headlight housing removal instructions
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 8,004
Likes: 250
From: Tampa Fl
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
headlight housing removal instructions
Id like to remove my headlight housing to install the Piaa 1100X on my Vararam.
Who has a write up I can follow for the headlight housing removal.
I dont think I can fit my forearm through the brake duct.
Who has a write up I can follow for the headlight housing removal.
I dont think I can fit my forearm through the brake duct.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,208
Likes: 2
From: Rochester MN
CI 5-6-7-8 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
NCM Ambassador
if it is the surround you're trying to remove, there are 3 screws, 2 on one side and 1 on the other. After taking them off you pull the surround off from the front. The headlights must be raised to do this.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 8,004
Likes: 250
From: Tampa Fl
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
Are those the three screws that look like they are attached to the inside of the fender in a triangle ?
And what size nut is that ?
And what size nut is that ?
Last edited by phils C5 vette; Apr 18, 2007 at 04:13 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,456
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From: Cockeysville Maryland
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Daytona Jam 1 Veteran
The headlight surrounds are held on by three phillips heads screws each. There is one on the outside and two on the engine side or where the plug in the sorround would be.
You must have the headlights raised so turn the lights on and then turn the stalk back one half turn and the lamps will go out but the lights will stay raised.
I would suggest at this juncture to disconnect the ground battery cable to prevent any harm to you or the car.
Each surround is inserted into a clip on the headlight cover (the body part) which in located on the top in the middle. Once the screws are removed pull out from the top, pull toward you and down. Once the plastic is clear of the clip you will be able to pull the bottom part out to and it will be completely removed at that point.
To get to the nuts/bolts that secure the headlight assemblies you will have to remove the headlight covers (painted body parts). To do this there are four torx head screws (torx 20 or 25?). There are two in the rear of the cover and one on each side. fr the torx screws on the side the headlights must be raised. For the two behind the headlights should be lowered some to get the right angle. I use the manual adjustment ****(s) to lower the lights to get these screws out (and out them back in upon reassembly) and then raise the headlights manually.
Once you have the covers off you can look for two 8mm bolts in the rear, one on each side with accompanying nut. These are what hold the headlight assembly on. They can be very difficult to take off the first time and I suggest carefully using some DW40 and tapping on them to help with loosening them. I used an open end wrench on the nut and a torx 25 on the bolt to loosen. I believe in the beginning I had to use vise grips on the bolt cause they were pretty hard to get loose.
Once these bolts are removed the headlight assembly will be able to drop and fold forward into the underlying recess of the car. Be careful and gently guide it down.
To remove the assembly completely from the car you will have to disconnect the two harnesses for the low and high beams. Mark which is which for reinstall but the low beam will have a brown wire.
You will also have to remove the control arm from the motor housing which is held on by one nut. Take note of the position of the shorter control arm piece as it should sit behind the stop (with the white plastic tip.
Once that nut is removed you can work the control arm off of the motor shaft and gently remove from the car.
For reinstall just pretty much reverse these instructions.
PM me is you have problems or additional questions about all that I have tried to include here.
You must have the headlights raised so turn the lights on and then turn the stalk back one half turn and the lamps will go out but the lights will stay raised.
I would suggest at this juncture to disconnect the ground battery cable to prevent any harm to you or the car.
Each surround is inserted into a clip on the headlight cover (the body part) which in located on the top in the middle. Once the screws are removed pull out from the top, pull toward you and down. Once the plastic is clear of the clip you will be able to pull the bottom part out to and it will be completely removed at that point.
To get to the nuts/bolts that secure the headlight assemblies you will have to remove the headlight covers (painted body parts). To do this there are four torx head screws (torx 20 or 25?). There are two in the rear of the cover and one on each side. fr the torx screws on the side the headlights must be raised. For the two behind the headlights should be lowered some to get the right angle. I use the manual adjustment ****(s) to lower the lights to get these screws out (and out them back in upon reassembly) and then raise the headlights manually.
Once you have the covers off you can look for two 8mm bolts in the rear, one on each side with accompanying nut. These are what hold the headlight assembly on. They can be very difficult to take off the first time and I suggest carefully using some DW40 and tapping on them to help with loosening them. I used an open end wrench on the nut and a torx 25 on the bolt to loosen. I believe in the beginning I had to use vise grips on the bolt cause they were pretty hard to get loose.
Once these bolts are removed the headlight assembly will be able to drop and fold forward into the underlying recess of the car. Be careful and gently guide it down.
To remove the assembly completely from the car you will have to disconnect the two harnesses for the low and high beams. Mark which is which for reinstall but the low beam will have a brown wire.
You will also have to remove the control arm from the motor housing which is held on by one nut. Take note of the position of the shorter control arm piece as it should sit behind the stop (with the white plastic tip.
Once that nut is removed you can work the control arm off of the motor shaft and gently remove from the car.
For reinstall just pretty much reverse these instructions.
PM me is you have problems or additional questions about all that I have tried to include here.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 8,004
Likes: 250
From: Tampa Fl
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
Well I went with option B
Instead of pulling the whole housing unit, Im pulling the fog lamps out the bottom to replace with Piaas. But since Ive taken most of the head unit apart on one side, Ill be buying a couple 9006 bulbs tomorrow for both side.
Instead of pulling the whole housing unit, Im pulling the fog lamps out the bottom to replace with Piaas. But since Ive taken most of the head unit apart on one side, Ill be buying a couple 9006 bulbs tomorrow for both side.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 8,004
Likes: 250
From: Tampa Fl
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
Roger that Steve.
I really wanted to go from the top, but going from the bottom isnt to bad. It wasnt hard to unscrew the access panel and push over the front brake duct.
Looks like the Toshiba 9012 are the head lamps im going with to added to the Piaa driving lamps. Taking it apart wasnt that hard once I figured out which direction I wanted to install from.
I spent more time enlongating the bolt hole on the mounting bracket to let the lamp of the Piaa down another 1/2 inch because half was covered by the vararam.
Tomorrow Ill finish up the Piaa and Ill want for the Toshiba's to come in.
Its been a great week of sick leave :-)
I really wanted to go from the top, but going from the bottom isnt to bad. It wasnt hard to unscrew the access panel and push over the front brake duct.
Looks like the Toshiba 9012 are the head lamps im going with to added to the Piaa driving lamps. Taking it apart wasnt that hard once I figured out which direction I wanted to install from.
I spent more time enlongating the bolt hole on the mounting bracket to let the lamp of the Piaa down another 1/2 inch because half was covered by the vararam.
Tomorrow Ill finish up the Piaa and Ill want for the Toshiba's to come in.
Its been a great week of sick leave :-)
