best way to fix headlight?
- Thread starter Strider
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Matt,
A dash of clear silicone is better than nothing. Unfortunately the damage to the reflector is done. To get full brightness back you will have to replace it :tear: .
Dan
A dash of clear silicone is better than nothing. Unfortunately the damage to the reflector is done. To get full brightness back you will have to replace it :tear: .
Dan
I had the same problem with a BMW headlight a few years ago. I plugged it with silicone as Dan suggests and it worked well.
One issue that I found, was that as soon as you use the lights after you plug the hole, any moisture in the light will evaporate and then condense against the glass once you switch the lights off. The solution I found was to keep the lights on (bulbs hot) until you are sure all the water has been driven out - then wait for it to cool (to see if there is any condensation - then plug the hole.
Cheers, Jim
One issue that I found, was that as soon as you use the lights after you plug the hole, any moisture in the light will evaporate and then condense against the glass once you switch the lights off. The solution I found was to keep the lights on (bulbs hot) until you are sure all the water has been driven out - then wait for it to cool (to see if there is any condensation - then plug the hole.
Cheers, Jim
I drove my beater for over a year with a huge frickin hole in the ds headlight. 
Wasn't bad, but in winter, there was always ice in there. 
Finally picked up a new one.
Wasn't bad, but in winter, there was always ice in there. Finally picked up a new one.
Mine was about 70% of the lens by the way.
That coating stuff may not have worked for me. :dunno:
That coating stuff may not have worked for me. :dunno:
Bad Mike;
I am glad to see you feeling better... It's been quiet everywhere without you. Are you still moving to Waco? I was just wondering if I need to start locking my doors at night. :G
I am glad to see you feeling better... It's been quiet everywhere without you. Are you still moving to Waco? I was just wondering if I need to start locking my doors at night. :G
Hey Nick.
Yup. Better lock those doors. Riff Raff is moving in fast.
My health has pushed back everything I've been doing for a few mos.
Soon as I start
ing some folks around again, or get Cdan to do it for me, I'll be back in traveling form.
Yup. Better lock those doors. Riff Raff is moving in fast.
My health has pushed back everything I've been doing for a few mos.
Soon as I start
ing some folks around again, or get Cdan to do it for me, I'll be back in traveling form.
Lemme at 'em
Who's next
Who's next
Nah, I'm still after this dude south of Chicago that scammed me and a few others out of $500. Now it's out of principal. Getting the authorities involved later this week (that will be a first, me going to them instead of the other way around)
Too bad I don't travel to Chi any more. Used to be there at least 3x a mo for work.
I had a hole on my headlight approx. 1mm circle.
Was open for about 6 months and I got dirt and water in there. Having bulbs on never seemed to get the condensation out.
In the end I had to try and clean with long Q-tips (and cotton wool on end of bendy sticks or anything) - used to dip in alchol wipe to try and get the dirt out. Cleaned from holr (just b careful that u don't make it any larger) and also from bulb positions at the back (take those out
)
Helped a great deal but not fully clean but 80% better than what it was. Even had green slime in there - yuck!
Bought one of those cheapo headlight len repair kits and fiddled with that but the hole was too big. Eventually used the plastic box that it came in to cut a circle just a little bigger than the hole (as per the instructions). Then used the special glue.
So-far it has worked and not issues with water in there (not done any water xings yet) and not tried any powerful spray hoses.
Lal
96 1FZ with 83K in Colorado
brendan.lally@ mail.com
Was open for about 6 months and I got dirt and water in there. Having bulbs on never seemed to get the condensation out.
In the end I had to try and clean with long Q-tips (and cotton wool on end of bendy sticks or anything) - used to dip in alchol wipe to try and get the dirt out. Cleaned from holr (just b careful that u don't make it any larger) and also from bulb positions at the back (take those out
)Helped a great deal but not fully clean but 80% better than what it was. Even had green slime in there - yuck!
Bought one of those cheapo headlight len repair kits and fiddled with that but the hole was too big. Eventually used the plastic box that it came in to cut a circle just a little bigger than the hole (as per the instructions). Then used the special glue.
So-far it has worked and not issues with water in there (not done any water xings yet) and not tried any powerful spray hoses.
Lal
96 1FZ with 83K in Colorado
brendan.lally@ mail.com
NE Calif is logging country - at least, it was before the spotted owl squatted here - and one seems always to be behind a logging truck or one of those 18-wheel chip carriers.
So, broken headlights (and windshields) are a way of life here.
I've always had wire screens on the headlights of all my vehicles, but 80 headlights are not screen friendly, and those plastic covers are really inadequate. Has anyone had any luck rigging a screen on the ARB bar to protect the headlights? Can't recall seeing that too often, if at all, but it seems like it wouldn't be too difficult to do...
R -
So, broken headlights (and windshields) are a way of life here.
I've always had wire screens on the headlights of all my vehicles, but 80 headlights are not screen friendly, and those plastic covers are really inadequate. Has anyone had any luck rigging a screen on the ARB bar to protect the headlights? Can't recall seeing that too often, if at all, but it seems like it wouldn't be too difficult to do...
R -
"Photoman, who hasn't thrown ANYTHING away in 35 years, finds a use for 'that old gate in the corner' "
"....don't fence me in...."
"....don't fence me in...."
B -
Ahem... I would repeat only the sage wisdom of another of our witty group, "Bill, most of us usually open gates before we drive through them..."
On the other hand though, put some chain link in there and it would make a wicked headlight gurad, ya have to admit...
R -
Ahem... I would repeat only the sage wisdom of another of our witty group, "Bill, most of us usually open gates before we drive through them..."
On the other hand though, put some chain link in there and it would make a wicked headlight gurad, ya have to admit...
R -
