Need to replace my Headlight motor/gear

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Oct 26, 2007 | 09:59 PM

Lithium

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Joined: Jan 2005

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From: Plano TX

Need to replace my Headlight motor/gear

My passenger headlight wont go up and when i raise it manually (pulling it by hand) it falls right back down. I can't raise or lower it via the **** on the back of the light. My first guess is the cheap plastic gear is stripped. Can anyone verify my assumption or do you think I need a new motor? If that is the case, who makes the best replacement gear kit/motor?

Thanks!!

--Marc

Oct 26, 2007 | 10:49 PM

Oldvetter

Le Mans Master

Joined: Feb 2002

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From: Waldorf MD

Sounds like a very badly stripped gear. To manually raise headlights you turn the ****, not pull on the headlight.

Oct 27, 2007 | 12:18 AM

Lithium

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From: Plano TX

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lithium

My passenger headlight wont go up and when i raise it manually (pulling it by hand) it falls right back down. I can't raise or lower it via the **** on the back of the light. My first guess is the cheap plastic gear is stripped. Can anyone verify my assumption or do you think I need a new motor? If that is the case, who makes the best replacement gear kit/motor?

Thanks!!

--Marc

I can't

I just wanted to know if anyone has had the same problem and if the best idea is to replace the whole motor or just the big gear.

Oct 27, 2007 | 12:41 AM

'VETTE PHASE

Melting Slicks

Joined: Aug 2006

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From: Powell TN

Cruise-In VIII Veteran

Can you hear the motor run? If so, it's probably good.

www.rodneydickman.com

- online ordering

- electrical

- headlight/other vehicles

- 1997 - 2004 c5 corvettes

Oct 27, 2007 | 01:33 AM

nitrojunky

Burning Brakes

Joined: Sep 2001

Posts: 893

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From: ATX

mine was like that. Turned out that, in addition to the gear having a few teeth missing, the rubber grommet had fallen apart (what this is will be apparent once you disassemble it; it attaches the gear to the shaft which drives the arm which raises/lowers the light). Replaced it & the nylon gear with a brass one and all is well now. Since it took a week or so for the parts to arrive, I also discovered that if you reach under the light and grab the lever arm attached to the motor, you can 'lock' it back to a point where it will keep the light up. At least I could on my '97. If you open the hood, you can see the motor run.

Oct 27, 2007 | 10:47 AM

rws.1

Race Director

Joined: Jul 2004

Posts: 16,795

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From: Lake Havasu City, AZ

The consensus seems to be for the Rodney Dickman unit linked above....
Here's a couple of good how to links that were previously posted on the forum.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...headlight+gear

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1767764

Oct 27, 2007 | 06:53 PM

Lithium

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From: Plano TX

Great!!

Thanks a lot!

Oct 27, 2007 | 08:22 PM

Lithium

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From: Plano TX

Quote:

Originally Posted by rws.1

Thanks!

One question I have for the ones of you that have done this. I got the motor out, but I need to know where both of the plastic spacers go. One goes inside the housing, but where does the other one go. Thanks!!