Embarrassingly idiotic Cateye headlight mounting bracket question

Mark Shroyer said:

I while ago I put a mounting bracket for a Cateye HL-EL500 (530?)
headlamp on my bike's handlebars, and now I want to take it off --
but my preference not to destroy it in the process turns out to be a
bit of a catch. I can't find the thing's manual anywhere (not even
on Google -- not with the same mounting bracket as mine came with,
anyway), nor can I remember precisely how I installed it in the
first place...

Here's a picture: http://markshroyer.com/files/cateye.jpg

The strap you see extending backwards from the bracket is toothed on
its underside; the notched ring that it passes through is internally
threaded, and you're supposed to tighten or loosen the strap by
turning the ring one way or the other. However, when I try to turn
the ring, the disc in the center *really* wants to rotate with it:
which it cannot, because the strap itself passes through the space
between a flat side on the disc and the threaded ring.

So ostensibly, after I tightened the ring I may have locked it
somehow (by snapping in the disc, maybe?). But the ring, again,
won't budge, and it seems that prying the disc / faceplate (to be
clear, I mean the semi-circular part with the Cateye logo on it) out
with a screwdriver seems to be a no-go (but I might not be trying
hard enough). Or are the cheap plastic parts simply stuck together?
There's a screw on top which fastens the headlamp mounting part to
the rest of the bracket, but it doesn't have anything to do with
this. There's nothing particularly interesting on the underside of
the assembly.

I see two options here:

1. The disc is supposed to rotate freely within the ring, but has
gotten gummed up. I should force the ring to rotate until it
frees up.

2. The disc snaps into the ring to lock its adjustment. I should
pry the disc out with a screwdriver.

Of course, if I tried either of these and happened to guess wrong,
I'd likely break the darn thing before I realized my mistake. So
does anyone here know how this is supposed to work?

Thanks,
Mark

P.S.: Let me spare everyone the temptation to make a very bad pun by
pointing out myself that, yes, there *is* in fact a pair of cat eyes
in this photo of my Cateye mounting bracket. Har har -- now get
over it 😉

I couldn't find the manual for your light but other lights use the same
bracket.
http://www.cateye.com/sites/cateye/upload/manuals/en/

EL-830 uses the same bracket (manual) -
http://www.cateye.com/sites/cateye/upload/manuals/en/EL830RCtripleshotpro.pdf

HL-EL500 page (note that the link to the manual is dead) -
http://www.cateye.com/en/product_detail/261

The bracket itself is sold separately at a decent price, though I didn't
check the shipping charge. I've bought a bracket from Cateye and I don't
remember their shipping charge being out of line, though it's probably
more than the price of the bracket itself.

H34 Bracket #533-8827
http://www.cateye.com/store/parts.php?cid=2_98
$5.00 (USD)

From the manual -

...................................................
Installing Bracket

Attach the bracket to the handlebar.

1.Wrap the bracket strap around the handlebar, and put it in the dial.

2.Securely tighten the strap by turning the dial.

CAUTION!:

* Make sure to tighten the dial by hand. If you tighten it too hard with
a tool, the screw threads may be stripped.

* When the angle adjustment on the right and left sides is loose,
tighten the screw.

3.Cut off the excess bracket strap extending from the dial.

CAUTION!: Round off the cut edge of the bracket strap to prevent injury.

...................................................
How to Adjust Beam Angle

Adjust the beam angle to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic by slightly
loosening the dial of the bracket.

NOTE:

* Do not loosen the dial too much, or the bracket strap may come off.
Loosen the dial just enough to allow the bracket to move slightly.
Securely tighten the dial after adjusting the strap.

* It can also be adjusted 10 degrees to the left and right.
...................................................

Forgot to mention.. since the only described problem with over
tightening is stripping the threads, which would mean that the knob
would turn without effect rather than not turn, it would seem that you
should try turning the knob to loosen it. If it breaks then you'll have
to buy a new one. At least it's available. I'd try a spray or dab of
light penetrating oil on it first on the chance the oil might penetrate
and counter any fine grit that has gotten in.

yeah use silicone lube or teflon with wax from Finish Line

when fooling with cateye remember the cateye people are smarter than
you are

Mark Shroyer said:

I while ago I put a mounting bracket for a Cateye HL-EL500 (530?)
headlamp on my bike's handlebars, and now I want to take it off --
but my preference not to destroy it in the process turns out to be a
bit of a catch. I can't find the thing's manual anywhere (not even
on Google -- not with the same mounting bracket as mine came with,
anyway), nor can I remember precisely how I installed it in the
first place...

Here's a picture:http://markshroyer.com/files/cateye.jpg

The strap you see extending backwards from the bracket is toothed on
its underside; the notched ring that it passes through is internally
threaded, and you're supposed to tighten or loosen the strap by
turning the ring one way or the other. However, when I try to turn
the ring, the disc in the center *really* wants to rotate with it:
which it cannot, because the strap itself passes through the space
between a flat side on the disc and the threaded ring.

So ostensibly, after I tightened the ring I may have locked it
somehow (by snapping in the disc, maybe?). But the ring, again,
won't budge, and it seems that prying the disc / faceplate (to be
clear, I mean the semi-circular part with the Cateye logo on it) out
with a screwdriver seems to be a no-go (but I might not be trying
hard enough). Or are the cheap plastic parts simply stuck together?
There's a screw on top which fastens the headlamp mounting part to
the rest of the bracket, but it doesn't have anything to do with
this. There's nothing particularly interesting on the underside of
the assembly.

I see two options here:

1. The disc is supposed to rotate freely within the ring, but has
gotten gummed up. I should force the ring to rotate until it
frees up.

2. The disc snaps into the ring to lock its adjustment. I should
pry the disc out with a screwdriver.

Of course, if I tried either of these and happened to guess wrong,
I'd likely break the darn thing before I realized my mistake. So
does anyone here know how this is supposed to work?

Thanks,
Mark

P.S.: Let me spare everyone the temptation to make a very bad pun by
pointing out myself that, yes, there *is* in fact a pair of cat eyes
in this photo of my Cateye mounting bracket. Har har -- now get
over it 😉

--
Mark Shroyerhttp://markshroyer.com/

I had a similar problem with the same bracket. I think #2 that you
mentioned is correct. I took a pair of pliers to the knob and turned
hard, thinking I was going to break the thing off if I had to. But
the little plastic disk popped out, and it came right off with no
damage to the bracket.

I decided I didn't like the design of this bracket, so I went to
Cateye's web site and ordered the H-34 Flex-Tight bracket for $5.
Shipping via regular mail was only $0.75, and it arrived in about a
week. I'd greatly recommend upgrading to this bracket, as it works
much better.

Mark Shroyer said:

I while ago I put a mounting bracket for a Cateye HL-EL500 (530?)
headlamp on my bike's handlebars, and now I want to take it off --
but my preference not to destroy it in the process turns out to be a
bit of a catch. I can't find the thing's manual anywhere (not even
on Google -- not with the same mounting bracket as mine came with,
anyway), nor can I remember precisely how I installed it in the
first place...

Here's a picture: http://markshroyer.com/files/cateye.jpg

The strap you see extending backwards from the bracket is toothed on
its underside; the notched ring that it passes through is internally
threaded, and you're supposed to tighten or loosen the strap by
turning the ring one way or the other. However, when I try to turn
the ring, the disc in the center *really* wants to rotate with it:
which it cannot, because the strap itself passes through the space
between a flat side on the disc and the threaded ring.

I have two of those, and I've had the same problem with both. One of
them seized up while I was installing it with enough room to slip a
finger between the strap and the bar, so I don't think it's due to
overtightening. Dripping a bit of lube in between the toothed strap
and the ring freed it up.

Same problem, I had to use pliers to get it off.
Didn't seem to damage it though.

MkTm said:

I couldn't find the manual for your light but other lights use the same
bracket.
http://www.cateye.com/sites/cateye/upload/manuals/en/

EL-830 uses the same bracket (manual) -
http://www.cateye.com/sites/cateye/upload/manuals/en/EL830RCtripleshotpro.pdf

HL-EL500 page (note that the link to the manual is dead) -
http://www.cateye.com/en/product_detail/261

The bracket itself is sold separately at a decent price, though I didn't
check the shipping charge. I've bought a bracket from Cateye and I don't
remember their shipping charge being out of line, though it's probably
more than the price of the bracket itself.

H34 Bracket #533-8827
http://www.cateye.com/store/parts.php?cid=2_98
$5.00 (USD)

Thanks! Yeah, according to that manual, that disc isn't supposed to
function as a lock. But strangely, even after applying a little
WD-40 and a lot of elbow grease, the thing wouldn't budge. So I
finally resorted to pulling it off with a screwdriver; turns out it
was possible to do that without cracking the dial ring, after all.

What a pain, though... silly cheap plastic parts.

--
Mark Shroyer
http://markshroyer.com/

Mark Shroyer said:

Here's a picture: http://markshroyer.com/files/cateye.jpg ...

P.S.: Let me spare everyone the temptation to make a very bad pun by
pointing out myself that, yes, there *is* in fact a pair of cat eyes
in this photo of my Cateye mounting bracket. Har har -- now get
over it 😉

Awwwww, kitty is cute and the mounting for her [1] eyes looks fine.

[1] Could be him, but a very narrow face for a male Felis silvestris catus.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"the grinning buddy bear carries a fork." - g.d.