E31 Headlight adjustment

[dbetler]

Hello all. New here so hopefully not breaking any rules right off the bat.
Just purchased my first E31. (1995 840ci) Have always wanted one. It is about as perfect as a 22 year old 840ci could be with minimal issues. One however is I noticed the headlight is a little loose. Looked for videos on how to take the headlight out and tighten etc. but was unsuccessful so far. Any advice or videos or direction on tightening the headlights would be appreciated. I am assuming soon enough I will need to change the headlight bulbs anyway so would like any assistance. I am sure I will be back because finding help from other enthusiasts and owners is best. Thank you in advance.

[PabloRock]

Mine are a little wobbly as well, so if there are any tips, it would be appreciated. (been that way for awhile, but I never drive at night, so I wasn't concerned and never looked into it).

[rogbmw]

Failed headlight adjusters continues to be an ongoing issue for E31 owners with US DOT headlights. European headlights also suffer some issues, but the construction is different. The E31 Chapter has contacted BMW requesting that these be remade, but we have not had any resolution as of yet. We are planning on escalating this up to a higher level soon as to date we have had no response.

[wolfebrian2120]

How wobbly is wobbly? Mine don't move at all when driving. there are four mounting nuts that hold the headlight assembly. I believe they are 17mm. they are pretty big. Check those. remove the top panel to avoid scratching it with your socket for easier access to the rear nuts. two front and two rear. You can also remove the light assembly without affecting the adjustment. perhaps your assembly is broken somewhere.

FYI: I just took mine out to replace the boots on the air box for the intake. both were cracked open.

[jcs1966]

I used Bills (MaxLumens) kit a couple of years ago and it's held up pretty well. It's a bit crude, but it's hidden, so it's not a big deal. I know he was clearing out what he had, so that may not be an option any more. The biggest issue with the adjusters is the plastic acorn that is used to connect the adjuster to the housing. I've talked with a few people about having some of these made with a 3D printer, but no one seems to have one that we can get some measurements from. If somebody out there has one lying around that is intact, I'd be interested in borrowing it so that we can get it scanned. That being said, I am all for Roger's approach to leverage BMW. I encourage anyone who isn't a BMWCCA member, specifically the E31 Chapter, to join. The more numbers we have, the more leverage we will have with BMW.


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[PabloRock]

They don't seem to wobble when driving, but I very rarely drive at night (only time last year was twice coming home from a meet up in october because it was getting dark early). More than likely it's the problem Rodger mentioned. They seem loose, and they are aren't very bright and probably not aligned correctly. I was planning on taking this on in the spring, but figured I would join in on the conversation since someone else had questions. Did find the cleaning on Timm's site, and will take that on as well.

http://www.meeknet.co.uk/e31/Headlight/Index.htm

[rogbmw]

Here is the way you check if your adjusters are shot. Pop up the headlights by turning them on. Then go to the front of the car and place one finger from each hand on the glass - one toward the outside of the car, and one toward the middle of the car. If you can rock the glass inside the pod back and forth, the adjusters are gone.

[dragon850]

Failed headlight adjusters continues to be an ongoing issue for E31 owners with US DOT headlights. European headlights also suffer some issues, but the construction is different. The E31 Chapter has contacted BMW requesting that these be remade, but we have not had any resolution as of yet. We are planning on escalating this up to a higher level soon as to date we have had no response.

Now that would be cool! Thanks for your efforts!

[execmalibu]

I posted this about 8 months ago... The only change is that I now suggest that you put a tiny clip by cutting a paper clip end and wrap the tubing so it will not pull off on very hot days...

I have never seen anything like it before! I literally just touched the plastic parts (that looked OK) and they crumbled into tiny pieces on several E31 headlights... So I tried several ideas like using long screws with barrel nuts similar to other peoples solution (MAXLUMENS) which works great but then I tried this.

I borrowed (OK Stole) an old BOSCH and HELLA attachment solution using rubber tubing that was used on headlights on early VWs and on both 356 and 911 Porsches. BOSCH and HELLA both used this simple idea for almost 40 years with great results so I thought why not use the same idea on my E31s??

When you drive at night do you see the Owls and Squirrels illuminated up in the trees but the road is dark? Do your headlights flop loosely around inside the plastic housing??

Then read on!

Take your headlights off (I assume you know how to do this? Four bolts and unplug it takes about 5 minutes) Then if your plastic housings are not cracked or warped badly and look OK... Look to make sure the gear wheels on the adjuster screws are still in place and they are tight.

Look even further at your lights...

Usually with the all plastic E31 headlights the problem is that the BLACK plastic ball socket brakes off from the plastic headlightassembly and the headlight flops around and is no longer adjustable... If the BLACK ball sockets are still there and attached to the headlight assembly then this is not your problem.

If any of the BLACK sockets are broken disassemble the headlight. Very simple! Read other posts for instructions...

Go buy a foot of 3/16 clear plastic tubing at your local hardware store @ $.35 per foot...

Then remove the phillips screw in the center of the broken BLACK ball socket(s). Replace the philips screw but DO NOT screw it all the way down, leave it up away from the headlight about 1/4 inch. (See attached photos of the broken parts and repair).

Then cut about one inch of the plastic tubing and warm it up... ( Hot water,heat gun, hair dyer etc.) then push the tubing over the head of the phillips screw.

Next VERY carefully remove the WHITE plastic ball socket on the end of the white adjusting slide... Use high heat (heat gun, hair dryer etc.) and gently pop the white socket off the ball end or carefully cut it in half with a dremel to remove it. There is another white ball socket on the metal ball ended screw on the bottom that is not fragile because it is steel. heat it up and remove it also...

Do this on all of the BLACK Ball sockets/adjusters that are broken, there are three.. Two for aiming the lights and one on the bottom (the metal one with ball end) used as a positioning point.

Now reassemble the headlight pressing the white platic ball end and the metal ball end into the plastic tubing. Remember to heat the tubing again and use WD40 or other lubricant.

NEW! On a very hot 100 degree day here is Malibu one of the tubing pulled off on one ball I had done a repair on. So now I recommend a simple permanent solution for that problem. Crimp a clip around the tubing.

Using paper clips cut off the curved ends and make a clip and using needle nose pliers crimp the clip around the plastic tubing behind the ball so the tubing cannot be pulled off.


What you have done is to replace the hard plastic parts that are known to brake and fail with plastic tubing that is flexible and very long lasting. It takes a lot of force to pull the tubing off so it is not likely they will ever fail. The tubing also insulates theheadlight from vibration and is a simple proven solution used by BOSCH and HELLA for many years and a simple and very inexpensive cure to an extremely common and expensive E31 headlight problem.

Plus it only cost $.35 cents and can be reversed if desired...

You will need to readjust your headlights and if the adjuster gear wheels are missing that is another story. They used to have kits but now NLA

Attached Thumbnails

Last edited by execmalibu; 07-05-2016 at 05:15 AM.

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- - - Updated - - -

E 31 Headlight Repair Solution Part 2!

Class... Class... CLASS!

Loose adjusting screws in the E31 plastic rectangular housing repair. Total cost about $.35 and 10 minutes time.

So you have your headlights apart and you realize that the gear on the top adjuster screw in the housing is gone and the adjusting screw has nothing to secure it from moving in and out. luckily you only need the bottom gear. (OK not mandatory but much easier to adjust headlights if it is still there) Hopefully your adjusting gear on the bottom is still there? Will describe repairof the bottom adjuster next...

To secure the top screw is super simple!!

Take the adjusting screw with you to the hardware store when you go to buy your 3/16 tubing for the part 1 repair. You will need to also buy a few 8/32 washers. Try fitting one over the slotted end of the screw and it should fit tightly but still be able to be pushed on. If not you might have to open the hole just slightly with a drill bit.

Also buy some 10/32 washers and a few 5mm nuts (locknuts if available) for use on the bottom screw that will be described next.

Note! Remember to always keep and replace the little bevel washer and rubber tubing as originally found on the adjusting screws when you took them apart.

The top screw you insert it into the hole from the front and cut about 1/4-5/16 inch of the plastic tubing. Push the tubing from the back over the slotted end of the screw so less then a 1/4 inch of the slot is showing then push the tiny washer(s) onto the screw. The washer (s) should be just above the bottom of the slot. If it goes in further then you will need more washers or to cut another piece of tubing that is a tiny bit longer. The tubing takes up the slack (end play) so make sure that there is no in/out movement in the adjusting screw. (see photos)

Once you are sure the screw is tight with the washer and tubing in place turn the slot in the adjusting screw so it is Horizontal and slowly lift the screwdriver up to slightly spread open the slot. Turn the screw 180 degrees and lift the screwdriver up again to spread the other side. The washer should now be tight and unable to be pulled off. You are now done!

Now the bottom adjuster screw is just as simple.

Usually all you need to do to get the gear off is to lightly tap the screw in the middle of the gear with a small screwdriver,punch etc and it falls off. Once the gear is off the adjusting screw you will need to completely file or grind off the small collar so the screw is smooth. (see Photos)… You did this so the screw can now be installed from the rear with the gear installed.

Next screw one of the 5mm nuts onto the adjusting screw almost all the way, then put a washer under the nut and place on a vice with the jaws spread 1/4 inch. Next using a 13mm socket and a hammer tap the gear onto the adjusting screw until the slot end is level with the top of the gear. NO vise? Drill a deep 1/4 inch hole into the end of a 2X4 and tap away! Then using the screwdriver spread the slot like before. With the slot spread apart the gear will never be able to slide off.

Now push the screw in from the back and install the original bevel washer and the rubber tubing, next add a 10/32 washer and screw the 5mm nut all the way down until there is absolutely no in/out play snug but not too tight, so it still turns. If you used a locknut you are done! But if you used a regular 5mm nut then a little locktite is a good idea.

You are now finished and can assemble your headlights!

Note 2!! On some of the headlights the screws are NOT machine thread but are sheet metal threads. Instead of using the 6mm nut you will need to use a sheet metal speed nuts or clips. You can also use a 1 inch piece of the tubing to as the nut. Also some of these screws do not have a slot so clamp the screw tightly in a vise and use a hack saw to cut a 1/4 in slot which is required for your repair. Everything else is the same...

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Last edited by execmalibu; 07-13-2016 at 09:34 AM.

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[PabloRock]

Thanks for the write up. I will take this on when the weather warms up.

[UNEEKONE]

So mine only illuminate the road ten to fifteen feet in front of the car. I am assuming that is not normal but I don't want to break anything trying to adjust them. How far out do properly asjusted projectors illuminate?

[Timm]

That sounds like an adjuster has failed - possibly the ball joint has become dislodged from the internal assembly

[Chillax]

I used Bills (MaxLumens) kit a couple of years ago and it's held up pretty well. It's a bit crude, but it's hidden, so it's not a big deal. I know he was clearing out what he had, so that may not be an option any more. The biggest issue with the adjusters is the plastic acorn that is used to connect the adjuster to the housing. I've talked with a few people about having some of these made with a 3D printer, but no one seems to have one that we can get some measurements from. If somebody out there has one lying around that is intact, I'd be interested in borrowing it so that we can get it scanned. That being said, I am all for Roger's approach to leverage BMW. I encourage anyone who isn't a BMWCCA member, specifically the E31 Chapter, to join. The more numbers we have, the more leverage we will have with BMW.


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What he said!

[Wuffer]

The biggest issue with the adjusters is the plastic acorn that is used to connect the adjuster to the housing. I've talked with a few people about having some of these made with a 3D printer, but no one seems to have one that we can get some measurements from. If somebody out there has one lying around that is intact, I'd be interested in borrowing it so that we can get it scanned.

I have one from my most recent C-spec parts car if you are still interested. wuffer at shaw dot ca

[Shockleysprings]

I've only found one source of mini shocks, does anyone have another suggestion?