C-5 headlights
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: Port Neches TX
C-5 headlights...help
]Hey there! Bought a sweet C-5, conv., w 37K mi, several months ago, and just as a good friend who had a C-4 told me, the popup headlights are an issue. Thankfully, I bought this car right, so doing maint. n mods to it, are not nearly as frustrating, had I paid full pop retail! (which will never happen, no matter HOW much I love Corvettes!! lol) Anyway,the passenger side is not working, and, I've discovered from my friend, online, and my local Corvette shop, that it's normally those cheap plastic gears that wear out. However, Corvette shop tells me its normally those little "*****" that engage the gears, that fail, as well as some who say its not unlikely the motor could fail completely! I have not pulled it myself, yet...but if it's not too time consuming, I will, and if not too costly, I'll just changeout motor! Eckler's has the motors for $139.00, as well as the brass gear kits for $39.00....ANY suggestions??
Neal
Neal
Last edited by CruiserC-5; Mar 5, 2012 at 01:27 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 18,681
Likes: 47
From: Reno is so close to Hell you can see Sparks , State Of Confusion
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
***** in the gears, I have never heard of that.
Can you hear the motor running on the light that won't move?
If you can hear the motor running I am willing to bet it is your gear, The factory use plastic gears and aftermarket are brass, I have never seen them for 39 bucks, They always seem to be around 47 bucks for the kit.
Mr.Bill
Can you hear the motor running on the light that won't move?
If you can hear the motor running I am willing to bet it is your gear, The factory use plastic gears and aftermarket are brass, I have never seen them for 39 bucks, They always seem to be around 47 bucks for the kit.
Mr.Bill
Pro
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 526
Likes: 0
From: bowie md
does it make a loud grinding noise for about 4 seconds after you open or close the headlights?
bill's right (as usual) .... you have a worm screw, the nylon gear, and the rubber piece that fits inside the gear..
i like the rebuild kit i got from rodney dickman, it comes with a brace for the motor mount.
and if you're going to do one of them.. ya may as well do both.
bill's right (as usual) .... you have a worm screw, the nylon gear, and the rubber piece that fits inside the gear..
i like the rebuild kit i got from rodney dickman, it comes with a brace for the motor mount.
and if you're going to do one of them.. ya may as well do both.
Last edited by darkstar.c5; Mar 5, 2012 at 01:38 PM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: Port Neches TX
Thank ya'll very much! Especially for the image/display....I agree on doing both...so, I take it, the motors themselves rarely go out? And, how frustrating/difficult is it to extract motor/replace gear?? I notice there's not a lot of room in there....
Neal
Neal
Pro
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 526
Likes: 0
From: bowie md
theres a good write up in the DIY section....
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...placement.html
and this youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFbW3WyzpKc
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...placement.html
and this youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFbW3WyzpKc
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 577
Likes: 6
From: The Woodlands Texas
If the kit does not include the "t shaped" bracket used to hold the cover in place after the gear installation, take three washers and slightly bend one side down on each washer, place the bolts through the washers and align the bent part of the washer over the cover of the motor, tighten your bolts down on the cover and notice the wonderful way the washers hold the the motor cover in place. Did this procedure on both of my motors and it works fine!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 21
From: Waldorf MD
There is another kit (brian franker), but rodney dickman's is the best for two reasons:
1) His comes with a brace to help hold the gear cover in place on later model C5s (earlier models have screws in the cover and don't need glued). Often the glue won't hold and cover comes off, headlight stops.
2) His gear has the rubber inner washer which absorbs some of the shock of hitting the stops. Without these, the assembly may freeze up (you need to hit the turn ***** to remove some tension and let the headlights come up/down).
1) His comes with a brace to help hold the gear cover in place on later model C5s (earlier models have screws in the cover and don't need glued). Often the glue won't hold and cover comes off, headlight stops.
2) His gear has the rubber inner washer which absorbs some of the shock of hitting the stops. Without these, the assembly may freeze up (you need to hit the turn ***** to remove some tension and let the headlights come up/down).
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 368,040
Likes: 24,727
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Rodney Dickman makes a great kit for the headlight repair. And I would probably do both at the same time too.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 526
Likes: 0
From: bowie md
i googled: rodney dickman c5 headlight repair kit...
got this link: http://www.rodneydickman.com/corvette.html
idk if he's an approved vendor so that link may get removed... if it does, just google what i did...
got this link: http://www.rodneydickman.com/corvette.html
idk if he's an approved vendor so that link may get removed... if it does, just google what i did...
Racer
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
From: Stockbridge Ga
video I looked at several times before I replaced the headlight gears on my C5.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFbW3WyzpKc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFbW3WyzpKc
