How do I resilver the headlight reflectors?
 

Hi all,

I was cleaning parts of my 240 that I've never cleaned before, and noticed why the headlights are so crap. There's almost no silver on the cups in which they sit, so half the light illuminates the slam panel...

How is this best repaired? is there a special product?

Cheers,

Leif

I would guess that re-silvering is a real specialist job, (if it can even be done economically). Suggest either a trip to a good scrap yard or your local Volvo dealer and replacements. Sounds like a safety concern to me.

Yeah - you might be right. I found replacements from partsforvolvosonline.com for £28 which sounds ok. But I want to fettle them myself!

Cheers,

Leif

their not really silvered as in mirrors so the coating comes off if you clean them ,the replacements from GSF are £20 each and are at least better than dull old ones .
your biggest problem is getting the old amps out ,putting the new reflectors in is a doddle with a hairdryer on the plastic fittings.

the silvering is on metal rather than behind glass as in sealed beam units etc.

A very cheap temp' repair is to use some aluminium sticky tape (bit like alloy foil on a roll). Simply cut & stick. Quick and will give you time to repair or replace at your leisure.

I've done one of my day-run lamps this way, before it was clearly duller than the other, now you cannot tell the difference.

Yeh, I know it's a bit 'bodgy' but it works & once the light is put back together it's only you that'll know:natur008:

...In my experience, re-slivering would cost a lot more than getting replacements. I have had reflectors re-done for my Lancia (cos they are no longer available) and they cost around £200 for both lamps (4 reflectors total).

The GSF ones are only £20 quid a go and come with new clips and gaskets which is quite a good deal I think.

Cheers - good tips. Have looked on GSF and can't find'em, but have sent them an email. Probably me being thick.

I like the idea of the aluminium tape too! That's available at Maplins so will have a go at that... the cheap DIYness of it speaks to me! lol

Chesters6, are you saying that they're a bugger to get out, but loosen up with a bit of heat on the plastic fittings?

Hi,

Had a look on PartsForVolvo and found this:

http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/...5278_large.jpg

^^Clicky^^
£28:20 inc vat

Couldn't find one listed on GSF (that's not to say they don't do them!)

Des. . . ;)

Not sure if heat on the plastic helps............. However I had to change my head lamps for european ones when I moved here to France. When I tried to undo the securing nuts, they stayed in situ' and the studs turned instead!

Not sure how you would overcome this snag, which is common.

Luckily for me as I was replacing it was no problem to break the old ones to get them out. The lenses were chipped & reflectors shot so not even worth trying to save them really.

I got my new Euro ones from Volvo 'mainstealer' here OUCH!

Good Luck

Removal of the headlight can be virtually impossible without damaging it. However I have managed to change reflectors in situ. The glass is held on by clips all round. It is possible IIRC to remove the black plastic trim between the lamp and the grill then the trim on the top of the light. The clips can the be flicked off on these two sides allowing the others to be released by moving the glass. (I can't remember whether the indicator had to come off as well - it's on a fragile barbed plastic clip) The old retainers can be turned with a pair of pliers and the reflector removed. The new one can the be fitted with new retainers. The glass and clips are a bit of a fiddle to refit.
This method is also a way of removing the light unit. After the reflector is out the "captive" in plastic bolts can be seen and drilled out.
I will put this on my list of "how to" articles.

Mike