headlight bulb switch H6M to H4

[Kennoy]

I have a 2008 WR450. Among the BIG list of mods I did, one was the stator mod and wanted a brighter light than the 35w bulb that comes stock on the bike. Didn't want to go HID. Selection of H6M bulbs other than 35W doesn't really exist at a normal price. So, I started looking at how to modify the housing to fit a bulb with more wattage options. I went with a 55w/60w H4 because it works best due to the diameter of the metal part of the bulb with the flange removed. Start by using some tin snips and cut a couple places. Then take some pliers and carefully bend and remove the flange. (It's only held on in a couple spots) It comes off quite easy. Then take the metal ring out of the headlight housing and file, dremel or in my case use a mini lathe and make the hole a little bigger just over 22mm so the H4 bulb slides in kinda snug. Now just switch the H6M connector on the wire harness and put a H4 connector and your done.

 

Low beam is perfect, High beam is ok

[Kennoy]

BTW, the H6M bulb will still go back in if for whatever reason you want to switch back. 

[coreshot]

Cool mod. Im curious if you are going to run into issues with the extra heat. If not, a nice simple mod.

[Kennoy]

Cool mod. Im curious if you are going to run into issues with the extra heat. If not, a nice simple mod.

I does get a little warmer but not much. On my work bench, I hooked a power supply up with the stock 35w/35w bulb and let it sit for an hour..It was warm but not hot. Then installed the H4 55w/60w. It was only slightly warmer. I didn't want HID because I ride on the street as well and didn't want to blind people. When I ride Baja, sometimes I ride at night and wanted something brighter than 35w.

[SteveThe Snakes]

Cool mod. Im curious if you are going to run into issues with the extra heat. If not, a nice simple mod.

 

I put a H-4 into my stock housing on my WR 450 street bike. Over 10,000 miles no issues with heat damage.

[SteveThe Snakes]

I have a 2008 WR450. Among the BIG list of mods I did, one was the stator mod and wanted a brighter light than the 35w bulb that comes stock on the bike. Didn't want to go HID. Selection of H6M bulbs other than 35W doesn't really exist at a normal price. So, I started looking at how to modify the housing to fit a bulb with more wattage options. I went with a 55w/60w H4 because it works best due to the diameter of the metal part of the bulb with the flange removed. Start by using some tin snips and cut a couple places. Then take some pliers and carefully bend and remove the flange. (It's only held on in a couple spots) It comes off quite easy. Then take the metal ring out of the headlight housing and file, dremel or in my case use a mini lathe and make the hole a little bigger just over 22mm so the H4 bulb slides in kinda snug. Now just switch the H6M connector on the wire harness and put a H4 connector and your done.

 

Low beam is perfect, High beam is ok

 

By the way I like the way you did it by using the original bracket and removing the flange from the 55-60w bulb. I hacked mine a bit more to fit the bulb in the headlight housing.

 

Does anyone know if a 55-60w bulb would work well with a stock stator. Sometimes larger watt bulbs are dimmer if you don't have the power.

[scott525]

I put an H4 in my 12',I wish it was brighter.

I use my for the street though.

[Kennoy]

By the way I like the way you did it by using the original bracket and removing the flange from the 55-60w bulb. I hacked mine a bit more to fit the bulb in the headlight housing.

 

Does anyone know if a 55-60w bulb would work well with a stock stator. Sometimes larger watt bulbs are dimmer if you don't have the power.

Not sure how the stock stator would do on a 55w bulb. My guess is that it won't be as bright. I did the stator mod as well as a TON of other mods and 55w bulb works perfect. Much brighter

[William1]

Stock stator does not have enough wattage to run a 55W bulb. You need to float the ground and run the light on DC

[Kennoy]

I put an H4 in my 12',I wish it was brighter.

I use my for the street though.

I thought the 2012 came stock with an H4 35w/35w bulb??

[scott525]

I thought the 2012 came stock with an H4 35w/35w bulb??

They do. I put a 55w in it and it still sucks. Well with my eyes its not bright enough. I even got the one that was "50% brighter than standard".

[vlxjim]

Do any of you guys know the part numbers for the US stator and the non US stator. The non US bikes come with hi and low beam as well as turn signals. If the stators are the same we may have more unused power available.

[vlxjim]

I was able to confirm that the US and non-US (EU) stator are the same part #. So I would think that there might be a little extra power  available to run a higher wattage bulb.

[scott525]

I was able to confirm that the US and non-US (EU) stator are the same part #. So I would think that there might be a little extra power  available to run a higher wattage bulb.

Is there something more than the 55w? What else is everyone else running for the street. 

Turning hard sucks,I cant see 20 ft out.

[jim-in-so-ore]

A few years back I contacted Dale @ www.trickdualsport.com with the question, " How can I get more light from my dualsport kit.  He told me to get bulb # 6062 which is a 12 volt 60/60watt bulb. Works great. Of course, with the trickdualsport kit you don't have to float the ground or any of that monkey motion. Then again my bike is a 2003 wr 450 and the headlight bulb may be totally differant on the newer models.      I just checked the fit on my stock headlight vs the one in the trick kit, differant bulb. Looks like your bulb modification would need to be done to use the 60/60 watt bulb.

[jamesm113]

Stock stator does not have enough wattage to run a 55W bulb. You need to float the ground and run the light on DC

I know this is an old thread, but according to Baja Designs, all WR450f's from 2003 to 2011 put out 100 W AC.  And the 03-06 WR's have an H4 bulb stock.

[William1]

I know this is an old thread, but according to Baja Designs, all WR450f's from 2003 to 2011 put out 100 W AC.  And the 03-06 WR's have an H4 bulb stock.

That is TOTAL watts, both sides of the stator combined. Hence floating the ground, combining the two sides and getting appx 110 watts.

 

IIRC, one side makes 60 peak watts (DC after Reg/Rect) and the other, 50 peak watts (AC after reg only) for the 35 watt H6M bulb.

 

A too high a wattage bulb on the bike will either be dimmer than it should or possibly cause premature stator failure due to over loading (excessive resistance).

 

Edit: I looked, at a 2004 for example and your are correct, H455/60Watt. Different headlight, glass lens and aim-able. Seems not all WR's were equal. So.... without reading shop manuals and checking every years, I'd say 'Go by your owners manual and what is on your bike stock'.

[jamesm113]

That is TOTAL watts, both sides of the stator combined. Hence floating the ground, combining the two sides and getting appx 110 watts.

 

IIRC, one side makes 60 peak watts (DC after Reg/Rect) and the other, 50 peak watts (AC after reg only) for the 35 watt H6M bulb.

 

A too high a wattage bulb on the bike will either be dimmer than it should or possibly cause premature stator failure due to over loading (excessive resistance).

 

Edit: I looked, at a 2004 for example and your are correct, H455/60Watt. Different headlight, glass lens and aim-able. Seems not all WR's were equal. So.... without reading shop manuals and checking every years, I'd say 'Go by your owners manual and what is on your bike stock'.

I agree that you don't want to overload your stator.

 

However, I'm thinking that all WR's between 2003 and 2011 have the same stator output, and 03-06 WR's had a 55/60W H4 bulb, and the 07-11 WR's had the dinky 35W H6m bulb.

 

Here's the direct link: https://www.bajadesigns.com/tech-info/Stator-Reference-Chart.asp

 

Baja designs lists the stock output as 100W AC / 20 W DC for 03-11 WR's (ie, no floated ground).  Floating the ground would combine the 20W output (that is later converted to DC by the rectifier) with the 100W AC lighting output for a 120 watt output. If baja designs did a rewind, the output is listed as 130 W.

 

Looking at the service manual on an 07, the stator output is listed at 14V/120W @ 5,000RPM, which is consistent with Baja Designs figures. 

 

Looking at the service manual on an 06, the stator output is the same 14V/120W @ 5,000RPM.

 

I guess the only question is what else besides the headlight uses the 100W AC output? Maybe the ignition circuit?

 

The taillight, battery, and starter all use DC.

[William1]

I agree that you don't want to overload your stator.

 

However, I'm thinking that all WR's between 2003 and 2011 have the same stator output, and 03-06 WR's had a 55/60W H4 bulb, and the 07-11 WR's had the dinky 35W H6m bulb.

 

Here's the direct link: https://www.bajadesigns.com/tech-info/Stator-Reference-Chart.asp

 

Baja designs lists the stock output as 100W AC / 20 W DC for 03-11 WR's (ie, no floated ground).  Floating the ground would combine the 20W output (that is later converted to DC by the rectifier) with the 100W AC lighting output for a 120 watt output. If baja designs did a rewind, the output is listed as 130 W.

 

Looking at the service manual on an 07, the stator output is listed at 14V/120W @ 5,000RPM, which is consistent with Baja Designs figures. 

 

Looking at the service manual on an 06, the stator output is the same 14V/120W @ 5,000RPM.

 

I guess the only question is what else besides the headlight uses the 100W AC output? Maybe the ignition circuit?

 

The taillight, battery, and starter all use DC.

Good data compilation!

I imagine AC at idle is probably 55 watts

CDI on WR's is DC AFAIK, But I've been wrong almost as often as I've been right! My 08 is a DC CDI and the headlight was the little H6M, so 'a floating' I went.

Some ignition systems use a coil of the stator to charge the capacitors in the CDI as it is a sine wave and peaks at the ignition timing point. Some crude engines use that peak instead of a pulse coil.

[jamesm113]

I did this mod.  I'd say overall, it's worthwhile and a definite upgrade over the H6M bulb.  Took about 20 minutes with a dremel and tin snips.  Here's some before and after pics.  I ended up getting the cyclops 3600 lumen LED anyway.  I've added that picture as well.

 

H6M:

H4:

Cyclops 3600 Lumen LED:

 

 

Edited March 21, 2017 by jamesm113