I wonder form which year Hella changed their headligth units, from be able to disassemble , to the ones which are fixed unit and can not be open?.
My units show date 11-02 (november 2002).
I manage to get the old adjuster of but was not able to open none of both unit.
I tried heatgun, and also oven (5 minutes , 200 gr C )
Adjusters I need are this type
efv342tfeqmo.jpg
No idea if the ones which are installed inside the units which you can not open are different.
I believe you have the non bake open type of lenses. See "ship in the bottle" approach. It is not that hard.
DIY LINK: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...t-(no-cutting)
Last edited by StephenVA; 01-17-2019 at 09:41 AM.
Current Garage Highlights
2003 525iT TiSilver
2002 M5 TiSilver
1998 528i KASCHMIRBEIGE METALLIC (301) (Goldie)
Former Garage Highlights
2005 X5 4.8is
2004 325iTs (2x)
1973 Pantera L
1971 Dodge Dart Swinger "Lite Package"
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack Alpine White
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack GoManGo Green
1969 Road Runner 383
1968 Barracuda Formula S 340 Sea Foam Green
later models can not be opened do to the adhesive used. I did the "contortionist" method. It took a few hours per unit but they work fine now. Unfortunately, you cant clean the inside of the lenses but so be it.
Black top little cover = You screwed that's basically all you need to know
You have those, just cut holes around where adjusters are, and then plastic weld all back.
Lähetetty minun ONEPLUS A5010 laitteesta Tapatalkilla
-E34 M60B40 + Tremec TKO 600 (sold)
and sadly no old BMW anymore, only high powered Seat Leon Cupra 4Drive as a daily driver.
Loved the "contortionist" method +1!!!
Current Garage Highlights
2003 525iT TiSilver
2002 M5 TiSilver
1998 528i KASCHMIRBEIGE METALLIC (301) (Goldie)
Former Garage Highlights
2005 X5 4.8is
2004 325iTs (2x)
1973 Pantera L
1971 Dodge Dart Swinger "Lite Package"
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack Alpine White
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack GoManGo Green
1969 Road Runner 383
1968 Barracuda Formula S 340 Sea Foam Green
Ship in the bottle method is do-able. Just takes patients and some picks/weird angle tweezers or dentist tools if you got them.
Thanks, I think I really have the latest kind.
Will for sure look at all given solutions.
July 2002 was when they switched to urethane. I cut the lenses out, clean out the channel, fix the adjusters, clean the projectors, apply the new butyl rubber into the channel, pop the new lenses on to the housing, good as new again.
Set the controls for the heart of the sun
So you used new lenses...OK.. I think I will first try to do the "back" way
Thankfully mine are bakeable. If they were not, I would just use the method that cuts a hole in the housing immediately above each adjuster, making replacement very easy. Then just make sure you seal the housing when replacing what you cut out.
07/02 aka July of 2002 is when the adhesive was switched over. Your lights are non-bakeable I highly recommend the ship in a bottle approach or if you've got $$$ buy a pair that are bakeable and replace the adjusters on them preemptively.
2003 530i M Sport [Black Sapphire Metallic & Sand Interior]
IMG_1075 by Alex Wilson Photography, on Flickr
Just replaced my adjusters this week from the back, luckily UK lights have a removable cap on top of the lens which makes it more doable. Still took some patience but a cheap set of forceps and a long T15 screwdriver really help.
I needed a T-10 torx screwdriver which is at least 4 inches long to do my non-bakeable headlights
Mine has also a removable cap on top. No idea what this cap is for, but I will try to use it.
Under the cap there should be light regulator, for example if you are in France, and go to UK,where it is RHD, and lights are different, you switch lights under the cap, and they become more even,and don't blind everyone.
Lähetetty minun ONEPLUS A5010 laitteesta Tapatalkilla
-E34 M60B40 + Tremec TKO 600 (sold)
and sadly no old BMW anymore, only high powered Seat Leon Cupra 4Drive as a daily driver.
Ok, thanks.Good to know.
O, ok. Mine look like this on top.
2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black
OK, I manage to repair my adjusters.
Unfortunately I was not able to get the old out or new in through the back of the unit.
Therefore I made a hole on top of both units, just above the engel-eyes.
After I did that, I was able take the old adjusters out, and install the new one without any problem.
Took me about 32 hours in total for both units. When I was done I cover the hole with a piece of black plastic and glue it on.
Once installed in the car, you hardly see that units where cut open.
As both units were out of the car I also tackled both front covers.
Instead of polish them , I sand them down with 600 grit sandpaper and then give them a coat of 2K clear coat.
9huupqfa74p6.jpg
results
le3uco.jpg
Very happy. Finally is this done.
Nex thing will be to get more info about LED lights.
Well, it's the same coat people use when painting their car, so i guess it should last.
Will see.
Can always sand them down and do a polish
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