Securing HID bulbs

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Grrrmachine
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Post Tue Jan 01, 2013 1:16 pm

Bought the standard Chinese eBay set for Christmas, and getting round to fitting it. Obviously the base of these bulbs is larger than the standard ones, but to the point where the wire retainer won't clip into place to secure the bulb. What's the solution to this?
steve_k
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Post Tue Jan 01, 2013 1:23 pm

There was a guide in the wiki on how to fit them.

think there might be a solution in that.
if it's got t*ts or wheels it's bound to be trouble...............prove me wrong.
getting oral sex off an ugly person is like rock climbing.....don't look down ;)
Grrrmachine
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Post Tue Jan 01, 2013 1:27 pm

I've read the guide, but it makes no mention of this part. At the moment I'm thinking of bending my own securing wires, if I can find the right gauge/strength wire.
steve_k
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Post Tue Jan 01, 2013 1:28 pm

Sorry about that dude, been ages since I fitted mine & I really can't remember how I secured the bulbs,
if it's got t*ts or wheels it's bound to be trouble...............prove me wrong.
getting oral sex off an ugly person is like rock climbing.....don't look down ;)
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Brianmoooore
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Post Tue Jan 01, 2013 1:31 pm

Push harder is the simple answer. Standard clip fits with a bit of bending.
What you may occasionally find is that the hole in the headlamp where the bulb fits needs a bit of relieving around the edges.
steve_k
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Post Tue Jan 01, 2013 1:31 pm

Just a thought, is there a rubber grommet on the end of the wires where they meet the bulb?

there is on mine & IIRC I drilled a hole in the grey plastic cap & the grommet fitted in there & held the buld in place.
if it's got t*ts or wheels it's bound to be trouble...............prove me wrong.
getting oral sex off an ugly person is like rock climbing.....don't look down ;)
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Brianmoooore
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Post Tue Jan 01, 2013 1:43 pm

Needs a 25mm hole in the rear cap to let the wires exit the holder, but this is NOT an acceptable way of keeping the bulbs in place!
The bulb needs to be clamped firmly to the headlamp, so that the light source is exactly where it was with the H1 bulb, otherwise the beam pattern will be way out and cause danger to other drivers. Even if the little pip on the base of the bulb is out of its hole, the pattern will be totally messed up.
Grrrmachine
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Post Tue Jan 01, 2013 1:44 pm

Cheers for the advice guys. I didn't want to use too much force because of that fragile-looking tube (carbon?) that runs along the outside of the bulb, but I'll just have to man up and get that bulb wedged in somehow :D
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Brianmoooore
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Post Tue Jan 01, 2013 1:56 pm

Tube along the outside is only a ceramic tube acting as an insulator, and to give a bit of rigidity to the wire. If the bulb won't slide in easily, take a round file to the headlamp to open up the hole very slightly.
The first time I came across this, I tried the bulb in a few other headlamps, tried other bulbs in the first headlamp, and concluded it was the headlamps that varied, not the HID bulbs.