When I pulled my truck apart to do the cowl braces, I decided it would be a good time to fix my headlight buckets that I wasn't able to adjust, and stop blinding people at night. Since I did my springs, the headlights pointed up just a smidge too much, and they needed attention due to stripped heads and rusty bolts (or so I thought).

Since I rarely wear my reading glasses (well, I used to (not) anyway) while working on the truck, I "assumed" that my headlamp adjusting screws heads were stripped out, when I tried to adjust them previously. So I took the buckets out.

Without looking at the front of the screw heads, I proceeded to drill out the plastic inserts and remove the screw wing assembly on the drivers side. I opened the package of "Help" screw assemblies I purchased locally, and proceeded to install it in the bucket. After 3 consecutive insertions where the plastic immediately snapped, I brought the packages back and got my money for the defective parts.

Stopping at the dealer, he said that my headlight adjusting screws were discontinued, and that only two dealerships in the country had them, one each, neither in nj. One in NH and the other in GA. He said that he couldn't order them without charging me a ton of money because of the shipping, and minimum c/c charge they had there, so I'd be looking at around $60 for two $4 parts. I went back home.

I called the online supplier I use in FLA and he told me the names and phone numbers of the two dealerships that had the parts in their database. He said I would have to call and purchase them individually from each location, bypassing him (in FLA), and I'd be good to go. Turns out both places had them (part # 56004927), and I received them a few days later.

When I got them in the mail, I opened up the packaging and I realized that the new ones (clean and shiny) didn't use a Philips head screw driver, but a torx bit to adjust. After looking at my dodge parts I broke out of the headlight bucket, I realized that there was nothing wrong with the screw.... and it was the nutjob that was trying to adjust it without actually seeing that I was using the wrong tool to do so. That episode cost me $25 for both with shipping........and I'm back in business.

Anyway, the truck is back together, and I can adjust my headlamps. I was playing around on eblay and I found them on there as well, although not the same part number, as different screw lengths are different part #'s. So I ordered them from ebay... $9.95 SHIPPED !!!!. for BOTH !!! Mopar parts, in New Old Stock Mopar packaging...

Oh well, I guess you're never too old to have a brain fart, huh ?

 

Funny, cause I've been looking for those very same parts for my truck. Only I've been searching the local salvage yards and not having much luck. I haven't been super diligent about it though.

 

Hey NJTman, do you mean these?
http://www.dodgeconnection.com/catal...67/2400037.htm

-D

 

Torx will get you every time.... I now have a complete set from the very smallest to the big ones.

 

Thanks for the link!!!!
I just ordered some sets for both my RCs
Jim

 

Nope.... I mean these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=200843619871


I don't think the two different types are interchangeable....

 

I think they have been using Torx head on the domestic headlamps since at least the mid 80's, I bought a set of 2 diffrent sizes from Napa when they used to be a real parts store.

Jim

 

They prolly switched to torx trying to avoid pranksters from messing w/ adjustments in parking lots.

 

Or to keep you from adjusting your own headlights.

I remember when Security Torx head screws were use on carburetors, injection parts and ignition switches to keep you from being able to service them, our trucks have them and getting the bits to remove them was almost impossible to get for the average nobody.
I have pretty extensive/ expensive security bit took kit for my work.

Jim

 

I think both those parts listed would function the same.

 

Could be, wabbit... could be...


I had the "y" type, so that's what I looked for and eventually found. I didn't bother trying the other style, as I assumed it wouldn't fit.... without actually trying..

You know what happens when you assume......