Frozen headlight pivots 66 coupe

[Carl B.]

Head light pivots are frozen on my 66 coupe. Bucket is out of the car on work bench. Any ideas would be appreciated

[Richard M.]

Re: Frozen headlight pivots 66 coupe

Carl, Do you mean the pivot balls are frozen to the shafts?

If so, you'll have to acquire some pulling tools to free them. Use a penetrating fluid, let them soak a while.

Protect the ends of the shafts with a large bolt with a dimple in the center to use as a puller bolt backing stop.


Here are some photos of how I do it. After cleaning, I use white lithium grease as the lubricant on the shafts and plenty of oil on the new shaft felts.

Rich

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[Carl B.]

Re: Frozen headlight pivots 66 coupe

Richard thank you. This info. was exactly what I was looking for.

[Dale M.]

Re: Frozen headlight pivots 66 coupe

I used heat to free mine on a '64. That worked for me.

I helped with a seminar on rebuilding headlight buckets, maybe this can help, see following link:
https://www.ncrs.org/qc/Seminars/MidYearHeadlightsSeminar2011.pdf

[Carnell M.]

Re: Frozen headlight pivots 66 coupe

I recently got mine off by using a big pair of vise grips and twisting after soaking them with some penetrant. I wasn't going to reuse them so I wasn't worried about damage. They came off pretty easily actually.

[Carl B.]

Re: Frozen headlight pivots 66 coupe

I finally got head light bucket apart. My question is how do head light pivots work in up/down movement of bucket. Do all vendors use same manufacture of bucket parts ?

[Dale M.]

Re: Frozen headlight pivots 66 coupe

Carl, I may not fully understand your question. The ball and cup is how the headlight buckets rotate up and down. Its need to be free on the shaft to make this rotation easier.

Not sure about the different vendors supplying parts. If you see my article, I mostly used Paragon. I did have issues with the felt gaskets being too thick and binding the headlight bucket movement. Almost forgot, but I believe I used my old felt gaskets. I don't have experience with other vendors, but I mostly rely on Paragon.

[Carl B.]

Re: Frozen headlight pivots 66 coupe

I am planning to repl. bucket harness. Look ok but real stiff.Motor gear chewed up,armature looks ok. Planning to use crocus cloth to clean pivot's What grease /lubricant do you use for pivots. I found info to lubricate motor With White Lithium grease. Any additional info. would be appreciated. I only want to this job once. Thanks

[Dale M.]

Re: Frozen headlight pivots 66 coupe

I took "Dukes" recommendation to use a Synthetic grease. I found and used "Green Grease" by OMNI Lubricants, Denton, TX (877-go-grease). I expect this to last longer than the White Lithium. The White Lithium is what we all used long time ago.

I replaced my wiring harness as well. You just know the insulation on 50 year old wire is questionable as well as all the strands of wire inside. I am very happy with Eagle Wire Products, Spencer Rose(800-977-0030). I have used his harnesses for my entire car. I now use lubricants on all my wiring connections (Radio Shack Contact Control and Cleaner). I want all available electron to get to my motors and all other components.

Hope all goes well, reply with any additional questions.

Dale Maris
48325