The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Headlight Bulb Sits Too Low - '54

Why do my headlight bulbs sit too low in the housings of my '54 3100? There is a half inch gap at the top between the headlight retainer and the bezel. What did I do wrong? How do I correct the problem?

I blasted and painted the housings and buckets. Replaced the adjuster nuts, bezel seals, clips for the seals, retaining rings, fender gaskets, and grommets.

One of the headlights sat a little low previously, but it would move into place when I installed the bezel. Now, both headlights are too low for the bezels to massage into place.

The springs were originally hooked in the lower hole of the buckets. I hooked them in the upper hole. Could that cause the problem?

PIcs:
> Gap between headlight retainer and rim
> Bucket w/o bulb
> Slot in housing for bezel
> Top adjuster
> Left adjuster
> Spring
> New seal inside
> New seal outside

Thanks for your help,

Lonnie, I had the same problem with my left side headlight ring when I went to put it on. Seemed like the headlight was 1/4" to low. I kept messing with it and found part of the problem was them darn new clips I had bought to hold that ring around the inside of the bezel. The "top" clip would not let the ring go down far enough to slip over the headlight. I ended up with a different clip and using the adjuster screws I move them where the headlight "pulled up" as if aiming the headlight sort of high. the ring/bezel then slide over the headlight.
..oh, I had my spring hooked the bottom as original.
Hope this helps you some.

I had the same problem Achipmunk describes.

The new clip that snaps on the top didn't fit well. I ended up using my original trim pieces

Try removing the top clip and do a test fit. Then modify

Here is a pic of a later trim ring for comparison ...pic..

Thanks guys, including Denny in another thread.

I'll play with them again today. I agree that the clip is probably my problem. Looks like there may be a little body filler at the top of the passenger headlight opening, so I gotta be gentle.

Hope to get the radiator hoses on today, add water, and start 'er up for the first time in a month or so. Then I can aim the headlights tonight.

Success! The bezels are on and look good. The top mounting clip was not seating deeply enough into the slot in the headlight housing.

I did as Gus suggested and removed the top clip to see how the bezels sit on the retainer. Looked good, so I knew that the problem was with the housing or the top clip, not the bucket.

I did a couple of things that may have helped.

> I bent the top ears of the fender opening foward a little. ("Ears" are what I call the tabs on the fender that hold the speed nut doohickeys or a similar tab without a speed nut.) This moved the housing away from the top of the fender a little to give a bigger gap between the fender and the mounting slot for the bezel.

> I also tweaked the top wire mounting clip for the bezel.

Then I started mounting the bezel, firmly pushed the bezel down, and I could tell when the clip seated into the slot.

Luckily I aimed the headlights before I installed the bezels, 'cause I ain't takin' 'em off no mo. Followed the instructions for aiming in the Shop Manual. Used a couple of big pieces of paper with reference lines taped to my garage doors.

I had moved the springs to the bottom hole of the bucket and I left them there. I pulled one of the rivets out that holds them to the housing when I was moving from the top hole to the bottom one. I pop-riveted the spring to the housing - no problem, but I didn't want to risk pulling out the other one by fiddling with it.

Thanks for your help, for your pics, and for relaying your experiences to me.