Headlight Fail in NCT. Small bracket broken

greenasgrass

Hi,

My girlfriend failed the NCT on her 03 Micra (new shape) due to a bracket on the headlight being broken. The bracket is part of the lamp structure so a new lamp will set me back €150 + VAT. The headlight is perfect otherwise.

Question is could I just glue the bracket as a repair. I assume the NCT tech will scrutinise it as it has been flagged now but is a glue repair ok for the NCT?

voxpop

What does the bracket do ? If the quality of the repair is good then it should be ok - it would be a visual inspection Im guessing (unless its to do with alignment), which is free anyway

_Conrad_

greenasgrass wrote: »

Hi,
new lamp will set me back €150 + VAT.



is a glue repair ok for the NCT?

Second hand lamp.... presumably much cheaper, just check all the mountings before purchase.




As for glue.... maybe... only maybe though. Depending on who looked at it, if it was verey neat and tidy and looked like a very solid job then it might pass but i wouldn't count on it

greenasgrass

voxpop wrote: »

What does the bracket do ? If the quality of the repair is good then it should be ok - it would be a visual inspection Im guessing (unless its to do with alignment), which is free anyway

It's the top bracket for holding the lamp onto the car bodywork. Just a small plastic bracket with a hole for a bolt. It's a retest on the light machine so there is a fee.

Any reccomendation for a breakers yard for the spare part?

voxpop

greenasgrass wrote: »

It's the top bracket for holding the lamp onto the car bodywork. Just a small plastic bracket with a hole for a bolt. It's a retest on the light machine so there is a fee.

Any reccomendation for a breakers yard for the spare part?

You could prob make a metal bracket , but yeah a light from a scrap yard is prob the best/easiest solution. Trynors up the north have a van that comes to dublin twice a week afaik -where are you based.

greenasgrass

voxpop wrote: »

You could prob make a metal bracket , but yeah a light from a scrap yard is prob the best/easiest solution. Trynors up the north have a van that comes to dublin twice a week afaik -where are you based.

Sound. Based in Maynooth.

Was talkin to a lad here in the local garage. Going to try glue it with Araldite which looks pretty strong. We'll chance our arm at the retest (€28 lost) and if it fails get a second hand part. I think it's worth a shot.

I emailed NCT to see if a glue repair is acceptable (obviously accepting that it is up to the NCT tech to judge on the day). Probably get back some bull from them but will post the response if I get it.

Thanks for the help.

voxpop

Ive had wipers and other bits tied on with cable ties without issue. I assume,once the repair is decent, there shouldnt be an issue. The light must have been pointing down towards the ground without the top bracket and the guy couldnt do the headlight alignment test - so once its fixed it should be ok

greenasgrass

voxpop wrote: »

Ive had wipers and other bits tied on with cable ties without issue. I assume,once the repair is decent, there shouldnt be an issue. The light must have been pointing down towards the ground without the top bracket and the guy couldnt do the headlight alignment test - so once its fixed it should be ok

Yeah it's lose and moving maybe 5mm each way when you shake it. It can't be that far out of alignment but it's a fail without doubt.

I think if the repair is good they'll pass it. I've mostly found the NCT guys fairly sound every time I've been in over the years.

greenasgrass

http://images.esellerpro.com/2230/I/439/62/HL0138.jpg

It's the small tab bracket on the top of this pic.

L-M

Get a small piece of thin metal, cut it to size, hold the light in place and glue it over.

That'll do the job and there's no reason it should fail.

Chuck_Norris

Limerick man wrote: »

Get a small piece of thin metal, cut it to size, hold the light in place and glue it over.

That'll do the job and there's no reason it should fail.

I could be wrong on this one, but headlamp brackets when repaired afterwards by glueing them, can be a pain to get the alignment correct.

OP, Limerickmans plan is sound, but Araldite may possibly be slightly too flexible a glue to use. Give Paul in CPL Motor Factors a shout tomorrow, and see what he has in stock that might be more rigid.

And get the headlight alignment checked after you've glued it.

L-M

I fixed my last Golfs headlight that way, and never had a problem with alignment. The car is now sold but if it wasn't I would put up a pic

greenasgrass

I fixed it with the Araldite and it's rock solid. Took the whole light fitting out of the car and did it indoors. Letting it set for the weekend so it's bulletproof. It's a really good job by the looks of things

I'll check the alignment once I have it back in.

Will let ye know if it passes. Retest is next thurs.

Chuck_Norris

Limerick man wrote: »

I fixed my last Golfs headlight that way, and never had a problem with alignment. The car is now sold but if it wasn't I would put up a pic

I'm not doubting you at all LM. Just saying that sometimes alignment can be a bastard. If you don't get both ends of the broken bracket completely flush.

greenasgrass

Dear ******,

Thank you for your recent enquiry. Unfortunately, we would not be able to confirm this is expectable as a visual inspection would be necessary to ascertain the glues strength. You need to bring the glue repair to the centre and they will be able to advise you if it is strong enough once they have inspected the vehicle.

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me.

Kind Regards,

**********

Cryptic response and bad grammer just in from NCTS. Looks like it will be up to the NCT tech on the day.

L-M

greenasgrass wrote: »

Cryptic response and bad grammer just in from NCTS. Looks like it will be up to the NCT tech on the day.

Which is only fair, as one mans glue job could be alot worse than the next.

mickdw

Are there repair kits available for the clips on that car?
I know audi do repair kits for most headlight clips. Very neat solution where you grind off the old clip and the part from the kit is shaped to fit over the location of the old clip and is screwed into the casing.

greenasgrass

So the car passed for anyone who's interested. No problems at all.

Got the headlights alligned professionally post my repair just in case. He said they were still ok but adjusted them slightly.

The armalite is still holding strong after a run up to leitrim at the weekend on some pretty bad roads so plenty of vibration.

bmaxi

greenasgrass wrote: »

The armalite is still holding strong after a run up to leitrim at the weekend on some pretty bad roads so plenty of vibration.

I thought you guys had graduated to Kalashnikovs. :cool:

greenasgrass

D'OH!

*Araldite