Replacement Headlight Gear For 97+ C5 Corvettes

CNC machine made brass gear to replace the failure prone plastic headlight gear in the C5 Corvettes. Easy to install. Why buy a fragile OEM replacement motor assembly when you can make your motor assembly heavy duty with this replacement gear.

Corvette Headlight Gear	Corvette Headlight Gear (shown installed)

New design for the late style (Late 2000-2004) C5 plastic housing motors!
Re-Engineered for even longer lasting life! Now upgraded to include a newly engineered special steel brace with a special plastic support bushing. I have noticed a few glue joint failures in the late 2000-2004 C5 plastic housing motors. Glue joint failures happen because the plastic that these headlight motors are made of does not take any adhesive well. The glue joint surface is small and once installed it has to take a tremendous force that occurs when the headlight gets full open and full closed and stops abruptly. For the late 2000-2004 C5 headlight gear kits I have added a special stamped steel brace with a special plastic bushing. This brace and bushing does two things. It applies a slight pressure against the side cover helping to eliminate side cover glue failures. But most importantly it adds a new bearing surface to support the shaft thus removing all the pressure of the shaft from the side cover and transferring it to this new brace. Once installed this repair should easily last the life of the car. The early (97-99 and some early 2000) C5's have an aluminum housing and do not need this special brace. Those headlight motor assemblies are very heavy duty and only require a new gear.

Late 2000-2004 C5 plastic housing motor with steel brace installed	Corvette Headlight Gear Kit

Symptoms of a failed gear in the headlight motor:
If your headlight motor makes a grinding noise when turned on or turned off (this usually happens at the full open and full closed position) this is what you need to repair your headlight motor. If you do not repair or replace your headlight motor once this begins to happen - sooner or latter the headlight will not raise at all. If you have the factory alarm/remote door locks the headlights may act funny if you have a headlight motor that is in need of repair.

In most C5 Corvettes the OEM black rubber bumper inside the original gear is in poor condition or will soon fail if you replace the gear. I have had these rubber bumpers reproduced in a tougher rubber that should last the life of the motor. I now include a new rubber bumper with each C5 headlight gear ordered.

The OEM plastic gear and the rubber bumper are the weak parts in these headlight motors. Once rebuilt with my new heavy duty gears and rubber bumpers the headlight motors should last the life of your car.

NOTE #1: There are 2 variations of the headlight actuator motor assemblies used on the 1997 and up C5 Corvettes. The 97-99 motor assembly (and some early 2000 models) is all aluminum and has a removable side cover that is held on with 3 machine screws. The gear kit for the 97-99 motor assembly includes a new side cover gasket. The late 2000+ motor assembly is partially plastic has a glued on plastic side cover. This cover needs to be pried off (broken at the factory glue joint) to replace the worn gear. The cover is easy to pry off and I include a packet of epoxy glue to reglue it back on. Included with each replacement gear is a packet of silicone grease that will never dry out like the grease used by the original manufacturer. Also included: Complete detailed rebuilding instructions and how to remove the headlight motor assembly from the car.

NOTE #2: If you have a 97-99 C5 Corvette there is the possibility that one or both of the early aluminum type headlight motor(s) have been replaced with the newer 2000+ style plastic type headlight motor(s). To ensure you receive the correct kit please check to see if the headlight motor(s) in your 97-99 (and early 2000) C5 are plastic or aluminum. The aluminum housing style is the original equipment used on the 97-99 (and some early 2000) C5 Corvettes. They will have 3 screws holding the side cover one while the 2000+ headlight motor assemblies are plastic and the side cover is glued on. This newer style headlight motor change can occur because the 97-99 style motors are no longer available through GM. If a previous owner or a GM dealer has replaced a headlight motor in a 97-99 they may have installed the newer 2000+ style. A quick check will ensure that you order the correct rebuild kit.

If you are not sure which style motor you have look at the pictures below. The early aluminum housing type motor assembly is on the left and the late plastic type motor assembly is on the right.

Upgrade your older brass headlight gear kits with the new steel brace and better urethane adhesive.

Fits Firebird 2002-93, Corvette 2004-97 and Saturn SC Coupe 1996-91. Replaces damaged gear inside motor.
OEM#'s: 16516653, 16516654, 16524229, 16524230.

Early aluminum type (97-99 and early 2000)                  Late 2000 and 2001-2004 plastic housing type

Brace and urethane ordering note:
Each 2000-2004 headlight gear kit includes the brace and urethane. This option (Brace and Urethane) is for those that have bought my gear kits before I developed this upgrade and now wish to upgrade to the new side brace(s).

97+ C5 Corvette Headlight Gear
Code	Qty	Description	Item Cost
		97-99 (early 2000) C5 Corvette Complete Headlight Gear Kit(each) $7.00 S&H	$43.00
		97-99 (early 2000) C5 Corvette Complete Headlight Gear Kit(pair) $7.00 S&H	$85.00
		2000-2004 C5 Corvette Complete Headlight Gear Kit (each) $7.00 S&H	$43.95
		2000-2004 C5 Corvette Complete Headlight Gear Kit (pair) $7.00 S&H	$87.00
		Brace and Urethane $4.00 S&H	$6.00
		Braces and Urethane (Pair) $4.00 S&H	$11.00
		Rubber Bumper $3.00 S&H	$3.00
		Rubber Bumper (Pair) $3.00 S&H	$6.00

I just wanted to write and thank you very much for the headlight kit which I just bought and installed in my 2000 Coupe this weekend. You saved me $400+ and gave me a great sense of accomplishment. I found you the night before I was about to bring it in to a dealership and get robbed! I'm no mechanic and your instructions were perfect. I've even reconsidered and may keep the car which is why I was on the C5 Forum to begin with to try and sell. I can't wait to tell everyone with a Vette about your kit and if you ever need another testimonial, you've got it from me.

John in Naples, FL