Headlight assembly replacement 2002 F-150

I tried searching the Ford forums for the answer to my problem, but didn't find an answer. I just traded for a 2002 F-150 Lariat that has a cracked driver's side head lamp (deer antler). I found a complete new replacement assembly for $31.95 delivered.

There was no other damage to the front end, but the driver's door will require a trip to Dent Wizard. Can any of you tell me how to get the broken assembly out of the fender and how to adjust the replacement after it's installed? I know I can take it to a body shop and they can do it, but I'm trying to save labor cost! :-)

Tom J

Reply to
Tom J
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When the new headlamp arrives, your question will be answered.

Your 2002 is a bit different than my 1997, but you should be able to see three clips, maybe only two clips, that you pull up from the top. These clips will release the headlamp out the front of your truck.

With the new lamp in hand you will see how to release the old lamp.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Jeff, I hope you are right!! The replacement shoud be here in a couple of days.

Tom J

Reply to
Tom J

On my '97, the headlamps come out easily. No tools required, except you may need a screwdriver to pry the tabs up, but you're supposed to be able to pull them by hand.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

I've seen some cars where the pull up gizmos were buried under a plastic top cover that had turn-tab releases. You had to remove the top cover first to get to the pull up thingies.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

Thanks for the heads up. I looked at mine and what I see is 2 flat metal straps bent 90 degrees at the top that are flush with the plastic cover. There is a cut out in the cover! Are these pull ups suppose to pull up without loosening other parts?

Tom J

Reply to
Tom J

Wow, that's way easier than my '93. I think I had to remove the whole grille on that to get the headlights and parking lights out. (I was doing that to mod the side parking lights to flash with the turn signals... can't believe that Ford didn't do that from the factory. Wouldn't have cost any more...)

nate

Reply to
N8N

On the F150, that's not the case. The tabs are in your face when the hood is up.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Yup, those are the object of your desire.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Now I'm all set when the replacement gets here Monday!! :-) Thanks Tom J

Reply to
Tom J

You're gonna find some adjustment screws, one for the vertical axis and another for the horizontal axis.

The Easy Adjustment Procedure involves a flat parking lot and a wall that's

25 ft away, and some duct tape and a blanket. And darkness.

Put a strip of tape on the wall about 22 inches up from the ground. Don't be stingy on the tape. Put the blanket over one of the headlamps and adjust the other so that the hot spot of the beam hits the line. Move the blanket and adjust the other lamp. When the lamps are covered, it's easy to see the beam of the lamp you are working on. You don't have to cover the lamps, but discerning the beam from each is a bit more difficult.

When adjusting the left side, you want the beam to not cross the lane line. It's okay for the light to splatter over the line, but not the hot spot. The right side has some latitude on where it is aimed. You do not want it to aim to the left, so set it to straight ahead or a slight right-bias. The goal is that you do not want to aim your lights in the rear view mirror of the car in front of you -- hence the line 22 inches at 25 ft -- and you do not want your lights in the eyes of oncoming cars -- hence the right bias to the aiming.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

It would depend on where you live but I've found it easiest to just go out on my street at night and park in the lane with the car aimed at the house at the far end and aim the low and high beams based on where they hit on the pavement and the house. I adjust the left beam lower then the right beam.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

I'll have to use Jeff's method because I don't have level anything where I live!! ;-(

Tom J

Reply to
Tom J

Do what you want, but by using a wall and some tape, you get a easily repeatable experience that will always work -- with the possible exception of an extremely lifted or lowered vehicle.

You can certainly park your car in the street and twist the adjustment screws for a while, but if you have marks to set the beams to, you can be sure that you can get the best visibility for you, and the least stray light to annoy everybody else.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Tom - How about this....Park the truck in front of your garage door, turn on the lights, mark the spot where your beams hit the door, change the headlight assy, and adjust until the new beam hits the spot of the old beam. This assumes, of course, that the old lights were properly aimed.

DaveD

Reply to
Dave D

Someone will complain the new ones weight more (or less) and it will throw the whole thing off and he'll wind up shinning the lights in someone's eyes or otherwise misaiming them.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

Of course they would be completely mistaken. DaveD

Reply to
Dave D

The headlight came today. It took less than 3 minutes to unlatch the broken one & remove it. It took about 20 minutes for me to measure and adjust the mounting screws on the replacement to as near as possible to the original without calipers. It then took between 5 & 10 minutes to get everything lined up and back into the tracks and latches. I found a building nearby that has laid out parking spaces adjacent to the building, so that's where I'll check and adjust the aim. It'll be a few days before I do that because I decided to order a Lisle tool, part #LIS14540, to turn the adjusting screws in place!! I do very little driving at night anyway and the day light running lights should not matter.

Thanks for the advanced information because it sure made a job that looked hard very simple!!

Tom J

Reply to
Tom J

The headlights are adjusted!! The tool I ordered made quick adjustments without removing the assembly. I improvised!! For the wall to shine the lights on, I used 2 large trash cans, the type that the trash truck hooks in a slot and mechanically flips and dumps into the back of the truck. I put paper on the side facing the truck, attached the tape -- there was my wall, 25 feet down the driveway. My drive slopes slightly from the street, but it's the same slope all the way!!

Again, thanks for all the advise and directions!!

Tom J

Reply to
Tom J

That might turn out okay, but you really want flat ground. Anything can be your wall, it's just that the store is close by and it's big. And it has a flat parking lot.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

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