VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 38 Master Headlight Adjusters

I have my headlight off and apart to try and get the vertical adjustment working. There is a tab at the bottom that holds the reflector. There is another blade of spring metal that sticks up sort of in a V from the tab piece. Is the blade of spring metal supposed to be facing up pushing on the top portion of the reflector?

I can't visualize where you have an issue. See if this helps: Headlight

Brian

Thanks, that is a good video. In the video he puts his thumb on the part I had in question and says, "I don't know how this spring thing fits in here" . That was my question.

My main problem turns out to be with the vertical adjustment screw. I see in the video that it protrudes through the housing and has a cotter pin on the other side. Mine apparently has broken off there and barely protrudes through the hole. When I get the reflector all the way lowered down the screw pops out of the hole and the reflector goes to wherever it wants to.

I wish I was some help but it's been too long since I had mine apart. I simply don't remember.

Okay, I know what it is. The bolt is the adjuster for the headlight beam. The bolt passes through the support bracket, through the first hole in the inner housing, through the tension spring, through a bolt (that holds the reflector clip), out the other side of the inner housing and ends in a washer and cotter pin.





The reflector clip is two pieces, one slightly longer that has a hook end and the other just slightly shorter. The hook end fits over the flat edge of the reflector and the other is under the lip of the reflector, effectively pinching the reflector between the two. This holds the edge of the reflector so that when the bolt turns the nut rides up and down and moves the lower edge of the reflector.

Brian

Hi Brian,
thank you for the explanation. I was trying to figure out if the free end of the clip spring pushes on the bottom of the reflector or is rotated backward to push on the top. I think as you said it is meant to push on the bottom.

Looked inside my 38's bucket, which has been untouched since new, and took these pics. The other adjustment screw is not seen in this pic though.








That spring on the rim you were referring to, I highlighted it in red below...I believe it is for vibration dampening.....





That spring in action:

Thanks for the information. We were talking about the spring that is part of the vertical adjustment. By the way, that looks like a pretty pristine headlight assembly!

The springs you are referring to are the ones that allow the inner bucket to be moved in and out.

Brian