Headlights question

[andymc]

The adjuster on my nearside headlight is broken, meaning I can't get it through MOT till it's sorted. Does this necessitate replacement of the whole headlamp unit, or can the adjuster be replaced separately? It's a Mk1 car, pre-facelift.

[t5tart]

Originally Posted by andymc

The adjuster on my nearside headlight is broken, meaning I can't get it through MOT till it's sorted. Does this necessitate replacement of the whole headlamp unit, or can the adjuster be replaced separately? It's a Mk1 car, pre-facelift.

speak to
klarzy-dials.com



he did mine last year really helpful chap I took the car over there and he did it in his workshop

they can be replaced but you have to split the casing there are plenty of threads on here how to do it



but mine were Xenons and I didnt want to risk it lol

[Chuckles]

Had the same issue. Carefully prise open the front of the h/light around where you can see the seal. Inside you will see a small gear wheel pinion. unfortunately its plastic and all my ones were slipping on the shaft. Araldite will glue it all together but take care not to get any on the cogs..

Then its just a case of a thorough clean of all the reflector and plastic cover front parts then with some clear silicone adhesive sealant put it all back together, making sure that it is a tight seal. you don't want water inside!

I allowed a couple of days to let the internals stay very dry, cleaning and allowing for the glue to cure properly. Its not rocket science just patience and methodical working. You will only need a couple of PK/PZ screw drivers and a sharp knife.

Hope this helps.

[stevestrat]

What is actually broken? If its a case that the adjuster cogs have come adrift some have had success regluing using epoxy, if that fails there is a fix, allegedly temporary but my 1.8T has gone through two MOTs with it!

Originally Posted by Dave-M

Not sure if you can get the cogs separately, but when the adjuster worked loose on mine I did a 'quick fix' using the inside of a cable terminal block like this...


You just need the inside of one connector, then cut it in half so you have a short hollow block with a single screw in it. Slip it over the end of the adjuster rod and then use a pair of pliers to pull the adjuster rod out of the back of the lamp until it's at the correct height (line the beam up against a wall and compare it with the other side). Once it's in the correct position tighted the screw so that the rod is held in place.

It's just about do-able single handed, but easier if you can get someone else to tighten up the screw while you keep the light in position.

BTW - The 'quick fix' is still there 6 momths later!

[klarzy]

Originally Posted by stevestrat

What is actually broken? If its a case that the adjuster cogs have come adrift some have had success regluing using epoxy, if that fails there is a fix, allegedly temporary but my 1.8T has been running about for nigh on two years with it!

I think in andys case the beval gear on top (the part that the hex key fits in has beoken up, i have offered to send him one FOC if he can send me a pic of his then i will send a complete assembly for him to replace it.

[stevestrat]

With mine corrosion got between the shaft and the blue cog so the cog had no grip on the shaft. Tried cleaning it up and regluing but that wasn't successful, think it was to do with the type of plastic used for the cog. I did the fix I added to my post above and never looked back!

[T-Cut]

The basic problem with the blue cogs is rusting of the knurled spindle where the cog was pressed on. If the corrosion isn't too severe, I found getting a good quality Superglue into the joint works well. Apply grease after curing. When I bought my Connoisseur, the spindles were still bright steel, so I've ensured the ends are always well greased. If the adjuster arm inside the lamp has failed, then opening up the case is the only way to fix it.

TC

[andymc]

Thanks very much for the tips and offers of help folks! I'll take a photo later on and stick it on so the thing can be seen. It looks like it's sort of past it but I'm not knowledgeable enough to know.
Between that and the other headlight being very cloudy, I'm hemming & hawing about replacing them but would only look to do that if the existing ones can't be sorted out.

[andymc]

Finally got these uploaded. The first two pics show the rear of the NS headlamp, and the corrosion on the adjuster. Any thoughts as to whether this can be repaired?

The next pics show the level of clouding on the front glass. The offside lights are particularly bad in this regard.

Have to admit I'm wondering whether I might be better off replacing them altogether, but haven't decided yet - any thoughts?
I don't mind putting in the elbow grease to polish the glass if needs be, but I'm very much in the dark (ahaha) when it comes to taking the light clusters out and taking them apart.

[T-Cut]

Originally Posted by andymc

The first two pics show the rear of the NS headlamp and the corrosion on the adjuster. Any thoughts as to whether this can be repaired?

There's not much there to work with and by the time the rust has been removed, even less. However, it's undoubtedly fixable if you put the work in. The ideal IMO would be to replace the metal spindle completely. This would mean separating the lens and case. Not a difficult job by any means, but it all depends on whether you're up for it. Swapping the complete lamp is more expensive but a lot easier.

If you can get a connector like the one suggested to actually fix tightly enough, a simple extension will allow you to make a crank or something to enable the spindle to be tuned. Apply lots of penetrating oil to see if it's free.

TC