Carbon headlights with JAL leds

[David aka Blue7]

I will be replacing the 5" headlights on my CSR with Classic Carbon headlights fitted with JAL leds.  I would appreciate any advice on the following points

1. Having looked at some archive info' and there is a recommendation to use either a modified 21mm ring spanner (piece cut out) or a crows foot spanner to remove the securing nuts.  I have had a quick look at the nuts and I can get a standard 13/16" AF open end spanner onto the nuts so why use a crows foot spanner ... or am I overlooking something?

2. I assume that the best way to reproduce the current alignment is to park the car 10 ft. away from my garage wall and mark in chalk on the wall where dipped beams are and then adjust the new lights to the same positions?

3. I note that on the existing lights there is a wire that is earthed to a terminal on the bowl, I'm not sure why given that there seems to be a black earth wire to the bulb connection block.  I know carbon can conduct electric current in some instances and to varying degrees but I am inclined not to provide an earth point to the carbon bowl and just wait to see if the lights operate without it ... if they don't I will just have to connect that earth wire to a new earth point somewhere.  Has anyone fitted carbon headlights and if so what did you do with this existing headlight earthing wire to the bowl?

Having just fitted carbon fog, reverse, no. plate and rear sidelight surrounds, with numerous but not unsurmountable problems, I am expecting some difficulty in fitting the headlights and indicator cowls, but  ... hope springs eternal

David

[Ian B]

I can't answer the others, but 1. is probably because a notched ring spanner allows you to turn the nut more with each turn as there's less bulk to the spanner head.

I think when I tried a normal open ended spanner on mine there wasn't enough room to turn the nut by one "face", but you may have a "narrower" spanner?

[Ian B]

oh, and I use a notched ring spanner with an offset so it drops the handle of the spanner further away from the indicator cowl.

[Wrightpayne]

I recently used a lamda sensor socket for a recessed nut on a McPherson strut assembly. These are slotted and have the 1/2 square drive on the side. Just a case of finding one in the right size!

[SLR No.77]

Regarding point 3, im pretty sure that inside my CF bowls there's a nut and serrated washer that anchor the bowl to the mounting "tube" with the earth wire soldered to the washer. In reality you could pick up a suitable earth from anywhere conveniently close.

[Jonathan Kay]

I assume that the best way to reproduce the current alignment is to park the car 10 ft. away from my garage wall and mark in chalk on the wall where dipped beams are and then adjust the new lights to the same positions?

That should work fine as a starting point, although I'd probably use main rather than dip. Then check them asap against the back of the car in front when you're in traffic: there are far too many set too high. 

Please could you take some photos of the old and new beam pattern, main and dip, both against the wall and down the lane. There are now lots of headlamp options out there and the more evidence the better. Thanks.

Happy New Year

Jonathan

[David aka Blue7]

Thanks for the input, I don't have a lambda sensor socket so I will see how I get on with a normal spanner, hopefully I will be able to turn the nut with my fingers once I have loosened it off.

Stu' I can't see a nut and serrated washer that anchor the bowl to the mounting "tube" with the earth wire soldered to the washer, inside my carbon bowls.  So it looks like I will need to look for another earthing source.  From memory I seem to recall that the existing earth to the bowl just joined a black earth wire either to the sidelight or headlight, which was puzzling.  Just had a look and there are 3 earthing wires attached to the existing bowl terminal, one goes to sidelight, one to headlight and there is a spur off the headlight spade connection that goes back through the loom, presumably to the indicator.  The third earth wire attached to the bowl is much thicker and goes back through the loom so this may earth somewhere else?  In which case I will just join the earth wires to establish whether the lights operate, if not I will have to find a new earth.

Jonathan, yes I will take some photos of the beam patterns old and new ... first of all I will have to clear all the existing clutter against the wall to create a "clear canvas"

Thanks all

[David aka Blue7]

Quick update, I had the nearside light all wired up with new carbon bowl and JAL led but encountered a design problem in that there is no clip fitted to the interior of the carbon bowl to prevent the hollow mounting bolt from turning with the nut.  The result being that I can't tighten the nuts fully because the mounting bolt just turns with the nut.  I have spoken to David Lale of Classic Carbon and agreed that it has been an unfortunate oversight so I am reluctantly returning the bowls for a suitable modification of some kind.  See photo below, Caterham bowl on the left.

One thing I have established is that no additional earth is required, the two earth wires attached to bowl just need to be connected together.

 

[rj]

My carbon headlights are some 15 years old bud don't have this. The friction between the carbon and the bowl does it for me.

[David aka Blue7]

Fair enough but I spent about an hour trying to tighten the nut, pulling up on the headlight to try to create some resistance but to no avail.  I did wonder if I was overlooking something, which is why I phoned David.  It also concerned me that lack of resistance / locking inside could make it difficult to remove if ever I had to replace a damaged led in the future.

[SLR No.77]

Regin, I suspect your CF bowls are the same as mine, supplied by Westermann / Fluke Motorsport.

Stu.

[rj]

Stu,

Nope. Mine are made by Mick Cooper (used to post here under "mickmade") They have a different shape than the Fluke/ Westermann ones: The bowl is shallower.

[SLR No.77]

So that's 3 different versions to choose from ... with so many choices I'm amazed anyone still has the old steel jobbies