2001 Adventurer 35U Headlight Bracket Problem

Windsurferlady · 12-10-2007, 03:51 AM

My front running light was out so I decided to try and replace it myself. I did so successfully but lost a screw. While looking for it with the hood open I discovered a piece of metal that looked like it was doing nothing. Before I knew it I had a bracket in my hand. I looked on the other side and discovered it holds the oval portion of the grill and headlight assembly to the fibreglass body. Anyone else have a problem with this bracket and how do I fix it so my headlights don't fall out.

Windsuferlady
Kingston, Ontario

Windsurferlady · 12-10-2007, 03:51 AM

My front running light was out so I decided to try and replace it myself. I did so successfully but lost a screw. While looking for it with the hood open I discovered a piece of metal that looked like it was doing nothing. Before I knew it I had a bracket in my hand. I looked on the other side and discovered it holds the oval portion of the grill and headlight assembly to the fibreglass body. Anyone else have a problem with this bracket and how do I fix it so my headlights don't fall out.

Windsuferlady
Kingston, Ontario

Hikerdogs · 12-10-2007, 04:22 AM

We had the same problem on our 01 Adventurer a few years ago. Last summer I took the grille out and reattached the bracket.

Ours is a 2 piece bracket with one half glued to the back of the grille. The second larger piece spans the smaller one with the legs touching against the fiberglass body. The 2 are held together with a single captured bolt
on the inner piece passing through the outer one. There's a nut that pulls them toghther with the legs of the outer one putting tension against the body. Before you can remove the grille for repairs you'll also have to unlatch the grille assembly.

Be sure to disconnect the wires from all 4 headlights before attempting to remove the grille. It's easiest to crawl under the coach and unplug them before you attempt to unlock the grille.

In addition to the brackets there are 2 turn tab locks just inside the headlight extensions that also fasten the grille to the body. You have to flip the wingnut style handles up so you can grab them and rotate them 1/2 turn counter clockwise. The catch will then release from the body bracket. Swing the catch out of the bracket and the grille and headlight assembly can be removed.

One person can handle the assembly but it's easier if you have help. It's not that heavy but you can scratch the piant if you're not extremely careful.

Here's the text of the post I made earlier on how I reattached the brackets:

The grill on our Adventurer is held in place by 2 latches and a bracket behind each headlight assembly. Several years ago the right side bracket came unglued. We carried it in a storage compatrment until early this year when I heard about an adhesive others have used with success.
I bought a kit of SEM brand #39537 Weld-Bond Adhesive at a local body shop supply house and reattached the bracket. So far all is well. This summer we went over 12,000 miles through Canada and Alaska and it's still holding fine.

Some may say 12,000 miles isn't enough of a test but on the roads we were driving I would compare it to 30,000 miles in the lower 48. It got a real test on the Top of The World Highway. It was 110 miles of bone jaring, teeth rattling gravel washboard.

The kit consists of 2 tubes (hooked together to fit into a special applicator gun) of mixible adhesive and 2 mixing tips. It sells for about $47.00. The "special applicator" costs another $95.00 but you can easily adapt a standard caulking gun to do the job.

I unscrewed the round plunger plate from my caulking gun, made a flat plate with 2 holes (I believe 1 1/2" on center) and a third hole directly on center (where the original plunger plate attached). I screwed 2 carriage bolts in the outer holes with the heads facing towards the tube openings. Then assembeled the plate to the plunger, slid the adhesive tube in place and went to work. The special tip assures both adhesives sre well mixed as they are applied.

The product is meant to be used by body shops when they need to glue plastic outer panels to metal framework. The most common applications are for door skins and fenders. It's easy to work with and has a working time of 60 minutes in 70*F weather.

The whole process took only a couple hours including removing and preparing the grill, fabricating the bracket, and applying the adhesive. I let the glued assembly sit in the garage over night just to be sure there wouldn't be any problems.

Hikerdogs
2001 Adventurer 32V

Windsurferlady · 12-13-2007, 08:35 AM

Wow that sounds like it might be way over my head. I was hoping just to get some 2 part epoxy and mix it up, put it on the bracket and hold it in place while it sets. I guess that's not going to happen. I'll print your instructions out and take it with me. I can't do it till I hit warmer weather anyway. Do you really think I have to get that special adhesive? I've used the 2 part epoxy with Carbon in it for other uses and it holds up to 2,000 lbs. Thanks for you description. Maybe it just sounds worse than it is. I'm pretty handy and maybe if I just take it a step at a time I can do it. Thanks again.

Windsurferlady
Kingston, Ontario

bruceh · 12-13-2007, 08:59 AM

Fellow windsurfer, did I meet you at Holly a few years ago?

rgrstndgby · 12-13-2007, 12:34 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Do you really think I have to get that special adhesive </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

WSL
I have used JB WELD to successfully re attach several items to the Fiberglass on my 04 Adventurer. No failures so far..Get both surfaces thoroughly roughed up, if the original adhesive is extruded thru some holes in the bracket, open the holes as well as you can, get both surfaces clean, alcohol will do,apply JB WELD and put the brackets into position, bracing them as firmly as possible. You may have to cut some pieces of wood (ahead of time)to apply the squeeze, (as on my fog lights) , but leave for a couple of days, and you should be good to go..BTW, Most of my "detachments" were the result of someone at the Bago factory attempting to glue something to a painted surface. The glue held, the paint didn't

..rgr...

Windsurferlady · 12-17-2007, 04:03 AM

Hey Bruce, you probably did. I'm one of the few that go there. I heard the road is pretty right now. Are you going again this year? I'm not sure how to do a private post so we don't take up space here, but hello again. I'm on my way soon. First going to Arizona and then heading for South Padre for Mar. 1st. Maybe we'll cross paths again. I see you have a 2001 too. Did you have any trouble with your headlight bracket?

Windsurferlady
35U Winnebago, Adventurer
Mazda Cronos Toad

Windsurferlady · 12-17-2007, 04:10 AM

Thanks for the tip on the JB Weld. That sounds like I can handle it. I was thinking of doing it that way, now that confirms I'm on the right track. How's Tucson? I'm on my way if I ever get this snow shovelled enough to get the motorhome loaded and out of the driveway.

Windsurferlady
35U Adventurer 2001
996'Mazda Cronos Toad

rgrstndgby · 12-18-2007, 10:56 AM

Tucson is just fine, 50/60's, balmy by your standards I suppose

.. A 10 year, I-10 project has made getting about a chore, but its survivable.. Happy Holidays, and Safe Travel to you...rgr...

bruceh · 12-01-2009, 02:21 PM

Sorry to resurect an old thead. I have this exact problem now and am wondering how these solutions have held up.

I am contemplating bolts. If I use chrome bolts it will look less tacky, I hope. If I can get away with JB weld, I will be very happy.

Both of my brackets have come unglued and one of the clips is mostly unglued. What a rotten, stupid design.

I got into this trying to, once and for all, fix my headlights. I would adjust them and then they would drift right. The whole panel was shifting bck and forth.

bruceh · 12-29-2009, 11:10 AM

I have finished (I think) my headlight saga.

The panel containing my headlights was held in place by metal brackets that were glued to the fiberglass panel. Two of the four backets had come off completely and one was loose leaving only one of the four doing anything useful. A big part of the problem was that the metal brackets were painted and the glue did not adhere to the paint.

I removed the panel and ground the paint off of the adhering surfaces. I then drilled two bolt holes for each bracket. Next I glued the brackets to the fiberglass and put the bolts in as insurance. I painted the bolts (prior to installation) to match the panel so it isn't ugly. You really have to look to even notice them.

After re-aiming the headlights, I took a night ride and I could actually see where I was going. The headlights are actually good.

Part of the problem for getting this fixed is that I rarely drive at night, it might be once a year or less. I would try something and then it might be a year or more and the headlights would be all wonkus again. This November, I made two long nightime runs (one across the desert) and decided that I would fix this once and for all.

Optimistically, I think that I am done and can drive at night without being afraid.