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Raise Headlights Manually Firebird

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Old 02-01-2013, 11:54 AM
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Raise Headlights Manually Firebird

Hi,

To raise the headlights manually there is a **** beside each light. I can't get this to work. I remember trying a few years back and couldn't get anything to happen. The headlights did work fine opening and closing but couldn't get them to operate manually. Now I have the car disassembled and am putting it back together again I would like to get to the bottom of this. My first question is do I just twist the **** in the direction shown and should something happen. Does the battery need to be connected or should they raise by twisting the **** with no power.

Thanks.
Old 02-01-2013, 12:05 PM
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Re: Raise Headlights Manually Firebird

When I got my car the headlights did not come up and would not come up manually. I read on here about the 3 puck type things in the headlight motor gears that turn to dust. Well I got the repair kit from TDS and installed them. My headlights work great and i can manually open them as well with some turns of the ****. It's odd to me that your lights popped up on their own, but not with the manual ****. No the battery does not need to me hooked up, I have manually cranked headlights up on junkyead cars with no battery.
Old 02-01-2013, 12:28 PM
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Re: Raise Headlights Manually Firebird

You have to disconnect the power first,stick a ballpoint pen in the **** of the actuator and rotate in a clockwise direction until you here a click.
Old 02-01-2013, 12:38 PM
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Re: Raise Headlights Manually Firebird

Oh sorry I did not see that the OP's car is an 82. My 87 headlights will come up manually with the power hooked up.
Old 02-01-2013, 12:52 PM
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Re: Raise Headlights Manually Firebird

That's how the 86 works anyway!!
Old 02-01-2013, 01:03 PM
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Re: Raise Headlights Manually Firebird

Originally Posted by mantaguy
You have to disconnect the power first,stick a ballpoint pen in the **** of the actuator and rotate in a clockwise direction until you here a click.

I have seen this mentioned in the Haynes manual but doesn't make sense to me. There are two holes in the **** on the actuator but doesn't look like anything goes into them. Maybe they changed the setup after 82.
Old 02-01-2013, 01:05 PM
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Re: Raise Headlights Manually Firebird

Originally Posted by 2007xl50
When I got my car the headlights did not come up and would not come up manually. I read on here about the 3 puck type things in the headlight motor gears that turn to dust. Well I got the repair kit from TDS and installed them. My headlights work great and i can manually open them as well with some turns of the ****. It's odd to me that your lights popped up on their own, but not with the manual ****. No the battery does not need to me hooked up, I have manually cranked headlights up on junkyead cars with no battery.
Would you have a link to the repair kit. Is this kit just to repair the manual raising of the headlights as from the switch on the inside of the car they raise and lower fine.

Thanks.
Old 02-01-2013, 01:10 PM
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Re: Raise Headlights Manually Firebird

Originally Posted by gholian
I have seen this mentioned in the Haynes manual but doesn't make sense to me. There are two holes in the **** on the actuator but doesn't look like anything goes into them. Maybe they changed the setup after 82.
Easier to get a continuous turn until it clicks.
Old 02-01-2013, 01:15 PM
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Re: Raise Headlights Manually Firebird

Originally Posted by gholian
Would you have a link to the repair kit. Is this kit just to repair the manual raising of the headlights as from the switch on the inside of the car they raise and lower fine.

Thanks.
Go to search forum,and type in headlights,their is a lot of info there.
Old 02-01-2013, 02:25 PM
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Re: Raise Headlights Manually Firebird

A lot of the PLASTIC ***** are stripped out over time and by forcing them to work. Take the ***** off of the shafts and turn the shafts with pliers until the headlight is all the way up. There is no lock on the shaft that needs to be pressed with a pen to unlock the mechanism.
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Old 02-01-2013, 02:32 PM
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Re: Raise Headlights Manually Firebird

Originally Posted by mantaguy
That's how the 86 works anyway!!
Yeah on my 87 I can just open the hood and crank them up with everything pluged in. I have read the motors have to be unpluged, but I don't know.
Old 02-01-2013, 02:43 PM
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Re: Raise Headlights Manually Firebird

Originally Posted by Maverick H1L
A lot of the PLASTIC ***** are stripped out over time and by forcing them to work. Take the ***** off of the shafts and turn the shafts with pliers until the headlight is all the way up. There is no lock on the shaft that needs to be pressed with a pen to unlock the mechanism.
I think the **** on the shaft is okay. I turn it and it clicks but that's it, nothing moves. I will take the **** off tomorrow and turn with pliers to confirm.

Thanks.
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