Replacing headlamp assembly - on older JGCs

The headlights on my 98 JGC are very murky and are dim while driving. Is there a way to clean these to make them brighter, or does the entire hea= dlamp assembly need to be replaced?

I was at a car wash and they asked me if I wanted them to clean the headlig= ht lens, for an additional fee. I hadn't heard about this before and am ske= ptical.

Is there a cleaner that really makes the lenses less murky, or is this just= snake oil?

The first time I had tried removing a headlamp, it was extremely difficult.= After removing the necessary screws (which required a torx driver), I was = using a lot of my bodyweight to pull on the headlamp assembly. I stopped be= cause I was concerned about breaking something.

What are your experiences?

Thanks

Reply to
Cappy2112
Loading thread data ...

Bulbs could be old. Just remember never to handle the bulb glass with your hands. The oil on your hands will kill the bulb.

There are several ways and all of them you can do yourself.

I wouldn't even try to remove the lamps. There are fiddly parts that can break and the lamp modules are bloody expensive.

If the inside plating has rusted out then it's replacement time. If however it's just hazy then there are a number of ways to fix that.

Don't recommend replacement parts by Crown, they tend to be cheaply made.

I've done everything from simple rubbing compound (quick fix) to a full up sand and re-seal. Here are a few examples. I do like the McGuiar's product.

formatting link
?v=Zw5KSum28dc Ghetto method. :)
formatting link
Sanding method
formatting link

Reply to
DougW

headlamp assembly need to be replaced?

You can replace the entire assembly or you can polish the face of the ones you have.

All sorts of after market ones available, plastic and even a few glass.

lens, for an additional fee. I hadn't heard about this before and am skeptical.

Any auto body shop would have the equipment, or you can spring for any automotive oriented magazine and check out the adverts for the kits to do it yourself.

After removing the necessary screws (which required a torx driver), I was using a lot of my bodyweight to pull on the headlamp assembly. I stopped because I was concerned about breaking something.

Spring for a service manual and it will tell you how to remove them. If yours is the same as the 95 ZJ, the headlights just pop out.

Did the polish thing a few years back. And recently just swapped them out with some aftermarket Crown units and installed Silverstar bulbs as well.

Reply to
Lon

Do let me know how those Crown units turn out. The last one I got from the fell apart after about a year.

Reply to
DougW

No problem so far. This is the set of headlamps that comes with full turn signal sets, etc. I re-used several of the old parts off the originals, including the bulb holder. The stud ball sockets on the new ones didnt look as robust as the originals, so I re-used the old ones. Turns out that those little adjust studs, slides, etc. are all readily available mail order in the event you crack one of the adjust slides.

Reply to
Lon

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.