Mike2020mike

Hello, I have a 2002 Trans Am, and one of the issues I keep having is my headlight sockets like to fall off the plug on the bulb when I'm driving. This is annoying and sometimes causes the bulbs to burn out due to a flickering connection before they do fall off. I suspect its because both harnesses hang and the weight of the harness slowly pulls the socket off the bulb.

I was wondering if anyone has come up with a way to hold the sockets more securely to the bulb. Stock, they are held on only by the contacts themselves.

I was thinking of punching small holes into the sheet-metal around the socket and putting twist-ties through to more securely hold the sockets in place.

VIP1

If you have the later version of the 4703/4701 sealed beams with glass front, metal back, and big thick white silicone disc/seal on the back, you can put a screw through the hole in middle of the back of the the connector into that white disc. That is what I did when I still had the 4703/4701 sealed beams.

If you have the older all glass housings, you can't do that.

The connector itself is probably too loose too and you'll have to bend out the tab inside of it to fit more snugly.

Another option is to replace those sealed beams with the LMC Truck housings, upgraded bulbs, and replace the connectors with the applicable 9006/9005 connectors for the new bulbs.

Mike2020mike

How long were the screws you used?

VIP1

I don't remember. I just rummaged around for something that fit through the existing hole in the back of the connector and would dig into that silicone puck about 1/4".

I don't have those headlights anymore so I can't check. I have Low Beam HID Projectors and LMC Truck High Beams now.

My current headlights...


https://www.fadingarrow.com/images/F...lted_SMALL.jpg
http://www.fadingarrow.net/images/Fi...lted_SMALL.jpg

Mike2020mike

Were the screws you used short enough to not go all the way through the silicone seal?

Thanks for all the help.

pdxmotorhead

I used accelerator return springs to hold them on a old ,car that had worn out sockets.. Ran the spring from the top of the light bucket over the connector to the bottom of the light bucket..

VIP1

I don't remember. I just rummaged around for something that fit through the existing hole in the back of the connector and would dig into that silicone puck about 1/4". Not all the way through the silicone. Probably 1/2 - 3/4 the way through the silicone puck. I haven't had those lights on the car in years.