petemate Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 Hi Guys, I have an r32 with the standard xenon headlamp pack fitted, however I have gone though more side bulbs then i care to think of and the dealaship is now uping their price to £30 per bulb!! Plus i'm without the car for a whole day so I think it's time I had a go myself! I just wanted some general advice since I've heard talk about removing bumbers, not having to remove bumbers, xenon danger hazards (getting a bit of a shock from them!) I'm just wondering if anyone does do this themselves and if so, how do you do it. Also if you know a good place to pick the bulbs up from that would be great as the parts department at our VW dealaship aren't the most helpful in the world!! Cheers Pete, Edinburgh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TP27 Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 Pete. Sorry to hear of your woes. There have been a number of Threads on this recently with a Link to Power Bulbs for replacement side light bulbs. I'm in Edinburgh too, so PM me and I'll try to assist. £30 for each bulb in out of order as PB will supply two for £12!! TP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petemate Posted December 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 thanks TP! I've PM'ed you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubzter Posted December 30, 2004 Report Share Posted December 30, 2004 what are the spec of the sidelights and inner full beam bulbs. I have a sidcelight out and fancy replacing the lot with whiter bulbs if I'm taking the bumper off anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petemate Posted December 31, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2004 well i've just seen a really nice set of LED types... I'm wondering if I should run with them, and if so where do I get them from. Also I'm thinking they would last longer then the standard bulbs... They really look good with the xenons on!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryccf Posted January 2, 2005 Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 link below to a string on the very subject including what LEDs correspond to the filament bulbs in our cars, and where to get them i have been changing over to LEDs and they are incredibly bright and supposedly do not break from vibration or burn out, and real real low power consumption for same amount of or more light output http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1722135 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petemate Posted January 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Cheers Larry, have you changed over to LED on your side lights yet? and if so how have you found them? Cheers Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryccf Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 i did and like em bulbs are pure white and thru the lens as visible as the OEm ones reason i changed, started with the interior lights - i'm going with a braille battery to further reduce wgt on the front end (oem battery is 36.5 lbs adn braille is 11.5 lbs) and they are claiming greater cranking power etc, but wanting to reduce battery drain, i went with LED lights for all the stupid lights that stay on till after you've turned off the engine and are exiting the car if you guys haven't tried LED flashlites, you won't believe the power they are capable of and the longevity of the battery - last hurricance 2 years ago, power went out at 5;00PM - i didn't want to turn the generator on till hurricane had passed over our area (huge trees were flailing about like cottontails in the marsh in a stiff breeze by 11;00PM when i finally turned the generator on, on the three flashlights using D cell batteries, we had gone thru 2 - 3 battery changes per light with the one LED flashlight, about the size of a double C cell but uses 4 AA batteries, had not changed the batteries and it was still as strong as it had been when i first turnd on - i was curious as i rememberred it had a longer burn time but couldn't remember how long - went to web and it stated 20 hours on 4 AA batteries at full power and 40 hours at half power LED light bulbs for your house are just now coming down in price, 100 watt bulbs are about $25 which is still a little expensive but last year they were $160, so i figure in a couple of years they'll be $5 - 10 and be affordable and LEDs have a 100,000 hour burn life and not subject to breaking or burn out from vibration for the interior overhead map lights, i installed two blue LEDs and they are bright blue (my car is blue) but reason at night when i'm driving long distances, i like to leave interior light on to help keep from getting hypnotized by road, white stripes going by etc - some interior lighting keeps my attention from being "focused" on those white stripes zipping by the interior lights are bright and a little too bright for above purposes, - the blue ones help as i can still see by them and if i want to read a map, i've got the center bulb fyi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petemate Posted January 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Cheers Larry, did you brave changing the front bulbs yourself? I have looked at removing the headlamp unit myself however I can't see a way of doing it without removing the bumper and that would be the first time for me and I'm just wondering if I should nip down to the dealaship for the last time and watch them do it so I know how to do it in the future?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryccf Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 i've seen folks post that they were able to change all three bulbs without removing the bumper, with seriously nicked hands when they were thru and only removing one of them by "pulling the wires" to get the socket out to where they could see it and the other (i believe the hi beam) changing by "feel" i know one of the bulbs, i believe the low beam, can be changed that way but the vw manual calls for the bumper to be removed and i've had the bumper off so many times i can do it fairly quickly but if its your first time, removing the bumper might take 30 minutes and another 30 to re-install i'd remove the bumper - then it's only 4 torx screws holding each headlamp in and a lot easier to do without becoming a contortist and learning a string of expletives if you throw me an email, [email protected], i can email you the instructions for installing one of the CCF carbon fiber ram air horns, in there is or are instructions for removing bumper btw, removing the bumper is not majorily difficult all you'll need is a 10MM socket and ratchet and two torx screwdriver sizes - i don't remember the sizes but two smaller torx tips, which if y ou own an R32 you should have a set of them for general use anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petemate Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 cheers Larry, I'll send you a quick e-mail! I guess it's just a case of taking time with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryccf Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 Pete tried to email the instructions and it bounced back and i forwarded you a copy of the bounce notice don't know if you got either in case, here be the instructions If you follow the order of removal detailed below, there wouldn't be any glitches. If you remove the battery first, you'll grumble when you have to re-install it so you can start engine to turn the wheels To remove the bumper Begin by removing the torx screws in each front fender well, on the front side of the front tire - there are 3 torx screws along the bottom edge of the fender liner (you'll have to turn the wheels all the way to one side then all the way to the other to get to these screws easily - these screws secure the under bumper cover panel to the fender liner Then vertically, along the front edge of the wheel well, starting at the bottom at the outside lip of the wheel well, there are 4 torx screws you will have to remove that secure the rear edge of the bumper to the fender liner Removing just the above screws is sufficient, the under cover panels that are attached to the bottom lip of the bummper will stay attached to the bumper when it comes off In the center of the bumper, on the underside, there is a formed black cover that will need to be removed (I forget whether there are 2 or 4 screws, but it is the under engine cover that has 2 NACA ducts formed in it to guide air to the oil pan - it will have to be removed but the flat under panel that is attached to the bumper will not need to be removed - it can stay attached to the bumper DETACHING THE FRONT GRILL First - (DO NOT bother removing the clip that holds the hood release "T" handle on the engine release - there is no need to remove the grill entirely from the car) and that clip is difficult to get back on Detach the front grill (with the VW emblen in it) by pulling forward at the upper outside corners of the grill (there are two plugs, one at each corner, that travel in parrellel to earth (you can also use a putty knife behind the upper outside corners to pop it forward). Then when those two have popped free, pull upward on the grill (there are two plugs at the bottom corners that travel perpendicular to earth - when those two prongs pop loose, the grill is free and can be swung upward and using some tape to hold it out of the way, tape from the bottom edge of the grill back toward the rear of the engine cover to hold the grill up and out of the way for when you pull the bumper forward and are re-installing the front bumper Behind that grill, there are 6 torx screws that you will have to remove Then, after removing the two corner valance grill covers, one of which covers the opening where the ram air horn will be; behind the two outer grill covers there will be one 10MM nut on each side - remove those nuts The center valance cover does not need to be removed. If you have a large pc of cardboard, approximately the width of the car and maybe 24" deep, it will serve to give you something to put the bumper on. I usually lay the cardboard on the ground in front of the bumper so that when I pull it off, I can lay it directly onto the cardboard Once the torx screws and 2 10MM nuts are removed, with someone assisting you, pull foward on the bumper - it has to slide off the two brackets, one on each side of the car or at each end of the bumper The first time y ou remove the bumper, you'll probably want a second pair of hands to assist in pulling the bumper off and replacing But once you've done it one time, it's not difficult to do un-assisted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petemate Posted January 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 Hi Larry, Yep, I did get your e-mail however I didn't get any failed delivery notice. Just one of these things I guess! Thanks again for that info, I'm going to try and remove it this weekend!! Thanks again for all your help, Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TP27 Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 Pete. It'd be good to hear how you get on...replacement sidelight and full beam bulbs is going to be a DIY fix for most R32 drivers. Take plenty of pics and post them here for us all to see. If need be, give me a shout and I'll try and help? TP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petemate Posted January 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 Cheers TP I'm just waitting my new LED W5W leds can't wait!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryccf Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1729822 there's an interesting thread on bulb changeout + some good info on bulbs from a german source at the above link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TP27 Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 Pete. How'd you get on or has the weather prevented you from completing the job? TP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petemate Posted January 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 Hi TP, Larry Yep, the weather was a little bit bad so a small rain check until this weekend... *look up at sky* I've got some time off work next week so hopfully if the weather gets it act together I might get it done then. I've got the digital camera all charged ready to take the pics, so it's just the weather now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryccf Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 http://www.schnellms.net/tech/040906-BlkHeadLights.htm just found this and figured i'd add it - good pix by pix instructions for removing bumper and headlights Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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