Just finished changing the headlights on my 2000 Ranger. Thanks to your video, it was much easier and less of a hassle than I thought. As you stated, removing the clips was the hardest part of the job. I think I got lucky but the adjustments were within a thread or two of the original. I bought two OEM headlights on Amazon for $105 delivered. I love my 3.0L V-6 5 speed XLT. 23 years old and only 145000 miles. Bought it 7 years ago for $4000 and so far, only another 2 grand invested to keep it on the road. So much better than $30000 for a new one that is TOO BIG. Great job on the video.
Video so much better than others I've seen, and I've watched many. Steady camera, good lighting, clear instructions (including explanations), and a soupçon of humor. I'll be looking for more (1993 Ford Ranger and VW GTI Mk7).
I went and invested $40 in the tools needed, the second headlight took 12 minutes start to finish. Thank you so much for the useful information! The tool I used in addition to your recommendations was a caliper to measure the distance of the retainer instead of counting threads. I will see tonight how closely aligned I came first try.
Replaced the headlights on my 2000 Ranger and found that the previous owner replaced the right hand light at one time (junk yard numbers written across the case). While doing so he bunged up the retaining clips to the point where they were unusable. People who want to change their lights might want to take note of the clip's condition before starting. I purchased 4 new ones from Amazon and received them the next day. Counting the inside threads on the adjusters is a great, time saving tip. Thanks for the video.
Thanks, this video is very helpful! I already had the tools, and only invested $40 in the headlight lamps. I left the turn signal and running lamps, as those were in great shape, and not faded.
Yeah, its true that removing the front fascia is necessary on many cars. It is also true that plastic gets messed with only so many times and then it is junk.
Perfect timing. I want to replace the lamps in my 2000 Ranger and those clips just look like a pain in the butt. Now do all 8 plugs and wires on the 2.5l.
Years ago, I remember coming across a DOT resource intended for folks needing to perform a rudimentary alignment on their headlights. It stated that measurements should be taken 25' from the front of the vehicle. US-DOT "blob" style headlight patterns should have the center of the beam 4" down and 4" to the right at 25' compared to the center of the headlamp on the vehicle, and ECE/Sharp Cutoff style beam patterns should have the "step" be 2" down and 2" to the right at 25' compared to the center of the headlamp on the vehicle. Not sure if the DOT still recommends this, but it seems to work as a good baseline, provided you can find 25' of flat ground with a wall at the end of it! I've used these recommendations for years now without issue. :)
Great video by the way if your replacing them with the stock/OEM lights. I used a long screwdriver to spread the retainer clip ears first then a long piece of coat hanger wire with a hook bent on the end to pull the clip off the lower inner adjuster. The chain auto parts stores have the retainers on the shelf usually (at least O'Reilly does) although you can bend the old ones back in place and use them, at least that's what I did. The replacement lights (NOT OEM) had longer adjuster screws so that was a PITA. I already had the 4mm hex Ford adjustment tool but now there isn't enough space between the end of the adjuster and the body support behind it to get it on. I took the adjusters off the old headlights which were shorter and swapped them out. Ya, I know, long/hard way around but I'm happy and it worked fine. While I was at it I put a cheap set of LED lights in and the difference was night and day over the best ones Sylvania sells for $100/pair. (Cough/ripoff). Just make sure to aim them right to keep from blinding oncoming traffic. I now have LEDs all the way around and CLEAR assemblies front and rear. Well worth the hours spent on it. Looks like a new truck.
Right! Thats why Ive kept my '03 Ranger FX4 around, its so easy to maintain and work on and still runs great although compared to new trucks the 4.0 is atrocious on MPGs lol. Long since paid off and only has 70k miles and totally rust free. Doesn't get used that much but no reason to get rid of it for when we need a truck to haul stuff.
Old post but my tip is to do one headlight, then point the truck at the garage door and adjust it to match the old headlight beam. That way you know exactly where factory had it and then do the other headlight. Yeah you have to stop and close the hood and it does take more time but to not have to screw around with hoping you have the adjustment right its worth it.
This is what I love having gone from a 2014 Mazda6 to a 2001 Corolla. Everything is just...much easier to get to. On the Mazda if I needed to replace the headlights I had to come in from the bottom/drop the bumper. The passenger side headlight was accessible if you had small hands, which I do, but the other side? Good luck if that ever goes out. Corolla? You can pop the headlights out ridiculously easy. Everything is right in front of you, too. I dreaded the day the drive belt needed to be done on the Mazda but on the Corolla it's right there and easily accessible. As much as I loved my Mazda to death I feel like long term I'm 1000x more comfortable with the Corolla just due to ease of maintenance. I missed older cars.
I own a '96 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, and I have videos up, from when I replaced the Headlight Assemblies. Mine were MUCH EASIER to replace than these... (no Snap Ring pliers to be needed). But, this video is of a Ford Ranger, not a 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 :) Great video!
99-04 Mustangs and some later Rangers are the same, two pins easily pull up and whole assemble comes out easily in seconds, I think ford used the pin design on several cars. I love it too works great on the Silverados and various fords as well. I wish they would or would have all used that design.
As the owner of a '93 Ranger and a '07 Silverado Classic, I have to say that replacing bulbs and assembly's on my Silverado is breathtakingly easy compatitively.
I completely agree, just replace the stupid things, chances are it might cost little more, but depending on the vehicle, it could take less time to replace them than go through the process of restoring them. Plus, the plastic itself degrades and becomes less clear, nothing will give a better visibility than brand new lights.
Its even easier on my 2004 ranger. The retaining clips just oull uo by hand snd release the adjustment studs. They are keyholed so when you push them in they slide neatly into a slot on the adjustment knob.
What I appreciated most about your video was the stable camera work, where you didn't bounce from one thing to another. It was very easy to follow your instructions. Thanks.
Man i wish you could show me how to install the fog lights because I just ordered them but I’ve noticed there are no mounts or anything to bolt them on to on the light panel down below
I have a ranger and it needs new headlights. This is perfect thanks, it looks like more a headache than the rear lights, those come out with 2 Philips screws
You don't say what year it is. Those clips on my 2011 Ranger are in a guide and connected top to bottom. Just pull up and it releases and they stay in place. Interesting to see how the markers come out. I found a hack to connect side and front marker bulbs to activate for the signal for more visibility rather than just the side which isn't very visible from the front. Have you done anything on hacks like this?
I have a 1996 Ford ranger and I was intrested in deleting the gap cover and switching the 2 peice lights that came on it stock and see if I could put 3 peices lights in with the lower ones not really worried about the functionality of the bottem light more just looks
I'm glad this video is thorough. But can you please specify the years this video covers. My 03 has a slide in place of the clip that is accessible at the top, without any special tools.
yeah.... i like my 05 f250 3 screws whole assembly pops out, replacing the headlight, pop the hood twist old light out put new one in close hood get in and go
I'm just trying to replace the bulb on my Mazda b2500 I heard the 2000 Mazda was the same as the 1998 ford. Edit: I put the head light in but now the retainer won't go back in
I replaced my headlamps on my ranger. It went well but now the lights bounce up and down. They won't lock in place. Please tell me where I can get headlamp clips? Mine broke as I was taking the lamps out.
Definitely Amazon,O'Reilly's has them where I'm at,I'd call ahead at all the auto parts stores to make sure,or show them the part.A Ford dealership might charge more.
Rather than "counting the threads" and adjusting the headlamps in a two step process or more, and considering the minor cost of a digital caliper, I'd make the following observation and suggestion. Using a caliper, with the headlamps dismounted would likely yield no need for further refinement (adjustment of those headlamps) , accomplishing two other benefits as you proceed: 1) Less wear and tear on those mounting studs. 2) More safety to the would-be adjusting mechanic.
Turn the dashboard dimmer all the way up,you'll feel a click,reverse it when done. There are lots of options for LED replacements for your dome lights,and all exterior lights,now my backup bulbs can almost blind you,literally night and day.
Koryn Nocchi because it's ford, I had a 98 Ranger that had these clamps then I got a 97 f150 that had what yours has and asked myself the same question.
biker932012 I'm open to different brands. my preference is dodge. but I also like gmc/ Chevy, Toyota. yeah as much as i don't like fords the do have some good cars and trucks. but in my past experience ive always had good luck with dodge. both my 94 ram 1500 5.2 and my 07 ram 2500 5.7 have over 250,000. miles and still run great.
Kyle Veilleux everyone has their preferred brand, but this asshats that fanboy all over one brand just buggs the living shit out of me. I've been stranded by chevy more than once and I just have a hard time finding a dodge that I really like, besides the charger. I've never been stranded by a ford even after my axle housing got bent after someone in a fucking cube t-boned me. I drove off while they were getting towed and I actually heard one of the whitens sea yell, "hell yea! Built ford tough!" As I was driving off. But Toyota and Nissan do make some nice trucks I wouldn't mind having.
biker932012 right, I totally agree. its quite annoying. I work on veichles on my spare time. for a while after I got my drivers licence I didnt have a truck. I always borrowed friends. ive driven all kinds of makes and models a result. and also working on them ive gotten to experince the pros and cons of different vehicles. ive always found that, while my dodges do occasionally have their problems the older ones are dirt cheap to maintain and can take a fair bit of abuse. smoking the tires, hauling over the trucks rated capacity, etc. Chevy to me is a bit more expensive but they do have nice features that make them easier to work on. like the headlights i mentioned earlier.. two pins and the pop out. Nissan titans is another example. very strong motors... only truck ive driven that'll do a rolling burn out at 25mph on clean asphalt. a down side is weak rear ends... the spiders always blew apart if you weren't easy on em... so yeah, even though I love my dodges, I can still admit Chevy, dodge, Toyota, Nissan.. hell even honda and ford lol... they all have there good sides and their bad. just some people seem to have better luck than others.
lol look at the headlights on an olds Alero, easiest headlight to remove ever. All you have to do is pull up on two tabs with your finger and the rest of the connectors can be removed with your finger
Im missing all the clips and the headlights point to the ground. The old ones worked good but they were all fogged up. Thats what happens why you may a moron to fix stuff they break everything when they attempt to fix it. Damn.
wayne paynter youtube only counts a view if enough of the video was watched. So if somebody clicked it and hit like then left the video, it would keep the like but not count the view
you call that easy? 3 10mil bolts and the entire headlight / turn signal assembly comes out in my 06 Hyundai tiburon. it takes me less than a minute :3 with modern cars you're considered lucky if anything is easy...
The Evenger to change the low beam bulb on the driver's side on an 08 Dodge charger you have to take the air intake box off. well at least it's not the bumper.
