Corvette headlight rebuild...

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5chn3ll
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Corvette headlight rebuild...

Post by 5chn3ll » Sat Jun 02, 2018 9:22 am

Anyone familiar with C4 Corvettes is probably familiar with the clunk-clunk-clunk of the headlight bearing popping due to disintegrated bushings. Here's an example of a new gear with new bushings vs. The original from 1996.

The photo also shows why "upgrading" to a bronze gear is almost always worthless. As long as you replace the bushings before the debris chews the gear up, the gear doesn't fail. The kit I bought from Amazon includes a new nylon gear, so I'll replace it, but the original gear is good enough to clean up and add to the parts graveyard.
20180602_091446.jpg

Understeer: You will hit the wall with the front end.
Oversteer: You will hit the wall with the rear end.
Horsepower: How hard you will hit the wall.
Torque: How far you will move the wall.

Gone hunting with Alec Baldwin and Dick Cheney. Back soon.

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5chn3ll
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Re: Corvette headlight rebuild...

Post by 5chn3ll » Sat Jun 02, 2018 9:23 am

The yellow crumbs are all that remains of the origin 3 bushings...

Understeer: You will hit the wall with the front end.
Oversteer: You will hit the wall with the rear end.
Horsepower: How hard you will hit the wall.
Torque: How far you will move the wall.

Gone hunting with Alec Baldwin and Dick Cheney. Back soon.

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DTMiller
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Re: Corvette headlight rebuild...

Post by DTMiller » Sat Jun 02, 2018 9:40 am

Sneaky way to advertise your meth stash.
2002 Guards Red Targa, Fister exhaust, H&R Sport Springs, semisolid motor mounts
1997 MX-5 track car
Friday at the Track, Chin Trackdays, SCCA WDCR Novice Classroom Instructor, SCDA, Audi Club Potomac, TrackDaze HPDE Instructor
June 16, 2017 Funland GoKart Champion (6:13 p.m. main event)
Willing to risk life for track time

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5chn3ll
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Re: Corvette headlight rebuild...

Post by 5chn3ll » Mon Jun 04, 2018 3:29 pm

Heh. It turns out that the crap that they packed the gear with was some kind of elastomer. Specifically, it was a shitty elastomer that turns into boogers after 22 years.

The delrin bushings are the aftermarket's solution to a booger-free headlight.

Understeer: You will hit the wall with the front end.
Oversteer: You will hit the wall with the rear end.
Horsepower: How hard you will hit the wall.
Torque: How far you will move the wall.

Gone hunting with Alec Baldwin and Dick Cheney. Back soon.

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32wildbilly
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Re: Corvette headlight rebuild...

Post by 32wildbilly » Mon Jun 04, 2018 6:27 pm

5chn3ll wrote: Mon Jun 04, 2018 3:29 pm Heh. It turns out that the crap that they packed the gear with was some kind of elastomer. Specifically, it was a shitty elastomer that turns into boogers after 22 years.

The delrin bushings are the aftermarket's solution to a booger-free headlight.
22 year old boogers...not good...not good at all.
Never gonna make you cry...

AnthonyS
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Re: Corvette headlight rebuild...

Post by AnthonyS » Wed Jun 06, 2018 8:50 pm

This topic made me laugh but now I’m also worried about the headlights on my 91 ZR-1 and my IMS bearing in my 996..... I will have to drive my Miata more.

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B3DAWG
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Re: Corvette headlight rebuild...

Post by B3DAWG » Thu Jun 07, 2018 6:57 am

DTMiller wrote: Sat Jun 02, 2018 9:40 am Sneaky way to advertise your meth stash.
Yea, Schnelly just needs to work on his Meth color. I hear blue stuff is in demand south of his state! ;)

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32wildbilly
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Re: Corvette headlight rebuild...

Post by 32wildbilly » Thu Jun 07, 2018 8:14 am

AnthonyS wrote: Wed Jun 06, 2018 8:50 pm This topic made me laugh but now I’m also worried about the headlights on my 91 ZR-1 and my IMS bearing in my 996..... I will have to drive my Miata more.
Miata! Don't read DT's racing post. You will be taking the bus.
Never gonna make you cry...

AnthonyS
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Re: Corvette headlight rebuild...

Post by AnthonyS » Mon Jun 11, 2018 10:39 am

32wildbilly wrote: Thu Jun 07, 2018 8:14 am
AnthonyS wrote: Wed Jun 06, 2018 8:50 pm This topic made me laugh but now I’m also worried about the headlights on my 91 ZR-1 and my IMS bearing in my 996..... I will have to drive my Miata more.
Miata! Don't read DT's racing post. You will be taking the bus.
I’m going to have to get rid of my ZR-1 and 996 and get a new ND Miata.....

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5chn3ll
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Re: Corvette headlight rebuild...

Post by 5chn3ll » Mon Jun 11, 2018 11:31 am

I was vaguely concerned that the multi-LED setup would detract from the vintage 80s look of the Corvette, but if anything they make it even more turn-of-the-millennium. Kinda Tetris-y...
20180611_112347.jpg
The T pattern is low beam; they are all lit for high beam.

I am really having to resist the urge to hack the bulbs to make each diode individually addressable and cook up a Raspberry Pi controller.

Understeer: You will hit the wall with the front end.
Oversteer: You will hit the wall with the rear end.
Horsepower: How hard you will hit the wall.
Torque: How far you will move the wall.

Gone hunting with Alec Baldwin and Dick Cheney. Back soon.

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