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whenever I turn off my lights whether on park or headlight position it will make a clicking sound for a few seconds afterwards. I assume this is the gear slipping in the motor, but the lights always open and close just fine. I would like to know if I should do something about it now or just wait until they quit functioning properly? 1992 Coupe
Fix it now. You need 3 bushings for each headlight motor. They will cost about $6.00 and take you less than 2 hours to install.
There are many threads on this topic which show how to do the replacement.
I'd get a set of bronze gears and the dowels so you do it all at once instead of doing it again. The plastic gears are old so might be brittle or cracked like mine were. Better have the stuff on hand instead of having to wait another couple of weeks for the gears to come in.
Look on youtube for the how to fix. I don't agree with the metal gears mine just needed the pucks if you replace the gears I would stick with the nylon. It is better to leave it the weak link with the pucks than to tear up the worm gear and the motor. But just my opinion.
whenever I turn off my lights whether on park or headlight position it will make a clicking sound for a few seconds afterwards. I assume this is the gear slipping in the motor, but the lights always open and close just fine. I would like to know if I should do something about it now or just wait until they quit functioning properly? 1992 Coupe
Just replace the bushings that some people call pucks. A little tedious but very doable. I agree that you do not need to replace the plastic gears. 99% of the time it's the bushings that fail. The gears seldom fail. Learned my lesson big time on fixing things that weren't broken.
Just replace the bushings that some people call pucks. A little tedious but very doable. I agree that you do not need to replace the plastic gears. 99% of the time it's the bushings that fail. The gears seldom fail. Learned my lesson big time on fixing things that weren't broken.
I replaced mine anyways and a bit later, I noticed that there was a very faint crack.
I'd get a set of bronze gears and the dowels so you do it all at once instead of doing it again. The plastic gears are old so might be brittle or cracked like mine were. Better have the stuff on hand instead of having to wait another couple of weeks for the gears to come in.
I have been told to avoid the bronze gears and stay with the plastic, even if replacing with new. The reasoning is that the plastic gear will fail before the metal worm drive on the motor, with is a much more expensive repair. Seemed to make sense. (This is more of a question than a rebuttal, by the way...)
Sorry, just went back and re-read this thread and realized the Antfarmer had basically made the same point. I have seen and heard both sides, though, and am curious if there is any substance to the reasoning that metal gears cause the worm gear to fail? I am looking at this same issue with my '95 coupe and don't want to leave a potential problem, but don't want to create one either!
I have been told to avoid the bronze gears and stay with the plastic, even if replacing with new. The reasoning is that the plastic gear will fail before the metal worm drive on the motor, with is a much more expensive repair. Seemed to make sense. (This is more of a question than a rebuttal, by the way...)
Sorry, just went back and re-read this thread and realized the Antfarmer had basically made the same point. I have seen and heard both sides, though, and am curious if there is any substance to the reasoning that metal gears cause the worm gear to fail? I am looking at this same issue with my '95 coupe and don't want to leave a potential problem, but don't want to create one either!
Most of the time it is just the pucks they are designed to sacrifice then the gear. Why would you want to even take the chance of tearing up your motor? It has proven itself to work as designed.
Most of the time it is just the pucks they are designed to sacrifice then the gear. Why would you want to even take the chance of tearing up your motor? It has proven itself to work as designed.
I am ordering bushings today. I will replace one side and see what everything else looks like in there before I proceed with the other side. I really appreciate all the replies, it is great to see such a helpful site.
I am ordering bushings today. I will replace one side and see what everything else looks like in there before I proceed with the other side. I really appreciate all the replies, it is great to see such a helpful site.
Some local parts stores have them in the help section they are used in ford window regs too. if you can get a new gasket.
Last edited by antfarmer2; Apr 7, 2016 at 09:50 AM.
Subscribing to this thread. Owned my 96 for 4 years, and my headlights have worked perfectly....up until last week. Now my passenger headlight has failed (motor keeps spinning for a few seconds after turning off the lights). I haven't opened it up yet to determine whether it's the bushings or the gear.
I've been reading through this thread and others about what exactly to replace: just the gears; just the bushings; both; bronze gears VS nylon gears. Seems that there is a divide on which type of gears to use (if it's the gears that failed, since they supposedly rarely fail). Some say "go with bronze since bronze is much stronger and will last longer," while others say "stay away from bronze since they're heavier and will end up destroying the worm gears and add more stress to the motor."
I'm torn on the bronze VS nylon gear debate. Can anyone provide some good feedback/experience with both?
Also, has anyone seen or used BRONZE bushings? If it's the bushing that fail so easily, why not upgrade those from nylon to bronze? Just an idea here, can anyone confirm if this is a good or bad idea?
Sure, I supposed if you look over the gears CAREFULLY then look again and look yet again, you can reuse them. I didn't but found out that one of them was cracked. Very faint but present crack. After all these years, the plastic gets old. I don't want to open it up, fix it and go back again and at this point, the part might no longer be available.
I went with bronze myself. How much more strain this puts on the motor is a question for an engineer.
Mine's an 87. These bushing/pucks all seem to be for the 88 and up headlights. Mine still work but wouldn't mind having things on hand when the headlights do go bad but can't seem to find any headlight kit for the Vettes before 88. Was there that much of a difference and what parts would I need for mine that usually go bad?
What I found was two large and two small gears and no bushings/pucks in a kit for around $75. Is that all I need for mine?
headlight gear ?
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