Say no to Headlight Trim Ring Crack
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 2
From: East Tennessee
Say no to Headlight Trim Ring Crack
This is for anyone who is installing or has installed an HD Headlight Trim Ring. As I have read through the posts addressing this problem, I see that the majority of people installing an HD Headlight Trim Ring found the entire installation to be a PITA...myself included.
I started this project yesterday. I read and followed the instructions exactly as they were written and ran into several pit falls. After asking for help here on the forum, I got several good suggestions but still ran into problems with this poorly designed POS trim ring. All in all, it was a cluster f*#k from beginning to end.
I put it on and took it off four or five times...all the while, thinking I was missing something in the instructions. While trying to close the gap at the bottom, the barrel nut pulled through cheap chromed sheet metal. Next, the head stripped out of the screw. Why in the Sam Hill didn't HD design this thing to attach like the stock ring? Too easy I guess.
This morning, I decided this was not going to beat me so I went out and got another screw and started again. Again, I followed the instructions and this time with a little help from my trusty Irwin Bar Clamp, I won. NO CRACK!!!!
For those of you who are going to install one of these POS trim rings, I have found the easy way to do it.
1- Follow instructions per HD instruction sheet.
2- Get a padded bar clamp and place the feet on each side of your headlight. (See pic below)
3- Tighten it slightly to get your screw started into the nut.
4- Tighten the clamp a little and tighten the screw to hold it.
5- Continue 4 until the gap is completely closed on the bottom.
I started this project yesterday. I read and followed the instructions exactly as they were written and ran into several pit falls. After asking for help here on the forum, I got several good suggestions but still ran into problems with this poorly designed POS trim ring. All in all, it was a cluster f*#k from beginning to end.
I put it on and took it off four or five times...all the while, thinking I was missing something in the instructions. While trying to close the gap at the bottom, the barrel nut pulled through cheap chromed sheet metal. Next, the head stripped out of the screw. Why in the Sam Hill didn't HD design this thing to attach like the stock ring? Too easy I guess.
This morning, I decided this was not going to beat me so I went out and got another screw and started again. Again, I followed the instructions and this time with a little help from my trusty Irwin Bar Clamp, I won. NO CRACK!!!!
For those of you who are going to install one of these POS trim rings, I have found the easy way to do it.
1- Follow instructions per HD instruction sheet.
2- Get a padded bar clamp and place the feet on each side of your headlight. (See pic below)
3- Tighten it slightly to get your screw started into the nut.
4- Tighten the clamp a little and tighten the screw to hold it.
5- Continue 4 until the gap is completely closed on the bottom.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 452
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From:
I put one on my 08 FLHTCU. The gap around the headlight was so big I figured any number of pesty insects would either commit suicide there or otherwise take up permanent residence. I took it back and basically described it as a POS to the parts guy. He was at a loss to disagree.
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From: ID Ho
Ive NEVER read the HD instructs so I dont know what they say to do, but you loosen (not remove) the screw for the stock ring, slip the new ring on and work it BEHIND the stock ring. Now tighten the screw for the new ring till you can just get a driver in the gap and tighten the stock screw, then finish tightening the new screw till there is no gap.
This has worked a couple hundred times so far.
This has worked a couple hundred times so far.
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Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 2
From: East Tennessee
Partially. It did close up the gap between the headlight and trim ring to the point that I can live with it.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 2
From: East Tennessee
Ive NEVER read the HD instructs so I dont know what they say to do, but you loosen (not remove) the screw for the stock ring, slip the new ring on and work it BEHIND the stock ring. Now tighten the screw for the new ring till you can just get a driver in the gap and tighten the stock screw, then finish tightening the new screw till there is no gap.
This has worked a couple hundred times so far.
This has worked a couple hundred times so far.