So I just got a 1991 firebird 305 base model. The headlights open and close but not as they should. The left side usually doesn't work and the right goes up but then while going up falls a little then goes up and falls a little until it's finally up and it stops. I can then lift the left side open but I'd like to get them fixed. I believe I just need new gears for them because the motors seem to work fine opening and closing aside from the gears seeming to be stripped. Any ideas on how to fix this, if it's not what I think? Or best place to find new gears? I heard there are aluminium ones but Idk where to find them. Is it worth it to replace the entire headlight motor?

 

The plastic bushings in the assembly are dust. Get these and you'll be golden.

lonsal on here

http://www.top-downsolutions.com/hea...ght-repair-kit

 

Do you think I'll need new gears as well?

 

Almost never. Its usually the nylon gears that turn to dust, and when they do they are too soft to do much damage to the rest of the assembly.

If some idiot installed metal bushings in there then yes, you will need a gear.

But 99.9% of the time, its just the bushings that died. Get the delrin ones from Lon, and set aside a few hours of your time to install them. You'll have perfectly functioning headlights that will out-live the car.

 

Sweet! Thanks for the help!

 

I bought some from TDS for my 91 and they worked perfectly...

 

I agree with the recommendation. The first failure mode for the 87-92 headlight actuator housings is the OEM hard gel bushings which crack, crumble and eventually turn into dust. Follow the 4 pages of instructions that come with the kit and you'll have your motors back to working properly. If you wait until the headlights no longer rise either by pressing the headlight switch or by turning the ****, then you'very turned a one-man job into a two-man job. Someone will need to press the headlight switch on and off while you curse and bang on the headlight bucket until it suddenly lifts fully so you can now do y he repair. I also stock the 87-89 & 90+ headlight control module if you find you need it too.

Lon Salgren

 

One of my headlights wouldn't come up on its own. Using your fingers to gently pull up on the headlight, turn the manual screw on top of the motor until the headlight is fully up