Headlight adjustment little did I realize.

[hubbsfd]

I didn't do an extensive search for this topic but I've never seen this documented. The first time I ever split the fairing I disconnected that little brass sleeve at the end of the headlight adjustment knob on my 2008 RSV without realizing it. I've been driving for more than a year with the headlamp lower than it should have been not realizing that I had lost my adjustment.

 

I found it as I was doing my HID install. I felt pretty stupid when I figured it out. So this has made a big difference for my night vision. Between the HID the 162 Gen II LED passing lamps and the proper adjustment..... I'm much happier.

 

So if you have an adjustment knob on your model year and you have ever split the fairing check to see if the knob has tension as you turn it counter clockwise. That would the direction to raise the lamp thus you should feel tension. If it turns too freely it is not connected.

 

Just thought I'd share my stupidity in case I'm not all alone.

[gscbertrand]

Ignorance is not stupid. Thanks for sharing information with us.

[foyerboy]

So how much better headlight performance do you now have? I've thought about doing this mod myself.....

[hubbsfd]

So how much better headlight performance do you now have? I've thought about doing this mod myself.....

 

Way better!!! I love it. I ordered the kit that had the adapter for the Yamaha RSV headlamp plug. Took me 15 mins. for the main headlamp. The LEDs for the passing lamps I got from Custom Dynamics. Took maybe 20 mins.

 

The lighting uses less draw over all.

 

Love the updated look too.

 

Appreciate y'all giving me a pass on this one. To quote Will Rogers..... "We are all ignorant just on different subjects".

Edited August 18, 2013 by hubbsfd

[djh3]

Prior to the hid mod I ran a 85/100 sylvainia I think it was from NAPA. Pkg was marked off road. Lol. Biggest reason I changed to HID was the more I got cold feet running the other with the high power draw. It lit up plenty good, but HID has less draw because its powered off a relay from battery and much bigger wire.

[hubbsfd]

Prior to the hid mod I ran a 85/100 sylvainia I think it was from NAPA. Pkg was marked off road. Lol. Biggest reason I changed to HID was the more I got cold feet running the other with the high power draw. It lit up plenty good, but HID has less draw because its powered off a relay from battery and much bigger wire.

 

You make me think here. My HID pkg just plugs straight into the stock headlight lamp plug witch runs through the ignition switch. I wired my passing lights direct to the battery so no added draw through the ignition. I've seen others speak of wiring the HID direct to the battery. Am I putting a tremendous load on the ignition switch with my HID setup? Once the light is powered up the energy draw drops but the initial start up is what I'm wondering.

[Flyinfool]

If you don't have it already you want the HID on a separate switch so that you can turn it on after the engine is running. Having the HID come on before the engine is started is really hard on the HID due to the voltage drop while the starter is cranking.

 

All of the HIDs that I have seen (I certainly have not seen them all) do plug into the existing headlight connector, but still have a separate power wire running to the battery and to ground.

[hubbsfd]

The kit I bought has a female plug that fits the male plug you remove from the headlight bulb housing when you remove the bulb. Then you put the new bulb and housing into the lamp hole. You do connect a separate little plug to actuate the high low xeon function. Yep, that's what I read about separate power. I elected to not worry about the bulb powering up during startup. I have several friends with these bulbs that have been running them for a couple years without separate power. I'll carry my original bulb for backup. Easy to switch back to regular bulb if ballast went bad or bulb.

[spike13]

"I found it as I was doing my HID install. I felt pretty stupid when I figured it out. So this has made a big difference for my night vision. Between the HID the 162 Gen II LED passing lamps and the proper adjustment..... I'm much happier."

 

i was wondering about the passing lamps how were they to install? did you have to do any mods to make them fit? i have the cheap one from northern tool but they are just that "cheap" need to replace with better quality

[hubbsfd]

"I found it as I was doing my HID install. I felt pretty stupid when I figured it out. So this has made a big difference for my night vision. Between the HID the 162 Gen II LED passing lamps and the proper adjustment..... I'm much happier."

 

i was wondering about the passing lamps how were they to install? did you have to do any mods to make them fit? i have the cheap one from northern tool but they are just that "cheap" need to replace with better quality

 

I bought them from Custom Dynamics. They are not plug and play because on the RSV with the Yamaha passing lights you will need to make a couple wire connections within the lamp housing. Easy to do though. The actual LED unit is a sealed unit and fits within the lamp housing just as the bulb does. Very easy install.

[spike13]

well that settles it thanks