Ok how many people does it take to change a headlight in a L3800

[ctfjr]

I must need the magic word because I know I sure don't have it. The tractor came with a cracked lens on the left headlight. I want to change the bulbs to LEDs so eventually they both have to come out.
I watched a video on youtube that made it look possible, not easy but possible.
The 1st thing is to disconnect the plug in the wiring harness. Ok, I'm stuck already. It's amazing that the wires are still intact after my onslaught. I used a large pliers and a channelock to grip the two sides but I just can't pull them apart:

With fairly recent cervical fusion its literally a pain in the neck to look up at these angles Any suggestions on how to get this bugger apart?

 

[85Hokie]

Cannot really see the connector that well from that angle - but by chance is there a "clip" that needs to be pried back to release the two halves? Or is there a clip on the male side that needs to be pressed in?

 

[ctfjr]

that's the first thing I thought 85Hokie. I felt around it and couldn't detect anything that might be a keeper of some sort.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

the 'keeper' might be internal...
try putting a thin,wide screwdriver blade between the two housings, 1st one wide side then the other. If there's a 'locking clip', the screwdriver will release it, then you can gently pull them apart.
it's one of those AFTER you've seen HOW it works, it'll be silly simple to do NEXT time.....

 

[GeoHorn]

how many people does it take to change a headlight in a L3800???
Apparently Four!! (According to the labor they charge at the dealer to do it.)

 

[Fordtech86]

that's the first thing I thought 85Hokie. I felt around it and couldn't detect anything that might be a keeper of some sort.

Like jay said, small screwdriver

right there

its a solid tab on the white part of connector

Sorry second pic not that clear, was dark when I got home.
Granted I deal with this stuff everyday, but it was pretty easy to pop hood (push it all the way by hand as far as the shock lets it go) and look thru the mesh part of the hood to look at the connector. Hope this helps!

 

[sheepfarmer]

Like jay said, small screwdriver

View attachment 50890
right there

its a solid tab on the white part of connector

View attachment 50891
Sorry second pic not that clear, was dark when I got home.
Granted I deal with this stuff everyday, but it was pretty easy to pop hood (push it all the way by hand as far as the shock lets it go) and look thru the mesh part of the hood to look at the connector. Hope this helps!

So you put a little screwdriver in that slot and push? I sometimes think someone must stay up late thinking of these fasteners. I am always getting stuck wondering if something needs finesse or brute force. Thanks for posting pics, will help many of us.

 

[Fordtech86]

So you put a little screwdriver in that slot and push? I sometimes think someone must stay up late thinking of these fasteners. I am always getting stuck wondering if something needs finesse or brute force. Thanks for posting pics, will help many of us.

Sorry, I should have explained it better. Put the tip of the screwdriver here

Then slightly twist it enough to lift the shell of the black connector.

 

[sheepfarmer]

Sorry, I should have explained it better. Put the tip of the screwdriver here

View attachment 50902
Then slightly twist it enough to lift the shell of the black connector.

Thank you!

 

[D2Cat]

Now wait a minute, if you put a screwdriver in there and push, how is the connection ever going to come apart??

 

[ctfjr]

Thank You!
I have a couple of zoom business meetings this am then its back out there to try this

 

[BigG]

Now wait a minute, if you put a screwdriver in there and push, how is the connection ever going to come apart??

There is just a small tab sticking out. As you push them together when it is assembled, the tab clicks into place. So to pull them apart you must push the tab out of the locked position and the two pieces can come apart.

 

[D2Cat]

Oh, so you pull them apart?

 

[ctfjr]

There is just a small tab sticking out. As you push them together when it is assembled, the tab clicks into place. So to pull them apart you must push the tab out of the locked position and the two pieces can come apart.

Exactly correct! BigG you get the prize!
The white half of the connector has a nub sticking up in the middle of one long side. The black half has a corresponding slot in its side. When you push them together the nub is compressed until it reaches that slot. It then extends up forming a catch. It just need to be push in while you pull the halves apart.
It's not so easy for me with limited range of motion in my neck now but I released the cable fasteners for the two headlights that allowed the whole cable to drop down where it was a whole lot easier to see
The next part of this mini project is to replace the cracked headlight assembly. One of the 3 10mm bolts is completely out of sight. I tried working with a 10mm open end by feel - pretty frustrating. I'm going to remove the side / front grill to see if that helps access.

Baby steps

 

[ctfjr]

And the lesson I took away from changing one headlight assembly and replacing both bulbs with LEDS? I'm never going to do it again.

In the end I ground off the nubs on the connectors. I'll take a chance they never come apart. Working at those bizzare angle also convinced me if I'm forced to do something similar in the future then I'll remove the whole hood first.

 

[WFM]

So if you got it apart. What does it take for bulbs ? H11 or ?
I recently changed my F150 bulbs to SeaLight LED bulbs. Bright white light. I love them. LED's have come a long long way in the last few years.

 

[ctfjr]

So if you got it apart. What does it take for bulbs ? H11 or ?
I recently changed my F150 bulbs to SeaLight LED bulbs. Bright white light. I love them. LED's have come a long long way in the last few years.

I picked up the pair on ebay:
see below

They sure look brighter than the original bulbs and the added benefit of drawing < 1/3 the power (7w vs 25w). I don't know if it was because my bulbs were old or what but they had a puny yellow cast. These are bright white.

 

[old and tired]

2 Super Bright LED light bulbs for Kubota L3901H L4600 L4701 tractor TC422-30050 | eBay

They fit into your Kubota headlight wiring harness sockets. These lights fit the following models: L2600, L2800, L2900, L3000, L3010, L3130, L3300, L3400, L3410, L3430, L3600, L3700, L3710, L3830, L3901H, L4200, L4300, L4300, L4310, L4330, L4400, L4610, L4630, L5030, MX5000; Does NOT fit...

www.ebay.com

 

[ctfjr]

2 Super Bright LED light bulbs for Kubota L3901H L4600 L4701 tractor TC422-30050 | eBay

They fit into your Kubota headlight wiring harness sockets. These lights fit the following models: L2600, L2800, L2900, L3000, L3010, L3130, L3300, L3400, L3410, L3430, L3600, L3700, L3710, L3830, L3901H, L4200, L4300, L4300, L4310, L4330, L4400, L4610, L4630, L5030, MX5000; Does NOT fit...

www.ebay.com

Better link, unless you want to give us your username and password

Thanks!

 

[WFM]

Thats Cool and just what I wanted.
Thanks