Headlamp unit removal

[Englishman]

I know you can remove the complete light pod to get at the headlamp unit, but is it possible to remove just the unit itself from the access panel in the wheel arch avoiding the need to break the exterior seal. TIA.

Edited by Englishman on Tuesday 7th October 19:58

[AntonyJ]

Some people say it is possible, I personally wouldn't attempt it because if the lamp unit falls forward by mistake, it may scratch the paint inside the pod.

[GreenGriff400]

It isnt possible to remove tthe lamp from inside the access panel. You have to take the whole pod out or at least remove the perspex cover.

[Englishman]

Thanks for the answers. Thought that was the case, but worth asking before I get the knife out!

[V8 GRF]

GreenGriff400 said:

It isnt possible to remove tthe lamp from inside the access panel. You have to take the whole pod out or at least remove the perspex cover.

You have to take the whole pod out to remove the perspex cover.

[Sam Gamgee]

I need to remove dust etc from mine and dont really wish to disassemble the whole thing (may just put up with dust...!) and I remeber a thread from long ago detailing how to do it..just cant find it! IIRC it was Ben Buchanon (think hes now sold his griff...) who answered the thread.
Doh! Not much help there then!!!!!

Access was through the light no need to remove the pod.

Good Luck..

Dave.

Edited by Sam Gamgee on Thursday 9th October 00:14

[LordGrover]

Ben (Griffter) is still about.
My nearside pod has a spider's web in it; no sign of the spider though.

[pringli]

Took mine out yesterday because I finally found the reason why I couldnt adjust the beam. Someone had glued the headlamp in place as the plastic rim on the back had broken!!!!!!! So, only way to fix it was to remove the pod. Removing is easy, I used a craft knife with duct tape covering all but the last 1/4" of the blade. This allows you to cut into the Sikaflex without shaving the lens or the paint, once done removal of the fixing bar at the back allows the pod to fall free, turn through 90degrees and it comes out. That done there are 4 self tappers holding the lens to the pod and the sticky foam seal.
Dont ask how to put it back because I havent figured that out yet! Couldnt get pod to stay fixed in place so it is try again tonight, I have a cunning plan involving double sided sticky tape.
Any advice welcome.

Edited by pringli on Thursday 9th October 09:55

[V8 GRF]

I think FFG or Barretti posted it was possible sometime ago and suggested putting a cloth or bag in there to stop it scratching the paint, the problem is getting it back in again.

There's bits in mine that annoy me but I don't think it's worth all the aggro when you just know what started out as a job of a couple of hours turns into a full blown front end rebuild

[Englishman]

My lights are milky so either the glasses just need cleaning (already tried through the bulb holder aperture) or replacing - was hoping to do this without pod removal, but heyho, next job after the carpets!

[Trainspotter]

I was unfortunate enough to accidentally push the glass lamp lens into the pod whilst fitting my HID bulbs (there was only two of the three metal clips holding the glass in place before I started). Removal of the pod is as explained earlier. I tried to use double sided sticky foam to re-attach the perspex cover back onto the pod, but found the adhesive wasn't strong enough to hold it together over night, even with the screws in place. I ended up sealing the pod with silicone to be sure no moisture/dust could get in.

My headlamps also suffered from milky lenses - a quick wipe with a dry cloth and now I have a crystal clear offside headlamp

My advice is trial fit the pod several times before using silkaflex to attach back to the bodywork. I found excess silkaflex was easily removed from the bodywork with elbow grease once it had set.

Jez

[Hedgehopper]

There was a thread posted, I believe, by Griffter sometime ago regarding cleaning lenses and perspex covers without removing the covers. He suggested that you pushed the light unit inwards and popped it off its springs. It was then manoeuvered into a cloth bag to guard against scratching the paint whilst the inside of the perspex cover and lens unit was cleaned. How easy it was to get it all back together again he didn't say. Has anyone actually tried this?

[pringli]

From the position I was in I would say that it is possible to clean the perspex cover and also the front (outside) of the lens but it will be fiddly and would be best done by someone with long skinny arms. As per previous poster I also used a thin bead of sealant between the perspex cover and the pod for a guaranteed seal.
I finally got the pod back in by holding (wedging) it in place through the aperture between the engine compartment and the nose with some thick cardboard, it is then possible to concentrate on the back mounting. Leave the cardboard wedge in until you are certain the sikaflex has dried. Unfortunately all links and clickys to previous methods are now redundant so searches on here were fruitless, and the griffpages method only seems to show pod removal.

[Ballistic Banana]

Theres smome great info here on taking the pods out ( with piccies) if you dont get in any other way

Ian Barretts - CLicky

taster piccie



Griffsmiths - Clicky

taster piccie



Have a search in Exterior mods as theirs other articles to that may be of interest like Dels 7" light upgrade and Ian's HID installation.

HTH

BB

[pringli]

BUT none on the refit

[Hamburglar]

Just so you know, it IS possible to clean the lenses by unclipping and dropping the lamp into the pod, but refitting is the most god awful job known to man.

[Ballistic Banana]

pringli said:

BUT none on the refit

Er the second one does!!!

BB

[pringli]

what 2nd one? -
I'll go back and look again

[pringli]

Thanks Simon, I stand corrected, have now spotted the 2nd clicky between the pics