Head light restoration?

[Driv3r]

Is there a way to dismantle the headlights without damaging it? Tried to open the aluminium ring around the edge of the glass by turning it counter clockwise but it seems impossible. I like to clean the inside and have the housing re-plated. 

 

Cheers

[Buckeye]

penetrating oil such as PB Blaster. spray it on a few time. work on something else for a day, then revisit.

[pehlivanov_tii]

You are with US headlights or Euro headlights? I am with Euro and i cut with exacto knife the old seal as much as possible and the glass came out easy. I don't know how it is with the US headlights, but i have issue now to fit the original glass in the Euro bucket with the OEM seals. So if the fitting is the same and you are not doing a 10/10 top restoration i will suggest you to replate the bucket without taking off the glass.

['76mintgrün'02]

RAS-2002 won informative post of the year, with the headlight cleaning instructions he got from Daniel Stern.

They can be seen here- 

 

[Driv3r]

Thanks, not sure if I can go that route. I'll try using the wash method. Cheers

[Driv3r]

Update

 

I washed the inside of the headlight using the method recommended by RAS-2002 as above.

 

Following that step, I decided to use "Rain-x washer fluid additive", mixed the additive with distilled water and washed again (same recommended washing method).

 

Rain-x has methanol so it quickly dried out leaving the  internals of the headlight shiny again. Here are the two headlights one hasn't been washed yet, guess which one? 

 

 

 

[m6smitten]

Very nice. Not sure if you got your question answered but that black trim ring is held on by two or three tabs. Once the ring is off, you can access the oem seal.

[Driv3r]

Very nice. Not sure if you got your question answered but that black trim ring is held on by two or three tabs. Once the ring is off, you can access the oem seal.

Thanks, yes those tabs are press sealed and I didn't want to damage or bend it accidentally as it wouldn't be the same when it's reassembled.

[pehlivanov_tii]

Very nice. I have posted another topic for my problem, but let's ask here too - any advice on replacing the oem seal? My headlights are parted out, i bought new OEM seals, but i cant install it - the glass with the seal on cant get inside the bucket?

[Driv3r]

Very nice. I have posted another topic for my problem, but let's ask here too - any advice on replacing the oem seal? My headlights are parted out, i bought new OEM seals, but i cant install it - the glass with the seal on cant get inside the bucket?

Not sure. Are those seals identical or made for left & right? Maybe someone more experienced could suggest a method.

[pehlivanov_tii]

they are the same. the problem is the their diameter is smaller than the lens diameter and they got broke each time when you try to put the seal on the lens and then to put it in the bucket. i am working in auto service and a guy who is working in the paint shop put the seals in hot water to get more elastic and then put them on the lenses. And that way obviously work. But he still didn't put the lens+the seal in the bucket yet. He always tell me that he has a lot of customer work and he don't have time for my headlights, but i guess he just can't make it lol.  so please any hints?

[John_in_VA]

2 hours ago, pehlivanov_tii said:

 so please any hints?

Since so few of us here in the US have the Euro-style lights, perhaps you could check previous posts or inquire on the UK forum for some tips: http://www.02forum.co.uk/

[Driv3r]

they are the same. the problem is the their diameter is smaller than the lens diameter and they got broke each time when you try to put the seal on the lens and then to put it in the bucket. i am working in auto service and a guy who is working in the paint shop put the seals in hot water to get more elastic and then put them on the lenses. And that way obviously work. But he still didn't put the lens+the seal in the bucket yet. He always tell me that he has a lot of customer work and he don't have time for my headlights, but i guess he just can't make it lol. [emoji4] so please any hints?

What's the seal made of? Here in Australia we have Clark Rubber and they can make you any kind of seal. You could also try gasket seal paste or 3M automotive sealant.

Also, did you order euro headlight gaskets or US?

[pehlivanov_tii]

It is from rubber. Part number is 63128650131. There are different numbers for Hella and Bosch, but i have compared the lenses and the buckets where the seal goes and the Bosch and Hella looks the same. This is the part number for Bosch headlights. I am from Bulgaria and here we don't have a source for generic seals, but this is not the main problem. Yes, the diameter of the seal seems smaller than it should, but in hot water it gets more elastic and you can put the seal on the lens (if you don't use the trick with the hot water you can't put the seal on the lens without breaking the seal). So now the problem is to put the lens+seal in the bucket.

 

Yes i will try in the UK, thanks guys.