How Do you Shim the Stanley HID?

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bullettproof

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How do you take the Stanley apart and Shim the bulb to where you get a fine hot spot??? Has someone made a pic tutorial so that we all can see what to do?? I would hate to mess it up.

Thanks:twothumbs
 
Here is a general overview with before and after pics:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=2880472&postcount=99

There isn't much you can hurt. Just don't severely bend or break electrode wire and if your fingers touch the bulb wipe it down with a lint free swab and alcohol before firing up the lamp again. I say "lint free" because some lint will cook itself to the bulb if left behind, which you'll have to scrap off with a razor blade. Don't ask me how I know about that one. :rolleyes:
 
The thing I would be most careful about is stripping the heads of the screws. They don't seem to be very hard, and it is fairly easy to foul up the heads after only a few times. I have opened mine up only twice, and already they are slightly damaged, even though I was as careful as I could be.
Does anyone know if these are standard screws that can be replaced? If so, what size are they?
 
I'm not positive but they appear to be a standard size. Ace Hardware would almost surely have a higher quality replacement and they're probably available in stainless if someone wanted to upgrade them. The Ace store near my house has every kind of goofy screw type and material that I've ever needed, right down to the "magnifying glass" size.
 
I might have to bring a few to the hardware store then. I really would prefer better screws so I don't have to worry about them stripping.
Does anyone have standard size titanium screws? :devil:
 
Mjolnir said:
Does anyone have standard size titanium screws? :devil:
Click to expand...


Not locally, you'll have to order them online from specialty companies and you'll have to know the exact size. It's further complicated when you're looking for standard size since that selection is smaller than the metric sizes. About a year and a half ago I outfitted my entire mountain bike with Ti bolts & screws and I had to be very meticulous. Of course you only need one size but to be honest they're not really going to provide a huge difference in resisting deformation than cheaper, more available SS screws. They only have to bite into plastic so they aren't under any great stress or anything...lol.
 
Patriot said:
Not locally, you'll have to order them online from specialty companies and you'll have to know the exact size. It's further complicated when you're looking for standard size since that selection is smaller than the metric sizes. About a year and a half ago I outfitted my entire mountain bike with Ti bolts & screws and I had to be very meticulous. Of course you only need one size but to be honest they're not really going to provide a huge difference in resisting deformation than cheaper, more available SS screws. They only have to bite into plastic so they aren't under any great stress or anything...lol.
Click to expand...
Who said that they have to be practical?
Now you ruined my dream:mecry:...
 
I did the same thing with my SEVEN Cycles Sola Ti mtn bike a few years back. Replaced all the steel screws and left the aluminum ones. to gain that elusive 80 gram weight reduction! It was more for fun than anything else. Ordered from a great metric Ti site but can't remember who it was.
 
Just got this guy as my first HID. Are the screws that I have to take off on the sides? How many of them are there? I know it might be obvious to some, but I don't want to foul things up. Thanks.
 
There are 4 phillips head screws on the right side of the light (right side from the back of the light) including one on the grip, as well as 4 hex screws; 2 on each side (they are much larger than the phillips head screws). There is also another phillips screw on the left side of the grip, and two larger phillips screws on the back of the light, near the mode selector.
Also, there is a "hidden screw" underneath the rubber sleeve that goes over the head, so you will have to take that off first, then take out the screw (I believe there is only one, but I haven't opened it up in a while).

Be careful that you don't strip the screws; they don't have particularly hard heads.
 
Thanks Mjolnir. I got it open last night. After you get the clip off to release the bulb, should you bend it in order to ease the bulb and seat it further out from the reflector? I'm not sure how that clip would go back on with material between the base of the bulb and the reflector. This is my first HID so sorry if these questions seem basic. Thanks.
 
Given that it's a spring clip the extra tension should be inconsequential, especially when we're just talking about a single washer less than 2mm in thickness. It shouldn't present any problems for you. :)
 
My shim ended up being .070" or something like that. Even with that, I did not have to bend the clip. As Paul said, it just adds more tension. You need to play around with the thickness a few times to get it right. I think most found it too less than mine.
 
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