Headlight pins/bolts

[klittle1417]

I have 97 K1500 extra cab short bed Silverado trim that I bought about a month ago. I'm slowly going through things to make sure it is working properly. The truck has 206k on it with a little rust and runs great.

So, today I tried to remove the headlights so I knew how to actually change a headlight bulb if I need to. I tried unscrewing those long headlight bulb/pin things and was able to get the outside pins out but not the inside. The pin will just spin. It happens on both the driver and passenger headlights.

Any advice on getting these things out without dismantling the entire front end?

 

[twomanymontes]

I believe you were turning the adjustment screws. The headlight bulbs themselves come out the back side and you don't need to remove the headlamp assemblies at all, just reach around the radiator support. To pull the headlamp assembly, you will have to take the grille section off.

 

[klittle1417]

From what I can tell there is a second screw that is set down in for adjusting the headlight. What I was turning is a bolt that sticks up out of the radiator support. With the exception of the drivers side low beam you cannot access the headlights without pulling the light housing.

 

[someotherguy]

I believe you were turning the adjustment screws. The headlight bulbs themselves come out the back side and you don't need to remove the headlamp assemblies at all, just reach around the radiator support. To pull the headlamp assembly, you will have to take the grille section off.

Depends. The adjustment screws are sunken below the level of the core support top by a couple inches. The housing bolts stick up a small amount above the support. The full intention of these "pin" bolts is to be able to remove the housing for high beam bulb replacement as you cannot access them without removal of the housing. It is not necessary to remove the grille to change any of the headlight bulbs.

Except, in the instance of OP, sounds like the pressed-in nuts on the housing brackets may have stripped and are spinning in place. Sooo...grille removal time. Just be sure you've turned them a bunch before giving up, and try gently pulling them up out of the bracket with pliers to be sure it's not just that the plastic surrounding them is holding them in.

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Richard

 

[twomanymontes]

Depends. The adjustment screws are sunken below the level of the core support top by a couple inches. The housing bolts stick up a small amount above the support. The full intention of these "pin" bolts is to be able to remove the housing for high beam bulb replacement as you cannot access them without removal of the housing. It is not necessary to remove the grille to change any of the headlight bulbs.

Except, in the instance of OP, sounds like the pressed-in nuts on the housing brackets may have stripped and are spinning in place. Sooo...grille removal time. Just be sure you've turned them a bunch before giving up, and try gently pulling them up out of the bracket with pliers to be sure it's not just that the plastic surrounding them is holding them in.

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Richard

Did not realize that, I have been able to replace my high beams and low beams without removing anything, well, the battery for the passenger high beam.

 

[someotherguy]

Really? How you getting to those high beams there pardner? Core support and radiator tanks in the way.

Richard

 

[twomanymontes]

Really? How you getting to those high beams there pardner? Core support and radiator tanks in the way.

Richard

I just looked, the passenger side is blocked, I never touched that side, The driver side has a rot hole that my long fingers can slip into to turn the bulb. Never really paid attention to it. I guess I just did it.

 

[klittle1417]

OK I found complete housing at the scrap yard but the lenses are crap. If I could remove the lenses only from my housings and out them onto the replacement then I'd have good mounts and lenses.

Has anyone removed the lenses housing only? I mean taken the gray lenses housing off the bracket with the adjusters.

It has three clips that hold it on and they have four way tabs that secure them. Is there an easy was to remove those tabs?

 

[beardeddummy]

Try using off bug spray it does wonders for foggy lenses

 

[someotherguy]

OK I found complete housing at the scrap yard but the lenses are crap. If I could remove the lenses only from my housings and out them onto the replacement then I'd have good mounts and lenses.

Has anyone removed the lenses housing only? I mean taken the gray lenses housing off the bracket with the adjusters.

It has three clips that hold it on and they have four way tabs that secure them. Is there an easy was to remove those tabs?

They're really not meant to be disassembled. It's nearly impossible to get to all 4 sides of the clip due to the bracket being in your way. I'm sure you could fashion some kind of homemade tool to do it if you were really motivated. Before I went that far I think I'd spend the $133/ea it costs to get the entire assemblies from GM.

Richard