I am trying to remove my headlight bucke to have it powdercoated. I have the bulb out and I got the wire connectors out of the plug.

My question is, if I loosen the bolt on the mounting block will the wires come on out of the back of the bucket, or am I going to have to cut the wires and splice them back?

 

Hey WARG...

From the inside of the nacelle, push the grommet through the back side of the nacell an inch or so. It's tight, but it will pop out. Take a razor knife or a box cutter and carefully cut down the length (several shallow cuts, you don't want to cut into any of the three wires) of the grommetso that you can split it open and remove the wires. You will reuse this grommet later so be sure to save it and not destroy it when cutting it open. Don't cut it in half, just one side so you can 'peel' it open.

Go back to the black connector and pop the cap open...make a little diagram of where the 3 femaleterminals are located in the connector so you can put it back together correctly. I like pictures because two weeks from now when I'm trying to put it back together I won't knowwhat terminal goes where...CRS disability! Take a 'tweaker' (little screwdriver), dental tool, or even a paper clip and push back the retaining pin on each of the terminals so you can slide each one out of the connector assembly. You gotta look closely!

Once all three wires are free, set the connector aside with the grommet that you saved from the earlier step and gently pull each wire through the back of the nacelle. Now you are free to remove the nacelle and take it to the powder coater!

Reverse these steps to reinstall!

Good luck!

Steve

 

Hey WARG...a buddy of mine rode over to my house last night on his Fat Boy so we could discuss the American Idol results (don't even start, and wipe that snicker off of your face...) and we ended up talking about your headlight.He reminded me of something I had not thought of...some of the grommets for the headlight wiring on theHD nacelles are pushed inthrough the front, some are pushed inthrough the back.

The steps I listed above are right on, but look at your grommet first and it will be obvious as to remove it if youneed to push it out from the back or push it out from the front!

I hope this didn't foul you up!

And how's that basketball injury coming!

Later...

Steve

By the way...I can talk about the Dancing With The Stars results, as well!

 

Steve,
I'm not sure if your aware of it. But there is a musheasier way to get that grommet out WITHOUT cutting it.

Just reverse your procedure and take the wires out first. If you pull them through it one at a time they should be fairly easy to get out after the first one. Then after thay are all out you can use a small flat blade screwdriver to push the gormmet through. that's how you get then in and I have been doing it that wayfor years on all kinds of electronic equipment without a problem.
If its real tight, a little lube likeliquid dish or car wash soap can help slip the wires or grommetin or out and easily washes away later.

Frank

BTW I like to use my digital camera to take a picture ofany connector before I take it apart. That way the is no chance of making an error in writing which wire goes where or "misplacing" the paper later.

 

Good Morning Frank...

You are correct, and that sounds like a great idea, but for some reason when I was doing my modsto the headlight I was unable to remove the wires without cutting the grommet. But as I sit here at work goofing off and trying to think of why, I for the life of me cannot think of what it was! Damn, CRS at it again! But I know I had some kind of issue that stopped me in my tracks that night...damn Frank, I'm going to have to run home at lunch and look at my Fat Boy to see what it was!

Anyway buddy, I have read many of your posts on this site and you have a lot of good ideas that I respect and have tried...thanks!

By the way...I bought a bottle of 'cable lube' at Home Depot the other day for $6.00 and have it on my work bench. Good stuff...and leaves no residue. Next time I have some wiring issues I 'm going to try it!

Thanks for the input on the Tri-Bar Light...I guess I'll have to change models to get one!

Take care...

Steve

 

Usually if its not easy to get the first wire out its because they they put the connector ends on the wires AFTER they thread it through the grommet.
There is a couple of ways around it. The first is to use a small flat blade screwdriver to pry open the grommet hole a little to see if you can slip it through. If that doesn't work because thebrass connector edges keep catching try using a small piece of shrink tubing or electrical tape (very little) on the connector to smooth its profile a little and then use the lube to help slip it through.
Most of the time once you get one wire through you haveenough extra room to get the rest through fairly easy.
Worst case is you pick one wire and cut it back about an inch or so from the connector. Pull it out, then pullthe rest out. Its not hard to solder that one wire back together, paint the joint over with some nail polish and use a little shrink tube to cover it. The polish will waterproof the solder connection and keep water from wickingup into thewire strands, and the shrink tube will protect it from rubbing and shorting out on anything.

As for the tailight, have you considered putting on aBobtail fender? [sm=noooo.gif]