dorkidori_s13
11-20-2013, 11:23 PM
So my headlights have been a bit out of alignment lately and I decided to adjust them tonight. Fearful of stripping the screws due to age, I start to gently adjust the pitch and height. Well, as usual, the damn housing popped out of place on the screw! Annoyed with what had happened, I decided to take matters into my own hands!
Breaking out some foaming glass cleaner, a wire brush, some B-12 carb cleaner, paper towels, pliers, a screw driver and WD40, I went to work and disassembled the entire light housing. Starting with the flippie unit itself, I coated it with a mix of foaming glass cleaner and a small amount of B-12 and went nuts with the wire brush. The amount of gunge and dirt that had built up over the years was NUTS! After giving both light fixtues a good wire brush scrub, I cleaned them up with more glass cleaner and paper towels. I had taken off a bit of the paint so I shot both housings down completely with self etching primer then a little leveling primer. The black backer housing units I gave a good wire brushing and wipe down as well. I took the time to completely rebend the adjustment brackets into place. Also, I coated every bolt, nut and screw I removed with generous amounts of WD40.
After about an hours worth of work in cleaning and refitting parts, I put everything back together, taking special care to make sure the adjustment housing sat on the adjustment screws perfectly. Oh man, was this well worth it!!!
I took the car out to realign the headlights, I have NEVER NEVER NEVER had S13 flippie headlights adjust as easily as they do now. A few turns of the screw driver on either adjustment screw actually makes a noticeable difference in the headlight direction! The screws worked effortlessly and I was able to realign my headlights with very little trouble at all. No screws binding, no having to tap on the headlights to get them to move, no bending tabs, just smooth sailing!
So in closing, for you S13 owners who have flippies and are having a hard time adjusting them, I recommend you take apart your headlights and give them a good scrubbing! I never imagined how easy these headlights adjusted. Literally, its like a brand new car! The hour and a half total I spent cleaning, lubing and repainting the headlight units was WELL worth it!
Breaking out some foaming glass cleaner, a wire brush, some B-12 carb cleaner, paper towels, pliers, a screw driver and WD40, I went to work and disassembled the entire light housing. Starting with the flippie unit itself, I coated it with a mix of foaming glass cleaner and a small amount of B-12 and went nuts with the wire brush. The amount of gunge and dirt that had built up over the years was NUTS! After giving both light fixtues a good wire brush scrub, I cleaned them up with more glass cleaner and paper towels. I had taken off a bit of the paint so I shot both housings down completely with self etching primer then a little leveling primer. The black backer housing units I gave a good wire brushing and wipe down as well. I took the time to completely rebend the adjustment brackets into place. Also, I coated every bolt, nut and screw I removed with generous amounts of WD40.
After about an hours worth of work in cleaning and refitting parts, I put everything back together, taking special care to make sure the adjustment housing sat on the adjustment screws perfectly. Oh man, was this well worth it!!!
I took the car out to realign the headlights, I have NEVER NEVER NEVER had S13 flippie headlights adjust as easily as they do now. A few turns of the screw driver on either adjustment screw actually makes a noticeable difference in the headlight direction! The screws worked effortlessly and I was able to realign my headlights with very little trouble at all. No screws binding, no having to tap on the headlights to get them to move, no bending tabs, just smooth sailing!
So in closing, for you S13 owners who have flippies and are having a hard time adjusting them, I recommend you take apart your headlights and give them a good scrubbing! I never imagined how easy these headlights adjusted. Literally, its like a brand new car! The hour and a half total I spent cleaning, lubing and repainting the headlight units was WELL worth it!