Depo headlight install instructions!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 6,226
Likes: 33
From: Morton illinois
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
I did mine with the bumper on, but as far as alignment and stuff, taking the bumper off would be easier. Its only a few bolts and slides right off. In fact I bet it saves time.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 25,238
Likes: 5
From: Oswego NY
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Gulf Breeze FL
St. Jude Donor '06
DEPO C5 light install
I went the route of taking off the bumper. I needed to replace other bulbs and fix my leaky signal housing anyways.
Well, I found instructions on how to get the bumper off. It took me a little while but no surprises.
The old headlight assemblies also came out with no issue. NOW, I thought I was on the downhill slope but I thought wrong. The brackets did not line up very well with the old screws and the brackets dont give much room for adjustment.
I will say I would consider myself a novice at this type of thing, but it seems that the brackets should have just matched right up with no issue. I worked on it pretty much all day. The lights are loosely connected now, but I still have plenty of work to do tomorrow. I had to adjust some of the screws that attach the bracket to the light housing. I think they will look good, but it has been a PITA just getting them lined up correctly.
Some had mentioned that the instructions that came with the lights were not very good. Very true. Worthless!
Well, I found instructions on how to get the bumper off. It took me a little while but no surprises.
The old headlight assemblies also came out with no issue. NOW, I thought I was on the downhill slope but I thought wrong. The brackets did not line up very well with the old screws and the brackets dont give much room for adjustment.
I will say I would consider myself a novice at this type of thing, but it seems that the brackets should have just matched right up with no issue. I worked on it pretty much all day. The lights are loosely connected now, but I still have plenty of work to do tomorrow. I had to adjust some of the screws that attach the bracket to the light housing. I think they will look good, but it has been a PITA just getting them lined up correctly.
Some had mentioned that the instructions that came with the lights were not very good. Very true. Worthless!
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Gulf Breeze FL
St. Jude Donor '06
uclead, I have the chrome ones, not the black. I havent seen any issues. I read somewhere others having issues with heat from the lights cracking the outer plastic. They had mentioned possibly going with HID\Xenon lights that burn cooler....?
2nd Gear
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
The depot instructions are useless.
It tells you to pull the front bumper off..There was no way I was doing that.
Step 1.
Get the car up on good ramps and get yourself under the front
Step 2.
Remove the front airdam sides and small traingle shape access panel right in back of the airdam.. socket wrench is all that needed
Step 3.
Manually raise the haedlight assemblies
Remove the headlight covers and the plastic shroud for the headlights
You should be able to see the 4 bolts that hold the entire assembly in place. 2 different sizes..socket wrenches
Disconnect the headlight plugs and set aside.
From underneath you can twist thebrack duct air feeder and remove it or just push it aside..If your nimble you may not have to move it at all.
Step 4
Remove the 4 bolts carefully from under the car and up throught that access panel.
Be careful to protect the paint around the bumper with towels and rags so when you pull the last bolt it doesnt scratch you paint.
Step 5
Remove the entire haedlight assembly by pulling up forward a little and up away from the car. It comes out real easily.. Now you can see everything in there very well.. Those OEM bolt holes are your new mounting points for the depot lights
Step 6
Clean the area or when you underneath looking up and installing the new lights sh*ts going to be falling in your face(I cleaned and wore glasses)
Step 7
Install the depot brackets on the lights carefully..dont over torque them
Then its get tricky
Install the lights by placing them down in the hole..you have to wiggle it to make it fit..careful not to damage your paint(rags,towel)
Once you have the 3 bolts in(2 back ones 1 side one - loosely ONLY just enuf to hold the sucker) From the top try to manually align the light bezel so the revel is even around the hood/bumper
Step 8
Bezel aligned..I took a good sharpie and made a mark where the front
light bracket meets the steel bumper..Colr in the entire opening(its oval to give yourself some aligning room)
Step 9
remove the light..It sucks
Drill the center of the oval mark you made on that front steel bumper with a drill bit and have a self tapping screw that will work.
Step 10
Reinstall light
Install bolts almost tight
Align the bezel again...Looks good!
tighten the bolts
I tightened the back and side bolts and ensured the bezel reveal on those sides was perfect and then worked to get the self tapping screw in place
If the light falls a little and you need to prop it up I used an adjustable painters poll to hold tension up while I screwed in self tapping screw for front bolt.
Step 11
Connect electric to stock connector
Step 12
repeat for next side
It seems like a paint in the ****..
But taking off the bumper is too!
And then you dont have the bumper on to ensure your alignment/reveal is good..
So take the good with the bad..
When you put on the brackets notice the screw on back of the light..
That is what you turn to align/aim the lighting when you done..
Good luck
Total time for me 1st time...3-4 hours
Its not hard...just takes time to do slowly and correctly
Let me know if you need any other help
Oh yea..Passenger side has electrical connection that I just disconnected and zipped tied too body..
Marty
BLACKKNIGHTVETTE
It tells you to pull the front bumper off..There was no way I was doing that.
Step 1.
Get the car up on good ramps and get yourself under the front
Step 2.
Remove the front airdam sides and small traingle shape access panel right in back of the airdam.. socket wrench is all that needed
Step 3.
Manually raise the haedlight assemblies
Remove the headlight covers and the plastic shroud for the headlights
You should be able to see the 4 bolts that hold the entire assembly in place. 2 different sizes..socket wrenches
Disconnect the headlight plugs and set aside.
From underneath you can twist thebrack duct air feeder and remove it or just push it aside..If your nimble you may not have to move it at all.
Step 4
Remove the 4 bolts carefully from under the car and up throught that access panel.
Be careful to protect the paint around the bumper with towels and rags so when you pull the last bolt it doesnt scratch you paint.
Step 5
Remove the entire haedlight assembly by pulling up forward a little and up away from the car. It comes out real easily.. Now you can see everything in there very well.. Those OEM bolt holes are your new mounting points for the depot lights
Step 6
Clean the area or when you underneath looking up and installing the new lights sh*ts going to be falling in your face(I cleaned and wore glasses)
Step 7
Install the depot brackets on the lights carefully..dont over torque them
Then its get tricky
Install the lights by placing them down in the hole..you have to wiggle it to make it fit..careful not to damage your paint(rags,towel)
Once you have the 3 bolts in(2 back ones 1 side one - loosely ONLY just enuf to hold the sucker) From the top try to manually align the light bezel so the revel is even around the hood/bumper
Step 8
Bezel aligned..I took a good sharpie and made a mark where the front
light bracket meets the steel bumper..Colr in the entire opening(its oval to give yourself some aligning room)
Step 9
remove the light..It sucks
Drill the center of the oval mark you made on that front steel bumper with a drill bit and have a self tapping screw that will work.
Step 10
Reinstall light
Install bolts almost tight
Align the bezel again...Looks good!
tighten the bolts
I tightened the back and side bolts and ensured the bezel reveal on those sides was perfect and then worked to get the self tapping screw in place
If the light falls a little and you need to prop it up I used an adjustable painters poll to hold tension up while I screwed in self tapping screw for front bolt.
Step 11
Connect electric to stock connector
Step 12
repeat for next side
It seems like a paint in the ****..
But taking off the bumper is too!
And then you dont have the bumper on to ensure your alignment/reveal is good..
So take the good with the bad..
When you put on the brackets notice the screw on back of the light..
That is what you turn to align/aim the lighting when you done..
Good luck
Total time for me 1st time...3-4 hours
Its not hard...just takes time to do slowly and correctly
Let me know if you need any other help
Oh yea..Passenger side has electrical connection that I just disconnected and zipped tied too body..
Marty
BLACKKNIGHTVETTE
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Night Owl for life
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 24,699
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From: Bugs Bunny should'a made a left turn here
Good Morning so my low beams are almost perfect I need to adjust the left one to the left a little. the high beams are not right at all..I can not get them adjusted properly. could you give me a call when you can to help me with this Anyone that has installed these..l need help Brian 760-549-3343
