Headlight assembly removal help?

[BamaJohn]

On my 2017 RT the low beam lamp has gone out twice in the first 19,000 miles.  With my gorilla hands it's impossible for me to get to the lamps, especially since I'll be replacing all 3 lamps with cyclops LED's (already ordered).  I'm using this event to go ahead and replace the air filter too, so already have side panels and top panels over fuel tank removed.

If anyone has words of wisdom on how to remove the headlight assembly, I'd sure appreciate the advice!  Thanks jb

[Bighopper]

Hey JB, I have done it 2 times(dropped the small bracket for the LED into the light fixture)  easier to remove to whole fixture & install while out & verify function. I just look at the attachment point & removed screws. You start with the Wind Shield & work your way down & around the front. Take a look at the MaxBMW parts fiche to see how things are attached.

The hardest things I found are the 2 plastic push screws on the Instrument Cover panel The screw is the lower right & left.

Good luck

 

[alegerlotz]

This doc should walk you through it.  its what I used when Installing my cyclops kit (well worth the time and effort IMO).

 

It took me 4 - 4.5 hours start to finish to remove the headlight, install the lights, reinstall the headlight and put the tools away.  I admittedly took a bit of extra time wiping down the back of parts when I reassembled, even though there was no functional need to do so ( I just like knowing its clean back there  ).

RT Headlight Removal.pdf

[BamaJohn]

Thanks to you both for a very quick reply with suggestions to help!  jb

[BamaJohn]

UPDATE:  To get the headlight assembly removed and install the Cyclops LED, I removed the whole front end of the bike and was reflecting (pun intended) on that chore.  Methinks I had more fun getting an ice-water enema!!!  There are about 60 fasteners to deal with and a sequence of reinstall to remember, and alegerlotz's PDF was GREAT!    Obviously, it'll be a while before I can give an opinion on the Cyclops, but if they last 3 years, I'll be a happy camper!  BYW,  the bike's put back together and nothing broke....a good day!  jb

[TEWKS]

Strong work! 💪

[Rougarou]

Is the hexhead front removal that much different????  I've popped the front of hexhead off a couple of times and certainly didn't get down to that far,.....and that was to replace those silly little parking lights.  I know I didn't follow any instructions when doing this, just started removing stuff until I got where I could wiggle/move the headlight assembly out far enough to get my hands in the back.,........wow and good on ya, I'da not gone that far to change bulbs,.....I lack that kind of patience.

[Indy Dave]

Esteemed BamaJohn - Do you have kin on this board as well? Your mug reminds me of another dastardly poster here; the likes of whom I've not seen around for a while. He owes me money! He suddenly disappeared from  the board here, and I've not seen him post in some time now.

 

Despite the effort, I think you went about the installation the right way. On my cam and hexhead, I found it much easier to remove the headlight assembly. Like you, on those bikes one must invest some time and 'drill down a bit', but it's really the best way and the work isn't difficult, if not tedious. The 05-13 bikes have these little plexiglass bits that get dirty and required removal to clean both sides. Removing these was also part of removing the headlight assembly. But little plexiglass bits went back on fairly early in the reassembly - and it was easy to overlook them till it was too late. With your comments, it seems BMW has continued the tradition keeping us on our toes on reassembly.

 

Well done.

[alegerlotz]

16 hours ago, BamaJohn said:

...and alegerlotz's PDF was GREAT!  ...

 

I am glad you were able to complete the task and the PDF helped!

 

I cannot take credit for doing anything with that PDF other than passing it along.  I found it in one of the forums I follow (bmwlt.com, the bmwmoa forums, or here) and used it myself... someone else put it together.

[BamaJohn]

2 hours ago, Indy Dave said:

Esteemed BamaJohn - Do you have kin on this board as well? Your mug reminds me of another dastardly poster here; the likes of whom I've not seen around for a while. He owes me money! He suddenly disappeared from  the board here, and I've not seen him post in some time now.

 

Despite the effort, I think you went about the installation the right way. On my cam and hexhead, I found it much easier to remove the headlight assembly. Like you, on those bikes one must invest some time and 'drill down a bit', but it's really the best way and the work isn't difficult, if not tedious. The 05-13 bikes have these little plexiglass bits that get dirty and required removal to clean both sides. Removing these was also part of removing the headlight assembly. But little plexiglass bits went back on fairly early in the reassembly - and it was easy to overlook them till it was too late. With your comments, it seems BMW has continued the tradition keeping us on our toes on reassembly.

 

Well done.

Thanks for the support Dave!  If I owe you money, I'll gladly buy you a scotch next time I see you.....

On the headlight lamps:  I'd tried and tried, to no avail, to remove the lamps without taking apart the front end, and was tying in an air filter change since I was going to get deep in the weeds.  As you know, some panels must be removed to get to the screws underneath that take off the next layer of tupperware...and so it goes until the headlight assembly can we wiggled out.  Putting everything back together was actually pretty easy, other than the few occasions of dropping a clip or screw into never-never land.  

[Indy Dave]

9 minutes ago, BamaJohn said:

Thanks for the support Dave!  If I owe you money, I'll gladly buy you a scotch next time I see you.....

 

 

@BamaJohn  That's a very kind offer! But Lawdy (Southern Term), I couldn't ask you to make amends for that other dastardly Snindely Whiplash fellow. Apparently he's trying to disguise himself, shown here without his trademark handlebar mustache. Keep an eye out for this guy - he likes to reverse road direction signs and I hear he's recently taken up employment with Garmin.

 

 

While Yours Truly isn't one to turn down free libations , I'm also a purest when it comes to what I imbibe in. It's Vodka that runs through these veins , much to the dismay of the misguided bourbon and scotch drinkers so popular in our midst. 

[BamaJohn]

53 minutes ago, Indy Dave said:

 

@BamaJohn  That's a very kind offer! But Lawdy (Southern Term), I couldn't ask you to make amends for that other dastardly Snindely Whiplash fellow. Apparently he's trying to disguise himself, shown here without his trademark handlebar mustache. Keep an eye out for this guy - he likes to reverse road direction signs and I hear he's recently taken up employment with Garmin.

 

 

While Yours Truly isn't one to turn down free libations , I'm also a purest when it comes to what I imbibe in. It's Vodka that runs through these veins , much to the dismay of the misguided bourbon and scotch drinkers so popular in our midst. 

[BamaJohn]

2nd UPDATE:  For some of us who think of our trusty steeds as being more than a pile of metal & plastic, perhaps even possessed with a soul, it was with guilt for violating her innermost secrets that I gave her a good cleaning, then took her for a short ride...just to make sure she knew I still love her!  I believe she forgave me for my intrusions....   And the best part:  NO PARTS FELL OFF!  

[Pappy35]

46 minutes ago, BamaJohn said:

...and the best part:  NO PARTS FELL OFF!  

 

...well, none that you noticed anyways. But the real question is: Were there any parts left over!?!  

[Pappy35]

8 hours ago, Indy Dave said:

<snip> But little plexiglass bits went back on fairly early in the reassembly - and it was easy to overlook them till it was too late. 

 

If you mean those little air deflectors they don't have to come off for disassembly but you might as well once you're in there for some other reason. You just need to tear half the fairing off in order to clean them which I would never do unless I had to. Last time I did it I forgot and it was all I could to keep my OCD from kicking in to tear it all back off again.

[Rougarou]

59 minutes ago, BamaJohn said:

  And the best part:  NO PARTS FELL OFF!  

 

On my last Jeep, I had the nifty decal "Honk if something falls off", well, after being semi-stored with my brother in law for three years while I played Marine in various locations, the muffler sorta rusted up a bit.

 

While driving to work one day, shortly after returning from overseas, I heard a nagging honking behind me,......I stopped, and the driver said my muffler dropped a bit back,......so, I turn around and go get it,.....the decal worked.......ended up upgrading to a nice SS Borla.

[TEWKS]

Way easier on a Ford! 
 

[EyeBike528]

On 1/30/2020 at 6:06 PM, BamaJohn said:

UPDATE:  To get the headlight assembly removed and install the Cyclops LED, I removed the whole front end of the bike and was reflecting (pun intended) on that chore.  Methinks I had more fun getting an ice-water enema!!!  There are about 60 fasteners to deal with and a sequence of reinstall to remember, and alegerlotz's PDF was GREAT!    Obviously, it'll be a while before I can give an opinion on the Cyclops, but if they last 3 years, I'll be a happy camper!  BYW,  the bike's put back together and nothing broke....a good day!  jb

Real solid work BJ! 🧐