I got a great set of Euro lamps from salvage. Well, they're great except for one problem... The level lever that attaches to the vacuum level control and the manual adjustment is broken. I have called several parts houses and can't find one.
Does anyone know a source for this part? I don't want to have to take the lamps back. But the inside will just flop around without it.
I am anxious to get my new lamps on the car. I appreciate any advise/ help on this!

__________________
R Talley
88 BMW E32 735i (make it go away)
95 Volvo 960 "Inga" (valve problems)
95 Nissan Maxima (the indestructible)
89 Ford Ranger XLT (ugliest truck in the South)

TCCBass,
Is it really broken or is the ball joint disconnected? I found quite a few of these assemblies on grey market cars had the adjustment feature disabled. I supposed it was the way they made the DOT happy the lamp assemblies were destroyed or something. Anyway, I have had a similar experience and found the mechanism was repairable by snapping the joints back together. I did this in the mid '80s and cannot remember just what I did anymore, but it took some effort to work through the openning in the rear of the lamp assembly. I ended up fixing four pairs of lamps and installed them on the cars I brought in that stayed in the family. Hope this helps, Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Jim,

This isn't the vacuum part. This is the part at the top that fine adjusts the headlamp. It's a big white bracket. I may go to the parts store and see if there is any way I can make a tip for it. Who knows...I've done more strange things. I have called every supply place I can find. The part simply doesn't exist. I didn't buy the warranty with the headlamp, so I'm out of luck and out the money if I don't fix it.
I'll keep trying!

__________________
R Talley
88 BMW E32 735i (make it go away)
95 Volvo 960 "Inga" (valve problems)
95 Nissan Maxima (the indestructible)
89 Ford Ranger XLT (ugliest truck in the South)

TCCBass,

The parts I was talking about are white nylon like material, and they snap together with little ball joints. It is a series of little beams and the like and they are connected to the vacuum actuators to aim the head lights up and down using the vacuum switch on the dash.

Is your part broken at the end or corner of the bracket or in the middle? If it is fractured in the middle, it is likely going to be a home repair with glue and maybe fiber wound around the part. It took me a while to figure out the mechanism and I do not remember enough of it now other than it seemed to be a couple of ball joints that acted like hinges.

Well, it was too long ago for me to be much more specific, so I hope you find what you need. Sounds like some new parts will be hard to find. Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Jim,

I finally broke the end off, got a drill, and went to work. The adjustment screw now angles down, but it doesn't seem to affect the aiming of the headlamp. It's a little bit hard to turn, but it at least doesn't flop up and down. I know where another car is with a lamp I can get for $65. However, being rather much of a cheapskate, I will see if this one holds first.
Thanks for the help!

__________________
R Talley
88 BMW E32 735i (make it go away)
95 Volvo 960 "Inga" (valve problems)
95 Nissan Maxima (the indestructible)
89 Ford Ranger XLT (ugliest truck in the South)