Forum Discussion
MEXICOWANDERER
Feb 25, 2017Explorer
Is this a rectangular sealed beam or plastic housing with separate bulb?
With sealed beams there should be a thin stainless steel bezel surrounding the lamp holding it to the housing. Many screws. Do not touch the screws with the thick heads. They are adjustment alignment screws. Rectangular bulbs have 4 normal looking phillips sheet metal screws holding the bezel to the housing. Round lamps have three screws.
I would not dream of changing a 22 year old assembly without first saturating the screws AND the plastic wire harness block with Liquid Wrench or other NON WD40 spray. WD40 is good only for sucking up moisture. You need a penetrant.
Find a quality #2 phillips screwdriver not a rice paddy special. You'll only get one chance to not strip out the phillips cross in the screw head. Press HARD and twist. The penetrant should ease slipping off the wire harness block a lot easier. I have seen bulb tangs snapped-off frozen in wire harness blocks.
Then you think you're finished keep going. One of the 3 wires in the harness block is the chassis negative ground wire. Follow it and where it bolts to sheet metal remove the screw shine up the ring terminal and sheet metal with sandpaper reassemble the terminal then gob with grease. Is this lamp brighter? Do the negative on the other lamp. A big-time problem with motorhomes.
I just purchased a heavy duty bolster WiHa phillips screwdriver to ease my frustrations with phillips screws. It blows Craftsman, Proto and even my Snap On screwdrivers into the weeds. I like stuff that works. Hope this helps.
With sealed beams there should be a thin stainless steel bezel surrounding the lamp holding it to the housing. Many screws. Do not touch the screws with the thick heads. They are adjustment alignment screws. Rectangular bulbs have 4 normal looking phillips sheet metal screws holding the bezel to the housing. Round lamps have three screws.
I would not dream of changing a 22 year old assembly without first saturating the screws AND the plastic wire harness block with Liquid Wrench or other NON WD40 spray. WD40 is good only for sucking up moisture. You need a penetrant.
Find a quality #2 phillips screwdriver not a rice paddy special. You'll only get one chance to not strip out the phillips cross in the screw head. Press HARD and twist. The penetrant should ease slipping off the wire harness block a lot easier. I have seen bulb tangs snapped-off frozen in wire harness blocks.
Then you think you're finished keep going. One of the 3 wires in the harness block is the chassis negative ground wire. Follow it and where it bolts to sheet metal remove the screw shine up the ring terminal and sheet metal with sandpaper reassemble the terminal then gob with grease. Is this lamp brighter? Do the negative on the other lamp. A big-time problem with motorhomes.
I just purchased a heavy duty bolster WiHa phillips screwdriver to ease my frustrations with phillips screws. It blows Craftsman, Proto and even my Snap On screwdrivers into the weeds. I like stuff that works. Hope this helps.
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