Things you should know before buying aftermarket headlights
11-28-2010, 09:42 PM
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Things you should know before buying aftermarket headlights
I bought a set of headlights advertised for the clk55 amg.
pros:
1. look awesome
2. outperform originals
3. hid high beam
4. halos
Cons:
1. the bolthole on the side is too large for the stock bolt so i simply put it in there to keep them in place. A bolt that will fit the assy is too large for the hole. And since the assy is just a small piece of plastic riveted to the fender drilling it larger seemed too risky. once the bumper was re-fastened it will not back out.
2. the rubber seals are not a snug fit; so i had to cut them to fit, coulda heated them in hindsight.
3. no provision for the auto leveling motor
4. no provision for headlight washer bracket; that was nbd bc to me the headlight washers are useless anyway so i had no problem getting rid og them. i suppose they could have been suspended with zip ties but i said the heck with them and looped the short hose to the other side of the T. also had to glue washer tops to bumper. i decided on rtv black silicone: stick but not permenant and not enough to remove the paint.
5. no provision for the HID boxes; to be expected since there are now 2 per light on this particular set. use of 3m velcro remedied that.
6. not a perfect fit, they sit approx 1mm higher than stock giving trouble when you try to close the hood, had to install 1mm washers on the hood latches.
7. shoddy wiring, the spaid connectors are too loose and come out. originally i thought the low beam passenger was defective, i added some glue after re-inserting them to keep them in there.
8. too pricey for all the cons: had they been designed better this wouldn't be a complaint.
Even tho they were advertised for the AMG clearly there was not alot of thought gone into making them. overall i still like them for the "look" i was going for but if you are considering an upgrade just for functionality, consider a kit(if one is available) that reuses the stock housings.
pros:
1. look awesome
2. outperform originals
3. hid high beam
4. halos
Cons:
1. the bolthole on the side is too large for the stock bolt so i simply put it in there to keep them in place. A bolt that will fit the assy is too large for the hole. And since the assy is just a small piece of plastic riveted to the fender drilling it larger seemed too risky. once the bumper was re-fastened it will not back out.
2. the rubber seals are not a snug fit; so i had to cut them to fit, coulda heated them in hindsight.
3. no provision for the auto leveling motor
4. no provision for headlight washer bracket; that was nbd bc to me the headlight washers are useless anyway so i had no problem getting rid og them. i suppose they could have been suspended with zip ties but i said the heck with them and looped the short hose to the other side of the T. also had to glue washer tops to bumper. i decided on rtv black silicone: stick but not permenant and not enough to remove the paint.
5. no provision for the HID boxes; to be expected since there are now 2 per light on this particular set. use of 3m velcro remedied that.
6. not a perfect fit, they sit approx 1mm higher than stock giving trouble when you try to close the hood, had to install 1mm washers on the hood latches.
7. shoddy wiring, the spaid connectors are too loose and come out. originally i thought the low beam passenger was defective, i added some glue after re-inserting them to keep them in there.
8. too pricey for all the cons: had they been designed better this wouldn't be a complaint.
Even tho they were advertised for the AMG clearly there was not alot of thought gone into making them. overall i still like them for the "look" i was going for but if you are considering an upgrade just for functionality, consider a kit(if one is available) that reuses the stock housings.
Last edited by dohcfiend; 11-28-2010 at 09:46 PM.
12-12-2010, 03:02 PM
#2
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Join Date: Dec 2001
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2000 CLK430 Cabriolet
A loose bolt just doesn't seem like a good idea.
It's not a prob to drill out the fitting to accommodate the larger bolt. You'll notice there's a brass fitting in the plastic member. It's not difficult to ream out this brass. Use a bit that is slightly larger than the bolt, and go slow. It's not precision work.
Of course, you'll have to go to ace hardware and buy the larger metric bolt. Be certain to get it at the correct length. Match the length of the replacement bolt to the original bolt. If you get a longer bolt, then you could break the plastic boss on the new headlamps. Examine it, and you will note that the boss is not a bolt-through type. The boss has a bottom, and a longer bolt would result in damage to the headlamp. I used a stainless bolt that was just a hair longer, so I used a couple of stainless washers to keep it from bottoming out on the boss.
Regarding the fitment. Peel the new rubber from the new lamps (You have to remove 2 screws and manipulate a piece of plastic.) and replace them new with the old rubber from your OEM lamps. The new rubber on the halos is too thick and conflicts with the hood and the fender. Lose the new, and use the old rubber.
I like the halos. I think they are a good new look. I've had my vehicle for 10 years, and it's nice to see it with an updated set of lamps.
I figured out how to adjust them with help from other forums.
It's not a prob to drill out the fitting to accommodate the larger bolt. You'll notice there's a brass fitting in the plastic member. It's not difficult to ream out this brass. Use a bit that is slightly larger than the bolt, and go slow. It's not precision work.
Of course, you'll have to go to ace hardware and buy the larger metric bolt. Be certain to get it at the correct length. Match the length of the replacement bolt to the original bolt. If you get a longer bolt, then you could break the plastic boss on the new headlamps. Examine it, and you will note that the boss is not a bolt-through type. The boss has a bottom, and a longer bolt would result in damage to the headlamp. I used a stainless bolt that was just a hair longer, so I used a couple of stainless washers to keep it from bottoming out on the boss.
Regarding the fitment. Peel the new rubber from the new lamps (You have to remove 2 screws and manipulate a piece of plastic.) and replace them new with the old rubber from your OEM lamps. The new rubber on the halos is too thick and conflicts with the hood and the fender. Lose the new, and use the old rubber.
I like the halos. I think they are a good new look. I've had my vehicle for 10 years, and it's nice to see it with an updated set of lamps.
I figured out how to adjust them with help from other forums.
Last edited by Pancho; 12-12-2010 at 03:14 PM.
