'97 F150 Headlamps

My headlamps are cloudy to the point that it's hard to tell if the lights are even on. My truck lived for a time in Colorado, and I don't know if they do stuff to melt snow that kills plastic or not, but my lenses are toast.

I'm shopping eBay and finding that there are loads of selections that cross several models and years. Some exclude a couple of years of the SVT and Harley trucks, but include the same years of the regular trucks, like mine. The Harley and SVT headlamps should fit my truck, but they look like there is an impact on the turn signal assemblies.

I found several options for under $80, and some are over $200. All are aftermarket, and most claim to be DOT and SAE certified, and this is an obvious requirement.

I might be interested in a different style of headlamp, but obviously can't use one that has a different mounting mechanism. What limitations are there? Do all of the lamp assemblies for all of the models the same from the perspective of the mounting method? (This seems to be the most significant factor to me.)

Reply to
Jeff Strickland
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Hey, Jeff, ever seen the kits for refinishing the lenses? I'm told that sometimes they work pretty good. Might be worth a shot.

Reply to
Old Crow

I bought one, but the results aren't very good. In fairness to the product, my lenses are damn near opaque, and my techinque isn't the best. I need a much slower polishing wheel, if you get my drift.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

So that is an interesting post. I thought that with the heat from the quartz halogen bulbs, the lens had to be glass!

Have you looked into the xenon assemblies? The light certainly seems to be bright coming at you...

Please keep us posted on what transpires. Interesting!

H.

Reply to
Rowbotth

Check Eastwood's site, they have those kits. I'd bet his lens are sand blasted from road sanding. They should ban plastic headlight lens assemblies, and require glass.

Reply to
PeterD

Xenon bubls are a bright idea, no pun intended, but the lenses need to be replaced, and that's the root of my question -- will the lens of a headlamp for the SVT or Harley trucks fit my XLT? I'm guessing they will, but before I spend a hundred non-refundable dollars, I thought I'd test my assumptions with you guys.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

I bought a lens refinishing kit at the auto parts store and put the shine and clear finish back on my plastic lens on my 2000 F-250. Under $20 & an hour labor on each one. The neighbor still thinks they are new!!

Tom J

Reply to
Tom J

those refinishing kits are short lived. i tried them on a 02 mustang and an 03 crown victoria ... they work OK for a few weeks, but the fade returns quickly.

Reply to
Picasso

Those cheapo kits are like that!! :-) Tom J who's refinished lens still look new after 3 years

Reply to
Tom J

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