your ST lamp that might help show how it all goes together. The lever(3) acts as a toggle to raise and lower the beam, presumably for use when carrying a passenger. Not easy to reach, and not adjustable for varying loads, so I consider it to be a wasted effort. There is a separate right/left adjuster(2).

Hope this helps...

 

Larry

 

Thats great Larry. Yes lever 3 seems to raise/lower beam and in horizontal - normal position the reflector lens would seem to be forward at the bottom. By pulling up on lever seems to work against the spring and draw lens back and possibly down to lower beam when with pillion/load? I am curious about the adjuster contained within the lever as it would seem that this can be tightened/slackened off what would you think this does? Maybe alter left right bias as in Ireland we drive on left so in abroad to Continent maybe altering beam for driving on right?

 

Or does adjuster 2 make the left/right alteration and if so what does adjuster 1 do?

 

I am sure some boffin put them there for a purpose.

 

I have not been able to find anything in hand book about the adjustment of headlights. Mind you in handbook on page 106 re changing bulbs it states to remove cover for access to bulb/s pull on lever 2 which is the same lever that you show at 3. I dont see the point in pulling on the lever when all you do is lift the plastic tab at the base of the cover unless by pulling on the lever and moving the lens back it is supposed to make reaching connector/bulb easier??

[WestyLancs]

Chris,

if, as Larry suggests, the lever set up is the same as an RT, the lever acts as a load adjuster, and the screw is the level adjuster.

The lever adjusts the light up or down to take a pillion's weight into account.

The screw 'fine tunes' the adjustment vertically.

When I got my RT the lights were too high, causing dazzle to oncoming drivers.

By adjusting the screw (13mm socket if I remember) I lowered the lights to avoid dazzle.

Once set, by using the lever I can further dip the low beam when carrying a passenger, without needing tools.

There is a left / right adjuster, but on the RT it's on the opposite side to the lever.

As far as I'm aware, the only way to adjust the beam for driving on the right is a complete new headlamp.

[DUBLINCHRIS]

Chris,

if, as Larry suggests, the lever set up is the same as an RT, the lever acts as a load adjuster, and the screw is the level adjuster.

The lever adjusts the light up or down to take a pillion's weight into account.

The screw 'fine tunes' the adjustment vertically.

When I got my RT the lights were too high, causing dazzle to oncoming drivers.

By adjusting the screw (13mm socket if I remember) I lowered the lights to avoid dazzle.

Once set, by using the lever I can further dip the low beam when carrying a passenger, without needing tools.

There is a left / right adjuster, but on the RT it's on the opposite side to the lever.

As far as I'm aware, the only way to adjust the beam for driving on the right is a complete new headlamp.

 

 

Hi Ian

Yes that would all seem to make sense. The lever for adjutments on the go and fine tuning with screw/nut. the other adjuster which on my bike is to right of main beam bulb changing cover would probably give some left right adjustment. As I never had need to adjust beam for one/two up and luggage I am hoping that original setting has been preserved even though the complete assembly popped off. Will get chance to take her out in dark next day or two to confirm. After that if settings are not right it will be down to trying to make up some sort of device to replace adjuster to avoid having to buy complete new headlight

 

[Hall Vince]

I had this happen on my R12ST when I was adjusting the beam.

I collected all the parts, took the headlight and fairing off the bike as one, roughed up the brass coloured shaft with a junior hacksaw, and araldited (two pack glue) the knob back on the shaft with all the parts in the corect order. I held the internal reflector back against spring pressure somehow (I can't recall tbh, but had the bulbs out when I did)left the adhesive to cure overnight, and it was fine ever since. I was mighty careful for fiture adjustments and lubed the adjuster area with silicon grease to make it turn easier.

 

The RT seems to be OK so far, tho I've not had to adjust it sine I first got the bike.

hth

\v/

[DUBLINCHRIS]

I had this happen on my R12ST when I was adjusting the beam.

I collected all the parts, took the headlight and fairing off the bike as one, roughed up the brass coloured shaft with a junior hacksaw, and araldited (two pack glue) the knob back on the shaft with all the parts in the corect order. I held the internal reflector back against spring pressure somehow (I can't recall tbh, but had the bulbs out when I did)left the adhesive to cure overnight, and it was fine ever since. I was mighty careful for fiture adjustments and lubed the adjuster area with silicon grease to make it turn easier.

 

The RT seems to be OK so far, tho I've not had to adjust it sine I first got the bike.

hth

\v/

 

Yea that all sounds about right. The knob looked like - that once it had come free from shaft it was not going to sit back securely again as it did not have any threaded part. Getting reflector back against the spring and holding it that way so that shaft is at maximum extension seems to be the main issue to effecting a good repair. Shaft has to be at max also to reassemble the parts. Now to work out how to get headlight off bike in least difficult way

[Hall Vince]

If I recall it was pretty easy to remove the headlight with the front fairing in one.

 

Working from memory here as I sold the bike some 3 years ago,,,

Once you have the side panels off (there were many screws IIRC) the headlight and surround will come off as one unit, once you undo the 4 larger bolts holdng it on, remember to unplug the headlight ;-)

\v/

[DUBLINCHRIS]

Thanks for this. Was in with dealer yesterday out of curiosity I priced up parts and as previously posted it is sold as one unit @ €700 :rofl:

Got speaking to one of the tech guys who confirmed that although fiddily they did repair one. He actually threaded the shaft so that an adjusting nut could be put on. Biggest issue like you discovered is holding shaft out at max extension so looks like headlight removal will have to be undertaken.