Headlight Replacement FLTR

removing the fairing sounds correct........if ya plan on doin some wrenchin on your own, the best tool you can buy is the factory service manual............

Yes you need to remove the outside faring,

Here's what you do, get bike on a jack and level
cover front fender with a towel.

Light cigar.

Remove plastic cover over bulbs, lift bottom and then pull out, there are 4 tabs, two
top, two bottom, it just snaps in and pulls out.

Using Torx loosen the three screws holding the inner faring
on each side the SM says don't take them out but I do.

Then the turn signals need to have the bolts removed
they hold the faring in place. use a quarter drive 1/2 socket,
remove the nuts (2) on each side, behind them is a washer
if you can get it off, remove, otherwise they will fall to the ground
and roll under something or into a hidden cavity on your bike.

now pull out the turn signal and mount, there are two
threaded studs, you may have to wiggle and hold the faring up
a bit, hang it over the engine guard, Now do other side the same way.

The faring is hanging on two hooks behind the lights, from the front,
with all screws out, turn signals out, lift slightly and when you feel it come
off the "hooks" pull forward and away from inner faring, yes the windshield will
come with it...

set on towel, and you can move yourself around it and disconnect the wires.

Now you can get to the lights and replace the bulbs (get Sylvania Silverstars
from walmart, much better lights) H4 is the type of bulb (9004 for sylvania I think)
replace and reinstall.

Now to reinstall a trick, remember you removed the plastic cover over the bulbs.

Now from the back you will see three threaded rods with green tabs
on each side, depress the tabs, the light housing will then come out, (all three)

Reinstall faring, being at eye level with the lights, you can now see the slots in
the faring and the hooks they go on. Set it on the hooks.

Then check each side, be sure the faring lines up, you'll see some plastic tabs that
the outer faring has that go inside the tabs on the inner faring to align.

Then reinstall the turn signals (loosely) and the screws on the inner faring (loose)

Tighten it all around.

Now reinstall the headlight housing, watch the three screws, they must
go through a small round hole in the back so be sure they are
in position, otherwise, you get to take it all apart again to release them...

Wow, sure am glad I have an Ultra that fairing is easy to remove.

i agree.......sounds like a pia to remove a fltr fairing!!!!

It's not really that bad, once you learn the quick install part.

You don't have to remove the headlight cluster, but it's three
plastic depression tabs, and IMHO makes the process faster
and you will align it on the brackets that hold it in place
easier.

Once you set it on the "hooks" it won't move, then it's just
lining up the holes. On the Ultra you have to hold it or get someone
to help while you line up everything...

On an ultra you have three screws on the inner faring,
FLTR has three inner faring screws,

However on the Ultra two of them are PIA located between the neck and the
fork, and is always hard to line up.

All three FLTR screws are easy to access

You also have three windshield screws that you have to
remove, holding the windshield, and if you have one
the chrome trim.

We do not have to remove the windshield on an FLTR

On an FLTR you have to remove 4 - 1/2 nuts for the turn signals
and they are a piece of cake to take off and put back on..

A bit more work but not that bad, I tried to detail it out so he'd be able to do it without
the book..

Hmmm, I can have the fairing on my Ultra off in less than a minute. Lining up the two lower screws is easy, just don't tighten the other screws up tight first that way you have some movement with the fairing. Piece of cake to do.
I use rubber backing washers on the upper chrome trim and they and the 3 screws all stay on the chrome trim, makes it easy when putting it back together.
I prefer the batwing fairing, don't like the fixed fairing. My Goldwing I had years back had the fixed fairing, never liked it.

When on our trip to Reno the guy I hooked up with in Virginia City has a new Roadglide and his headlight was out of adjustment really bad. He had to take it to the dealer in Carson City and have it adjusted, cost him $40.00 to adjust it.

Well he should read the manual,
take a 4.3mm long 1/4 drive socket
there are two adjusters easy to reach
just turn with the socket, they are
down inside the back of the inner faring under
the radio....

Do the same on Ultras, put them on loose,
point is it's not that much more work
once you know how.

I like the RG faring, not right up there in
my face, feels open, more room.

Rode a gold wing for the summer
nice bikes, hot, I like the adjustable windshield
but it needed to be electric, manual was a PIA

Kind of hard to do when on the road and he didn't have the correct tools. He is an auto body mech. Builds cars and owns his own shop but got tired of cars and other bikes telling him to turn his brights off. No brights on just way out of adjustment. So he had the HD shop do it for him.

I understand why he did it.
Just saying I drop a spare
socket in the tool kit, it's the only
"odd" size on the bike, so I have it just in case
it needs to be adjusted on the fly...

Dealer shouldn't have charged him anything
but they are entitled to do so..

glad ya got it!!!!!!!! have fun and stay safe!

You are welcome