0Willcox Corvette

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0Willcox Corvette

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summerst

OK, I followed the video from start to finish to replace the bushings (pellets) in my 1991 corvette headlight. Everything was fine until I tried to remove the gear. It would not budge. Plus there was no opening in the back of the case (like in the video) to push out the gear. I followed steps 12, 13 and 14 in Corvettemagazine.com's article on replacing the bushings and the gear came out. Here is the jump to the article:
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/body...1988-1996.html
I did the repair on my work bench. As it is so easy to pull the whole assembly, I can't imagine doing it on the car. You will want to take the headlight covers off to do the work. Suggest that you somehow mark how it was bolted up or you will have fun checking the alignment of the cover when you put everything back together. Alternatively, you could cover all the painted surfaces with blue tape before you start and then just leave the covers on. Also, the factory must use 80 pounds of torque on the torx screws. They are really a bear to break free. Our last thing. Be careful with the headlight bracket (the "horseshoe") if you remove the headlight assembly for the repair. It is aluminum and has several weak spots that will break easily.

0Willcox Corvette

On motors where there is no back, you just have to work the gear out... They can be bound up from all the pellet debris but they will come out...

Willcox

Deepa

Same on my 91, the passenger side gear was a bitch to get out...

I took a 8 foot long piece of coated electrical wire, like 10-12 guage which fit into the hole on the gear shaft which the roll pin fits in...that gave me leverage to pull the gear out and not scratch shaft or anything else up. It took me a while because I wasnt pulling hard enough on it.

Hope this helps,

Mike

summerst

Yeah. Now you tell me. Maybe you should add a post script to your video. I would have loved to watch it with your guy taking apart my headlight assembly. It probably would go viral on the internet! Seriously, I appreciate your efforts to make the video. I am just trying to help the next guy out as there is no reason to get frustrated on this job when you are that far enough along in tearing the thing apart.

My 1990 has a back that you can push on while the motor in the 1991 does not. The wiring harness is different as well. Both cars have the original headlight motors so I would assume that pre-91 cars have the open back motors and the 1991 through 1996 have the closed back motors.

summerst

I just replaced the bushings (pellets) in the driver's side on my 1991. Its odd that the driver's side case has an opening on the back to push the gear out while the passenger side does not at least on my car. I have had my 1991 since 2000 so I don't believe that the headlight motor was ever replaced. Apparently, the headlight motors are mirror images with this important exception (at least when it comes to the Willcox video). Bottom line is that the driver's side was much easier to repair that the passenger side. Also, I found that if you slip a nail punch into the slot where the motor passes through the gears when removing the motor, the job goes much faster in reassembly and there is zero chance of error getting the thing back together properly.
Now that I'm all done, I have an extra working passenger side headlight assembly for a 1991 to 1996 Vette that is available for $150 plus $10 shipping in U.S. I will post it later in the parts for sale section with a picture, but early birds reading this get first shot at it. I found that its nice to have a working one handy when attempting to replace the pellets the first time as it provides an easy reference and offers a backup if you screw up replacing the pellets the first time and your car is a daily driver like my 1991. Plus the extra assembly (whether its your repaired old one or the one I am selling) will always have the same value so basically all you end up paying is the shipping.

DAVECAD2.0

Excellant vidieo. I've had several Firebirds and 'Vettes. I've always replaced the plastic gear with a brass one. I've always found that part of the "dust" or "crumbs" was from the gear. On two occations I found teeth missing. Just curious why you used plastic and not brass?

Thanks, Dave

0Willcox Corvette

The gears were designed to fail.

When plastic wears out or breaks the motor is serviceable. When brass wears out it takes out the motor.

I've always felt that buying pellets maybe twice in the life of the motor is cheaper and keeps in touch with how the motor was designed thus avoiding other issues a locked up motor could cause.

IMHO,

Willcox

0Willcox Corvette

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0Willcox Corvette

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dogfish246

Which techniques do you not agree with so that I can make a better video? Thanks

0Willcox Corvette

If you don't mind, email me direct at Support@Willcoxcorvette.com and we will discuss this a bit. <-- You never messaged me....

0Willcox Corvette

Bump... got a customer looking for this..

jimmymack

Just got the parts in from you guys and getting ready to do this, thanks.

0Willcox Corvette

Good deal.. let me know if you have any problems...

KentsOkay

This is fantastic, and timely! Thanks.

dougsrace

great info. good video.

0Willcox Corvette

bump... Someone is looking for this..

65Z01

This is the current situation with my RH motor; the manual know will not turn to close the headlight...

I'll be back to view this vid soon as this job comes up in the quque...