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Re: 1967 Headlights will not turn
Hear you go Paul.
The gear teeth are shot - worm gear just wore them out and there were multiple small pieces of grit when I opened the assembly. I suspect the gear became stuck somehow and would not turn and then just jammed itself harder with each attempt to rotate or fix the lights. One of the gears is broken already. I just need to get them out without breaking the casting. The worm gear seems just fine.Comment
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Re: 1967 Headlights will not turn
The pictures help a lot. The first thing I would try would be to grab the gear with some vice grips in order to get more leverage and try to work it off, back and forth while trying to rotate it. I would clamp them straight down from the top of the gear. You can be rough with the gear since you won't be reusing it. If that doesn't work, then I would tap gently on the back of the gear through the hole, being careful to stay away from the casting.Comment
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Re: 1967 Headlights will not turn
I have been trying both of those approaches. No movement at all - not even a little wiggle when I use the vice grips. Have it soaked with "Liquid Wrench" - still not a budge.
may try to chissel it out or cut with dremmel - but not an easy try - don't want to buy a new motor (two actually) because I broke the casting.
JoeComment
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Re: 1967 Headlights will not turn
Use a propane or MAPP gas torch and heat the housing. After heating tap the gear to get it moving. Do not get in a hurry or get aggressive, take your time and it will eventually come out.
Take two aspirin and call me in the morning.Dick WhittingtonComment
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Re: 1967 Headlights will not turn
The Liquid Wrench won't hurt, but it's probably not going to help either. Have you tried grabbing the teeth of the gear with the teeth of the vise grips, holding the casting in your other hand, and twisting? I think that the casting is pretty tough, but as long as your forces are rotational it should not break. If it stays stuck I think your dremel tool or a drill press would work best.
PaulComment
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Re: 1967 Headlights will not turn
Joe, the reason why I did'nt suggest Dick's "hot wrench" is because of the low melting point of the castings, even though he suggested MAPP gas. If you decide to try this, the Liquid Wrench that you soaked the part in will burn, but the flame will go out and it won't harm anything. If by some chance you burn yourself, adhere to Dick's advice.
PaulComment
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Re: 1967 Headlights will not turn
I am not sure I am the right guy to be fooling around with a propane torch (if I even had one to begin with) - if I can't loosen it I may try to find a local machine shop that can get it out. Do you think trying to chip it out is a bad idea?
JoeComment
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Re: 1967 Headlights will not turn
Keep soaking it in penetrating oil, support the housing and keep tapping on it. Not real hard so as to damage the housing, eventually in a day, week or month or so it will come loose. Remember in restoration work patience is virtue. Took me many years and a lot of destroyed parts to learn that.Dick WhittingtonComment
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Re: 1967 Headlights will not turn
That is real good advice Dick,
I really am in no hurry - just getting the replacement gear will take a week and I can still drive in the day - which is when I usually drive it anyway.
I think I will just keep soaking and tapping and soaking - then try something else after a month or so.
Thanks for putting things in perspective.
JoeComment
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Re: 1967 Headlights will not turn
Let us all know what happens. I am the one the wrote the article that Paul reference above. I have not had an issue with getting the gear out of the case, but I had to use a torch and heat to get the ball off the shafts. Heat does work well in many of these situations. We use Kroil Oil to loosen up stuck parts. This is an entire topic on who likes what product. Good Luck and let us know. Be careful and don't destroy youir housing.
Just to add a little more, that end of the gear only inserts into a bushing. I don't understand how it can be sos tight.Comment
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Re: 1967 Headlights will not turn
Your article was great Dale, Made it easy to disassemble the motor and easy to see the problem (really what it did was make it understandable and less "daunting" to a novice.
The end of the gear that goes into the bushing came out OK - it is the part that goes into the housing itself that has caused the problem. To be honest I could not understand why there was not a bushing there in the first place.
RIght now the whole thing is sitting in "liquid wrench" - I plan to tap on it every day for a while and see if it finally loosens up. If I break the housing it looks like I am in for two new motors at close to $350 each - ouch - I will keep you posted.
thanks for your article - it really helps.
JoeComment
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Re: 1967 Headlights will not turn
Joe,
I suggest you search the archives for Kroil penetrating oil. Works much better then Liquid Wrench.
Another product you might want to try is made by CRC called Freeze Off.
Good Luck.
DennisComment
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Re: 1967 Headlights will not turn
Patience is the key - 5 days of soaking and tapping and one gear is out. One more to go.
Dale - I could not find a bushing here - seems like a good place for one but no bushing on this end, which is the end that connects to the headlight assembly.
Will keep you updated.
Since the motors work - does anyone see a need to take them apart while the motor is out?
Just asking,
JoeComment
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