Brand new headlight: Replace adjusters now?

Tortuga · 5th August 2012, 02:19

After completely making a mess of my non openable headlight (now i know there is such a thing) to replace the adjusters with the seemingly bullet-proof aluminum beauties from CA Auto...I ended up buying a whole new unit...

After doing some research (way too late in this case) I discovered the "ship in a bottle"

method where the units are replaced by snapping out the balls, removing the socket pieces, and simply winding the adjusters out till they fall off; followed by somehow getting the new ones back in there and sort of doing it all in reverse...

QUESTION: Given i have a BRAND NEW unit, with unbroken adjusters is now the easiest time there will ever be to do this inevitable repair?

bibledriver · 5th August 2012, 16:52

You will easily get years out of the new ones. Just wait until it happens. It won't be any harder then, or easier now IMO!

Hang on to the adjusters, or sell them off and buy when you need.

Tortuga · 5th August 2012, 17:00

Old ones (which were brand new when installed) lasted about four and six years left and right respectively...not exactly robust

bibledriver · 5th August 2012, 17:14

understood. But they are good now, right? Six years is a decent stretch. You could give it a good wash and wax instead, or clean your interior, or whatever else. Just my .02 but i wouldn't bother with it until one broke. You may not even have the car in 6 years.

josiahg52 · 5th August 2012, 21:16

If I could know WHEN and WHERE they would break, I would be fine with letting them go until they break. Personally, knowing that there is a better product out there and it was in my hand, no less, and I chose not to preemptively replace them would drive me crazy when they actually did break and knowing my luck, one or more would break while I was thousands of miles from home and I would be LIVID at that point.

dimi_108 · 6th August 2012, 01:09

The new ones will last a long time. Three to four years easy.

You'll be fine.

Tortuga · 6th August 2012, 18:06

Actually the case that i may not own the thing is valid; My GF just bought a Fiat 500 cabrio automatic...Gutless, but so much fun to just tool around in...This overpriced, undervalued, gas guzzling, smog failing, jerky throttled, temperamental old ***** may just go on the block soon...Road trips are fun but invariably you end up in the traffic caterpillar jerking and bucking along at 10 MPH, so whats the point?

At some point is is just plain embarrassing what it cost to keep this thing properly fed and cared for...

bibledriver · 6th August 2012, 22:18

This is the point IMO

But I still wouldn't tear into my headlights FWIW. I would be pissed if I got moisture in a light that was brand new becuase I changed perfectly good adjusters for perfectly good stronger adjusters. Besides, where you live, always perfect temp, you will get decent time on those crappy stock adjusters.

I do understand the other argument, though. Just my .02

goodmaj · 6th August 2012, 22:58

First, I'm assuming if your light is brand new there must be a warranty period, so if they broke between now and expiration, presto you've got a new light.

Even if they crap out when you're miles away from home, it's not as if the light becomes non-functional. And, this isn't one of those things that causes other problems if/when it goes, e.g., clutch/flywheel. Put the adjusters on the shelf.

FWIW, my car had new lights installed back in late 2006 at 50K miles. Last month, at 66K miles, one of the adjusters broke (yes, the car was the PO's garage queen for a few years).