C4 headlight
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,644
Likes: 144
From: Connecticut
Go with the plastic gear instead, I was going to go with the brass but other forum members explained to me, it'd be better to have the gear as the weakest link, as it's only a 15 dollar part on ebay 
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,953
Likes: 550
From: Mission Viejo CA
Your plastic gears lasted 30 +/- years. Why do you want brass? Do you really have a gear problem? What bump stops?
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 108
From: Ohio
welcome aboard- I just bought my 1985 this past August and had to replace my gears as well - I used the plastic gears from Zip if I remember correctly, cleaned everything added a little grease and was good to go
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,537
Likes: 177
From: NE Ohio
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,431
Likes: 3,284
From: Hartford WI
I like brass myself. Plastic grows old and can crack. Who knows how long they will make the part? Everyone talks of the weak link but I'm not sold on that. I have seen posts of the cracked pucks or bump stops or whatever you call them but hardly hear of the gears breaking after service as a "weak link".
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,537
Likes: 177
From: NE Ohio
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
What year? http://www.corvetteamerica.com/cf/di...3A%20headlight
I like brass myself. Plastic grows old and can crack. Who knows how long they will make the part? Everyone talks of the weak link but I'm not sold on that. I have seen posts of the cracked pucks or bump stops or whatever you call them but hardly hear of the gears breaking after service as a "weak link".
I like brass myself. Plastic grows old and can crack. Who knows how long they will make the part? Everyone talks of the weak link but I'm not sold on that. I have seen posts of the cracked pucks or bump stops or whatever you call them but hardly hear of the gears breaking after service as a "weak link".
Let me be your 1st. Headlight quit opening and I purchased new pellets and took unit apart. At first glance pellets still looked new (8 years old). Then I saw the gear cracked. All is well again.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,431
Likes: 3,284
From: Hartford WI
The gear is plastic and old. Cracking is probably going to happen sooner or later. Mine had spider cracks. Did the steel worm gear ever mash the plastic gears?
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,537
Likes: 177
From: NE Ohio
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
The 1st ones lasted 22 years and the plastic gear was still good. I did change it and the non-existing pellets. The second one the gear just cracked on its own. The material it was made of was defective I guess. It had one crack from the teeth to the center which let the gear expand. Just a freak thing. (I hope)
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,431
Likes: 3,284
From: Hartford WI
The 1st ones lasted 22 years and the plastic gear was still good. I did change it and the non-existing pellets. The second one the gear just cracked on its own. The material it was made of was defective I guess. It had one crack from the teeth to the center which let the gear expand. Just a freak thing. (I hope)
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 16,475
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From: Kingman AZ
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During his C4 classes Gordon Killebrew recommends switching from glass headlights to plastic ones. He passed both around the class and you could really tell the difference in weight. It makes sense to use them as they will cause less strain and wear on all the headlight motors, gears and buttons.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,431
Likes: 3,284
From: Hartford WI
During his C4 classes Gordon Killebrew recommends switching from glass headlights to plastic ones. He passed both around the class and you could really tell the difference in weight.
It makes sense to use them as they will cause less strain and wear on all the headlight motors, gears and buttons.
It makes sense to use them as they will cause less strain and wear on all the headlight motors, gears and buttons.
From that standpoint, I would agree however, the question is how much more stress will the metal gear cause vs plastic? Is it significant in that it pushes the envelope of the motor? Also, as I asked before, how long do you think that they will keep making the gear? We have a vehicle that is over 20 years old and the aftermarket will not always be there. When the plastic gear has issues, I'd much rather not have to hear "NLA" and have to search ebay for a salvage unit.
With all due respect to GK, while I agree that plastic is better for the motor (not sure how much better), I have to ask if he thought of the availability of the item in the future.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,537
Likes: 177
From: NE Ohio
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Fair enough. A possible sacrifice. My issue is that I wasn't sure if it would be manufactured for much longer. Also this is not what I usually hear which is the pucks disintegrate. I replaced mine with brass and kept the plastic ones for spares. Happens to be I looked at it and found some hairline spider web cracking on the plastic
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,431
Likes: 3,284
From: Hartford WI
It was a good move to replace them when I was there. I didn't notice it at the time till much later when I checked carefully and with a bright light behind, I saw some hairline cracks in the gears. Just a cursory look and you probably could miss it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,478
Likes: 254
From: Downers Grove Illinois
During his C4 classes Gordon Killebrew recommends switching from glass headlights to plastic ones. He passed both around the class and you could really tell the difference in weight. It makes sense to use them as they will cause less strain and wear on all the headlight motors, gears and buttons.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,431
Likes: 3,284
From: Hartford WI
Time to switch to LED. What does anyone think of the weight of http://www.ebay.com/itm/162081918608?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT or http://www.ebay.com/itm/252631632700?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT? Probably be lighter.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,537
Likes: 177
From: NE Ohio
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 761
Likes: 66
From: Fitzwilliam New Hampshire
So that's what happens when they stop making them?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,431
Likes: 3,284
From: Hartford WI
I suspect the company went out of business. Great product while it lasted. He was cool about it a few years back when I had issues. Took it back and redid the connectors and the left was and still is good. I need the right side taken care of but if his site is down, IDK how to reach him. Hence I need to find a replacement. It seems that playing perdiddle in WI gets me a "fixit" ticket.