Someone just sent me here from m5board.com. Turns out my '03 M5 most likely has the unbakeable lights and my 'low-beam' adjuster is bad. Good write-up Ben!
Can someone please re-host the pics? I'd like to tackle this on my car hopefully soon.
Pics no more!!
I saved the post on my drive as an mht file.
Converted to PDF (with pictures included) attached.
Not quite as pretty as the original but I had to cut a bunch of trimmings to get the file under max size. All Ben's original content is present.
And sorry for the banner - I didn't realize my trial had run out.
Regards
RDL
Sorry about that. I think I took down the website where the files were hosted. I emailed everything to jamesdc4. Hopefully he can get it all back up.
Its hard to install the adjusters back, i cant align them well so i can turn in the screw back.
Its also hard to place the socket back But its done. I only did the lowbeam. the highbeam screw was to hard and i think i dont need it because its for the alignment of de left-right`(or right-left) direction of the headlight and with the rubbers its axactly to the forward direction, so its okay.
Thanks!
Last edited by InspectorGadget; 11-04-2011 at 12:33 PM.
Thank you very much RDL
Thank you rdl.
I'm still going to try to rebuild the original post when I get a chance. I'm swamped right now, but it'll be much easier to do using your pdf as a reference.
Last edited by jamesdc4; 11-06-2011 at 08:40 PM.
Thankyou! I was able to do both lights in under four hours, even with fat fingers and lots of breaks for a crippled back. All I can say is keep a clear head and lots of patience. And if you manage to maneuver the highbeam side adjuster up into the projector lens as I did, get a picture.
I PM'd James about this. I'll volunteer to host the pictures if someone can forward them here and then edit the links.
/.randy
Forgive me if it's been answered already. Will this apply to Halogen assemblies as well?
+1 about the Halogen assemblies
I worked on mine tonight. I don't see a way to do the highbeam on a halogen set. The write up works fine on the lowbeams.
Last edited by rjheard; 01-07-2012 at 04:51 PM.
Hey everyone, sorry to bring up an old thread, just a wee tip i found for removing the ball of the broken adjuster from the socket... took about 30mins messing with the first one, till i figured out a wee trick -
Assuming part of the 'leg' of the adjuster is still attached to the ball, on all mine the adjusters had all broke about midway on this leg.... if you use a pair of pointy nosed pliers on the leg, as tight to the ball as u can go, give the pliers a good squeez, this shud break the remainder of the leg off... that way ur left with the ball which has a flat spot where the leg used to join... this makes it much easier for getting it out of the socket, if you spin it round so the flat spot is where the wee tab is, you should then be able to use a small screwdriver to just give it a good shove out from the back.
and just on the last 2 comments there, mine were halogen models and the whole thing was spot on, took a few hours mind, but not that bad really. The high beam was the trickier side alright, i found getting the new adjusters in was the hardest bit, especially on the high beam side, getting it lined up in the correct position was a PITA.
A wee tip i found for getting the high beam adjuster into place.... remove the small circular cap in the top of the clear lens (used for accessing the beam corrector lever for foreign driving)... with this off you can see the end of the high beam adjuster and manoeuvre it from both ends to get it into position. even at that it still took a bit of fiddling, but it can be done
i hate baking headlights - they never glue back together "the same"
i will try this method. Thanks
Fantastic DIY...just replaced the adjusters on a set of facelifted headlights...even with my bear mitts I was able to handle this!...takes time and patience though.
BMWCCA #389756
e39 Touring SOLD.
mad love for adjustment break fix!
I received my aluminium adjusters from EAC so I'll be tackling this project tonight.
'17 BMW 330i XDrive MSport Touring
'20 BMW R 1250RS Imperial Blue Metallic-Exclusive
'02 BMW Z3 2.5i Titanium
Okay so I've been working on the high beam side now for two days. This sucks! The low beam adjuster went a lot smoother. The old high beam adjuster literally came out in so many pieces that I cannot figure out the orientation of how to reinstall it.
I'll keep trying though and will eventually get it. Good thing I have two cars for my use.
Any tips? I'm working on the driver side HL.
Thanks in advance
'17 BMW 330i XDrive MSport Touring
'20 BMW R 1250RS Imperial Blue Metallic-Exclusive
'02 BMW Z3 2.5i Titanium
I haven't even removed the other HL from the car yet. However when I took the DS out of the car I tried to figure out the orientation and couldn't view the HB side at all. Perhaps because it was in so many pieces.
I guess I'll remove the PS side tomorrow and look at it closely. Maybe I'll pick up a dental mirror and use that. Hopefully the PS isn't a pile of dust!
After this experience is over I'll be very glad that I spent the extra money of aluminum adjusters from EAC
Oh...And what method is used to get the plastic dust out of the interior of the light? I thought about using compressed air but don't want to introduce moisture. I do that while all lights are removed of course.
Okay I obsessed over this all night at work last night and came straight home and sat in my shop and got it done! The flattest, widest part of the adjuster is up against the flattest portion of the light housing. As soon as I figured that out it slipped right into place. Still difficult mind you but so much easier understanding the orientation.
Next up...sanding and polishing
Last edited by daveycrocket; 03-19-2012 at 10:53 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
'17 BMW 330i XDrive MSport Touring
'20 BMW R 1250RS Imperial Blue Metallic-Exclusive
'02 BMW Z3 2.5i Titanium
I have to tackle this today as found my drivers side headlight has the un-bakeable sealer.
When do you reinstall the auto level adjuster in the process or did I miss that somewhere?
You ask any ricer, any serious ricer. It doesn't matter if the other guy is racing or not. A win is a win.
When you're putting everything back together. I used a coat hanger bent at the tip and put it through the hole for the low beam light as I was inserting the ball into the U-shape adjuster. Worked like a charm within seconds it was seated and I was buttoning up everything else to reinstall the light on the car.
This is an excellent write up!
'17 BMW 330i XDrive MSport Touring
'20 BMW R 1250RS Imperial Blue Metallic-Exclusive
'02 BMW Z3 2.5i Titanium
I can't even imagine trying to replace these adjusters without baking open.
If yours can open, trust me, open them.
And, I have done one headlight, so I know exactly what is inside...
If you've never done an adjuster job before, I think is basically impossible to even understand what is going on here.
The one near the angel eyes blub, you can't even SEE!
Hats off to you, my man, but the non-bake method would literally take me months.
If really did pull this off, you should have been a surgeon, and picked the wrong line of work!
In fact, I'd have to see it to believe it.
Last edited by OnTheFence; 04-01-2012 at 02:09 PM.
E39 DIYs done: Wipers, O2 sensors , MAF , Upper/Lower Intake Boots , FSU , ABS module fix , Power Steering Reservoir , Changed Rear Differential Oil , DISA , SAP, Vacuum lines , Radar Detector Hardwire , Fuel Filter , LED Angel Eyes , Headlight Adjusters--> [1],[2], [3] , Headlight Polishing, Punted: Fan Clutch/Tensioner/Pulleys , Oil cap O-rings , Window regulator ,Crumbling Cowl
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