So I posted this in my thread but I need help and think i’ll get more help in the body section.

I recently rebuilt my headlight motors and had the entire assembly out of the car. Fixed that, put them back in and they go up and down. Problem is, when they go down the plastic bezel around the headlight keeps getting stuck under/behind the edge of the bumper. Got them unstuck, tried sliding the whole assembly as forward as I could on the brackets but they still go behind the bumper when I open and close them from the switch.

Any ideas on how to fix this. The passenger side gets stuck pretty good and the driver side pretty much lines up right behind the edge. When I “fix” them they're sitting about 1/4” over the bumper lined up with the turn signal where I thought it should be. Would the motors be the problem thinking they have to go down farther than needed???

(photo of the pass. side stuck behind bumper)

 

Move them back away from the bumper. The stops are in the housing. They shouldn't touch the bumper cover at all.

 

Move the upper mount back a little. Then move the lever mount forward until it's even with the body lines.

 

Well I played with them for a minute today. I adjusted them so the bezel was pretty much flush with the edge. No more of the headlights getting pushed up against the bumper. But now when they're closed the sort of sit down too low behind the bumper. Going to take some adjusting and messing with I guess. I just would have thought that the bezel was supposed to line up with the turn signal housing. The turn signal sits on the bumper.

 

I adjusted the lights so that they bezel sits right behind the bumper but as soon as I turn them on and off they return to sitting way under the bumper and leave a pretty nasty gap at the hood. Looks absolutely terrible.

Is there a way to adjust when the light stops going down? And if anyone has headlights that havent been taken out or are in the “factory” spot, would you mind posting a close up of the gap at the lighter and front bumper?

 

@//<86TA>\ any pictures of the 2 mounts you're talking about?

 

The stops are in the mounting bracket. The early style are adjustable, the later style is a protrusion cast into the bracket. If you didn't adjust the stop, it'd be the same position it was before.

There are three mounting tabs that bolt to the headlight assembly on one side and the body on the other. You've got something lined up wrong, and if it's stopping at a different point every time, it sounds like one or more of the mounting tab bolts, or hl motor bolts is loose. You should be able to see where the bolts were adjusted previously.

 

Thanks for the help. I’m going to try to look at one of these tonight and see if I cant get them sitting nice. Appreciate the info.

 

91-92 bucket for reference, earlier years are similar. Notice the stops cast into the back bracket that will stop the arm from turning? The motor literally can't move the headlight past the stops. Earlier cars have an adjustable stop, like a screw, but all the later cars should be solid like this. If it moves past the previous up/down limits, something has just about gotta be loose.

You can use most of the mounting bolts to adjust the way the housing fits the car, but generally if you leave the mounting tabs bolted to the housing, it limits the number of adjustments you can mess up... I wouldn't adjust anything you didn't already possibly mis-adjust. Start with the adjustments you tampered with and work back to it.

 

My headlights are further forward than yours. It overlaps the bumper a bit just like the parking lamp, and is inline with the parking lamp. Doesn't press down on bumper, just comes to a stop barely resting on the bumper.

 

I think if I can get the adjustment back how they should be and get it to stop where I want it, then I’ll line it back up with the turn signal. I think it looks better like that.

 

This is how my passenger side sits. Overlaps on the inboard side, but the bumper sort of falls away as you approach the fender.

OMG...bug guts on my headlamp door. And water-spots! Cursed close-ups.

 

So I tried to mess with the hinge arm a few times and get it to stop in the perfect spot. What a PITA. It seems like it always just goes back to the same position. It doesnt hit the back stop till its way past the the bumper.

 

By the way, Im pretty sure I did remove that arm when I did my motors.

 

Last update tonight.

Played with it till about 1am. Im pretty sure the issue is the bracket and how its positioned. After the arm/hinge wouldn't adjust any differently, I loosened all the bolts for the bracket and was able to move it around pretty well. Its still not fixed but I think Im on the right track. Im going to give it another try tomorrow and see if I cant get it into place.

 

Played with them more today, before the baby woke up. Got them both lined up nice and even with the fender. It wasnt perfect but I was pretty happy with them...then I shut the hood. The driver side is very far from the hood leaving a big gap. The pass side is even with the fender, but below the hood. Very frustrating.