Getting the headlight out

[gridgway]

The RHS headlight in my 69T has been cracked by a stone. So I thought I would take it out. But the screw at the bottom just turns and gets neither looser (or the other way tighter). The headlight is held in very securely with no play. I have tried to put some "pull" on the chrome ring but that doesn't work.

Any thoughts on how to get the headlight out?

Thanks
Graham

[911hillclimber]

At a guess, the thread in the steel tab welded into the wing bowl has stripped locally.
The tab is about 3 mm thick so you need to prise the headlamp chrome ring forward while turning to in screw that bottom screw so to engage fresh threads to the tab.
Once engaged flood the screw with WD40 and ease it out like a normal screw.
The thread is obviously fine and you need to be gentle.

If all else fails, take a deep deep breath and drill the head off....

[gridgway]

Yes it does have the feel of drill the head off which is not a very nice prospect. I always thought the tab was pretty weedy, this must be a common problem!

[Lightweight_911]

.
A common problem is people not getting the angle of the screw correct in relation to the receiving nut - & hence cross-threading the screw ...

[911hillclimber]

Too true!
Hence crossed thread = stripped.
I imagine the screw just revolves so drilling may be near impossible.
Dremmell grinding may be better and easier to access.
If the tab in the bowl is at the wrong angle to the screw then the screw has to be at an angle where the screw driver all but touches the wing by the light.
Need to take care.

[gridgway]

Right, headlight off. Just took a little more intelligent application of pull and undoing the bolt, which actually fell out. Not idea how it held in.

The hole in the tab is completely knacked, the bolt has no real purchase on the threads. Now I need to work out how to mend. The way it works (as far as I can see) is the original hole is punched through to make a lip on the back to make a larger depth to tap a thread into.

A bodge might be to tap the lip on the back, back in somewhat to reduce the size of the hole and re-tap. But that feels pretty vile. Or weld it up and re-drill and tap which is not a diy job for me.

Or weld a nut on the back of the tab, again not diy.

Anyone got the proper solution?

Thanks
Graham

[PeterK]

Use a ‘clip on nut’ - spire nut or whatever it’s called.


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[Ian Comerford]

I’ve repaired one by soft soldering a nut to the back of the tab, quite straightforward as it turned out

[911hillclimber]

Drill and tap next size up and use another appropriate size screw.
Iirc the screw is m5 or even m4 but that seems too small for automotive use.

A spire nut uses a very different screw form, almost a self tapper, so would not be for me.

Another way is to fit a rivnut in, but access could be murder.

In the end I would mig weld the hole and drillandtap a fresh stock size hole.
Not too hard and paint etc can be protected.
Barry Carter did something far more drastic on a wing some years back on Jamie's freshly painted wing.
Cooled things fast with a blast of compressed air after weld.

[911hillclimber]

Just read the above, ideal solution with a brass nut and a good size iron!

[Sam]

A rivnut worked fine for me on the 5 or 6 I’ve done. It’s not super pretty but you rarely see it.

[PeterK]

A spire nut uses a very different screw form, almost a self tapper, so would not be for me.

A original spire nut is self-tapper type but I’ve got some similar ‘clip ons’ with metric nuts attached. Not sure what their proper name is. FleaBay was my friend a while back.


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[gridgway]

loads of options, thanks guys!

[Lightweight_911]

A original spire nut is self-tapper type but I’ve got some similar ‘clip ons’ with metric nuts attached. Not sure what their proper name is.

Often referred to as 'chimney nuts' ...

.

[Phill]

I just welded a nut on the back of the tab. Then you just have to gently bend the tab to make sure it is aligned with the bolt. Seems daft to weld up the hole and re tap, seems twice as much work?