DIY: Replacing the Headlight Vertical Adjusting Rod (or "Golden Rod")
05-03-2008, 09:13 AM
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Member Since: Jul 2007
Location: Louisville Kentucky
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes
on
4 Posts
DIY: Replacing the Headlight Vertical Adjusting Rod (or "Golden Rod")
There are a lot of people who are in this boat.
You attempt to adjust your headlights and the first adjustment you attempt to make is the vertical adjustment. You get the right sized Torx bit, stick it into the adjusting rod and begin to turn. At first it's kinda stubborn, but then it gives and easily begins to turn. Then you realize what really happened: You just busted your golden rod.
Here's the bad news. You are probably going to have to buy another headlight. That rod is not a part that is sold separately by any parts dealer anywhere. Not the dealer, not any of our forum vendors, nobody. Thus, you're looking at $700 for a new headlight, and anywhere from $250 and up for a used one. There are a couple of forum vendors who do have the entire headlight assembly for a reasonable price.
Now here's the exception. There's a guy out of Florida named Art who did at one time sell these rods by themselves for $18. That's right, eighteen smackaroonies. I was doing endless searches through old threads and stumbled upon a post that gave a link directly to the item. I immediately got on the horn and gave him a call. Real nice guy who loves to talk! He explained to me that he use to frequent all of the Chevy dealers in his area and collected all of the broken Corvette headlights that they had tossed in the garbage. He would then disassemble them and sell the parts because you couldn't buy individual parts for the headlights. For the guys lucky enough to find him, it was a blessing. However, he no longer can do this.
Apparently, GM got upset and made him quit selling these rods as separate units. Because of this, he no longer can get them. I was lucky in that he had about 3 left. Once these are gone, that's it. Here's the link that I followed to find my golden rod.
With that said, you may still be in luck if you can find a damaged headlight. I would do like Art did and check with your local Corvette dealer (mainly their garbage cans). You may just luck up and retrieve a headlight with the rod intact. If you do, this is the info you'll want to know.
Here's a shot of the assembly:
It is held on to the headlight assembly by 2 screws, which are not real easy to get to. I first had to remove the light housing (3 10mm bolts), and then I had to remove the bolts that held the adjusting bracket onto the assembly.
The other thing that was a major PITA was getting my old assembly out of that bracket. I must have fooled with it for hours before I just pulled it out of the assembly. I don't know if my wiggling it for hours caused the thing to come free or if I was just too scared to pull on it in the first place (probably the latter). Anyway, it finally came out and the new one went in rather easily.
If you are lucky enough to get a hold of just the adjusting rod, then installing it should make sense because this is not something a not so mechanically inclined person would try. Because I have had my headlights in and out of my ride so many times, I'm rather comfortable with working on them. If not for that, I probably would have just bought another headlight as I was planning to do anyway.
One thing that I did figure out that may benefit a lot of folks here is how the adjusting rod assembly is put together. Had I known this, I might have just replaced the rod only. That's right, you can replace just the golden rod! Look at these pictures below. They show how the assembly comes apart.
Removing the white headed screw will allow you to pry the assembly open.
This picture shows exactly where you should shoot some PB Blaster in order to free the assembly so that you don't bust it when attempting to make any adjustments.
As you can see by this picture, the shaft is removable! If you can get a shaft, then you can replace your broken one.
So get your dumpster diving cloths on, it's time to go fishing. Don't bother with the dealerships in Louisville, I got them all covered. As a matter of fact, you just might open a dumpster lid and see me jump out looking like this guy:
I now have a fully adjustable "golden rod" again. That was really rubbing my nerves the wrong way. Another fix that didn't include the Corvette tax.
Well, it's time for me to try the "headlights won't go down fix" and see if it works. Joe3541 offered this up and I may as well tackle now while the lights are out of the car. Here are his instructions for those interested, and my take on the same repair.
That's all folks!
You attempt to adjust your headlights and the first adjustment you attempt to make is the vertical adjustment. You get the right sized Torx bit, stick it into the adjusting rod and begin to turn. At first it's kinda stubborn, but then it gives and easily begins to turn. Then you realize what really happened: You just busted your golden rod.
Here's the bad news. You are probably going to have to buy another headlight. That rod is not a part that is sold separately by any parts dealer anywhere. Not the dealer, not any of our forum vendors, nobody. Thus, you're looking at $700 for a new headlight, and anywhere from $250 and up for a used one. There are a couple of forum vendors who do have the entire headlight assembly for a reasonable price.
Now here's the exception. There's a guy out of Florida named Art who did at one time sell these rods by themselves for $18. That's right, eighteen smackaroonies. I was doing endless searches through old threads and stumbled upon a post that gave a link directly to the item. I immediately got on the horn and gave him a call. Real nice guy who loves to talk! He explained to me that he use to frequent all of the Chevy dealers in his area and collected all of the broken Corvette headlights that they had tossed in the garbage. He would then disassemble them and sell the parts because you couldn't buy individual parts for the headlights. For the guys lucky enough to find him, it was a blessing. However, he no longer can do this.
Apparently, GM got upset and made him quit selling these rods as separate units. Because of this, he no longer can get them. I was lucky in that he had about 3 left. Once these are gone, that's it. Here's the link that I followed to find my golden rod.
With that said, you may still be in luck if you can find a damaged headlight. I would do like Art did and check with your local Corvette dealer (mainly their garbage cans). You may just luck up and retrieve a headlight with the rod intact. If you do, this is the info you'll want to know.
Here's a shot of the assembly:
It is held on to the headlight assembly by 2 screws, which are not real easy to get to. I first had to remove the light housing (3 10mm bolts), and then I had to remove the bolts that held the adjusting bracket onto the assembly.
The other thing that was a major PITA was getting my old assembly out of that bracket. I must have fooled with it for hours before I just pulled it out of the assembly. I don't know if my wiggling it for hours caused the thing to come free or if I was just too scared to pull on it in the first place (probably the latter). Anyway, it finally came out and the new one went in rather easily.
If you are lucky enough to get a hold of just the adjusting rod, then installing it should make sense because this is not something a not so mechanically inclined person would try. Because I have had my headlights in and out of my ride so many times, I'm rather comfortable with working on them. If not for that, I probably would have just bought another headlight as I was planning to do anyway.
One thing that I did figure out that may benefit a lot of folks here is how the adjusting rod assembly is put together. Had I known this, I might have just replaced the rod only. That's right, you can replace just the golden rod! Look at these pictures below. They show how the assembly comes apart.
Removing the white headed screw will allow you to pry the assembly open.
This picture shows exactly where you should shoot some PB Blaster in order to free the assembly so that you don't bust it when attempting to make any adjustments.
As you can see by this picture, the shaft is removable! If you can get a shaft, then you can replace your broken one.
So get your dumpster diving cloths on, it's time to go fishing. Don't bother with the dealerships in Louisville, I got them all covered. As a matter of fact, you just might open a dumpster lid and see me jump out looking like this guy:
I now have a fully adjustable "golden rod" again. That was really rubbing my nerves the wrong way. Another fix that didn't include the Corvette tax.
Well, it's time for me to try the "headlights won't go down fix" and see if it works. Joe3541 offered this up and I may as well tackle now while the lights are out of the car. Here are his instructions for those interested, and my take on the same repair.
That's all folks!
Last edited by Junkman2008; 05-07-2008 at 07:16 AM.
The following users liked this post:
sansbup (02-29-2016)
05-03-2008, 11:12 AM
#2
Melting Slicks
Interesting.... I've got two replacement assemblies sitting in the garage awaiting replacement. The pics you supplied are great and will be a big help when I decide to take my headlight out and do the fix.
In my case I was able to buy the assembly, not just the rod. In fact I got one of them from a vendor here (C5R427)- was very reasonable on price...around $20 I am thinking it was. Got the other one on the auction site several months ago.
Just have had them laying around and since the lights are aimed pretty good now, no real incentive to fix something that is broke, but isn't causing any problems (i.e. needing further adjustment).
In my case I was able to buy the assembly, not just the rod. In fact I got one of them from a vendor here (C5R427)- was very reasonable on price...around $20 I am thinking it was. Got the other one on the auction site several months ago.
Just have had them laying around and since the lights are aimed pretty good now, no real incentive to fix something that is broke, but isn't causing any problems (i.e. needing further adjustment).
05-03-2008, 11:37 AM
#3
Le Mans Master
Member Since: May 2007
Location: hagerstown md
Posts: 5,383
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
AJ, if you come jumping out of the dumpster looking like Oscar, you been in there WAYYYY too long man! 
BTW, another great write up bru! You're fast becoming the shade tree thread writer of CF. Couple more repairs, and you can publish your very own "Corvette Repair for Dummies" book.
BTW, another great write up bru! You're fast becoming the shade tree thread writer of CF. Couple more repairs, and you can publish your very own "Corvette Repair for Dummies" book.
05-03-2008, 01:40 PM
#4
Tech Contributor
Member Since: Dec 2003
Location: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 0
Received 79 Likes
on
61 Posts
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
AJ, as always an awesome write up
And you make out you're a shade tree mechanic................................
And you make out you're a shade tree mechanic................................
05-03-2008, 04:03 PM
#5
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Member Since: Jul 2007
Location: Louisville Kentucky
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes
on
4 Posts
Interesting.... I've got two replacement assemblies sitting in the garage awaiting replacement. The pics you supplied are great and will be a big help when I decide to take my headlight out and do the fix.
In my case I was able to buy the assembly, not just the rod. In fact I got one of them from a vendor here (C5R427)- was very reasonable on price...around $20 I am thinking it was. Got the other one on the auction site several months ago.
Just have had them laying around and since the lights are aimed pretty good now, no real incentive to fix something that is broke, but isn't causing any problems (i.e. needing further adjustment).
In my case I was able to buy the assembly, not just the rod. In fact I got one of them from a vendor here (C5R427)- was very reasonable on price...around $20 I am thinking it was. Got the other one on the auction site several months ago.
Just have had them laying around and since the lights are aimed pretty good now, no real incentive to fix something that is broke, but isn't causing any problems (i.e. needing further adjustment).
AJ, if you come jumping out of the dumpster looking like Oscar, you been in there WAYYYY too long man!
BTW, another great write up bru! You're fast becoming the shade tree thread writer of CF. Couple more repairs, and you can publish your very own "Corvette Repair for Dummies" book.
BTW, another great write up bru! You're fast becoming the shade tree thread writer of CF. Couple more repairs, and you can publish your very own "Corvette Repair for Dummies" book.
I have learned out of the necessity of the fact that the stealerships have screwed me long enough. You know they once charged me $89 to change one of my DRL's? I put up with this for 5 years before I found this place. I actually like working on my car and that was not something I would have said before I found the Corvette Forum. I know one thing, I'm going to steer as many local folks as I can from making the same mistake.
To think of all the money I wasted and could have used towards some mods...
05-06-2008, 11:05 AM
#6
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Member Since: Jul 2007
Location: Louisville Kentucky
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes
on
4 Posts
One thing I forgot to add to this thread is the way I freed up my seized passenger side headlight. I tried shooting PB Blaster into the adjusting mechanism while the light was still in the car. I wiggled the adjusting rod back and forth for hours but that thing wouldn't break free for anything. I then went ahead and removed the entire assembly (which is what I should have done at first) and then tried to free it using the wiggle method. It still didn't work.
Well while looking at the assembly, I noticed something about the way it is designed. Instead of trying to free the adjustment assembly using the golden rod, I removed the bulb enclosure section of the headlight and used a Torx bit to free up the adjusting assembly. Look at the picture below:
Well while looking at the assembly, I noticed something about the way it is designed. Instead of trying to free the adjustment assembly using the golden rod, I removed the bulb enclosure section of the headlight and used a Torx bit to free up the adjusting assembly. Look at the picture below:
05-06-2008, 11:20 AM
#7
Night Owl for life
Member Since: Nov 2003
Location: Bugs Bunny should'a made a left turn here
Posts: 23,198
Received 3,246 Likes
on
1,668 Posts
thanks for the lead man!
We have received your order for the following item(s);
Code Description Qty Price Extended
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AGY2RHLIGADJ Adjuster 2 $18.00 $36.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SubTotal: $36.00
(Discount): $0.00
Tax: $0.00
Shipping: TBD
Handling: $0.00
-------------------
Total: TBD
Code Description Qty Price Extended
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AGY2RHLIGADJ Adjuster 2 $18.00 $36.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SubTotal: $36.00
(Discount): $0.00
Tax: $0.00
Shipping: TBD
Handling: $0.00
-------------------
Total: TBD
05-06-2008, 01:01 PM
#8
Le Mans Master
Gotta bookmark this one!! I want to raise the overall aim of mine a little,,sounds like i want to get in there and loosen every thing up before I try. Another good one Junman!!
05-07-2008, 07:24 AM
#9
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Member Since: Jul 2007
Location: Louisville Kentucky
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes
on
4 Posts
You're lucky I didn't buy those!
I didn't need them but I wanted to have a spare. I figured that since I know to be extremely careful with those rods, I'd let someone else drink from the fountain of wealth!
Like I posted in the post before yours, you may be able to just replace the golden rod. I don't know how much you have to take apart but you're smart enough to figure it out. I wanted to put some kind of grease in that assembly but I didn't know what to use, or whether or not it would mess something up. Oh well, my adjustments do work now.
That plastic piece that the ball of the Torx screw fits into started to turn on my lights when I went to adjust them. You need to hold that piece still when doing the adjustments. This is easy to do when the headlights are mounted. If they had designed the headlights better, they would have made it so that the ball of that screw is where you do your adjustments. That screw is the best way to free the siezed adjuster.
Take your time man! That assembly is a precious commodity!
I didn't need them but I wanted to have a spare. I figured that since I know to be extremely careful with those rods, I'd let someone else drink from the fountain of wealth!
Like I posted in the post before yours, you may be able to just replace the golden rod. I don't know how much you have to take apart but you're smart enough to figure it out. I wanted to put some kind of grease in that assembly but I didn't know what to use, or whether or not it would mess something up. Oh well, my adjustments do work now.
That plastic piece that the ball of the Torx screw fits into started to turn on my lights when I went to adjust them. You need to hold that piece still when doing the adjustments. This is easy to do when the headlights are mounted. If they had designed the headlights better, they would have made it so that the ball of that screw is where you do your adjustments. That screw is the best way to free the siezed adjuster.
Take your time man! That assembly is a precious commodity!
05-07-2008, 07:29 AM
#10
Life Time NCM #2196
Wow that is interesting and I have been luck when adjusting my lights so far and hope this does not happen, if it does I bet different lights go in and AJ awesome write up
I guess Peter Pan has magic is the reason my rod is still stiff
05-07-2008, 08:02 AM
#14
Drifting
Member Since: Oct 2004
Location: Sonoran Desert of Arizona
Posts: 1,664
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nice write up, especially the tip on how to keep from breaking the rod in the first place .
I doubt this, GM hasn't put any wrecking yards out of business for selling sub assemblies that I am aware of, so why would they go after this guy?
He wasn't violating any patent laws by duplicating a part, he was just selling salvage.
.
Apparently, GM got upset and made him quit selling these rods as separate units.
He wasn't violating any patent laws by duplicating a part, he was just selling salvage.
Last edited by OzzyC4; 05-07-2008 at 08:05 AM.
05-07-2008, 08:23 AM
#15
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Member Since: Jul 2007
Location: Louisville Kentucky
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes
on
4 Posts
Nice write up, especially the tip on how to keep from breaking the rod in the first place .
I doubt this, GM hasn't put any wrecking yards out of business for selling sub assemblies that I am aware of, so why would they go after this guy?
He wasn't violating any patent laws by duplicating a part, he was just selling salvage.
.I doubt this, GM hasn't put any wrecking yards out of business for selling sub assemblies that I am aware of, so why would they go after this guy?
He wasn't violating any patent laws by duplicating a part, he was just selling salvage.
05-16-2008, 02:01 AM
#18
Night Owl for life
Member Since: Nov 2003
Location: Bugs Bunny should'a made a left turn here
Posts: 23,198
Received 3,246 Likes
on
1,668 Posts
hey AJ my two unbroken (can't exactly call them "new") goldenrods showed up today.
thanks again for the link.
thanks again for the link.
05-16-2008, 04:46 PM
#19
Melting Slicks
Great write up, Junkman.
This is exactly how I fixed my broken driver side adjustment rod a few weeks ago. I bought a used bracket assembly from someone here on the forum for $45 and transplanted my headlight subassembly to the newly purchased headlight bracket and voila -- fully functional headlight for a fraction of the cost of a new assembly. Once I raised the level of the headlights (installed HIDs), the headlights work so much better that I no longer need to use my hi beams!
This is exactly how I fixed my broken driver side adjustment rod a few weeks ago. I bought a used bracket assembly from someone here on the forum for $45 and transplanted my headlight subassembly to the newly purchased headlight bracket and voila -- fully functional headlight for a fraction of the cost of a new assembly. Once I raised the level of the headlights (installed HIDs), the headlights work so much better that I no longer need to use my hi beams!
11-12-2008, 10:26 PM
#20
Intermediate
Member Since: Nov 2007
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In search of a golden rod or two
I have a C5 Z06 and after installing high intensity bulbs noted that one of the golden rods is missing and the other is inoperable. After reading the problems with the golden rods I wouldn't dare try to turn the one that is still intact.
I've seen that some members have bought either new or used golden rods and welcome any advice that can be furnished regarding the source of these "rare" items. I don't want to spend time going to junkyards or rummaging through dealership junk bins...not that I won't eventually resort to doing so. I would prefer to order one or two from some source and escape the other alternatives.
Many thanks for any advice you can provide.
RW
I've seen that some members have bought either new or used golden rods and welcome any advice that can be furnished regarding the source of these "rare" items. I don't want to spend time going to junkyards or rummaging through dealership junk bins...not that I won't eventually resort to doing so. I would prefer to order one or two from some source and escape the other alternatives.
Many thanks for any advice you can provide.
RW