Technical Replacing Headlamp Assembly (RH -> LH drive)

[tigerlily]

So.

Having brought Monty to Germany with me, I am now going through the rigmarole of registering him here.

Part of getting him through the inspection requires the front light assemblies to be changed as (of course) they are the wrong way round for driving on the right hand side of the road. I'm sure my fellow road users don't want to be blinded by my lights pointing right in their face, after all.

I've read all the threads on just changing the bulbs...it sounds very much as though it should be (ha ha ha) much simpler to just whip out the headlamp assemblies and replace them. But will it?

Am I right in thinking that it will mean taking the bumper off and nothing else, or is my trusty tech team going to have to do more evil stuff than that?

Luckily we have loads of tools and a nice, heated workshop to get the work done, and both my fella and a mate of his are very handy with cars, but any advance warning/info/advice would be VERY welcome!

Thanks in advance!

 

[NumanR]

re: Replacing Headlamp Assembly (RH -> LH drive)

Bumper off, headlamps out, new lamps in, refit bumper and then take to garage to set aim correctly.

 

[tigerlily]

re: Replacing Headlamp Assembly (RH -> LH drive)

The Technical Department says:

is there any difference in the headlamps for the three door and five door models? Only we're sourcing them online, and it's impossible to tell.

He also asks: is it much of a job to change them? (He used to be a SAAB mechanic yea many years ago).

Thanks very much for the response, NumanR! It's really appreciated!

I will do it myself. One day. Maybe. But, you know, when you have chaps who insist they can do it for you...

 

[Davren]

re: Replacing Headlamp Assembly (RH -> LH drive)

3 and 5 door are different headlamps. You must get the correct ones.

Dave.

 

[tigerlily]

re: Replacing Headlamp Assembly (RH -> LH drive)

Thanks Dave!

Much appreciated.

Will we need the crane or the hoist, do you suppose? ;-)

He's just concerned that there may be hidden pitfalls that none of us is expecting. We have every tool known to man, pretty much, but (as he's replaced the rear bulbs before) he is a little sceptical that the manual is actually correct. I've noticed that it doesn't seem to correlate to anything I can see under the bonnet when I look for things.

 

[tigerlily]

re: Replacing Headlamp Assembly (RH -> LH drive)

Oh, incidentally, a huge thanks to Matt for his excellent thread in the Guides section for a how-to guide on removing the light clusters!

He makes it sound simple enough that even I could do it.

 

[tigerlily]

Tech dept has changed the headlights. It only took four and a half hours...

He says thanks very much for the walkthrough guide, Matt, but there were four screws for the wheel arch liner, not three.

He said a lot of other things whilst he was working away, but the vast majority of them were not repeatable...

Will see about getting the aim adjusted tomorrow or possibly Monday - I like to be able to see more than ten feet ahead of me with dipped beams!

Thanks to NumanR and Davren for the advice, too!