Changing headlight bulbs
Discussion
Couple of questions about changing the headlight bulbs on my '99 Chimaera:
1) I've done a search on P/H, which was a bit inconclusive about what type of bulb I need. I think it might be an H4 - is that correct?
2) People often say that it's easier to jack the car up and remove the wheel, but I'm at work at the moment without access to a jack. Is it feasibly possible without removing the wheel? Does full lock make it doable?
Mine has the access panels in the front of the wheel arch. Will a little dab of silicone sealant be okay for making it watertight afterwards?
1) I've done a search on P/H, which was a bit inconclusive about what type of bulb I need. I think it might be an H4 - is that correct?
2) People often say that it's easier to jack the car up and remove the wheel, but I'm at work at the moment without access to a jack. Is it feasibly possible without removing the wheel? Does full lock make it doable?
Mine has the access panels in the front of the wheel arch. Will a little dab of silicone sealant be okay for making it watertight afterwards?
My '99 450 takes H4 bulbs, I replaced mine with 55/60W Osram nightbreakers when one of them broke. I replaced both sidelights whilst it was open (T4W).
I decided that it would be simpler overall to remove the front wheel, it gives you more room to cut open the access panel, though you might find that full lock works just as well. I used silkaflex to reseal when done.
I decided that it would be simpler overall to remove the front wheel, it gives you more room to cut open the access panel, though you might find that full lock works just as well. I used silkaflex to reseal when done.
Unless you're double jointed and have small hands just cut your losses and get the wheels off.
Siakflex here as well but wear latex gloves and don't get it on your ahnds or clothes - it will be there for months afterwards (read advice, not personal experience).
I found 100/55's in the headlights (presumably fitted by previous owner) but the Philips Xtreme 65/55's I replaced them with give much better light IMHO.
Siakflex here as well but wear latex gloves and don't get it on your ahnds or clothes - it will be there for months afterwards (read advice, not personal experience).
I found 100/55's in the headlights (presumably fitted by previous owner) but the Philips Xtreme 65/55's I replaced them with give much better light IMHO.
DavidLScott said:
Unless you're double jointed and have small hands just cut your losses and get the wheels off.
Siakflex here as well but wear latex gloves and don't get it on your ahnds or clothes - it will be there for months afterwards (read advice, not personal experience).
I found 100/55's in the headlights (presumably fitted by previous owner) but the Philips Xtreme 65/55's I replaced them with give much better light IMHO.
A previous owner of my 450 had fitted 80/100 or something. Worries me these bulbs. They don't say anything on the packs about the fact that they are drawing up to twice as much current as the manufacturers intended and you should verify the existing wiring can handle it. Not good. Well done for correcting to standard spec. I did the same.Siakflex here as well but wear latex gloves and don't get it on your ahnds or clothes - it will be there for months afterwards (read advice, not personal experience).
I found 100/55's in the headlights (presumably fitted by previous owner) but the Philips Xtreme 65/55's I replaced them with give much better light IMHO.
Matt
Indeed. Makes you wonder how many burning cars started off with a set of (illegal) lightbulbs.
I'm going to leave my headlights until the weekend. Turning to full lock towards the side you're working on certainly gives enough space to remove the cover, but what lurks inside might be a different story.
I'm going to leave my headlights until the weekend. Turning to full lock towards the side you're working on certainly gives enough space to remove the cover, but what lurks inside might be a different story.
), better full beam too.Well, I can now report that it is possible to replace headlight bulbs with the car on the ground. But it's bluddy hard!
Turning the wheels to full lock towards the side you're working on gives you plenty of space to get your hands in behind the wheel to remove the access panel.
Trouble is, you can't see what you're doing inside the wing. I used an inspection mirror and a torch to have a close look first and figure out what I needed to do, then just groped around - James Herriot style. The fitting is pretty much the same as many other cars: squeeze the two ends of the metal clip together to unhook the ends, then rotate it all the way back to release the bulb.
That makes it sound like I did it terribly easily. But in reality I had to keep stopping to use the mirror and torch to inspect my progress, and several times I decided to go back to square one, hook up the clip again and start again. Reaching in is not the problem - it's not being able to see what you're doing.
So... it's possible, but I reckon jacking the car up and removing the wheel would undoubtedly involve less swearing!
Turning the wheels to full lock towards the side you're working on gives you plenty of space to get your hands in behind the wheel to remove the access panel.
Trouble is, you can't see what you're doing inside the wing. I used an inspection mirror and a torch to have a close look first and figure out what I needed to do, then just groped around - James Herriot style. The fitting is pretty much the same as many other cars: squeeze the two ends of the metal clip together to unhook the ends, then rotate it all the way back to release the bulb.
That makes it sound like I did it terribly easily. But in reality I had to keep stopping to use the mirror and torch to inspect my progress, and several times I decided to go back to square one, hook up the clip again and start again. Reaching in is not the problem - it's not being able to see what you're doing.
So... it's possible, but I reckon jacking the car up and removing the wheel would undoubtedly involve less swearing!
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