Headlight vertical adjust screw shattered

[CoconutPete]

Has this happened to anyone else? I mean this thing like "holy sh!t disinegrated".

Appears to not be available separately.

348482_x800.jpg

[MIKYZZ4]

Did you verify part# on http://Realoem.com ?

[CoconutPete]

Yes, a handful of "individual components" available for the headlight, but this is not one of them.

[328 Power 04]

That's not an adjustment screw, it's a fixed point that holds the inner parts together. Essentially it should never be touched, as that plastic was apparently made of chalk.

It's not available separately. Years ago I had machined a few out of nylon, which seemingly worked fine.

[BladeRunner919]

That's not an adjustment screw, it's a fixed point that holds the inner parts together.

In the UK and Europe we don't have that part - we have an electric beam height adjuster that fits there and is controlled from the cabin. I'm surprised to learn that the US version isn't a manual adjustment for height in lieu of the electric adjustment.

[MIKYZZ4]

Appears that fabrication is your only option.

[CoconutPete]

That's not an adjustment screw, it's a fixed point that holds the inner parts together. Essentially it should never be touched, as that plastic was apparently made of chalk.

It's not available separately. Years ago I had machined a few out of nylon, which seemingly worked fine.

That make sense since the shaft is ... "knurled" - is that the word? And not threaded.

I thought it was for adjusting because of the pivoting effect it allows the reflective housing to change vertical angle.

Once I'm done baking today I'll plan on going to work in the plastics spare parts drawer.

EDIT: for clarification: I'm baking the headlights, not cookies.

[delvec]

See my thread several months ago on the same topic.

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...l-Adjuster-Cap

[328 Power 04]

That make sense since the shaft is ... "knurled" - is that the word? And not threaded.

I thought it was for adjusting because of the pivoting effect it allows the reflective housing to change vertical angle.

Once I'm done baking today I'll plan on going to work in the plastics spare parts drawer.

EDIT: for clarification: I'm baking the headlights, not cookies.

The hex screws on top are what give the up/down left/right adjustments, but depend heavily on the cap holding the knurled rod in place.
Having the Euro electric adjuster there would definitely be neat, even if it's not yet connected to anything (yet).


Baking cookies sounds like a worthwhile thing too, while there.

[IndianaRoadster]

EDIT: for clarification: I'm baking the headlights, not cookies.[/QUOTE]

Aww come on Pete, you would look good in an apron!

[Hoyt Clagwell]

EDIT: for clarification: I'm baking the headlights, not cookies.

Aww come on Pete, you would look good in an apron![/QUOTE]

Headlights, cookies, real men bake whatever they like.

[sleeperz]

I can't take credit for inventing this solution, but I did have the same issue. I was going to get new factory lights until I found out they cost $1500 or so now! I don't think I have any pics. But I can probably get a finished pic if that helps?

If you take the stainless pin out of the light, you can thread it with a die.

Find 4 stainless nuts and 2 stainless fender washers for each light. 2 of the fender washers, used for the inner support, need to be small enough to pass thru the original hole at an angle, but large enough to catch the original hole flanges when pulled up against them squarely. Outer washer should be able to catch the flanges squarely from the outside.

Use the die to cut threads on the pin. When clamping the pin, do not clamp the pin ball. It needs to stay intact. Threads do not need to go all the way down to the ball anyway. Go slow and use lots of oil, since the pin is stainless, it will break and/or twist easily. Spin the die down and spin back to work the die over the pin. Don't force it down all at once, or you will be hating life when it bends or breaks. On a soft item like this, I usually work about 1/4 to 1/2 turn cutting down and the same back to git er done and keep the threads from binding.

Once you are done threading, take 2 nuts and lock them (tighten them against each other.) These will be inside the light behind the inner fender washer. Lock them on the pin in the approximate location where the pin would have been held by the broken plastic. This is kind of a guessing game, since both of mine were broken. You can adjust the light later. The pin location will rest against the inner fender washer and the 2 nuts will be inside of the washer to hold the pin.

Now install the outer fender washer and one nut only. Test the light to see if the beam is pointing at the nearest ant hill or blinding passing aircraft. If it seems to be close to the old setting, then you can lock the outer nuts and seal everything with ..... Wait for it.... Silicone! Otherwise, move the inner nuts to get closer to the original location.

I did this about a year ago or more and it is still holding up nicely.

HTH
LightRepair.png

[328 Power 04]

Now it makes me wonder if we can just pop one of these in:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363412027995
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115596383962

[BladeRunner919]

I assume the wiring loom is there, so you could put them and the control in, and have them function. I wonder why we got them and you didn't.

[sleeperz]

AFAIK The motorized euro headlights are the only replacements available. Hence the high price. Not sure why BMW did that?

Now it makes me wonder if we can just pop one of these in:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363412027995
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115596383962

I suspect that motor idea would snap in and just hold steady like the pin does? Assuming no wiring is connected to it....

I assume the wiring loom is there, so you could put them and the control in, and have them function. I wonder why we got them and you didn't.

I think you would need to add the controllers on the suspension to make the lights move correctly? I repaired a leveling system on my E93 and there are a lot of pieces to it. My 2 cents...

- - - Updated - - -

Anyone have a 3D printer?

[BimmerBreaker]

I assume the wiring loom is there, so you could put them and the control in, and have them function. I wonder why we got them and you didn't.

I'm not positive, but I don't think the US wiring harness supports that feature. Some other features like headlight spraying nozzles were supplied from an extra added harness, though it could have also been part of the main wiring harness - there were actually many variations on the main chassis harness, depending on country and features equipped

AFAIK, those sorts of features were standard in Europe because there are regulations there that require the beam to be adjusted downwards when heavily loaded in the rear and at some point they also required lights to easily be switched from "LHD" to "RHD" since you may visit a country where they drive on the opposite side of the road and thus the beam pattern is different. E39's in Europe have a toggle switch on the headlights for this reason which adjusts the beam cutoff and also self-levelling lights to adjust the height of the cutoff. E36's in Europe have a manual switch to adjust the lights, Z3's have one too - I believe it sits on the opposite side of the fog light switch

In the US, there are no regulations mandating self (or manual) levelling lights nor do we have any reason for switching beam pattern, since the US, Canada and Mexico are all LHD

- - - Updated - - -

I think you would need to add the controllers on the suspension to make the lights move correctly? I repaired a leveling system on my E93 and there are a lot of pieces to it. My 2 cents...

They were manually adjustable, not automatic like the E93. I don't think there are any provisions to make them self-levelling. You'd need to wire it all in and add a switch like this:



It only really has the ability to adjust the lights "downward" to offset weight in the trunk sagging the rear and angling the front of the car upwards.

[sleeperz]

Anyone have a 3D printer? Might be a very narrow opportunity here. Probably not a big money maker. But as I recall, E36 lights use the same crappy piece of plastic.

[CoconutPete]

I'm working on a tweaked version of the bar napkin idea that Sleeperz posted.

Things got a little more involved than I expected. I took the headlight entirely apart to clean and inspect everything.

Low-beam lens had cracks and yellowing in it. I'm assuming from the wrong bulb wattage. I was able to use a headlight restoration kit to restore the yellow. I'll live with the cracks. Anyway, when I washed the lenses afterwards, the chrome flaked off like it was nothing so it was time for cleaning and masking tape and "blacking out" - I'm back to the original task today.

[robb1887]

There are no provisions in the US market harness for the manual levelers from the Euro market at BB states.

You can likely retrofit if you're willing to go down that rabbit hole and are comfortable wiring 12V systems and parts diagram sifting for the correct parts to make the harness.

When I retrofitted my HID's this part becomes obsolete but 9 our of 10 headlights I touch they are crumbled for no other reason than I thought about touching them. I will say during my retrofit though I DID successfully retrofit a set of the Euro city light bulbs with sockets, connectors, and pigtails into to my headlights that are hotwired into an ACC circuit in the fuse box.

[UK MCOUPE]

I have owned my UK spec M Coupe for over 23 years and have never needed to use the adjusters ! Nice to have but not needed in my opinion.

[IndianaRoadster]

I have owned my UK spec M Coupe for over 23 years and have never needed to use the adjusters ! Nice to have but not needed in my opinion.

You have some nice looking wheels on your coupe. What brand and size are they?

[UK MCOUPE]

You have some nice looking wheels on your coupe. What brand and size are they?

Thanks, they are AC Schnitzer Type III racing alloys 8.5/9.5" 19"

[CoconutPete]

Getting there.IMG_9608.jpg

[UK MCOUPE]

I wonder if you could use/modify the part from E36 lights?

https://www.hubauer-shop.de/en/brack...128361104.html

[robb1887]

Good find there.

I was hoping the Euro height adjuster cross decked between the Z and E36 but doesnt look like it does. Would expect the E36 "stem" would need to be replaced with the Z3 version into the base to be used.