Headlight Repair work ?
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Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
Headlight Repair work ?
What is the best way to fix a worn out headlight motor and lift parts ? Is it better to just replace the plastic gear with a Dorman # 42400 or just go with complete replacement motor assembly ? there is a video from C&S Corvette where Lyle (how is the video host ) I watched in which he didn't recommend using a brass replacement gear but us a replacement plastic gear I mentioned here, In watching the video he makes the case that the reassembly process isn't very successful using any epoxy on the market, and that you need a steel bracket to do this repair correctly ? What say forum members ?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 120
Rodney Dickman sells a kit that has brass gear, epoxy, everything you need.
You can cheap out and get a made-of-chinesium knock-off with plastic gear. But my experience is that those fail muy pronto (i.e., very quickly).
You can cheap out and get a made-of-chinesium knock-off with plastic gear. But my experience is that those fail muy pronto (i.e., very quickly).
Racer
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 250
Likes: 137
From: Round Lake, IL
I got mine here in 2022 and it's been just fine all this past season.
Headlight Motor Kit: 93-02 Firebird, 00-04 Corvette C5 (top-downsolutions.com)
When I pulled my motor apart to do the repair, I could tell the gear mesh wasn't very good and it made sense that it started slipping and eventually stripped the gears. The motor itself had a little play against the plastic housing. It's held on by some tabs and I was able to bend them a little tighter and reduce the slop.
Not a difficult repair - lots of vids out there.
Headlight Motor Kit: 93-02 Firebird, 00-04 Corvette C5 (top-downsolutions.com)
When I pulled my motor apart to do the repair, I could tell the gear mesh wasn't very good and it made sense that it started slipping and eventually stripped the gears. The motor itself had a little play against the plastic housing. It's held on by some tabs and I was able to bend them a little tighter and reduce the slop.
Not a difficult repair - lots of vids out there.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Taildragers rule! USA1
It is MUCH cheaper......faster.....better to just replace both motors with new. $77 for both!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/284071389413?hash=item4223f968e5:g:lScAA OSwcqFdnU1k&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8MRkaKe HKfx1Igp4atd35soiAEa6rt4UuUlvXD6zwi7BE40 rTBY5wcWssPOEvp%2FKoeWl8h8LaWDObQqTTjAgW %2BfipIwr3A98wVtjesnwHnxMG1NhUcuFcYoGkIE 7vf2GTF7Xtc0U%2BuzEdBbu%2BJTM3DFzlXHpmxB y9JydH3FYGQNX0Phh8Nw8ey7ek3K%2FCRkMzDvYn yJbphdZPzTYgQcrImiM3%2FrK8Sl%2FlMdB0b%2F kdn3GcQJb7h0aL%2BFkcycbFINmgItafC%2BIEnp nbj0dvfBRocR%2FT6y%2BX42SQuplK6Wn0DHEEb5 BCNi%2BMnpVWizHQv4lCA%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBM mNSTjI5j
https://www.ebay.com/itm/284071389413?hash=item4223f968e5:g:lScAA OSwcqFdnU1k&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8MRkaKe HKfx1Igp4atd35soiAEa6rt4UuUlvXD6zwi7BE40 rTBY5wcWssPOEvp%2FKoeWl8h8LaWDObQqTTjAgW %2BfipIwr3A98wVtjesnwHnxMG1NhUcuFcYoGkIE 7vf2GTF7Xtc0U%2BuzEdBbu%2BJTM3DFzlXHpmxB y9JydH3FYGQNX0Phh8Nw8ey7ek3K%2FCRkMzDvYn yJbphdZPzTYgQcrImiM3%2FrK8Sl%2FlMdB0b%2F kdn3GcQJb7h0aL%2BFkcycbFINmgItafC%2BIEnp nbj0dvfBRocR%2FT6y%2BX42SQuplK6Wn0DHEEb5 BCNi%2BMnpVWizHQv4lCA%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBM mNSTjI5j
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Burning Brakes
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Melting Slicks
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From: Conyers Georgia
It depends on the style of motor. The 00's to 04's are different from the 97's - 99's.The former has 3 small bolts attaching the top and base and the other uses an epoxy. uses an epoxy. I watched Lyles video and went for the replacement kit. I went with his kit which has that "T" bracket.
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From: Bugs Bunny should'a made a left turn here
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