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Hey guys, hoping someone could help me out with this.
I decided to upgrade my headlight assemblies to projector type mainly because the stock assemblies were highly oxidized, but also because I like the look projector/halos give the 4th gens.
I've been having huge issues with the passenger side assembly fitting right. No matter what i try, theres also about a half inch gap between the lens and the bumper where the driver side fits perfectly.
I first started with a pair of Spyder assemblies but I sent them back since one of the halos didn't work and also because I though there was a problem with the passenger side bracket (gap issue). I now have a pair of Eagle Eyes but I'm having the same issue with these as well. They are both adjusted level to each other but the passenger side has a finger widths gap between the lens and bumper. I'm thinking of going to Lowe's and finding some plastic spacers i can put between the housing mount and the car mounting surface but wanted to get some opinions on this first.
Thanks!!
Pictures below: 1st one is of passenger side; 2nd is of driver side
I've had this same issue with aftermarket headlight modules as well. I greatly dislike the halos/projector/etc. style, but I've tried the basic stock-style replacements from Depo with no luck on proper fitment. One thing that did slightly improve fitment was to swap over the OEM bracket to the new module, but even still the bumper gap fitment was never assembly line correct. Some people claim that their Depo headlights fit as well as the originals, but most of the ones I've seen are just like the ones I tried - gapping is not correct somewhere, either between the lens and bumper cover, or around the edge where the fender meets the lens, or the gap between the module and the hood.
I eventually gave up and just restored the factory lenses, since the only reason I was interested in replacement was due to the oxidized lens issue and not because I wanted any sort of aftermarket styling. But if you like the look of these aftermarket lenses, then all you can do is mess with mounting point adjustments as you mentioned above, trying to find a happy medium.
Well that's disappointing... The bracket swap was something I was thinking of doing as well. I guess I'll try it and see where it's at.
Thanks for your input!
reviving an old thread here but wondering if you ever resolved this problem with the large gap between the headlight and bumper..a friend of mine bought some aftermarket "whistler" style blacked out headlights and we cant get these things to line up no matter how we adjust it..they are mounted correctly and are adjusted to where they should be but both have a gap between the housing and bumper, the passenger side being the worst.
reviving an old thread here but wondering if you ever resolved this problem with the large gap between the headlight and bumper..a friend of mine bought some aftermarket "whistler" style blacked out headlights and we cant get these things to line up no matter how we adjust it..they are mounted correctly and are adjusted to where they should be but both have a gap between the housing and bumper, the passenger side being the worst.
Did you swap to the factory mounting bracket? That helps a little. Some shimming can also be done with washers at the mounting bolt, you might also need to move or modify the mounting frame behind it for better adjustment/shimming capability. Ultimately, I've never seen one fit as good as stock, but those tricks can certainly make it better.
Did you swap to the factory mounting bracket? That helps a little. Some shimming can also be done with washers at the mounting bolt, you might also need to move or modify the mounting frame behind it for better adjustment/shimming capability. Ultimately, I've never seen one fit as good as stock, but those tricks can certainly make it better.
unfortunately one of the adjuster screws broke when trying to adjust them in a bit before removing the old headlights and 2 tabs on one side cracked so won't be able to use them off the stock lights..stuff gets brittle after 16 years i guess. I'm not sure how you could shim the headlight outward though, i stared at it the other day trying to figure a way to space them out but you're bound by those two tab things on the back of the headlight housing that slide into the metal bracket on the car..if you space the headlight out closer to the bumper those tabs won't line up and slide onto the bracket, so the only thing holding the headlight in place would be one bolt basically.
I'm not sure how you could shim the headlight outward though, i stared at it the other day trying to figure a way to space them out but you're bound by those two tab things on the back of the headlight housing that slide into the metal bracket on the car..if you space the headlight out closer to the bumper those tabs won't line up and slide onto the bracket, so the only thing holding the headlight in place would be one bolt basically.
It's been a long time since I messed with this; I tried to get a new Depo set to fit right on my '02 car many years ago but was never happy with fitment so I just restored the originals instead.
I know what you mean about the tabs, I think the frame they slide into needs to be modified or shimmed as well. I recall one member posting his process for getting them shimmed outward enough to look pretty nice, I remember his car being red and I think it was a B4C model, but I can't remember his username (I tried searching for this last night and today, sorry that I can't seem to find it). I didn't end up needing to do this myself though, since I went back to the stock housings.
Have this same issue and it sucks. I put shims in every place I could fit them and nothing will fix it. The only thing I can see to do now is add some material to bridge the gap. Of all the parts that don't just bolt on and fit, the appearance parts need to fit. Not as easy to space headlights forward and cut the bumper to match the curve as it is the move the oil pump forward to clear a double roller timing chain.
Have this same issue and it sucks. I put shims in every place I could fit them and nothing will fix it. The only thing I can see to do now is add some material to bridge the gap. Of all the parts that don't just bolt on and fit, the appearance parts need to fit. Not as easy to space headlights forward and cut the bumper to match the curve as it is the move the oil pump forward to clear a double roller timing chain.
If we could make them even between both sides that would suffice but that passenger side has just a gaping hole between the headlight and bumper..the drivers side is "ok" looking..might try and shim the passenger side out somehow to make it look acceptable.
10-18-2014, 03:50 PM
Headlight fitment issue 
