TastyBacon

I searched but couldn't find anyone with a similar problem. My car is a new-to-me '99 coupe with 134k on it. I just did a popup motor rebuild w/ brass gear for the passenger side headlight. Motor rebuild went fine, but I'd noticed the lights bouncing when I hit bumps, so I checked the adjusters, and here's what I found:



The bushing for the vertical adjuster is completely gone, and the previous owner did a ghetto fix with a piece of rubber hose. I'm afraid I already know the answer to this, but is there any way to get a replacement adjuster bushing? Here's a shot of the passenger side adjuster with intact bushing:



The part I need is the black rubber cone-shaped bushing into which the ball end of the adjuster stud fits.

I took the adjusters apart and greased them, and noticed two additional problems. First, I can turn the vertical adjuster for days; golden rod isn't broken, everything works smoothly, but the stud doesn't seem to travel at all, so the adjuster doesn't actually adjust anything. It just stays the same length. Is this fixable, or do I need a whole new adjuster? Second, the horizontal adjuster turns and seems to work, but instead of the ball turning inside of the rubber bushing, the whole bushing turns in its mounting bracket, which requires a lot of effort and chews up the bushing.

These are such small problems...I really hope they can be fixed without buying a whole new assembly. Thanks in advance for any help.

maxx2200

I have a damaged headlight assy. I'll look and see if I have the parts you need tonight. If so, I'll PM you for a mailing address.

Fast one

The adjusting screw is not supposed to turn, the two small tabs stamped on the ball keep it from turning inside the nylon retainer socket that snaps into the metal frame. In the top picture you can see one tab on the adjusting screw ball end. What turns is the plastic nut inside the gearbox, this translates to linear motion and adjustment of the headlamp frame. Both adjustments operate the same and there is an additional fixed ball/ retainer socket for triangulation; a total of six nylon retainers per C5. I searched online for the nylon retainers last year and had no luck; GM only sells a complete assembly. A vendor could sell these for a good profit as there is no other low cost means of repair.

TastyBacon

Oh, now I get it! So my problem is that the plastic nut/gear inside the gearbox is frozen onto the adjuster bolt, so when I turn the adjuster, it tries to turn the bolt, which it's not supposed to do. I'll have to take it back apart and see if I can free those up. Thanks a lot.

maxx2200, if you could come up with another black bushing or two, I'd really appreciate it. I will gladly pay you for your trouble.

Fast one

If penetrating oil fails to break loose the plastic nut from the adjusting screw you can try heat as a last resort. I fixed a bad one by slightly heating the adjusting screw with a propane torch then turning the plastic nut, it took two tries. The adjusting screw and plastic nut need to be removed and the ball end held in a vise, start with minimum heat and work up. A scrap piece of sheel aluminum in front of the plastic will keep any stray flames away from it. The parts work fine after several years. Too much heat will of course melt the plastic nut so be careful.

lionelhutz

The rod has a metal gear and it meshes with a plastic gear that turns around the adjuster screw. The plastic gear is likely stripped if the rod is turning but nothing else.

You can take the adjusters off the car and take them apart. You can then work the plastic gear off the adjuster screw. Clean the threads of the adjuster screw, lube it up and put it all back together.

TastyBacon

Thanks. Fortunately the plastic gear isn't stripped. I took the adjusters apart and greased them, but I didn't realize that the plastic gear/nut should be spinning ON the threaded rod, not spinning the threaded rod, so now I need to take them apart again and try to free them up. I'll use a wire wheel to clean up the threads like you suggested.

maxx2200

I'm not sure I have what you need. I'm happy to send you what I have if it will help.





Sorry for the lousy phone pics.

TastyBacon

Thanks for the pics. It looks like the vertical adjuster bushing on that assembly is already missing, but I think the horizontal adjuster bushing is identical, so I could use that if you could spare it:



I'll send you a PM.

doug_dayson

Sorry to revive the necro-thread, but has anyone found a source for these bushings?

Hit a deer last Sat night and need 4 of them.

ericdwong

Try VetteNuts. Not specifically listed but he tends to have oddball off the wall stuff like that.

http://www.vettenuts.net/index.php?l...&c=26&show=100

doug_dayson

I found some here today...

http://cliphouse.com/av19549.aspx

Thanks!

mpolhem

Little help...did anyone find these suckers? Hit a deer, busted all three (2 square, 1 round) on the passenger side. Can't find them using the part number above...

Yokesc5