Acquiring Arteb Brazil GMT400 headlight reflectors

[454cid]

@454cid, I believe the issue you've mentioned is where that U-shaped bracket is shown in the foreground of the same picture.

Yes, that's the one..... I called it a "C" since that's the way it's oriented when I was working on it. That screw hole is stripped, but the original screw doesn't reach very far, so I bought a bag of longer screws. I think the center bracket is okay.

Knowing how things in a factory can be very specific, I wondered if you had noticed one light (L-side/R-side) having more issues. It's the passenger side that's faulty on my pair. The driver's side light seems to be fine, and is on the truck, just not ready for the road, due to the rest of the front end being off the truck.

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

The mounting bosses on the Arteb reflectors:

@454cid (and others), I believe those three, plastic mounting bosses that are molded into the housing could be better, but they are what they are. Be advised, some discoloration near the tip of the bosses seems typical, from what I've seen on my own and a handful of other Arteb housings (see blue arrows on attached images).

I've always thought those bosses were a little "thin" and ought to have a larger diameter. As it is, Arteb runs screws into them that cut threads as they're inserted, putting stress on the part while, as the threads are cut, also creating weak areas in the boss.

While I've not done anything to strengthen mine, I have done something similar in the past by wrapping a couple of tie-wraps around the circumference of the part, encircling it (so as to compress it), and then epoxying those same tie-wraps to the part, to form a more solid piece. I'm sure other solutions exist.

@454cid (and others), use care if inserting a screw into those bosses. If the screw tries to cut new threads it may cause the plastic to fracture, as it's already been weakened (as I noted above). The old trick of "trying to 'start' the screw into the existing threads" would probably be wise.

Finally, IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY at the picture titled "Inner-most mounting bosses" you'll see a fracture line near the base of one of the bosses. The story: This headlight is one I received back in 2019 and that boss was broken somewhere along the way. I repaired it using a JB Weld product -- "PlasticBonder™, a quick-setting, two-part, urethane adhesive". The repair is easy to see; the adhesive has oozed a bit. Fast forward to 2021: I have Carlos check for broken bosses when he receives the headlights from the jobber, and to my knowledge they've never been seen.

Too, now that I look closely, it looks like the other boss (of the two) has some sort of stress crack which starts near the top and runs down the boss (for about the length of the screw?).

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

Quality Control at Arteb: A shout-out to all owners

I want to reflect again on Arteb's quality control.

To all owners of these headlights, please post here, or contact me directly (each of you has my email or use PM) regarding the date of manufacture of your headlights and your impression of their quality.

The date code, when I've seen it when it present, is affixed on each headlight with a sticker in DD/MM/YY (I believe) format:

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

I appreciate the help from those who are able to assist. I realize that once the headlights are mounted it may be prohibitively difficult to access the sticker.

Thank you.

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

Improved Quality Control

Carlos is working with an Arteb supplier who has agreed to allow him to return any headlights that we determine to be defective.

Unlike before, where Carlos only visually inspected the headlights upon receipt (e.g., for obvious damage from shipping), Carlos and I will now be inspecting each pair for poorly-operating adjusters or any defects in the attachments (broken bosses, loose screws). If the headlights' adjusters are simply "tight" (which is the typical problem), we may elect to disassemble the adjusters and run a tap through the nylon nut, as @454cid has done, as an in-field repair.

We're processing orders again, but we're moving at a snail's pace. At present Carlos is awaiting receipt of two pairs to fill two orders, one domestic US and the other Germany.

It's a shame that the Arteb products Carlos receives are not always 1st-rate quality out-of-the-box. We assumed they were, before, and we shipped some headlights that ought to have been returned on a warranty claim. That's not happening again.

 

[mn_ski]

Quality Control at Arteb: A shout-out to all owners

I want to reflect again on Arteb's quality control.

To all owners of these headlights, please post here, or contact me directly (each of you has my email or use PM) regarding the date of manufacture of your headlights and your impression of their quality.

The date code, when I've seen it when it present, is affixed on each headlight with a sticker in DD/MM/YY (I believe) format:

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

I appreciate the help from those who are able to assist. I realize that once the headlights are mounted it may be prohibitively difficult to access the sticker.

Thank you.

I apologize for not grabbing this info on my set earlier and posting. I just dropped my set off to get clear film applied to protect them before I install them in the truck. When I get the headlights back I will surely take a photo and post before I install the headlights in the truck. Appreciate all the work being put into sourcing these!

 

[mn_ski]

I looked at my lights today and neither of them have the sticker that you show with the date. I could not find any obvious date marking on my units.

 

[454cid]

I looked at my lights today and neither of them have the sticker that you show with the date. I could not find any obvious date marking on my units.

Mine was on the bracket that bolts to the core support.

 

[mn_ski]

Looked at my brackets..nothing there either. The one bracket has a small spot of adhesive on it that looks like it could have been where a sticker was but IDK.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

The most recent headlights Carlos has received have date codes in the 2022 timeframe (Mar 22, 2022 pictured, below).

But it seems that Arteb's problems with the adjusters remain, as Carlos has seen. The white nut that rides on the leadscrew doesn't turn easily upon the screw. Why? I don't know exactly. Incorrect thread pitch? Malformed? @454cid has fixed the problem by removing and running a tap through the white nut (see his post earlier in this thread). I've fixed the problem using a dry lubricant.

Carlos and I are trying to figure out the best way to handle this problem. Arteb doesn't seem to care; they've been shipping headlights with this problem for over a year. I've recently been coaching Carlos on how to fix the problem with dry lubricant, when he finds one that's not working properly.

 

[shovelbill]

The most recent headlights Carlos has received have date codes in the 2022 timeframe (Mar 22, 2022 pictured, below).

But it seems that Arteb's problems with the adjusters remain, as Carlos has seen. The white nut that rides on the leadscrew doesn't turn easily upon the screw. Why? I don't know exactly. Incorrect thread pitch? Malformed? @454cid has fixed the problem by removing and running a tap through the white nut (see his post earlier in this thread). I've fixed the problem using a dry lubricant.

Carlos and I are trying to figure out the best way to handle this problem. Arteb doesn't seem to care; they've been shipping headlights with this problem for over a year. I've recently been coaching Carlos on how to fix the problem with dry lubricant, when he finds one that's not working properly.

Good morning 1998,

With all going that's on in my life and one of my two brain cells on vacation, can you please reiterate where you are with a new list to acquire these lamp sets?