I shutter at the thought!

[Grandpa Pete]

Hey folk's, so I read some previous threads on the headlight shutters. and I didn't find a way to fix/replace a fallen shutter. I noticed today coming home from the VA in the reflection of a black Camry that only one headlight was showing. When I got home, I looked at the headlights and clicked the Hi/Low switch and though both headlights work, the RH side was blocked and the shutter just kinda twitched. I had LED's installed 4 years ago and have worked flawlessly. Is there a way to re-attach the spring/mechanism or just buy the whole assembly for 380.00 bucks?

 

[Snowbelt Spyder]

Pete - When making the LED conversion, there is a lot of stuff getting crammed into the headlight housing. Depending on the brand, there could even be the little driver box inside there. It is very typical that over time, things shift around in there and the wiring or the driver box simply jam up the shutter and keep it from moving. Since it is twitching, seems like it is trying to move, but stuck in the LO beam position. So, first, just remove that headlight assembly. It all comes out as a self contained unit. Then remove the rear cover, and see what's going on in there. Removing the rear cover gains you access to the lamp holder assembly and you can see the mechanics of the shutter arm and spring. All of these components are behind the projector lens that you see when you're looking at the headlight from the front. You can't hurt anything. You can move the shutter by hand to ensure that it's free, and you can plug the wiring back in and test it, before you put it back together. FYI - the spring holds the shutter in the LO beam position. It can't really go past that. There is a metal stop on the arm. When going to HI beam, a little solenoid pulls the shutter open against spring pressure. If it's stuck in the LO beam position, the spring is holding it there. If that headlight is completely dark, then you have a bulb out. One of my LEDs only lasted a year and a half. Another piece of trivia - that projector style lens inverts everything. When you put it back together you'll notice that the shutter is actually on the bottom of the assembly, not on the top.

This should help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BDPuf6_SBo

 

[Chupaca]

Not sure...

you have a 2014 and I don't think they were still using the shutter system on your model. If you have a dual filament bulb you do not have the shutter system. Mine has a single filament H7 bulb so needs the shutter. Now even so I do not find parts for the shutter only the assembly and external parts....:dontknow: hope someone has been in there and will get back to you....

 

[PW2013STL]

Hi Pete,

If you want to ride over I can help you with this.

Les

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

you have a 2014 and I don't think they were still using the shutter system on your model. If you have a dual filament bulb you do not have the shutter system. Mine has a single filament H7 bulb so needs the shutter. Now even so I do not find parts for the shutter only the assembly and external parts....:dontknow: hope someone has been in there and will get back to you....

Gene , I have a 14 RT and it still has the **** shutter system ….. As said above BRP gives very little extra room for any more wires, so His LED may have a ballast thet is outside but the wires are still inside …. Because the Spyder gets jostled on poor roads , what wasn't in the way may have gotten in the way and just needs to be moved a bit ….. jmho …. Mike hyea:

 

[BoilerAnimal]

Gene , I have a 14 RT and it still has the **** shutter system ….. As said above BRP gives very little extra room for any more wires, so His LED may have a ballast thet is outside but the wires are still inside …. Because the Spyder gets jostled on poor roads , what wasn't in the way may have gotten in the way and just needs to be moved a bit ….. jmho …. Mike hyea:

:agree:I had to do exactly that after the first 2500 miles after I put my LED headlights in. It's worked great without any problems since........close to three years now, I believe.

 

[Grandpa Pete]

Thanks to all who replied...I glad I explained my situation correctly. Thanks again

 

[h0gr1der]

I have a dumb question about shutters. I looked in both my 2018 and 2019 RTL manual under lights and it makes no reference to the shutter system, and even goes on to further confuse the issue by showing an illustration with the high beams up top, with arrows pointing to the fog lights labeled low beams. I went out to run the bike and check, it clunks when changing from high to low beams, and all the light comes from the headlights like I expected, and the fog lights functioned like they should with the switch.

So, dumb question (suspect I know the answer)- On a 2018 RTL are we still using the shutter system? I did see a reference as to testing the shutter voltage. Want to know because LED's are in my future.

 

[PW2013STL]

I have a dumb question about shutters. I looked in both my 2018 and 2019 RTL manual under lights and it makes no reference to the shutter system, and even goes on to further confuse the issue by showing an illustration with the high beams up top, with arrows pointing to the fog lights labeled low beams. I went out to run the bike and check, it clunks when changing from high to low beams, and all the light comes from the headlights like I expected, and the fog lights functioned like they should with the switch.

So, dumb question (suspect I know the answer)- On a 2018 RTL are we still using the shutter system? I did see a reference as to testing the shutter voltage. Want to know because LED's are in my future.

Yes your 2018 uses a shutter system in your headlights. Now the European models have separate hi and low beams as you described, so I am wondering if that info ended up in your manual.

 

[Grandpa Pete]

It was a bad bulb. Taking bike apart wasn't to bad. Ordered from SlingMods... Thanx again for all the help