I replaced the headlights on my car about five years ago. I don't remember the brand name but I purchased them on Amazon. There was an incredible difference in illumination. Recently I drove my wife's car (both cars are 94 940t) and realized those headlights were at the end of their useful life. I ordered a set on Amazon (Depo brand) and installed them yesterday.

The two fasteners on each side of the grill were rusted. There is a captured nut on each one in a space that is difficult to get to. I ended up breaking up the first light and using a die grinder on the bolts- time consuming and frustrating. On the second one I was able to reach in with a pair of long nose locking pliers to grasp the nut and managed to extract the bolt using a combination of loosen/tighten/penetrant/wire brush.

I had the wheels off to install new tires so I gave the brake pads a check and a quick look at the front end. I found a sloppy outer tie rod end. I picked one up this morning and was surprised to find the replacement came with a grease fitting. I haven't had to do a lot of front end work, but I can not remember the last time I saw a component with a grease fitting.



I also installed a new set of wiper blades that also came from Amazon. The brand is AERO. I have been using them for over a year on my car. The are extremely quiet and do a great job. They come with a set of replacement blades so that is a bonus.
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Any twenty minute job is just a broken bolt away from a three day ordeal

Now comes the tough part of the job: aligning the headlights.

I my experience, most of the cheap tie rod ends I use come with zerk fittings. Some of the ball joints too. One more thing for me to neglect.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Rejoice? Absolutely not. I only joice once.

Art, I was late reading this thread but wanted to comment on your forgetting grease fittings comment. Be glad your cars aren't like a 1960's Hillman with a total of 26 fittings. :-) -- Dave

I was happy enough with the alignment of the old ones and didn't get any negative feedback from other drivers on the road.

Before I started I turned on the old headlights and noted the position of the beams on the garage wall. I made every effort to match those points on the wall with the new lights. They may need tweaking, but for now I am calling them good enough.

That tie rod end fits the criteria of "cheap". The price gave me pause at $14. When I called AutoZone I was quoted $65. I couldn't help but think that was a mistake by the counter person, but when I later checked the price online it was confirmed.
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Any twenty minute job is just a broken bolt away from a three day ordeal

"Before I started I turned on the old headlights and noted the position of the beams on the garage wall."

Good thinking! I'm not sure that would have worked for me had I thought of it given how cluttered my garage wall is.

Just a note on tie rod ends... The only trouble I've ever had with an aftermarket tie rod end I'd replaced wasn't at the joint, but at the female threads where the tie rod mated with the 2-year old end. They were so corroded that the internal threads were destroyed when I had to force wrench it from the tie rod every turn, despite flooding it with penetrating oil. Of course, replacing the tie rod end necessitated a re-doing of the toe setting. Made a ripped TRW/CAM tie rod boot into an all-afternoon job.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

"I've learned more from my kids than they ever learned from me."

Hi Art,

Perhaps you're not in the habit of using Never Seize, but it would have made easy work out of removing that tie rod end. It also would have saved you time on your recent headlight removal.

I developed the habit 30 years ago of applying it to every threaded fastener I use that's exposed to the weather, even on bolts I never expect to remove. A can is always at arms reach from where I'm working. I use it on lug nuts, the interface of the wheel and the nut, steering components, drive shafts, suspension bolts, and every fastener on the engine and transmission, or chassis.

I also use it on my bulldozer, tractors, and farm equipment that see severe service.

I've seen some comments on the board that seem to suggest it's use may make some fasteners more prone to loosening. My experience with it is that it preserves the integrity of the treads, makes trouble free removal of anything it has been applied to, and in 30 years I've never had a single case of anything coming loose.

Peter

I use anti-seize for most applications, but not on things like lug nuts or caliper bolts. I guess I do have a fear of critical fasteners like that loosening up.

I can assure you the new headlight bolts got coated even though I would guess I never will need to remove those.

In a job application a few years ago I learned that stainless steel fasteners most definitely need anti-seize. Even with reasonable torque specs disassembling stainless steel components that don't include anti-seize will make for a bad day.
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Any twenty minute job is just a broken bolt away from a three day ordeal

Hi Peter,

Confession: I've never ceased kicking myself for failing to develop that habit.

Seriously, I have some grease impregnated with copper powder that's been around here for 30 years, long transferred out of its original brush-top container into a squeeze bottle -- because it tended to separate. It is a bit of work to use it, first getting it mixed again inside the flexible bottle. Is yours branded "Never Seize" and is it a nickel or copper mix? Does it remain a paste over time?

Too many things I believe I'm putting together for the last time live to prove me wrong.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Why are cemeteries surrounded by gates?
Because there are so many people dying to get in.

Hi Art,

The only brand I've ever used is Permatex Anti-Seize, the regular grey stuff that's available at Napa. According to the label it contains aluminum, copper and graphite. I've never seen it separate, but it will thicken up if the cap is left off for an extended period. It sounds like it might be time to recycle what you have and spring for some new.

A 4 once can will last me 5 or more years, which I think is better than getting a larger can that gets dirty and stiffer over time. I know there are other types but I've never felt I needed anything more.

I don't like the brush in the top. It gets ragged and falls off sooner or later and I find a flux brush to be much easier to use.

The OP makes a good point about stainless. It galls and welds together easily because of it's miniscule oxide layer, and it requires some lubricant if torqued.
The zinc on galvanized bolts is self lubricating so they don't gall, but the zinc oxide that forms between the threads is tenacious and can be avoided with with never seize.

Where I live, lug nuts and caliper bolts are in a place that's wet and sometimes salty for half the year. These things may come on and off dozens of times over the life of these cars, and each time they do some metal is lost due to corrosion if they're put in dry. Unless the plan to to replace them, I think it's safer to have good threads with never seize, than degraded ones without.

Peter

That's basically how we build nuclear submarines. Use a bit more than 4oz. though. With few exceptions, each of tens of thousands of fasteners get some MOLYCOTE P-37.

I don't use it on anything I'm going to use a torque wrench on. But then, I don't use a torque wrench on most things I should use one on. :D

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XC60 / Odyssey