FYI Check you Euro headlights - Glass may be loose!

[aldedmon]

Wasn’t sure where to post this, but wanted largest target audience .this is an OE Hella 500E euro headlight purchased during a group buy way back when .. mine have Been installed the entire time , garage kept but some sun parking at work.

I “opened” this head light by simply pulling on the glass. Not a gorilla pull either, just a pinch really .The glass separated from the frame. GO check yours NOW!

 

[2phast]

These are not glued on, merely held with plastic clips, several on the top and bottom. If fully engaged, they will seal the lens against the rubber seal so no water gets in. If they came off that easily, then at some time, someone must have removed the lens and did not get it properly installed again. Also, as these age, those plastic clips get brittle and break off. You can secure the lens to the bucket with screws, this makes a very tight seal and if any of your clips are broken, its the best way to secure the lens. When the lens is off the bucket, you can see the long round legs, these butt up to specific spots on the bucket, hard to explain but in this picture you can see several of these locations, I have circled them in red, they have indentations for drilling. Drilling a hole in these locations and using a self tapping screw is what I did on this set of Hella euros.

 

[gsxr]

I also had the glass separate from the lens frame, and at the time mine were only a few years old. I used MB clear silicone to re-glue them and it worked well, but that stuff has shot up in price now. I think @JC220 has done the same repair using a different adhesive?

Couple pics below, more at this link.

 

[aldedmon]

No 2phast, the clips are in place.
GSXR has a proper description of what happened . The clue that holds the lens to the “frame” fails and you must perform the procedure he described. I’m encouraging everyone who has these lights to go give the lens a tug… you’ll know immediately if it’s loose

 

[2phast]

No 2phast, the clips are in place.
GSXR has a proper description of what happened . The clue that holds the lens to the “frame” fails and you must perform the procedure he described. I’m encouraging everyone who has these lights to go give the lens a tug… you’ll know immediately if it’s loose

Your picture looked like the entire lens frame came off and your description wasn't very clear either. Led me to believe the clips were not secure.

 

[Allgonquin]

Dang! I guess I better check mine. I'd hate to lose a lens off my now unobtanium Euro lights!

 

[aldedmon]

Exactly.

 

[aliking]

I think its time to check them, bcoz i noticed that when washing my car i see some water vapor inside the glass, i can take the glass off by heating it using hair dryer, but i need to know whats the best adhesive to use? Clear rtv or grey rtv? Is there any good brands to use?

 

[DarkStar]

Mine came loose for the second time. I’ve tried butyl tape and silicone. It held to glass well but not to the plastic frame.

I’m thinking a urethane sealant might work well.

 

[speedy300dturbo]

I used this stuff a few years ago: "Loctite PL Premium MAX"Loctite PL PREMIUM MAX Construction Adhesive from Loctite Adhesives

When dry, it's a close match for the stock (grey) adhesive and blends in nicely with the grey part of the headlight frame.

 

[DerFuror]

Also check TSB S-SI-MBNA-82/81 from 500E/E500 Factory Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs):

MODELS 124, 140, 202 (EXCEPT SLO)
BONDING HEADLAMP LENS TO HOUSING

 

[gsxr]

Yeah, that headlamp lens-bonding thing was kinda funny. MB basically rolled their eyes and said "ok, FINE, we'll do something that technically meets your stupid requirements" and issued the TSB to apply a couple small dots of hot glue. It can easily be removed so the lenses can be replaced.

Note this only affected facelift 124's with the large glass lens, 1994-95 USA model years. And it bonds the plastic frame to the plastic body - NOT the glass lens to the plastic frame. Different than the issue aldedmon is reporting here.

 

[JC220]

I would use a clear 2k epoxy with a mixing shringe to re-glue the glass to frame. Precision application and a very strong bond would be achieved.