Help removing headlights

[sojahseh]

What am I missing. My 85 has Bosch H4 headlamps. After taking the painted trim ring off it reveals the chrome ring with screws in them. I can't seem to get these screws out, they turn but do not back out.

Any ideas?

[SoCalSK8r]

There are 2 adjustment screws plus one screw at the bottom.

Unscrew the bottom screw (6 o'clock), and the light hinges at the top and should lift off.

[porwolf]

The only screw that holds the whole H4 assembly in the headlight cavity is the screw at the very bottom center of the chrome ring. The other screws in the chrome ring are for the beam adjustment and will not come out.

[sojahseh]

It's the screw at 6 o'clock that just spins and spins...

Am I missing something?

[porwolf]

It could be that the thread is worn. You may want to try the pry the bottom of the chrome ring lose, away from the fender with your fingers or a plastic spatula. If the screw still holds the light fixture in try to turn the screw lose while trying to pry the ring away. You could also try to run sme soapy water along the edge of the chrome ring and try to separate the seal from the chrome ring with a thin stiff piece of plastic. Sometimes the chrome ring, over time, kind of gues itself the the seal.

[sojahseh]

Originally Posted by sojahseh

It's the screw at 6 o'clock that just spins and spins...

Am I missing something?

Hang, on, let me clarify that. One the painted ring is off I;m looking at the 4 adjusting screws and the nut type thing at 6 o'clock where the trim ring screw fastened to. The nut at 6 o'clock seems to have a cut in the top so that it can be removed with a flat head.

I'll get a picture.

[SoCalSK8r]

Your lower screw is stripped. Apply light pressure to the bottome of the ring, pulling it out toward you, as you unscrew it.

To resolve this long term, you'll need to grind off the welded but with a Dremel and then add an equivalent speed nut to use in its place.

[porwolf]

A picture would help.

[sojahseh]

OK, so here's what I'm looking at...

It's the slotted thing at 6 o'clock that I need to remove, I'm assuming, right?

[porwolf]

Looks to me that you have H1 headlights with the two reflectors inside. Therefore the 4 beam adjustment screws. That bottom threaded standoff may not be original. Would not your chrome ring just pull out over the slotted standoff after you loosened it from the rubber seal between the chrome ring and the fender ?

[SoCalSK8r]

Agreed, that doesn't look like H4; I can't speak H1 as I haven't seen those before.

Originally Posted by porwolf

Looks to me that you have H1 headlights with the two reflectors inside. Therefore the 4 beam adjustment screws. That bottom threaded standoff may not be original. Would not your chrome ring just pull out over the slotted standoff after you loosened it from the rubber seal between the chrome ring and the fender ?

[rusnak]

OK, now that makes sense. I was not understanding the 4 adjustment screws.

Take this to a professional Porsche or high end foreign car shop. Do not attempt to remove the light any further. Do not take it to your local Midas either.

[70SC]

H-1's for sure .(awesome lites) Remove slotted screw . Be careful with the angle . Some blue tape on the bumper will help protect the paint .

[porwolf]

Is that slotted "screw" not a standoff, male/female, meaning on the far end it is a screw and on the near end it is a female thread. Is it this the thread where the painted trim ring screwed into? In that case I think this slotted standoff has to come out to release the chrome ring. But that is just my opinion. My experience is only with H4 chrome lights with no trim rings.

[sojahseh]

Is that slotted "screw" not a standoff, male/female, meaning on the far end it is a screw and on the near end it is a female thread. Is it this the thread where the painted trim ring screwed into? In that case I think this slotted standoff has to come out to release the chrome ring. But that is just my opinion. My experience is only with H4 chrome lights with no trim rings.

Yes, the close up pic is of what looks like a slotted screw with female threads in it where the trim ring retaining screw was.

[porwolf]

If it is too hard to get the "slotted screw" out you could try to carefully drill it out and replace it with a standard M5 (thread size, I presume) from McMaster Carr:

[Porboynz]

That 6 oclock fitting needs to come out to release the H1 chrome ring. I am puzzled that anyone would fit painted rings over the top of the chrome ring, but I guess that explains the threaded portion of the 6 oclock fastener. Kind of makes it hard to adjust the hi and lo beams. If it will not come out, grab it with a fine set of vice grips and pull on it as you turn anti clockwise. You can also try lifting the entire H1 chrome ring vertical while at the same time gently squeezing at 3 and 9 o'clock to make it slightly egg shape to lift the chrome ring off the metal tabs at the top of the headlight bucket. Before I fitted a new headlight buckets my H1's were forever unclipping themselves and trying to fall out. Those H1 headlights are sought after items, go gently and I'm sure someone will be keen to have them if you prefer H4's with painted trim ring.

[rusnak]

Slotted screw is probably wrong for those lights and buggered up the threads. I would not want to mess up the lights. Everything else, fine. But the headlights, no.

[howard freeman]

Remove the slotted screw with the hole in the center. That center hole is for the machine screw for attaching painted covers over the chrome bezels.
Here are some photos of the hardware.
Howard

[howard freeman]

Yes ,you do have the correct hardware.
Howard