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Headlight for new grill.

Tag George

Tag George

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Location
Illinois
I have a 95 GMC with the WT grill. A friend of mine had a suburban grill that I got from him but have not installed. One headlight looks like it has been leaking water in and the other is faded/fogged up badly. So I would like to replace them. Stock would be fine but I am not dead set on it. The thing is I look and I see many lights for sale on ebay or on line but I need to know if they are any good and which ones I should get for quality. Most look like cheap knockoffs on ebay.
 
I can tell you from experience (and reading experience of others) that pretty much all of the aftermarket copies are poor quality. The two main issues are fit - they will tend to sit crooked, giving a "droopy-eyed" appearance, which can be corrected to some degree by hacking at the mounting brackets - but the worst example are some brands stick out 1/2" or more from the grille like bug eyes.

You can get OEM ones at the dealer for around $130/each which seems steep, but they really are the best ones you can buy.

If you can get your hands on a cheap set of good used originals that aren't cracked, you can restore them pretty easily with some fine grit wetsanding followed up by polishing with a plastic polish; a little clear coat sprayed on them will make the polishing job hold a lot longer too. You'd be amazed just how nice you can make some that previously looked like dumpster material. I've done many. Easiest way to spot OEM headlights for these trucks is the lens will say "Sylvania/GTE" (or a few just say "Sylvania") on it.

If you go the used route, make sure the adjusters work before you buy them. Sometimes they freeze up.

Richard
 
I could be wrong but from his description it sounds like he's wanting to convert his W/T sealed beam grille to the Silverado style grille which uses composite headlamps, like this:

35hd_158s.jpg


As far as I know, no e-code lights available that fit that setup, but I could be wrong. You're right though they do produce great light.

By the way, not the best pic to show it, but the lenses in that truck are ones that were fogged up badly, and I wetsanded/polished them. Nearly as good as new.

Richard
 
Gotcha. It was a lil Confusing the First Time I Read the OP.

Either way, I'd keep the W/T Front End and go with the E-Codes. They are a Glass Lens, so you won't have to Worry about Hazing with Age.

But...if you do Convert to the Suburban Lamp Setup, like Richard Said, just go with a New Set of OE Lamps. The Aftermarket is too much Hit or Miss.
 
someotherguy said:
I could be wrong but from his description it sounds like he's wanting to convert his W/T sealed beam grille to the Silverado style grille which uses composite headlamps, like this:

35hd_158s.jpg


As far as I know, no e-code lights available that fit that setup, but I could be wrong. You're right though they do produce great light.

By the way, not the best pic to show it, but the lenses in that truck are ones that were fogged up badly, and I wetsanded/polished them. Nearly as good as new.

Richard
Click to expand...

Ok that is one BA 3500hd. Time to get back on topic...
 
Hit or miss.. pardon the pun.

Ignore the dead bird that was a Hit, but these were some cheapie lights that are, well, worth it.. :rolleyes5:

In general yes they do fit like crap. I can get over that, but these lights rear bracing structure was a soft rubbery plastic that, if I didn't re-engineer them, would let the headlamps jiggle around going down the road.. Suck suck suck. Had to heat one up with a heat gun and pull it in half to re-do the glue because one leaked in water!

If the OEMS weren't reduced to powder like they are, they'd be back on the truck. grrr

Jun11_0003.jpg
 
Correct I want to change to the Silverado style grille. The one that I got from him that leaked looks to be aftermarket.
 
I took my harness out and it has a round style connector on the end. The harness he gave me is from a 92 so it is not round more off squarish. Where was the year break supposed to be on the shape. The little I have look says 94 other places say 96 but none I have seen said 95. I had one guy that saw my truck said he had one like it at a time and was told the same thing as me that is does not exist. He had to ask for stuff for a 96.
 
Tag George said:
I took my harness out and it has a round style connector on the end. The harness he gave me is from a 92 so it is not round more off squarish. Where was the year break supposed to be on the shape. The little I have look says 94 other places say 96 but none I have seen said 95. I had one guy that saw my truck said he had one like it at a time and was told the same thing as me that is does not exist. He had to ask for stuff for a 96.
Click to expand...
For your 1995 model, I think you're limited to 1995-1996 - and *possibly* 1997, it's been a little while since I pulled any headlight harnesses so the 1997 is a big maybe. Yours does have the round "barrel" appearing connector inline. 1994 and older are totally different and go straight to the square block on the driver's side of the firewall, actually 4 connectors interlock to make the 1 big block that screws down. 1998-up is an inline connector like your 1995 but again an entirely different shape.

Now you don't necessarily have to swap out your entire headlight harness, but it's the cleanest way to convert the headlight style, without having crimped/soldered in sockets. If you do decide to rewire your existing harness to add the needed sockets, be sure to solder them and protect the solder joints with heat shrink tube, and avoid the temptation to twist & tape or use crimp connectors.

jrsavoie said:
Isn't there at least one aftermarket headlight that is worth a crap? As many as there are out there, you would think one of them could get it right
Click to expand...
TYC probably makes the best aftermarket headlight for our trucks but they're not perfect either. Every one I've installed I had to do extensive tweaking to get them to sit square in the grille, and that includes on OEM grilles. Most typical modifications include having to cut off the locator dowels from the mounting bracket, elongate the mounting holes, and sometimes even clearance the holes in the core support so that the backside of the adjustment screws (not the actual screws you turn to adjust, but the ones that are internal to the adjustment mechanism) can poke through properly. I have a set of TYC Elegante headlights on my '94 extended cab; the Elegante is not an OEM-appearing housing though. It's clear with a faceted reflector. The park lamps are TYC Elegante, too:

rh94_88s.jpg


Richard
 
A Friend of mine had a Set of Projectors on his Full Size Blazer back in the Day that actually had a VERY Good Cutoff with Excellent Output, but I never got the Name of them.
 
I've got some aftermarket "glass" headlights w/projectors. Have not installed them yet so I can't say if I like them. They do appear to be decent quality (for the price). I also got some Wade covers to protect them from stones...
 
Burning oil said:
I've got some aftermarket "glass" headlights w/projectors. Have not installed them yet so I can't say if I like them. They do appear to be decent quality (for the price). I also got some Wade covers to protect them from stones...
Click to expand...

When you get those headlights installed, let us know the brand and how satisfied you were with the install.
 
I have not put the grill on yet but the Lights are mounted and the wire harness is now installed. I have a few odd happening though.

1. I have not done a mod but when I turn on the high beams all 4 lights turn on.

2. When I try to turn on just the parking lights/running lights the headlights turn on. I dont know if this was like this before I changed over or not.

3.I dont know if it was like this before or not but the backlighting of the headlight switch turns on soon as I turn on the key.
 
jrsavoie said:
It doesn't have the headlight upgradde that turns on the dims with the brights does it?

I'd like to do that to my vehicles
Click to expand...

Only if the headlight harness has been modded inside the tubes because I just switched from wt lights and have not done the mod. The harness came from the junk yard.
 
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