Mid Year Headlight Buckets

[Tom G.]

One of my headlight buckets suddenly refused to move. Checked the ground - OK. Noticed that the thumbwheel on the motor shaft was not moving when the switch was activated, so I turrnd it a few times and it is now moving, although the timing is off. Is there a way to match the bucket timing other than by trial and error?

Tom O'Grady

[Bob R.]

Re: Mid Year Headlight Buckets

Mid year headlight buckets don't have timing. There are two seperate motors and they operate independently. There is a limit switch on the doors which can be adjusted. The door should open until the switch stops it. The AIM has information on the limit switch. None of the mid year doors open at the exact same speed. I believe that for some reason the drivers door usually opens faster than the passenger door.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Mid Year Headlight Buckets

The so called limit switch has nothing to do with it either. It only operates the warning light. The motor was jammed against a worn gear.

[Joe R.]

Re: Mid Year Headlight Buckets

T.

I agree with both of the above posts. Mid year headlights are not close to being in sync. or can they be timed to turn perfectly. Well maybe but it would be guesswork and they would screw up after a few months anyway.

Take Wayne's advice. Remove the assemblies, clean, replace the pot metal gear and lubricate. They will work another 40 years and after that you may not even need them. Our old wheelchairs we'll be racing don't need headlights.

Regards,

JR

[Roy B.]

Re: Mid Year Headlight Buckets

My 67 would stop then go , not open all the way , not close, this was a intermediate thing that happened now and then. Toke them out not knowing any thing about them but realized they were easy to take apart, I cleaned all parts, the ammeters and the points inside each unit , reinstalled and they work great.
Found it to be so easy, why spend big bucks to send them out having some one do the same thing that took about an hour.
Mine are in sync. go up and down at the same time!

[bill stephenson]

Re: Mid Year Headlight Buckets

-------You guys are either forgetting or dont know that you can adjust the speed by adjusting the end-play on the gear housing end of the headlight motor. I would agree that it would be difficult to get them exactly the same speed but you can easily get them very close. It is, of course, much easier to do this with both motors on the bench and with a source of power. A battery and some wire with alligator-clips will do the job!..........Bill S

[Mike Cobine]

Very true

Much of what people automatically send out can be done at home with a little effort and great rewards.

I guess some are out for an award so badly they would rather write a check to ensure the car is done than do the work themselves and reflect in a job well done when it passes on the inspection field, be it NCRS judging or the local cruise spot.