Problems installing bulbs... | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Problems installing bulbs...

I just bought new 9007 replacement blubs and i can't seem to pull out the old bulb. There is not enough room behind the bulb for it to come totally out. Do you need to take out the whole lamp housing? If so, how would I do that? I already know how to take out the parking light/turn housing but I can't see where to take out the headlight housing. Thanks for the help.
 






I just bought new 9007 replacement blubs and i can't seem to pull out the old bulb. There is not enough room behind the bulb for it to come totally out. Do you need to take out the whole lamp housing? If so, how would I do that? I already know how to take out the parking light/turn housing but I can't see where to take out the headlight housing. Thanks for the help.

The old bulb should just pop out of the back of the headlight lens assembly. They have to be waterproof so it's a REALLY tight fit. There's a black ring with ridges on it that holds the bulb housing to the headlight housing. After disconnecting the wiring harness, turn that ring to the left until it stops. I had to get a channel-lock pliers on mine to get it to turn. The ring should then come off. Then pull the bulb, wiggle or twist it a bit until the o-ring seal lets go.

You said that there isn't enough room for the bulb to cpome out? There is plenty of room on mine. Except on the driver's side, you may have to remove the battery to get a little room for your hand in there.

I replaced my original headlight assemblies with a pair from a '98 Explorer and I had to remove my whole grill and turn signal assemblies to get to the screws holding the headlights in. You don't want to do that just to change the bulbs.
 






The bulb next to my airbox has trouble comming out too. I can get the bulb out of the headlight lens assembly, but there are too many wires around it. I think removing the lens it a lot easier on the 97's because you don't need to take off the grill. Something about using pliers to unclip it or something.
 






I don't know for sure about the 97's, but the '98 that I got my new assemblies from had the grill removed already. So I'm not sure if the headlights can be removed without taking the grill off. I took my grill off to put them in though.
I just went outside and removed my passenger side headlight. There are some wires behind the assembly, but I had little trouble getting the bulb out, even with the wiring harness still attached. The driver's side is a problem because of the battery. There should be enough room behind the bulb to get it out without removing the lens.
 






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