I have to replace the bearings on my headlight cover. They are so wornout the cover bounces all over the place. will the entire assembly come out if I remove the front grills or do I have to split the assembly? Does it come out the front or the engine compartment side?
Thanks
Gary

 

Avoid this like the plague. Try making sure your lock stop bars are fully touching when lights are up. After changing my bearings, that simple adjustment solved the problem. If you do it get them out anyway you can, but be prepared, you may scratch your paint in the process.

 

I think it's much easier with the radiator out and hood off.

It would be a good "winter project".
:seeya

 

I have the rad out,hood off and engine out still looks tight to get the whole thing out.
gary

 

I just took mine out. I removed the hood, rad and the support bracket that goes from the nose to the frame. Unbolt all the bolts from underneeth the light (there is a bracket that hold the whole light fixture in), pull down into the vette, shift over to the middle and pull out. You need to do a little wiggling but it comes out.

 

Gary,
The above post is correct in getting the whole lot out. I took mine out last winter as both were shaking about. One was because the stops were badly adjusted & the other light had a broken frame! After fitting a new frame it still jiggled about. Not wanting all the work of removing the whole lot again, I replaced the bearings with the frame in situ. Remove the cover bezel & then disconnect the actuator arm from the lights (3/4" bolt?). It's a while ago but I think I also had to remove the lights. With the actuator arm removed you then need to undo the three 1/2"AF bolts holding the bearing assembly to the frame. You only need to remove one to get the light unit out but take them both off if you're changing them. The light door etc should then come out from the top. It will need care & a bit of wiggling but takes a lot less time than removing the whole lot from underneath. I did mine with rad/hood etc all in place - it wasn't till I got to drive it that I found it was still jiggling about due to worn bearings (caused by the broken frame). Hope I haven't forgotten anything, but there should be a post in the archives from earlier this year detailing it all.
If you're careful with the door then your paintwork will be safe but WATCH THAT ACTUATOR ARM!!! If you move it down to get better access then it will be under tension due to the springs & will fly up & bash the fender if touched (this is why I never take pics of the front of mine :( ). Disconnecting the springs from the arm will make things easier.
The lights are basically a frame bolted to the fender which has a bearing bolted to each side (3 bolts on each). The door swivels on a spindle in the bearings & the lights hang from the door. An actuator arm opens/closes the door & is operated by the thingy bolted to the rear of the frame. It's quite a simple but efficient setup & once you've had a good look at all, all will become clear. I hope!
:cheers:

 

Thanks guys,
I have to go back and look it over. I'm going to replace the rad support so that has to come out anyway. I have the 5 bolts out and the complete frame sitting in the car. It either hits the bumper or the rad support at this point. I have to go through the buckets and change the springs-the ones that are still there! and the bearing/bushings.
Gary