'84 300SD US headlamp question

[sohj]

Was going to change 'em by unscrewing the white knurled plastic nuts on the inside to get out the light assembly. I'm having trouble getting it out and noticed that there are instructions on the box showing the headlamp being removed from the front of the car, not inside under the hood.

Am I supposed to take them off the front? Is there a trick to getting it out from the inside? Is there a thread that already details this little matter?

[Brian Carlton]

Yep, definitely a PITA.

The inside part is the headlight door. You've first got to remove the turn signal assembly via the nylon knurled knob.

Then, the headlight door comes off via three nylon knurled knobs.

Then, the bezel around the headlight comes off via four screws that are almost impossible to see.......two above and two below the headlight.........from the front.

Finally, the bulb is in your hand.........after you unplug it from the rear.

Do yourself a favor........after all that work........get a set of the Euro lights from Hella with replacement H4 lamps. You still must go through all that work, but the light output from the H4's with a good set of reflectors is positively amazing.

[sohj]

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

You've first got to remove the turn signal assembly via the nylon knurled knob.

That didn't seem to be in the way. ?

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

Then, the bezel around the headlight comes off via four screws that are almost impossible to see.......two above and two below the headlight.........from the front.

So, I get to the screws from the back? And it comes off the front? Or do I in fact have to do what the illustration shows on the headlamp box and take a screwdriver and pry off the bezel and then unscrew the frame holding in the light? (Which looks monumentally idiotic as I'd be using the surrounding fragile plastic as a fulcrum with a blunt instrument.)

I first was reading the DIY pages and saw the Euro light replacement bit...but, for a whole lot of reasons I have to stick with this for a while.

edited cause I saw this:

Originally Posted by Craig

Use the three white knobs to remove the plastic "covers," then you can see the screws that hold the chrome rings around the headlights. Remove the chrome rings to get the headlights out.

The thing is, I took off the 3 white nuts and couldn't get the plastic back off. Tricks?

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by sohj

That didn't seem to be in the way. ?

The headlight door is not all that easy to slide forward. The turn signal light is going to really cause you problems, if it works at all.

Originally Posted by sohj

So, I get to the screws from the back? And it comes off the front? Or do I in fact have to do what the illustration shows on the headlamp box and take a screwdriver and pry off the bezel and then unscrew the frame holding in the light? (Which looks monumentally idiotic as I'd be using the surrounding fragile plastic as a fulcrum with a blunt instrument.)

The nylon nuts (three of them) come off from the back. Then, the headlight door (the large plastic surround that covers the outside of the assembly) must come off by sliding it forward. It may fight you a bit. Don't force it or it will break.......way too old for force.

Then, the four screws that hold the bezel for the headlight can be found just above and just below the headlight when looking from the front. The screws are removed from the front (use a magnetic screwdriver if you want to keep them).

Originally Posted by sohj

I first was reading the DIY pages and saw the Euro light replacement bit...but, for a whole lot of reasons I have to stick with this for a while.

The Euro light replacement is a more complicated job........if you are going with the full Euro light as found in a German vehicle. It's a completely different assembly and the headlight door is not used.

I'm not suggesting that you do that. However, there is a direct replacement headlamp that has a very good reflector and uses an H4 lamp. I've got a set of Hella's on the SD and they probably provide as much light as the Euro lights on the SDL.

Here is what I'm speaking about:

http://www.rallylights.com/hella/200mm.asp

For about $100., you get the performance of a full Euro light and keep the existing look with the headlight door.

[sohj]

Brian, thanks a lot. I was coming back here to post that with your and Craig's posts and full daylight, I was able to actually get the job done.

Should I pm whunter and ask for this to go on the diy links? That was where I first went and looked.

This place is great!

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by sohj

Brian, thanks a lot. I was coming back here to post that with your and Craig's posts and full daylight, I was able to actually get the job done.

Should I pm whunter and ask for this to go on the diy links? That was where I first went and looked.

This place is great!

Good job. It's always a PITA the first time. Then, in the dark and the cold, when the bulb fails, it's a PITA all over again.

Sure, let Roy know.......he's always looking for more stuff for the DIY........

Use the three white knobs to remove the plastic "covers," then you can see the screws that hold the chrome rings around the headlights. Remove the chrome rings to get the headlights out.

[mankypro]

Hate to revive a 5 year old thread. But I need help!

I've gotten the marker light out, and removed the other white knobs but cannot figure out how the heck to get the bezel around the back of the light to move.

Is this bezel supposed to slide towards the radiator? Everyone says "forward" just scared to break something.

Advice or pics appreciated.

1983 300sd