Noise when lowering headlight
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 844
Likes: 12
From: The Villages, FL
Noise when lowering headlight
This forum has been very helpful over the years solving problems.
On my 2003 Z06, when I lower the headlights it makes a grinding sound for about 5 seconds and then stops. Any ideas on what this is and how to fix it?
On my 2003 Z06, when I lower the headlights it makes a grinding sound for about 5 seconds and then stops. Any ideas on what this is and how to fix it?
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 84
Likes: 1
From: Pacifica CA
Just my own personal experience with this
Originally I bought the brass gear replacement kit on the belief that the brass gears would last forever and if I bought the stock motor and gear combo I may have the same issue in another ten years. Well I followed the instructions in replacing the nylon gears with the brass ones, added some spacers, replaced all bumpers an so on. The driver side developed the pop up and stay up issue after turning the lights off. An investigation revealed that the epoxy supplied with the bras kit did not hold and the gear cover worked it's way loose and caused this issue. Bought what I thought was some better epoxy and repaired the gear box again. After about two months the same problem re-occurred. I took out the motor and now brass gear assembly only to find the cover had come loose once again and plastic and epoxy pieces were jamming up the gear. Decided at that time just to purchase a whole new assembly from Corvette Mods for both sides. Cost about $290.00 USD. I am sixty now so in 10 years I will be seventy and may be dead by that time anyway.
Todd
Todd
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 964
Likes: 124
From: Chesapeake Va
Originally I bought the brass gear replacement kit on the belief that the brass gears would last forever and if I bought the stock motor and gear combo I may have the same issue in another ten years. Well I followed the instructions in replacing the nylon gears with the brass ones, added some spacers, replaced all bumpers an so on. The driver side developed the pop up and stay up issue after turning the lights off. An investigation revealed that the epoxy supplied with the bras kit did not hold and the gear cover worked it's way loose and caused this issue. Bought what I thought was some better epoxy and repaired the gear box again. After about two months the same problem re-occurred. I took out the motor and now brass gear assembly only to find the cover had come loose once again and plastic and epoxy pieces were jamming up the gear. Decided at that time just to purchase a whole new assembly from Corvette Mods for both sides. Cost about $290.00 USD. I am sixty now so in 10 years I will be seventy and may be dead by that time anyway.
Todd
Todd
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 203
Likes: 5
From: Nebraska
I had the same problem with the glue letting go. My fix was to get a more permanent glue. I figured once the motor assembly wore through the brass gear. The motor itself would be shot. Im not even sure I turn the head lights on more than once a month. Considering that. I figure this was a lifetime fix.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,989
Likes: 352
From: Carson City Nevada
Originally I bought the brass gear replacement kit on the belief that the brass gears would last forever and if I bought the stock motor and gear combo I may have the same issue in another ten years. Well I followed the instructions in replacing the nylon gears with the brass ones, added some spacers, replaced all bumpers an so on. The driver side developed the pop up and stay up issue after turning the lights off. An investigation revealed that the epoxy supplied with the bras kit did not hold and the gear cover worked it's way loose and caused this issue. Bought what I thought was some better epoxy and repaired the gear box again. After about two months the same problem re-occurred. I took out the motor and now brass gear assembly only to find the cover had come loose once again and plastic and epoxy pieces were jamming up the gear. Decided at that time just to purchase a whole new assembly from Corvette Mods for both sides. Cost about $290.00 USD. I am sixty now so in 10 years I will be seventy and may be dead by that time anyway.
Todd
Todd
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,275
Likes: 739
From: Miami FL
From Rodney's website:
For the late 2000-2004 C5 headlight gear kits I have added a special stamped steel brace with a special plastic bushing. This brace and bushing do two things. It applies a slight pressure against the side cover helping to eliminate side cover glue failures. But most importantly it adds a new bearing surface to support the shaft thus removing all the pressure of the shaft from the side cover and transferring it to this new brace. Once installed this repair should last the life of the car.
