[s-cars] HID headlight install finished...sort of

[Dave Ellis]

Michael Bess wrote:
> Now, the rub.  When I pulled the headlight assembly out I noticed that the
> plastic bevel gear connected to the "left-right"  adjuster  (as opposed to
> the "up-down" adjuster) was non-existent and the shaft going into the
> assembly was flopping around.    That in turn allows the reflector to float
> around.  This problem was also noted on the passenger side assembly also.
> The questions:  a.  any BTDT on this problem, b.  how big a problem is this,
> c.  can the bevel gear be found somewhere (or pulled off a scrap headlight
> assembly and re-installed).  No need to blind oncoming drivers due to badly
> aimed headlights.  I suppose I could do a seat of the pants aim and
> tape/glue the adjusting shaft in place to hold things together.    
> 
> lMike  Bess


I had this problem as well, though the gears were not completely gone, 
just loose on the shaft so adjustment was no longer possible.  I ended 
up dremmelling the cross-hatched ridge pattern off the end of the shaft 
and using a tap and die set to thread the shaft end for a pair of nuts 
(10mm external diameter the same as the original "gears").  I then put 
two nuts per shaft locked together with some locktite for added measure, 
and now use a 10mm wrench to adjust the headlights.  Works fine.
-Dave