My high beam lamps went down......

[jaywish]

True. The last time I used spline was on some auxiliary head bolts on a 73 Opel engine. So most probably 6pt torx. Good to have in your kit anyway as they pop up on many diverse things. Just swapped in a main board on a dishwasher last week and the panel screws were torx. The seat belts are probably held by size 50T (torx). The door strikers, the same iirc.

[DerekTheGreat]

leave it to General Morons to fuck up headlight screws.

Can confirm, my GM trucks have all had those torx bits. But at least they've all turned when I needed them to or snapped off to allow me to get what I was after in yards Why yes, I may have 2 or 4 spare OE high beams for my K1500...

Those screws being Philips has been a gigantic thorn in my side every time I've had to fuss with them. Philips is perhaps the worst screw head in the history of screw heads due to the great disparity between its design intentions and how it works in reality. With one of those guys corroded, you end up with lifetime headlamps...

Whoa.. He lives!

[jaywish]

Here are some options for better quality sockets. That set for $125 is a very good deal.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SK-TOOLS-12...oX:rk:181:pf:0

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SK-Hand...ud:rk:185:pf:0

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sk-Hand-Too...wAAOSwty5bsLpT

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SK-tools-To...Lb:rk:153:pf:0

[Toploader]

Since the screws are mucho rusted I was able to actually find the FoMoCo p/n of these things:

N610051S45

the hunt now begins

[gadget73]

Its probably an 8-32 x 3/8 or so pan head screw. I wouldn't get too worried about OE Ford hardware, just take a trip to the hardware store and match the thread with whatever they have in stainless steel.

[Toploader]

Its probably an 8-32 x 3/8 or so pan head screw. I wouldn't get too worried about OE Ford hardware, just take a trip to the hardware store and match the thread with whatever they have in stainless steel.

Have to first determine what kind of screw head they are, then purchase a cheap driver for their removal.

[sly]

If you have small flat-heads, try them for size and see if any fit real tight. I've done that trick before on several hex and star heads.

[Toploader]

Sly I have been spraying the screws with WD-40 for the last two days....so that I will not be faced with frozen/rusted fasteners holding on that headlamp door. Will try several flat head drivers and see if i can work them loose. Btw, the replacement headlamp is made in China, I have no idea why I am surprised;-(

If you have small flat-heads, try them for size and see if any fit real tight. I've done that trick before on several hex and star heads.

[bgreywolf]

If I had to guess, the original screw was rusty so a previous headlight-changer used whatever screw was on hand, and it was a GM torx head. Dorman still sell replacement headlight bezels and screws, but like most Dorman stuff they're made to a price. Buy the bezel if you need it, but whoever suggested the stainless replacement has steered you right. I'd replace all the headlight screws while you're in there, with a dollop of grease, and 5 years from now you'll have the right screwdriver, bulb, and screw on hand (buy an extra screw or two for the emergency bin: I have a small box in the spare tire with fuses, a couple extra lug nuts, common screws and bolts, a couple pairs of rubber gloves, and other such things). The rubber gloves keep things from rattling, and of course keep your hands clean.

[DerekTheGreat]

..Btw, the replacement headlamp is made in China..

This is exactly why I scope out OEM high beams in the yards for our glass headlight equipped Chevy truck. Ford stuff was unfortunately plastic lensed so no point in taking those. I went through THREE Chinese made Sylvania low beams on my truck before I finally got one that didn't blow after a few days. Damn shame. Replacement parts are so dodgy that it won't be possible to keep old stuff on the road before too long..

[Toploader]

LOL......all eight screws are the same??? I checked....typical of Ford, new headlamp doors do not come with any screws, they make you buy them separately:-( Funny i keep a sheet pot of spares in the trunk of my Studebaker, cause ain't no way I go to the local Pep-Boys for spares;-)

If I had to guess, the original screw was rusty so a previous headlight-changer used whatever screw was on hand, and it was a GM torx head. Dorman still sell replacement headlight bezels and screws, but like most Dorman stuff they're made to a price. Buy the bezel if you need it, but whoever suggested the stainless replacement has steered you right. I'd replace all the headlight screws while you're in there, with a dollop of grease, and 5 years from now you'll have the right screwdriver, bulb, and screw on hand (buy an extra screw or two for the emergency bin: I have a small box in the spare tire with fuses, a couple extra lug nuts, common screws and bolts, a couple pairs of rubber gloves, and other such things). The rubber gloves keep things from rattling, and of course keep your hands clean.

[gadget73]

All the headlight bezel screws are the same. I've never seen any headlight come with new bezels or screws. As far as I know all of mine are original to the car. Still working fine after all these years too. Don't crank them in super hard either, if you strip the threads out of the bucket you won't enjoy replacing it.

[slack]

The last time I used spline was on some auxiliary head bolts on a 73 Opel engine.

Oddly enough, on my '89, the bolt that clamps the steering shaft to the gear box is a spline bolt (that was a bolt though, not a screw like the headlamps in question). Had to buy a set of spline sockets in the middle of changing out the gear box because of it. Not sure if that's normal or it was also replaced at some point in the past. Looked original though.. or at least very old.

If the screws are too rusty to screw out with the right screw driver, you can always carefully take a drill bit and drill them out and replace with new stainless screws.

[87gtVIC]

Oddly enough, on my '89, the bolt that clamps the steering shaft to the gear box is a spline bolt (that was a bolt though, not a screw like the headlamps in question). Had to buy a set of spline sockets in the middle of changing out the gear box because of it. Not sure if that's normal or it was also replaced at some point in the past. Looked original though.. or at least very old.

That is normal.

[gadget73]

I used a common 12 point socket, worked fine. The bolts holding the driveshaft in are also 12 point, and a box wrench will get them, provided you can get the bastard things loose.