help with headlights

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Oct 31, 2009 | 10:14 AM

shenork

Thread Starter

5th Gear

Joined: Apr 2008

Posts: 9

Likes: 0

help with headlights

Hi everyone, need some help figuring this out. I have a '88 FLHTP and have noticed that my headlight and one of the white running lights is alot dimmer than the other running light. all the bulbs are original, but I would like them all to be the same brightness and of course very bright. Any help would be greatly appreciated, hope all have a great day.

Oct 31, 2009 | 10:22 AM

Dr.Hess

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 8,202

Likes: 3,089

From: NW AR

Dirty ground or dirty + connection. The light bar grounds through the bolts to the forks, if I recall. The headlight has a common failure point at the connector on the bulb. Clean the connector very well. You can take the connector apart with a pick to slide the actual spade connectors out of the plastic part, clean them with a wire wheel on a dremmel, pinch them a little tighter and put it all back together.

Oct 31, 2009 | 10:56 AM

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: May 2005

Posts: 2,137

Likes: 17

From:

The original 1988 bulbs are probably just getting ready to burn out. If the connections are good, just get some new bulbs.

Oct 31, 2009 | 10:58 AM

shenork

Thread Starter

5th Gear

Joined: Apr 2008

Posts: 9

Likes: 0

thanks dr hess, i will give it a try. any suggestions to make the headlamp brighter???

Oct 31, 2009 | 02:29 PM

Dr.Hess

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 8,202

Likes: 3,089

From: NW AR

Clean the connectors. After that, make sure you have good voltage at the back of the plug. A bad connection in the ignition switch could cause low voltage there, as could dirty connections on the circuit breakers, which are getting old now. Clean all the connections and put some grease on them when you put it back together. If you have good voltage at the back of the plug, which should be about full from the battery, and you still think it is not bright, then try a different headlight bulb. I have found my bike's headlight to be quite bright.

Oct 31, 2009 | 05:20 PM

shovhd

Cruiser

Joined: Dec 2008

Posts: 234

Likes: 4

From: Courtenay, BC, Canada

Here's a nice little post with pics if you are into installing an H4 bulb with a relay. Should brighten things up safely.

http://www.harley-davidson-hangout.c...-80w-bulb.html

Oct 31, 2009 | 10:08 PM

BB4xl

Road Master

Joined: May 2009

Posts: 817

Likes: 1

From: N.E. Ohio

I run a 55/100 watt bulb,have been foryears. I saw a thread here about melting the bulb connector. I looked at mine. There was a tiny bit of melted plastic on one of the blades of the bulb. I bought a ceramic connector off ebay. Everything is working fine.