Headlight acuators-Difficult to replace?
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,711
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From: San Antonio TX
Re: Headlight acuators-Difficult to replace? (69er)
On a scale of one through 10, one being the easiest, they're about a 3. Why replacing? They're relatively easy to rebuild with new seals. Don't throw away your old ones.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Fort Mill, SC via NJ
Re: Headlight acuators-Difficult to replace? (gerry72)
Thanks for the reply,Gerry
Mainly for a cleaner look in the area with hood open.
There pretty cruddy and the seals are dry anyway.
Plus I hit the NJ pick 3 number monday.
What better way to spend it?:D
[Modified by 69er, 8:16 AM 9/26/2001]
Mainly for a cleaner look in the area with hood open.
There pretty cruddy and the seals are dry anyway.
Plus I hit the NJ pick 3 number monday.
What better way to spend it?:D
[Modified by 69er, 8:16 AM 9/26/2001]
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 3,280
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From: Virginia Beach Virginia
Re: Headlight acuators-Difficult to replace? (69er)
Replacing the actuators is a relatively easy process but there are a couple of things that you may want to be careful of:
1) After removing the 4 nuts holding the actuator in place, be very careful not to damage/bend the small ridges on your radiator as you push the actuator out of it's bracket.
2) Some people talked about removing their actuators by bringing them out from the bottom; I have never done that and am not sure how they did it. I remove mine through the space between the opened hood. This space it tight, so I suggest taping some cardboard or other material to your hood so that when the fit gets tight, you don't damage the paint on your hood.
I hope this helps a little.
Cheers,
Stephen
:cheers:
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Huntersville NC
Re: Headlight acuators-Difficult to replace? (VolVette)
When working with the hood open, always place a bolt thru the hole in the bracket, locking the hood open. This is especially important when you are working inside the front portion of the hood around the headlights. If the hood drops with your hands in there it would be very unpleasant. MJ
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: North Carolina
Re: Headlight acuators-Difficult to replace? (MNJack)
I took the actuators out from the bottom, and put them in from the top...you may have to take them out and let them fall where they may in the compartment in front of the radiator with the hood closed, then open it, and pull them out slowly. When installing them, put them in the top with the hood open, then close the hood, and reach under to manuever them into there holes and bolt them up. I do not think you could get them into the final resting places with the hood open, the fit is to tight....
Daniel
Daniel
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Fort Mill, SC via NJ
Re: Headlight acuators-Difficult to replace? (Ed T)
Thanks guys.
Ed it looks like another over the winter job for Al at Fonzi's. :mad
But with the repair list comes free safe indoor winter storage. :jester
[Modified by 69er, 8:07 PM 9/26/2001]
Ed it looks like another over the winter job for Al at Fonzi's. :mad
But with the repair list comes free safe indoor winter storage. :jester
[Modified by 69er, 8:07 PM 9/26/2001]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,562
Likes: 1
From: (Temporarily) Colorado Springs Colorado
Re: Headlight acuators-Difficult to replace?
You might want to go to this link and go down to the article 1968 - 1982 Headlight Actuator Seal Repair
http://www.zip-corvette.com/techniclfs.htm
http://www.zip-corvette.com/techniclfs.htm
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Racer
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Atlanta, GA USA
Re: Headlight acuators-Difficult to replace? (69er)
Not too bad to replace. I pulled mine in a 71 and rebuilt them instead of replacing them. When you take springs and parts of the linkage, make sure you keep it all organized together for reinstall. I took my front grill off to make it easier to work in, pulled them out through the top. Mine were pretty nasty looking too but I buffed em on a steel wheel, put new seals in and put back together. Look fine.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: SoCal.
Re: Headlight acuators-Difficult to replace? (69er)
One more piece of advice, Joe. There are some little plastic pieces that act like bushings at the end of the actuator rod. Get some new ones first as the old ones are likely worn after 30 years. It is not that bad of a job, just take your time.
George
George
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From: Fort Mill, SC via NJ
Re: Headlight acuators-Difficult to replace? (999)
Thanks guys.
The jury is out on whether I'm going to do the repair.
She's going in anyway for other stuff.
George I can't find the bushings you're talking about in catalogs.
Would they be in Ecklers parts #A6647 or A6634?
The jury is out on whether I'm going to do the repair.
She's going in anyway for other stuff.
George I can't find the bushings you're talking about in catalogs.
Would they be in Ecklers parts #A6647 or A6634?
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,985
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From: SoCal.
Re: Headlight acuators-Difficult to replace? (69er)
Yes the two parts you list and also A6639 & A6637. See also Dr. Rebuild. He sales them all as a set 2775333. These are all a nylon type of plastic.
George
George
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: North Carolina
Re: Headlight acuators-Difficult to replace? (999)
fixing my headlights has to be the easiest thing I've done! I don't see where all these horror stories come from about the headlights. :crazy: just kidding.
But seriously, the hardest part of rebuilding the vacuum actuators has to be getting the old rubber lines off the top and bottom of the actuator. I bled for weeks cus when that line gave way, my hand always found a bolt with a sharp end...ouch. But once I got the lines off, the rest was a peice of cake. I agree with the 3 on a scale of 1 to 10, one being easiest. maybe a 2.5 if you can keep your nuckles from bleeding :yesnod: . Also, bring them out of the top, even with the AC it is pretty easy. You just need to have the hood closed when you unbolt them and slide them out, then open the hood and pull them out.
Daniel
But seriously, the hardest part of rebuilding the vacuum actuators has to be getting the old rubber lines off the top and bottom of the actuator. I bled for weeks cus when that line gave way, my hand always found a bolt with a sharp end...ouch. But once I got the lines off, the rest was a peice of cake. I agree with the 3 on a scale of 1 to 10, one being easiest. maybe a 2.5 if you can keep your nuckles from bleeding :yesnod: . Also, bring them out of the top, even with the AC it is pretty easy. You just need to have the hood closed when you unbolt them and slide them out, then open the hood and pull them out.
Daniel