About to replace headlight motor gears

**patriot1136** · 06-02-2008, 10:30 AM

I got the aluminum headlight motor gears and am planning on replacing them this weekend. The instructions it came with are really good and detailed but I'm still nervous about doing it. How hard is it to replace them? Anything I really need to worry about? I'm gonna take my team and I consider myself good at following directions.

**bgable** · 06-02-2008, 11:23 AM

its not to bad only took me but an hour from start to finish

rapter34 · 06-02-2008, 12:02 PM

where did you get them from?

**svt_eater** · 06-02-2008, 01:44 PM

I'm curious too, as I thought the only ones made were brass. Aluminum may not be best, but that's just my gut feeling...I'm sure they are better than the plastic junk that is stock.

**patriot1136** · 06-03-2008, 09:58 AM

I got them here: http://www.rodneydickman.com/retail_new.html

the aluminum are supposed to be just as good as brass just slightly cheaper since prices of brass have went up

**bgable** · 06-03-2008, 11:27 AM

i used brass also...

**Blue_98_ws6** · 06-03-2008, 01:25 PM

http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/index.htm

look at the instructions and instructional video here

**vannatte** · 06-03-2008, 05:01 PM

It's not difficult at all. Turn the lights on, unplug them, turn the lights off, remove the trim, remove a few 10mm bolts and the motor slides out. I kept the light propped up with a towel while I was doing the repair. Pop the cover off of the motor, swap gears, slap some grease in there and put it all back together. I hope you got the braces & bumper along with the gears. Mine stopped working within a few weeks since I didn't use the braces. The glue isn't strong enough to hold the cover back on the motor and it pops off. The repair is worthless without the braces. I did this repair on my old 94 T/A, but I think its the exact same repair.

**DIRTY JERZY** · 06-04-2008, 06:57 AM

What braces and where do I get them

**vannatte** · 06-04-2008, 07:02 AM

They come included in his kit. They are pictured in this link (http://www.rodneydickman.com/retail_new.html). It looks like a cross.

**WSICK** · 06-18-2008, 10:29 PM

i use brass gears on mine then used appoxy* on the covers, worked great. got mine from that guy bfranker

**QtrWhore** · 06-19-2008, 05:03 AM

will be ordering some of these when i get back..stupid headlight motor

**summy** · 06-21-2008, 01:05 AM

That plastic cover was a pain in the ass to get off. I got a nice little cut from that but the rest went real easy. Watch the video, it help out a lot. After I did my driver light I got the confidence to do the plugs and wires. A little over 4 hours for them but it sure was worth it. $400 for a shop or 120$ (parts) and 4 hours at home.

**summy** · 06-21-2008, 01:06 AM

Oh ya I got mine from bfranker as well.

**WhiskeySierra6** · 06-21-2008, 08:07 PM

I used washers on the passenger side motor bolts just for some added security on the cover. Never can tell how well an epoxy is going to work. Good luck.

**vannatte** · 06-22-2008, 06:38 AM

Originally Posted by WhiskeySierra6

I used washers on the passenger side motor bolts just for some added security on the cover. Never can tell how well an epoxy is going to work. Good luck.

That's a good idea. How did you pull that off? The epoxy only held for a few weeks before breaking loose. At the time I did the repair, there wasn't a kit available like Rodney Dickman's that came with the brace that holds the cover onto the motor.

**WhiskeySierra6** · 06-22-2008, 07:23 AM

I used the 3 bolts that hold the motor onto the bracket. Just put some washers on the side with the cover. There will probably be an 1/8" gap between the washers and the cover itself. I just cut up a small piece of plastic I had laying around and super glued it to bridge the gap. When you torque the bolts down the washers should be butted up against the cover then. I only had to do it on the passenger side though because the driver's side cover is pushed up against the bracket. All I did for that side was super glue the pieces of plastic to the cover and the bracket acted as the washers and held the cover in place. Hope this makes sense. If it doesn't I'll try and take some pictures.

**vannatte** · 06-22-2008, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by WhiskeySierra6

I used the 3 bolts that hold the motor onto the bracket. Just put some washers on the side with the cover. There will probably be an 1/8" gap between the washers and the cover itself. I just cut up a small piece of plastic I had laying around and super glued it to bridge the gap. When you torque the bolts down the washers should be butted up against the cover then. I only had to do it on the passenger side though because the driver's side cover is pushed up against the bracket. All I did for that side was super glue the pieces of plastic to the cover and the bracket acted as the washers and held the cover in place. Hope this makes sense. If it doesn't I'll try and take some pictures.

No need for pictures. I was just curious. If my motors go out, I'll use Rodney Dickman's kit that comes with braces.