replacment headlight housings?

[huntman58]

Okay I have a broken housing for one headlight and need to replace it so I am going to replace both. My lenses are the fluted OEM kind but there clear not foggy. Now the silver reflectors well that is another story. I also get a lot of water droplets in them both.

So if one is replacing the housings what is the best way to go and the best ones out there that are not an arm and leg as in cost? Love the Euro clear but not willing to spend that kind of cash at all on them any other chouses?

I am leaning to new over used I do know that unless some one has a good used set of Diamond clear ones for sale cheap that is . Thanks for your help in keeping this best running guys and gals with out you it would have long time ago hit the explorer land of the forgotten.

 

[Roadrunner777]

I'm getting ready to do this in summer, I agree with new over used, I think best new price I found was on ebay.

 

[Jason94sport]

I just did it. My 93 was totally frosted over. New headlights, markers, bulbs, headlight grills & center grill. Looks like a brand new front end.
I got everything off eBay new. I just searched for the cheapest price for new stuff shipped to me. I think they are all the same as far as quality goes. If they are OEM replacements, they should be the same. I was going to go clear, like my old 94, but I didn't want to spend the $ on that.
Still have to aim the lights. Doing that this week.

 

[beauboy]

I'd go the same route that Jason used (eBay, cheapest for new, etc.). After that, I'd check your local Craigslist for possibilities. Finally, I'd check out LMC trucks. Their prices are cheaper than dealership, but may still be a little pricey for these plastic parts.

 

[david_lowder]

I had one headlight housing that would get an inch or so of water in it. I ran a bead of silicone caulk around the housing where the front lens connects to the rear reflector. It's been a few years, but I think I saw a posting on this site about that....

If the lens gets too foggy you can buy a polishing kit at the parts store that's specifically made for polishing the headlights. $10 or $15 bucks made a world of difference.

 

[Jason94sport]

No amount of polishing would have helped my headlights.

 

[Anime]

The OEM Ford housings are usually better quality than the aftermarket stuff, both in terms of the reflector, lens, light output, and just overall build. It's usually better to stick with OEM Ford, but if you just want new lenses, you can get an ok aftermarket set from TYC / Eagle Eye for something like $60-80. Rockauto, Headlightdepot, and ebay all carry pretty much the same stuff. There is little choice when it comes to OEM-style aftermarket parts on these, unless maybe there is one or two other super-cheap manufacturers. There are probably only a few manufacturers of the "diamond" ones too, but there seem to be enough that there's no telling what you get.

You can fix the water issue by removing the rubber surround and cleaning up the lens/housing connection, then slathering on some Permatex silicone sealant as mentioned. Reinstall the rubber surround once it's mostly cured and it will push the silicone down in there, and also keep the new seal from distorting the rubber piece.

You can polish the lenses with some PlastX polish, or even just some rubbing compound, though the headlight restorer kits are an ok option too.


Which lens is it that's busted? I have an OEM passenger side assembly I'm selling off cheap if that's what you need.

 

[jd4242]

Yea i have about 8 stock ones also.2of them the adjuster is broken but rock auto sells those cheap and one the frame is busted from the roll over

 

[huntman58]

Wow thanks every one, the broken one is the drivers side and it’s the backing only that is broke not the lens or reflector it's self. So all I really need is the backing plate. now I do wish there was some way to open the light housing its self so I could clean the inside lens and reflector because it is also were all my fogginess and cloudiness is as the out side is nice and clear and clean.
Now if I could open it up and clean it good then I would just go pull a backer from the wreckers as I know I could seal it back up with some silicone. Its the getting it apart that scares me as I do not want to break it and end up with a light worse then what I have but then again I would just have to buy new one then my only problem is I can not shut it down that long as it is my DD. and right now our only auto so it also is the one that takes and drops the wife off at collage along with her son. Grrr to have at lest two running cars again.

 

[Jason94sport]

Try to jbweld it.

 

[Anime]

If the inside of the housing has moisture and condensation in it, pulling out the bulb and letting it "air out" in direct sunlight will usually evaporate all the moisure out and leave the lens clear again. Once it's clean you need to seal the lens/housing connection with silicone as mentioned above, since moisure gets in through the leaking seal and that's what causes the condensation.

If that doesn't do it, and there is more than just moisture on the lens making it cloudy, and polishing from the outside doesn't work, you can still clean up the inside without taking the lens off. With the headlamp assembly off the vehicle, lens down, pour some 91% isopropyl alchohol in there, and let it slosh around on the inside of the lens. Be sure to let it get all over. If it clears up the lens, you can either keep moving it around until it evaporates, or just pour it out, still waiting for what remains in there to evaporate before reinstalling.

If the lenses and housings are so bad that lens polishing, and cleaning them inside and out doesn't improve much, you should just get new ones, or some used in better shape than you have now.

 

[huntman58]

Thanks guys for the info. I have let them dry out more then a few times but sealing them well have not done that so need to now the outs sides clean up good and I have kept them in good shape threw the years so my problem is the insides . Never thought of the isopropyl alcohol so thanks there Anime for that as will give it a try.
As for JB welding it that will not work as were it has broken is the hold down screw / adjusters for side to side adjustment so JB welding them also ends any adjustments later but other wise good Idea and I do always have some JB around here it like the modern-day bailing wire and duck tape. If the three of them can not fix it, it really is broken LOL. think I will go and get a used one any way and try to take it apart just to see if it can be done then clean it and reseal it and test it out to make sure . Good excuse to head to the junk yard any way.