HEADLIGHT shakes will driving
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Those little "stop pads" (a much more descriptive term IMO) can be pulled off - sometimes a little too easily I think - and then turned around 180* and pushed back onto the metal tab they live on so that the metal "bar" part of the mechanism that makes contact with them has a "fresh" surface, instead of the trough that gets mushed into them over time.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 134
Likes: 1
From: Rancho Bernardo CA
Those little "stop pads" (a much more descriptive term IMO) can be pulled off - sometimes a little too easily I think - and then turned around 180* and pushed back onto the metal tab they live on so that the metal "bar" part of the mechanism that makes contact with them has a "fresh" surface, instead of the trough that gets mushed into them over time.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 134
Likes: 1
From: Rancho Bernardo CA
Anyone have any ideas? My bulb appears to be VERY secure in the housing... all bolts are tight...
I'm stumped... I have no idea what the problem is... 
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 134
Likes: 1
From: Rancho Bernardo CA
My shaking isn't on EVERY small bump, but as soon as I hit 60+ on the freeway i get a pretty consistent jitter... could it be my alignment? My car is lowered, but I had it aligned after I lowered it... about a year ago...
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
You can find the plastic bushings if you look in where the arm is attached to the motor. There is also a couple on the back of the headlight assembly. However, I doubt it's the issue. The motor jambs the lifting arm against this stop and if you remove the plastic bumper then the arm is jammed against the metal tab instead. Either way, there should be no play at that contact point.
Peter
Peter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 134
Likes: 1
From: Rancho Bernardo CA
You can find the plastic bushings if you look in where the arm is attached to the motor. There is also a couple on the back of the headlight assembly. However, I doubt it's the issue. The motor jambs the lifting arm against this stop and if you remove the plastic bumper then the arm is jammed against the metal tab instead. Either way, there should be no play at that contact point.
Peter
Peter
I didn't think it was that after figuring out what plastic bushings we were talking about.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 233
Likes: 1
From: Austin Texas
My hunch is that something on the drivers side headlight has come loose or come apart on the OP's car. I was just working on my headlights today (broken gear) so have a fresh sense of how they operate.
If my car were doing this I'd remove the painted panel covering the top of each headlight (there are 4 torx screws and the panel just lifts off. Then I would compare the two assemblies trying to figure out why one is loose and the other is tight. Try it raised and lowered. Look at where the linkage stops on each etc. Also check that the motor spins the linkage all the way to the bump stop and tightens the linkage. You might need a new gear but my bet is a bolt has come loose or a nut has fallen off the assembly somewhere. The linkage should definitely not have play from side to side.
If my car were doing this I'd remove the painted panel covering the top of each headlight (there are 4 torx screws and the panel just lifts off. Then I would compare the two assemblies trying to figure out why one is loose and the other is tight. Try it raised and lowered. Look at where the linkage stops on each etc. Also check that the motor spins the linkage all the way to the bump stop and tightens the linkage. You might need a new gear but my bet is a bolt has come loose or a nut has fallen off the assembly somewhere. The linkage should definitely not have play from side to side.
Last edited by Cratecruncher; Dec 4, 2010 at 01:14 AM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
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
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,545
Likes: 3
From: CLIFTON PARK NY
There was a thread on this issue a while back and I cant seem to find it,but I had the same issue,and neither the plastic bumber stops or loose mounting bolts were the issue! If you remove the headlight door panel,and the plastic bezel,you will see where the adjusting rods (up/down)
(left/right)fit into the rear of the headlight assembly.That part is plastic and does have some play in it.What I did was use zip ties to eliminate the looseness,but still be able to adjust them if necessary,and THAT fixed MY jittering issue,worth a try
I FOUND IT!!!!!!!!! CLICK ON THE LINK
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...gle-found.html
(left/right)fit into the rear of the headlight assembly.That part is plastic and does have some play in it.What I did was use zip ties to eliminate the looseness,but still be able to adjust them if necessary,and THAT fixed MY jittering issue,worth a try
I FOUND IT!!!!!!!!! CLICK ON THE LINK
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...gle-found.html
Last edited by JropTop; Dec 4, 2010 at 09:35 AM. Reason: added link
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,773
Likes: 66
From: SoCal
Thought I would post in this thread since I found out why my drivers side light was shaking. One of the rear mounting bolts was gone on the top of the mount. Put in a new bolt and made sure all other bolts were snug while I had it apart. Solid now. Was so busy looking for problems on the top and the pieces that swivel I didn't notice the missing bolt from below.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,700
Likes: 298
From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
When the headlight opens,there are stops that limit it's travel(under the hood,directly behind the light assembly).
There should be some rubber or hard plastic "bumpers" over the metal stops.
If one or both of these are missing,it could be causing the "jiggle"
Just get a piece of 5/16 or 3/8 fuel or vacuum line,cut a couple of 1/2" long pieces,and slip them over the stops,this should tighten things up.
Also,a bulb that's not seated into the reflector assy. correctly will jiggle when you hit a bump-
There should be some rubber or hard plastic "bumpers" over the metal stops.
If one or both of these are missing,it could be causing the "jiggle"
Just get a piece of 5/16 or 3/8 fuel or vacuum line,cut a couple of 1/2" long pieces,and slip them over the stops,this should tighten things up.
Also,a bulb that's not seated into the reflector assy. correctly will jiggle when you hit a bump-
The stops were my guess....last month I rebuilt both headlights and the stops were shot. Replaced with tubing from Home Depot.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,962
Likes: 254
From: Richmond, Ky
Thought I would post in this thread since I found out why my drivers side light was shaking. One of the rear mounting bolts was gone on the top of the mount. Put in a new bolt and made sure all other bolts were snug while I had it apart. Solid now. Was so busy looking for problems on the top and the pieces that swivel I didn't notice the missing bolt from below.
I have the same issue with my drivers side headlight. Was the missing bolt something a person could see without any disassembly of the headlight housing? My car is in the garage but no heat out there and it's 24 degrees right now. Did you source the missing bolt from the dealer or hardware store, ect. ?
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: Fort Worth TX
Helloooo 
I just replaced both headlight gears on my vert and come to find the previous owner already had metal gears in them. His gears were grinded down bald. wow.
Ok anyways, having the same issue with my headlight on the driver side. It's actually "unscrewing" the main bolt. It unscrewed the main bolt after 4 up & downs.
I'm actually now kind of worried how I'm supposed to make the bolt stay on when the headlight is unscrewing it. Extra tight I guess? The washer isn't doing its job.
I will change the flexiboot thingies (white things? w/e boot is a horrible term for white bumpers).
Thanks
I just replaced both headlight gears on my vert and come to find the previous owner already had metal gears in them. His gears were grinded down bald. wow.
Ok anyways, having the same issue with my headlight on the driver side. It's actually "unscrewing" the main bolt. It unscrewed the main bolt after 4 up & downs.
I'm actually now kind of worried how I'm supposed to make the bolt stay on when the headlight is unscrewing it. Extra tight I guess? The washer isn't doing its job.
I will change the flexiboot thingies (white things? w/e boot is a horrible term for white bumpers).
Thanks
