How do I fix (replace) headlight gears?
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Burning Brakes
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From: Corpus Christi TX
St. Jude Donor '05
How do I fix (replace) headlight gears?
My drivers-side headlight gets hung up sometimes when I turn them on (motor keeps running with a clunking sound). I know that there are replacement gears available but I don't know how to do the job. Is there a place online with pics of this procedure? I am looking to do the upgrade from the "hard gel" to the gear system.
If I buy the replacement gears, do they come with instructions?
If I buy the replacement gears, do they come with instructions?
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Re: How do I fix (replace) headlight gears? (glerma)
Email me at corvetteronw@hotmail.com. If you give me your mailing address I will copy some articles and send them to you. 
Melting Slicks
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From: Cartersville GA
Re: How do I fix (glerma)
The procedure would be the same as this:
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2002...hts/light1.ASP
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2002...hts/light1.ASP
Racer
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St. Jude Donor '05
Re: How do I fix (replace) headlight gears? (glerma)
glerma,
I just fixed mine today, having recieved the bushings in the mail yesterday. The link is to an Ekler's part number page that describes the repair kit. Its a $5 set of Delrin bushings, and they come with a very good step by step procedure. My headlamp works like new now
Seems the problem is that the original bushings tend to disintegrate. The replacement bushings are made of a high quality engineering polymer. Look for a whiteish powdery residue around the headlamp motor. When I took mine apart, all that was left of the bushings was a bunch of powder. You most likely will not need a gear.
#29304 http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...WCS3GXV44H0KAE
My appologies to the other posters, you probably pointed in the same direction. Just for expediency I went ahead and wrote it down.
I just fixed mine today, having recieved the bushings in the mail yesterday. The link is to an Ekler's part number page that describes the repair kit. Its a $5 set of Delrin bushings, and they come with a very good step by step procedure. My headlamp works like new now
Seems the problem is that the original bushings tend to disintegrate. The replacement bushings are made of a high quality engineering polymer. Look for a whiteish powdery residue around the headlamp motor. When I took mine apart, all that was left of the bushings was a bunch of powder. You most likely will not need a gear.
#29304 http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...WCS3GXV44H0KAE
My appologies to the other posters, you probably pointed in the same direction. Just for expediency I went ahead and wrote it down.
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Go to Home Depot and ask for item number 595609. You will need 6 of these nylon spacers to repair both motors.
They cost .69 cents plus tax. Much cheaper than the specialty catalogs and they're the same thing.
They cost .69 cents plus tax. Much cheaper than the specialty catalogs and they're the same thing.
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Do NOT go to Home Depot and buy item number 595609. I did and the headlight worked once, then the nylon spacers buckled. I had to replace them with the correct ones. MidAmerica and Eklers both have the correct part. MidAmerica has slightly cheaper shipping, both parts cost a mere $4.99.
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Originally Posted by czshredd
Do NOT go to Home Depot and buy item number 595609. I did and the headlight worked once, then the nylon spacers buckled. I had to replace them with the correct ones. MidAmerica and Eklers both have the correct part. MidAmerica has slightly cheaper shipping, both parts cost a mere $4.99.
I got the tip from another Forum member who also used them with no problems at all. Curious...
BTW, you can use these instructions, too.
http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/33098/
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From: Life's tough, wear a helmet.
Originally Posted by czshredd
Do NOT go to Home Depot and buy item number 595609. I did and the headlight worked once, then the nylon spacers buckled. I had to replace them with the correct ones. MidAmerica
A few weeks ago I replaced mine with HD ones and upon testing them I found that while the headlight did rotate again the motor would continue to run after the headlights were in the correct position. I got 13 "clicks" from the motor. So I removed it, disassembled it again and found three oval spacers. They were no longer round.
I figured that I messed up somehow and I had three more new HD spacers so I loaded them up and put it all back together again. (Sidebar: once you have the experience this process goes very quickly.
) My first few test cycles with these spacers worked right but by the fourth or fifth cycle I was back to the motor continuing to run for 13 more "clicks" after the light is in position. This happens in both the light up and light down portions of the cycles.I'm sure that when I open it up again I'll find 3 more oval spacers.
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Originally Posted by Scoob
Question: what were your symptoms when the new HD ones failed?
A few weeks ago I replaced mine with HD ones and upon testing them I found that while the headlight did rotate again the motor would continue to run after the headlights were in the correct position. I got 13 "clicks" from the motor. So I removed it, disassembled it again and found three oval spacers. They were no longer round.
I figured that I messed up somehow and I had three more new HD spacers so I loaded them up and put it all back together again. (Sidebar: once you have the experience this process goes very quickly. ) My first few test cycles with these spacers worked right but by the fourth or fifth cycle I was back to the motor continuing to run for 13 more "clicks" after the light is in position. This happens in both the light up and light down portions of the cycles.
I'm sure that when I open it up again I'll find 3 more oval spacers.
A few weeks ago I replaced mine with HD ones and upon testing them I found that while the headlight did rotate again the motor would continue to run after the headlights were in the correct position. I got 13 "clicks" from the motor. So I removed it, disassembled it again and found three oval spacers. They were no longer round.
I figured that I messed up somehow and I had three more new HD spacers so I loaded them up and put it all back together again. (Sidebar: once you have the experience this process goes very quickly.
) My first few test cycles with these spacers worked right but by the fourth or fifth cycle I was back to the motor continuing to run for 13 more "clicks" after the light is in position. This happens in both the light up and light down portions of the cycles.I'm sure that when I open it up again I'll find 3 more oval spacers.
When I re-installed my lights, I even opened up one of the motor gear cases to get the main headlight gear seated properly and my HD bushings were not crushed or damaged at all. They were still seated perfectly in their triangular-shaped housing.
So far, the unofficial tally is two users reporting a negative HD bushings experience and 2 reporting a positive HD bushings experience.
I'd be the last person to intentionally toss anyone here a bum steer, but my experiences with HD bushings have not been dissapointing. In fact, I'd be even MORE pissed if I paid $10 bones for a set of MAM or Eckler's bushings and crushed THEM!
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From: Life's tough, wear a helmet.
Originally Posted by onedef92
I'd be the last person to intentionally toss anyone here a bum steer, but my experiences with HD bushings have not been dissapointing. In fact, I'd be even MORE pissed if I paid $10 bones for a set of MAM or Eckler's bushings and crushed THEM!
I was at HD the other night so I stopped by the spacer drawer. I spied the next size up spacer. It is slightly taller but more importantly it is nearly twice as thick. I will take my motor apart again soon and try these out. If the height of the thicker ones is an issue I will sand them down to the proper height.
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Originally Posted by yellowlust
If the the "good" bushings are really Delrin, you ain't gonna crush them.
I guess if anyone reports a similar failure after using the Delrin bushings from MAM or Eckler's we'll have an additional wrinkle to throw into the mix.
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From: Life's tough, wear a helmet.
Originally Posted by onedef92
I think a more accurate description is "buckle" not crush. From what I've read and seen, the HD bushings did not crack, but lost their original, round shape.
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whoa!! The bushings I put in were solid. Those are way too thin walled. How much thicker are the other ones you saw scoob?
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From: Life's tough, wear a helmet.
Originally Posted by vetteweiser
whoa!! The bushings I put in were solid. Those are way too thin walled. How much thicker are the other ones you saw scoob?
Did you put in the MAD/Eckler's bushings?
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Originally Posted by Scoob
The spacers I found the other night at HD had walls twice as thick as the ones pictured.
Did you put in the MAD/Eckler's bushings?
Did you put in the MAD/Eckler's bushings?
http://www.madvet.com/shop?frame=1.853
Last edited by onedef92; Sep 23, 2004 at 07:24 AM.
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I put in the Eckler's bushings. They cost $5 and were made a of Delrin, which is essentially ABS, a good engineering polymer. They had a center hole in them with wall thickness of about 1/8 in. Thicker than the ones pictured above. My initial thoughts when I replaced them was that they might even be too stiff, since they take the place of a gel compound.
At any rate, I think whatever replacement bushings used should be somewhat thicker than the ones pictured. Sorry for stating the obvious.
At any rate, I think whatever replacement bushings used should be somewhat thicker than the ones pictured. Sorry for stating the obvious.