98+ s10 head light install how-to

[orangesonoma]

welcome...if you are reading this...you may have tried to install your new head lights into your truck...and once you have installed them do the tops touch the hood? is there a large gap under the light between the grill??? but you say "i installed the clips and they fit back" or " i will just adjust them down...no one will know"
if this sound like something you have said...listen up...



you installed the lights wrong....there are little tabs that secure the lower part of the bracket to the core support...

edit....this also works for gmc trucks too...but it is harder to tell if they are in wrong...

if you installed them wrong they may look like this...

or this...(drivers is in wrong)

this is how it should look...

these are the tabs i am talking about ...see where the line of rust is...

these are the slots they go into on the support...

this is how the tabs fit into the slot(from the back side of the support...)

and this is how the clips go in with or with out the tabs in there correct slots...


now some times this is made easy with the removal of the grill shell...but you may need a long flat head screw driver to push the tabs in place...but they will go and it is the correct way to install your lights
do it this way to avoid being flamed be members of the forum...

actual flame from member...

Quote: Originally Posted by sdime98

looks good dude..but stick those headlights in like they are supposed to be

actual testimony from members i have helped...

Quote: Originally Posted by BroncoHound

Dude, you are friggin awesome. Thanks a bundle; i never knew i was putting them in wrong! Saw your post, went outside and in 5 minutes the front end looks a world better!

Quote: Originally Posted by HouseOfAtlas

Just wanted to say thanks for the tutorial on installing headlights the right way. All of us at S10 Forum appreciate guys like you that can help out the ones that aren't that knowledgeable about certain things. Keep up the good work

Quote: Originally Posted by Mr Bravada

thanks for the how-to on putting headlights in right! i just did it to my mom's '98 jimmy last night, and my bravada 5 mins ago, it made a night and day difference! thanks for making it easy to follow and damn near fool proof....
Andy

Quote: Originally Posted by CourtX

THANKS FOR THE HOW-TO ON THE 98+ HEADLIGHTS!! I fixed mine on my 01 this morning after i find out they were in wrong after i put up pictures and the 1st reply somebody said my lights were in wrong.

Quote:

After reading your write up yesterday evening after work today I decided to take a look at them since I had one of the small amber lights in the same housing burnt out. Upon getting the retainer clips off and leaning the light out I removed my burnt bulb and went to put the housing back in. It was at that point I notcied exactly why you created that write up. I guess the thing that really gets me however, is the fact that the GM dealership doesn't even put them back in correctly. Really burns my ass when you decide to have them fix something for you while you're there anyway (was having fuel pump put in, too damn cold for me to be dropping a tank or raising a bed) and spending good money in the process (the figure is steep, next time I bet I do it myself no matter how cold it is) and then they do half assed work.

Anyway, you get an idea of where I'm going with the whole story, I just wanted to stop and thank you for putting such a write up out there because to be honest, had you not, I'm not so sure many people would even know that if their headlights look that way they're not installed correctly. I know I personally would have never noticed or if I did it would have taken me a while. TWO THUMBS UP :thumbup: I'm actually getting ready to go scoop myself up another bulb then work on getting that straightened out when I get back. Thanks again and take it easy.



very grateful reader,

Cody

there you have it folks...a few simple steps and your front end never looked better...or jason and I will make sure you hear about it...

me fixing headlights at a meet...man does this bother me...lol




link to the videos of me fixing the headlights...
http://www.danswebhosting.com/brian/...ightpolice.wmv