Headlamp surround

[taylormj4]

Hi all,
Have just had the Chimaera MOT done and it failed on headlight alignment being too low (both sides). Funny, as it's never been a problem in the past. Anyhow, the mechanic tried to adjust it and broke the adjustment lever. They wanted 3pounds for the lever and 150pounds to fit it!
So I'm doing it myself. The headlamp unit has to come out and I'm stuck with trying to remove the headlamp surround, that sits on the wing around the lens. Steve's book says to remove two nuts which I have done but the surround still seems to be attached at the top.

Anyone know how to release this without snapping this fragile piece of plastic bodywork?

Cheers,
Matt

[tvrbob]

Very often these are attached at the top with a silicone adhesive. You'll need to ease it off gently

[Voltaire53]

taylormj4 said:

Hi all, Anyhow, the mechanic tried to adjust it and broke the adjustment lever. They wanted 3pounds for the lever and 150pounds to fit it!

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but surely if the mechanic broke it the garage/he should make good by paying for it and fixing it for free.

Why are you offering to do it yourself and not insisting he puts right the damage he has caused?

[taylormj4]

Voltaire53 said:

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but surely if the mechanic broke it the garage/he should make good by paying for it and fixing it for free. Why are you offering to do it yourself and not insisting he puts right the damage he has caused?

Yeah, I did think about that angle but the mechanic had offered to do the adjustment for me, in order to get the car through the MOT and he did warn me in advance that sometimes the adjusters stick and then it would turn into a big job. So although I could probably have swung it, it didn't seem fair to pursue a complaint. Do you agree?
Maybe they would have charged me for the adjustment anyway, so they should do it for that quote?

Matt

[simpo one]

Depends how much you need to use them in the future. Burning bridges is only OK if there's another one down nearby.

[the dodger]

What adjustment lever? I thought you had to take the surround (cover, shroud) off to get at the adjustment screws around the headlamp ring?

Mine failed the MOT because RH dip was too far right but the garage knew how difficult it was to adjust so issued me with a ticket and a "comment" on the paperwork.

[revon]

The headlamp adjustment on my 97 Chimaera is via 3 wingnuts at the back of the reflector, accessed via the panel in the front wheelarch. The one at the bottom was rusted solid both sides and sheared when I tried to turn it. This is where water collects. The adjustment screw which is described in the bible is screwed all the way in to a threaded spigot which locates in a plastic bush in the reflector bowl. The wingnut is on the other end of this screw. You will need to remove the front fairing and probably the headlamp lense to access the sheared adjustment screws.

[Twin pipe]

I had to remove my headlamp due to rot. The top part of the cowl is stuck on with a very strong rubbery glue, so is the headlamp lense,i had to carefully slide a sharp skalpel blade between cowl and wing and slowly cut it away,yes and all my adjusters were diconnected due to over zelous mot testers. You should see and hear what i am currently trying to argue with my mot station regarding the handbrake [or lack of one].! I have adjusted it to the letter and it still wont do the required 16% or so.

[jessica]

my headlight cowl came loose twice.

My dealor fixed it and it came loose agian .
me fixed it myself.jsut have to not be overzealous when zymoling.