Headlight Glass Loose

[nevill3]

When I last washed my van I noticed the Headlight lens was loose, I touched it and it fell off!!! Luckily I recently fitted some chrome eyebrows and so the lens rested against it's Eyebrow.

I cannot see how the lens should be secured...is it just glued into place? I popped it back on and it has stayed in place for now but I could do with some advice as to how to repair it properly.

My van is off the road for the winter to enable me to do some maintenance so apart from a spin around the block after washing & waxing it the lens stayed in place during this ten minute trip (Including over speed bumps)

I have the round headlights on my early (1983) RHD Camper

[pauly8888]

Hello Neville

Looking at my own van and the spares in t'garage, the lenses seem to be held in place with clear sealant.
That and being a tight fit in the metal surround seems to stop them falling off.

[faggie]

just re bond it together with clear silicon sealant

[Oldiebut goodie]

Silicon sealant is a......sealant!
Use a bonding sealant that is made for glass to metal.

[nevill3]

Thanks everybody, I thought it was just a case of "glueing" it back on, but wanted to double check with the wise heads on here. I had a niggling feeling that it may have been a "sealed unit" and I would need a new headlight altogether.....

I remember from my childhood heated discussions about "Sealed Units" and how expensive it was going to be but I guess that must have been about much older vehicles than ours.

[Oldiebut goodie]

The sealed units that you are thinking of had the filament embedded in the rear of the all glass unit.

[faggie]

if silicon sealant can hold the pressure of a 200gallon fish tank i am shure it will hold the front lense on your van

[Oldiebut goodie]

That is bonding sealant not plain sealant!

[DentedDevon]

I had one fall apart a few years back.
Cleaned off all traces of old sealant , de greased - with meths (white spirit is no good, slightly oily). bond back on with clear silicon.
No problems ! as Faggie said if its good enough for fish tanks ...

[Oldiebut goodie]

Do it properly - once.
Silicon sealant will not hold a fish tank but bonding silicone sealant would and does.

[zed]

Tis true, there are many different types of silicone, check what it is for before buying. Or ask a glazier?

[DentedDevon]

Dont use glazing silicone , it is very soft - Low modulus - to alow movement. High modulus is best for this sort of job.

[zed]

glaziers don't just use glazing silicone as such, there are various types used for different jobs including actually sticking glass to glass and glass to metal.

This trade website will give some idea of the products to look for, for a specific purpose:-

http://www.arbo.co.uk/index.asp?id=3

[ghost123uk]

I take it summat off this list (that magically appears when you click here = http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from= ... ng+sealant" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; would be the right stuff ? ( I ask because I have a different requirement for the stuff