refurbing headlight mount

[ggdad1951]

what have you guys done to refurb these? Just took apart the front clip tonight in prep for pounding out the dents. They are really dirty and seem to be missing a few parts.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I usually strip them down to parade rest..sandblast prime and paint the individual pieces and reassemble..if your headlight socket is in bad reparir due to frayed cloth covered wiring..now is the time to upgrade..these connectors have remained basically unchanged until the later model composite type headlights appeared ont he scene..

[ggdad1951]

I've got the wiring in my stuff from RI Wiring, its just the aluminum is dirty/pitted, the springs are all rusty and I'm missing a part that looked as if it was riveted on for adjusting the light if I compare it to the other one.

[Young Ed]

Each one should have 2 springs and 2 slots for adjustings screws. Without it you'll have a headlight pointing skyhigh or into the drivers side ditch. As far as the aluminum goes I'd clean it up good and just hit it with some clear to seal it.

[ggdad1951]

Each one should have 2 springs and 2 slots for adjustings screws. Without it you'll have a headlight pointing skyhigh or into the drivers side ditch. As far as the aluminum goes I'd clean it up good and just hit it with some clear to seal it.

well one adjuster is gone, dad stuck some big chunks of undercoating on it to make it sit (close to) right, because there is a golf ball sized chunk on the back holding it in place.

[Young Ed]

I'll see if I have one otherwise they'd be easy enough to make.

[ggdad1951]

I'll find ya saturday and show ya some pictures if nothng else. Pretty sure I can fab the missing metal plate.

[Desotodav]

Here's a few photos which might help you out Mark. I believe that yours in the States should be similar to our Oz ones. I had all new wiring made for my headlights.

The headlight buckets came out in both steel and aluminium over here. I believe that the aluminium ones were better because they won't rust. Although, the tab slot at the top of the headlight bucket for holding the 'headlight door' (8-34-40) in on the aluminium ones is thin and has often been broken on the lights that I have played with. The aluminium buckets on my 51 truck got a light sand-blast and a good coat of gloss black paint. They are self-earthing, so make sure that you scratch a good earth contact if you intend going down the same track as I did.

The 12v ones over here had a different (round) plug to fit the semi-sealed beam lights used. The 6v earlier model ones had the 3 plug 'U' shaped connector - both types are shown in the second photo.

I have also found that the mounting springs (8-34-177) used have come in steel and stainless steel.

The headlight doors were made in either light gauge stainless steel or cast and then chromed.

The adjusting screw (8-34-178) was steel and the nut (8-34-179) was brass.

They are a bit fiddly to pull apart and put back together. Take care when re-mounting the springs onto the tabs of the headlight bucket as the spring tabs are only spot-welded and will pull away if too much pull pressure is placed on them. Good luck!

Desotodav

[HanksB3B]

but on the contrary I was happy to find another steel set, and replace the aluminum one. Thing of it is and I think this is funny, my truck came with one aluminum and one steel headlight bucket. When I asked someone that also had a B3B to instead of scrap them to please let me have them. just like my truck, one was aluminum and one was steel. I thought maybe it was a test arranged by the Chrysler Corp. in the early days of aluminum usage to see which would hold up longer in the field. (I make up a lot of stuff in my mind) I think it runs in my family.

Hank

P.S. Mark I may have some extra stuff that you can have. Please post some pics so I can see what is damaged/missing.

Edited June 16, 2011 by HanksB3B

[Scruffy49]

Many Dodge truck based class A motorhomes through the 70s used the same buckets and trim rings. My 49's new parts are likely coming off a 1970 Ungers Coach (that will donate its 413-3/727 to my Sweptline). 1948-52 F series parts are pretty close, and easy to get hold of new.

If you weren't restoring I'd recommend the halogen upgrade kit from LMC. It is on sale pretty often, comes with everything needed. You can also get new bucket, retainers and trim rings from several motorcycle shops, Emgo makes them in insert type halogen or standard sealed beam configurations. A 7" headlight is a 7" headlight.

[ggdad1951]

well, tore apart the headlight buckets down to the individual components. Steel parts will go out for CAD plating and I'm thinking the aluminum just might go out for re-anodizing.

While taking them apart the grommet that holds the wiring seems to have some sort of crimp on it. My new wiring needs to pass thru that somehow and I think maybe some shrink tubing to hold it all in place. Unless someone knows of some new grommets?

Also am working on the parking light buckets...new wiring from RIWire says to resolder? Do I need to replace the socket at this time as well and solder that on?

Does anyone sell the gaskets for these? There seems to be a cork one for the headlight and a rubberish one for the parking light.

[ggdad1951]

well, spent some time figuring things out, at least for the parking lights. One of mine was so badly corroded I had to pound out the bulb from the back. Seems I can take a semi-tubular rivet and solder the wire to that and pass the wire thru the insulating washer and weasel the cover into the end some how.

[Desotodav]

Mark, I got my rubber headlight bucket to fender gaskets from Andy B (B-300 @ $12.50 per pair). I'm sure that other suppliers over there would have the same.

I had my aluminium buckets painted rather than anodized or plated. I should have taken photos of them as I was rebuilding them. I used the existing rubber grommets that pass through into the headlight buckets as they were in reasonably good condition. I did notice the same crimp thing that you mentioned on my wires to the headlight, but did not worry about the crimp on my new wiring harness. I imagined that the crimp was most likely used to prevent the wire harness pulling through. Be careful when you are attaching the internal mounting springs as too much pressure will pull the small spring mounting bracket away from where it is spot-welded to the inside of the bucket. I'm thinking of having some of those springs made in stainless too!

I replaced the rubber grommets on the rear of my parker lights with a new rubber grommet (that looked something like a spark plug wire grommet) which I bought at a local rubber supply shop. I changed the wiring with a double-filament connector so that I could incorporate indicators in the same parker/s. The tube section on the rear of the buckets pressed out easily and it was quite easy for me to slip the double-filament metal tube fitting in their place. I hid the indicator switch under the dash - next to where our wiper switch is located in the Oz trucks.

The headlight harness (also called a pig tail by my harness maker???) was made with flat ends soldered on which attached to the connector block mounted to the radiator support. I ran the headlight wires through the grommets in the headlight buckets before soldering on the 3-pronged plug for the rear of the headlight bulb. My headlights ran an internal earth wire, which I initially had problems with as there was too much paint in there and not enough bare metal. Be sure to make a good earth there! I would solder all connections for the headlight if I were you.

I didn't find any parker light gaskets, so I made my own out of thin cork as I found the 1mm cork (pictured) was too thick and made the parker light stick out. Although, I'm not sure if your parker lights are the same as ours over here? I hope it all works out well for you.

Desotodav

[ggdad1951]

Mark, I got my rubber headlight bucket to fender gaskets from Andy B (B-300 @ $12.50 per pair). I'm sure that other suppliers over there would have the same.

I had my aluminium buckets painted rather than anodized or plated. I should have taken photos of them as I was rebuilding them. I used the existing rubber grommets that pass through into the headlight buckets as they were in reasonably good condition. I did notice the same crimp thing that you mentioned on my wires to the headlight, but did not worry about the crimp on my new wiring harness. I imagined that the crimp was most likely used to prevent the wire harness pulling through. Be careful when you are attaching the internal mounting springs as too much pressure will pull the small spring mounting bracket away from where it is spot-welded to the inside of the bucket. I'm thinking of having some of those springs made in stainless too!

I replaced the rubber grommets on the rear of my parker lights with a new rubber grommet (that looked something like a spark plug wire grommet) which I bought at a local rubber supply shop. I changed the wiring with a double-filament connector so that I could incorporate indicators in the same parker/s. The tube section on the rear of the buckets pressed out easily and it was quite easy for me to slip the double-filament metal tube fitting in their place. I hid the indicator switch under the dash - next to where our wiper switch is located in the Oz trucks.

The headlight harness (also called a pig tail by my harness maker???) was made with flat ends soldered on which attached to the connector block mounted to the radiator support. I ran the headlight wires through the grommets in the headlight buckets before soldering on the 3-pronged plug for the rear of the headlight bulb. My headlights ran an internal earth wire, which I initially had problems with as there was too much paint in there and not enough bare metal. Be sure to make a good earth there! I would solder all connections for the headlight if I were you.

I didn't find any parker light gaskets, so I made my own out of thin cork as I found the 1mm cork (pictured) was too thick and made the parker light stick out. Although, I'm not sure if your parker lights are the same as ours over here? I hope it all works out well for you.

Desotodav

Get going on those stainless springs! Mine are about shot!

I got all the parts torn down. None of mine were spot weled, they were all semitubular riveted, lucky I work for a company that has a jillion versions so I can most likely use them to reassemble. Contacting our plater today to see if they'd run a spall 4 piece anodize lot for me as a favor. I'm really in favor of platign the bucket so I have good grounding all around and not have to worry about paint, guess we'll see hwat teh $$ says.

My parking light buckets are different from your, more parabolic, I looked thru AB and Roberts last night and didn't see anything for mine, a phone call or two will be in order it seems.

Yah, that crimp seems to be on there to keep the wire from slippign around, I think a pices of shrink tubbing will substitute just fine.

Let me know when you have those springs done!

[John-T-53]

well, tore apart the headlight buckets down to the individual components. Steel parts will go out for CAD plating and I'm thinking the aluminum just might go out for re-anodizing.

While taking them apart the grommet that holds the wiring seems to have some sort of crimp on it. My new wiring needs to pass thru that somehow and I think maybe some shrink tubing to hold it all in place. Unless someone knows of some new grommets?

Also am working on the parking light buckets...new wiring from RIWire says to resolder? Do I need to replace the socket at this time as well and solder that on?

Does anyone sell the gaskets for these? There seems to be a cork one for the headlight and a rubberish one for the parking light.

Working on my parking lights too. The bulb socket appears pressed into the housing from the back. The harness is enclosed in a watertight tube and fits snugly into the back of the socket. You might have to solder on the end connectors after passing the wires through the back of the socket. The housings cleaned up nicely being submerged in phosphoric acid metal prep overnight. I'm also going to try to run a separate ground wire because these will get a thick coat of paint.

For the gaskets I'm going to get some foam weatherstrip tape on a roll and use that. I've seen it in 3/16" wide white foam that would work perfectly.

[ggdad1951]

parking light socket that SHOULD plug right in after removing the old one, maybe solder it on as well

NAPA PN 787112 single pole

[ggdad1951]

got some parts back today parts back from the plater today. Aluminum parts reanodized and the steel CAD plated.

Fruits of my labor so far, I need to get some larger semi-tubulars for the bucket before I get the brackets remounted in there.

[Desotodav]

The headlight inners are looking good Mark. I'll send you some stainless steel springs for them later this week.

Desotodav

[ggdad1951]

so, I'm thinking some dielectric grease between the two parts of the buckets to make them more easily adjusted?

[ggdad1951]

note: one adjusting screw not mounted

back bucket

back bucket and front bucket side by side

buckets "assembled", springs not hooked to front bucket

Edited April 13, 2012 by ggdad1951

[sam knopik]

The pictures are great but for the life of me I cannot figure out where the other end of the spring attaches.

[ggdad1951]

they hook over the edge of the inner bucket by the relief cuts

[tinlizzy]

What about replacement screws or springs any source recommended?

Lee

[ggdad1951]

I'm pretty much reusing the screws that come with mine, but cleaned up. Since I totally tore mine apart, I had the ability to re-vivet all the parts after plating, but you could use small screws instead of the semi-tubular rivets.

I got new springs thru Desotodave here on the forum, you might want to ping him and see if he can help you out.

[Desotodav]

It's interesting that your springs attach to a tab from a relief cut over there Mark - ours here in Oz have small tabs riveted in place to accommodate the springs (see photo).

I get all of my stainless steel slotted-head fasteners from Classic Fasteners here in Oz - http://www.classicfasteners.com.au/ . I'm sure that you would be able to buy that sort of thing in your part of the world though.

Desotodav