headlight disassembly
Got them out. Big PITA! A pair of vise grips and a little heat did the trick. The vice grips need to be clamped on the steel washer that is up against the inside of the bucket. You can't see this washer, but both sides of the isolator are identical. The piece that needs to be gripped is the metal ring at the base of the threads in the second pic. And those acron nuts on the outside are red loctited and lock washered, so a little heat helps too.
Last edited by jreichart; Jan 18, 2012 at 09:51 AM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,054
Likes: 26
From: Florida
The problem with getting these things out is that the studs don't run all the way through the rubber. Think of each stud as a small carriage bolt whose head is molded into the the end of the rubber part. So when you grab one end to try and turn a nut, it just twists the rubber.
Glad you got yours out without tearing them. I had to destroy the ones on I removed from a Heritage Springer headlight that I powder coated for my Crossbones. I looked all over town for replacements and could not find them. I did find them online from a supplier but you had to order in bulk. I ended up just making my own isolater which have worked great.
I think the reason that nothing is written about these in the service manual is because there is not supposed to be a need to take the headlight apart to the bare shell. When I asked at the dealership about ordering those isolaters, they said they were not sold individually and if you needed to replace them you essentially had to buy the whole headlight. Talk about a load of BS!
Like I said, I made my own to replace the ones I had to rip out.
Glad you got yours out without tearing them. I had to destroy the ones on I removed from a Heritage Springer headlight that I powder coated for my Crossbones. I looked all over town for replacements and could not find them. I did find them online from a supplier but you had to order in bulk. I ended up just making my own isolater which have worked great.
I think the reason that nothing is written about these in the service manual is because there is not supposed to be a need to take the headlight apart to the bare shell. When I asked at the dealership about ordering those isolaters, they said they were not sold individually and if you needed to replace them you essentially had to buy the whole headlight. Talk about a load of BS!
Like I said, I made my own to replace the ones I had to rip out.
Road Master
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 762
Likes: 1
From: mission bc canada
sorry wrong they are not glued in ..the rubber isolaters have studs volcanized into it from both sides thats why you can loosen them ..if they are not going to be used then just cut the rubber or keep loosening or tightening them until the rubber lets go..i have taken the rubbers out of the last 2 bikes ive had due to the light shaking and distracting me while riding.i rigid mounted them like they used to be until 2003 ish when they changed..
Last edited by colonelangus1; Jan 19, 2012 at 10:30 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 66,948
Likes: 4,573
From: TOAK western branch
sorry wrong they are not glued in ..the rubber isolaters have studs volcanized into it from both sides thats why you can loosen them ..if they are not going to be used then just cut the rubber or keep loosening or tightening them until the rubber lets go..i have taken the rubbers out of the last 2 bikes ive had due to the light shaking and distracting me while riding.i rigid mounted them like they used to be until 2003 ish when they changed..
I just wanted to say that I am glad that I found this thread. I am doing the same thing and am having a hell of a time getting those rubber dampers out. FYI, if you look in the Harley Vintage catalog from J&P they have a similar damper. Something like this is used for mounting the voltage regulator on the old Ironheads. I'm not sure if it is the same size, but it is similar nonetheless.
Ok, I'm off to give the headlight another attempt. Here is hoping, because last night I gave up on that stubborn SOB. (Or maybe I was being the stubborn one.
Ok, I'm off to give the headlight another attempt. Here is hoping, because last night I gave up on that stubborn SOB. (Or maybe I was being the stubborn one.
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schwingding
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