Headlight Surround - securing it - help?

[VladTepes]

Wel I decided to take off the plastic headlight "protectors' which I felt were just another layer of dirt and grime for the already pathetic headlights to do battle with.

The screws holding them in place are the same ones (it seems) that hold the black headlight surround in place. Here's a picture after the protector was removed.



You can see the four screws at the corners which hold it in place. The screws went back in fully, properly securing the headlight surround in place.. as I hoped.

I then started on the second one. I got the first three screws out no problem, but of course nothing is ever too easy eh ....



The screw on the bottom RHS just would NOT come out, despite plenty of prodding and pulling and twisting etc. I was worried that I would break the headlight surround as when I was pulling the screw with some pliers, the surround was bulging. Anyway that didn't happen....

... the protector broke instead

When I did finally get the screw out (had to pull it) I could see why it wouldn't turn out. The screw and the nut kind of thing into which it is screwed are permanently corroded together. Even with two pliers I couldn't spin one in the other !



Anyway I then refitted the 3 screws that did come out, so that the headlight surround would be fixed back where it belonged. For some reason this time, 2 of the screws wouldn't go in past a certain point... as you can see there is a gap (the width of the protector they were holding in place) and the surround is able to rattle around a bit as a result.



So, to my QUESTIONS

1. Are the screws (bolts really) used the SAME as the ones that are standard, or are there different screws supplied with these headlight protectors? (When I say screws they actually have a black plastic hex head on them). The keen eyed may be able to see in the first pic, the bottom right hand screw is a phillips head one.. a replacement at some stage obviously.

2. How can I fix my little problem ?

3. Does anyone need ONE only genuine LR Defender headlight protector?

[jerryd]

I just put a new sealed headlight unit in the County and the surround was just fixed with four phillips screws,the type that have a wide head. It was my indicator and parking light that gave me grief looks like I need a new set now

[mike_ie]

As far as I know, the standard headlight surround is held on by normal phillips head screws, which screw into nylon inserts in the wing behind. Two screws on the radiator side, and the outer side is held in place by the indicator and driving light screws. I think (don't hold me to this) that the headlight protectors come with four rivnuts, to of these replacing the two standard phillips head screws. Me, I'd cut off the corroded bolts, and replace the rivnuts.

[VladTepes]

Sounds like a plan wish I knew someone local witha rivnut tool.
(As good as blknights how to set a rivnut without tool, thread is, I don't fancy doing it that way...)

[mike_ie]

If you don't have a rivnut tool, then you could probably just pick up a few nylon inserts at the local auto parts store and replace the rivnuts with those, and a new set of phillips head screws.

[ugu80]

[QUOTE=VladTepes;1293221]Wel I decided to take off the plastic headlight "protectors' which I felt were just another layer of dirt and grime for the already pathetic headlights to do battle with.



Just did a trip to 'the Cape', came home through western QLD (10,000 kms all up), dirt road wherever possible. Before I left I bought some weathershield foam rubber (sticky on one side) from Supercheap Auto and stuck it around the edge of the headlight protectors. Worked a treat; creek crossings, rain, bulldust, nothing got in.
p.s. Put it on two strips wide to get around the screw holes.