BLOWN SEALED BEAM HEADLIGHT
Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:50 pm
If you've ever blown a sealed beam headlight and your only options are to replace it with another blown one from a wrecker or from OS by auctioning off an organ, I feel your pain. I converted a sealed beam to H4 on my wife's honda elite scooter but this will work on any sealed headlight. You'll need these tools- hobby die grinder, good soldering iron, scissors and a small round file/ materials- broken metal cased H4 headlight with the globe retaining clip intact(I used one from a NIMBUS), stick of plumber's solder, masking tape, paint stripper, cardboard, permanent marker, wet and dry sandpaper and a spray can of epoxy paint (silver or charcoal to make it look aftermarket or OEM)
First step: remove the sealed beam headlight and apply paint stripper (they're usually coated in a clear lacquer) and clean. Heat up your soldering iron and melt the join holding the globe to the back of the assembly. While melting the solder, push the globe into the assembly with a screwdriver etc. Cut the globe mounting flange from the donor H4 headlight with the grinder, allowing a lip approx 5mm around the mounting hole. Use eye/ear protection while using the die grinder (it's not worth an eye and your ears will be ringing) Make a template for the H4 globe using the cardboard. The hole should look like a "D" shape and allow the globe to sit in it without pushing it in (the same shape as the inner profile on the H4 globe's base)
Now for the slightly more tricky part. Using the cardboard template mark the hole for the H4 globe in the back (imagine the "D" is a circle and align the original globe hole to it's centre with the flat edge of the"D" facing the bottom of the headlight assembly) and slowly cut the hole. Once you've cut the hole, remove the globe and debris from the assembly (if the globe doesn't come out through the hole, gently break it). Seat the H4 globe into the hole and file finish any spots that prevent it from seating flush. Wet and dry the hole to a smooth finish and give the surround of the hole a light sand as well (this will give the solder a better surface to stick to). The H4 globe should sit in with a little bit of play (there's a variation in size from manufacturer to manufacturer).
Place the H4 globe into the donor mounting flange and clip it into place, then sit it onto the back of your prepared headlight assembly. Check to see the flange seats evenly, then lightly bend it wherever you see any gaps between the flange and the headlight assembly. Use your thumb to gently press in the "D" part of the hole in the headlight assembly (this will help getting the H4 globe to sit flush). Leave the flange and H4 globe in the back of the headlight assembly (this will prevnt it from moving out of alignment) and solder it into place. Try not to overheat it as this will unavoidably cause the chrome inside the back of the headlight to peel. Remove the H4 globe, clean the soldered joint and mask up the lens and headlight globe hole and spray.
Now you have a headlight that works better than factory, can be repaired without removing and done cheaply ! Hope this is of benefit to someone who find themselves stuck with a dud headlight...
First step: remove the sealed beam headlight and apply paint stripper (they're usually coated in a clear lacquer) and clean. Heat up your soldering iron and melt the join holding the globe to the back of the assembly. While melting the solder, push the globe into the assembly with a screwdriver etc. Cut the globe mounting flange from the donor H4 headlight with the grinder, allowing a lip approx 5mm around the mounting hole. Use eye/ear protection while using the die grinder (it's not worth an eye and your ears will be ringing) Make a template for the H4 globe using the cardboard. The hole should look like a "D" shape and allow the globe to sit in it without pushing it in (the same shape as the inner profile on the H4 globe's base)
Now for the slightly more tricky part. Using the cardboard template mark the hole for the H4 globe in the back (imagine the "D" is a circle and align the original globe hole to it's centre with the flat edge of the"D" facing the bottom of the headlight assembly) and slowly cut the hole. Once you've cut the hole, remove the globe and debris from the assembly (if the globe doesn't come out through the hole, gently break it). Seat the H4 globe into the hole and file finish any spots that prevent it from seating flush. Wet and dry the hole to a smooth finish and give the surround of the hole a light sand as well (this will give the solder a better surface to stick to). The H4 globe should sit in with a little bit of play (there's a variation in size from manufacturer to manufacturer).
Place the H4 globe into the donor mounting flange and clip it into place, then sit it onto the back of your prepared headlight assembly. Check to see the flange seats evenly, then lightly bend it wherever you see any gaps between the flange and the headlight assembly. Use your thumb to gently press in the "D" part of the hole in the headlight assembly (this will help getting the H4 globe to sit flush). Leave the flange and H4 globe in the back of the headlight assembly (this will prevnt it from moving out of alignment) and solder it into place. Try not to overheat it as this will unavoidably cause the chrome inside the back of the headlight to peel. Remove the H4 globe, clean the soldered joint and mask up the lens and headlight globe hole and spray.
Now you have a headlight that works better than factory, can be repaired without removing and done cheaply ! Hope this is of benefit to someone who find themselves stuck with a dud headlight...