# Damage to headlights, due to sticking deflectors on!



## 92263 (May 1, 2005)

Having read in MMM regarding cracks appearing on headlights when beam deflectors are fitted, I decided to buy a pair of headlight protectors and stick the deflectors on them. They were purchased mail order from Fomula 4x4, Stone , Staffordshire, tel 01785 811211, they cost £42 inc p&p. If you specify that they are required for continental driving they will send you protectors marked where you should stick the deflectors, which are also included.
Is it just Fords that suffer headlight damage? 
Is fitting deflectors all that is required not to dazzle on coming drivers or do you also have to adjust the direction of the beam manually? First continental trip coming up soon.

Chers Skippy


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## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

SKIPPY said:


> Having read in MMM regarding cracks appearing on headlights when beam deflectors are fitted, I decided to buy a pair of headlight protectors and stick the deflectors on them. They were purchased mail order from Fomula 4x4, Stone , Staffordshire, tel 01785 811211, they cost £42 inc p&p. If you specify that they are required for continental driving they will send you protectors marked where you should stick the deflectors, which are also included.
> Is it just Fords that suffer headlight damage?
> Is fitting deflectors all that is required not to dazzle on coming drivers or do you also have to adjust the direction of the beam manually? First continental trip coming up soon.
> 
> Chers Skippy


Hello Skippy

I see they have gone up to a similar price to Fiats price since we got ours. I paid about £34+ from 4x4 last summer. Fiat & Peugeot also need these lens protector deflector sets. We just stuck the black patches on where shewn. We have a set on permanently tp protect the headlamps. Cheaper to replace than the whole unit in the event of damage. You can remove the patches & use again

Have a good trip

Motorhomer


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Skippy, the beam deflectors do the job on their own. Positioned correctly they should not dazzle any oncoming traffic. Provided of course that your headlights are correctly adjusted for UK use in the first place. I know we see very many each day that are badly adjusted and they usually seem to be on the newer cars (that have never had an MOT). I guess these will dazzle wherever they go!!
Phil.


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## squip (Dec 14, 2005)

My understanding is that the the reason for sticking the beam deflectors to headlamp protectors is that the headlamp lens my well be damaged by trying to remove the deflectors after use. This probably only applies to the later headlamps which have plastic lenses.
For my Boxer, I bought the protectors from a Peugeot dealer for £40 and these came with stick on deflector patches and the protectors were marked to show where to position the deflectors. The protectors clip on and off in seconds.

Squip


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## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

Phil905 said:


> Hi Skippy, the beam deflectors do the job on their own. Positioned correctly they should not dazzle any oncoming traffic. Provided of course that your headlights are correctly adjusted for UK use in the first place. I know we see very many each day that are badly adjusted and they usually seem to be on the newer cars (that have never had an MOT). I guess these will dazzle wherever they go!!
> Phil.


Hello phil

There is one deflector that will deflect without the stick on patches & there is another that are just protectors so you would need to use the stick on patches. This information given me by Fiat dealer.

Motorhomer


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## Snelly (Aug 20, 2005)

I'd love to get some for my 92 fiat ducato, but no where seems to do them when i enquire... they only do them for the post 94 models.


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## solentviews (May 9, 2005)

Hi Snelly, I tried to get some for my Kontiki but as you they start in 94 so unlucky. What I have done is get two pieces of very thin perspex a little over the size of the light and use velcro to stick them on. Black deflectors are on the perspex and then covers velcro on and off as needed. Worked a treat when I was touring abroad in the summer. Velcro on front looking a bit tatty in this british weather.
Ian


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Just been reading this post. I must be a bit green 'cause I didn't know about this. I have a Fiat Ducato 2.8jtd and have been using stick on deflectors all this year for Europe, they are the clear ones as opposed to the orange ones. My headlights seem to be ok. When I have removed these on return to uk haven't noticed any damage. Have yet to remove them this time round having returned recently. How can you damage the lens when removing? I usually peel them off and soak of the residue.
I have never bought any lens protectors.

thanks


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## bill (May 10, 2005)

Hello All

Just a word of warning about fitting and removing the protectors themselves. I got mine from the Peugeot dealer. When fitting be very careful when easing the curved portion of the protector under the underside of the headlamp unit. The same applies to removing them. 

I though I was taking care but managed to crack mine on the outer end of where the bit that clips under the headlight ends. ( Bit of a sharp corner in the molding at this point ) IMHO this is a weak point on these units. 

Hope you follow what I mean.

The thing to do, perhaps, is to only remove them when absolutely necessary.

Happy Christmas.

bill


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Rita, I think it is only the plastic headlight lens or plastic lens protectors that can get damaged by the adhesive from the stick-on beam deflectors. I can't imagine that glass could be damaged in this way. 8)


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Thanks Phil,
My headlamps do seem to be of the plastic type, will have to be careful when I remove these deflectors then. Is it recommended then to buy these headlamp protectors?
Happy Christmas & New Year


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## 89057 (May 12, 2005)

I have only ever used a couple of pieces of insulating tape on each headlight to alter the beam for continental driving. I just stuck it on in the relevant position & trimmed to suit (if you look at the patterning on the lens, the sideways V shape from the middle, gives you the outline to follow).


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Hi,

it was definitely one of the more stupid ideas of car headlight designers to change from glass lenses to this flimsy plastic stuff they use nowadays. There seems to be some component in the adhesive that either directly damages the plastic lens or at least attaches the deflector so firmly that you cannot remove it without damage.

That is one of the advantages of having a motorhome built on a pre-2002 Ducato, as this still has the old-fashioned, sturdy (but maybe not so fancy) glass lenses. No problem to attach or remove deflectors as much as I want. 

By the way, it should be no problem to use standard deflectors even on pre-1994 Ducato headlights. Another option (at least for glass headlights) is to simply cover the appropriate sector of the lens with insulating tape. Much, much cheaper than deflectors.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## Bagshanty (Jul 24, 2005)

Boff, I have to disagree about use of black insulating tape. Being black they build up heat underneath, and I have seen cracked glass result from this. The best solution, IMO, is to buy the foil stick on ones that you cut to shape. I have been using the same set for 12 years, by removing the foils carefully on my return, and reafixing them to the silicon paper they came with.

I shall watch with interest about how best to handle new Ducato headlamps, though.

(One year I went through a whole 4 week trip abroad without them, having forgotten them, and had no problems)

Merry Christmas, all


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Bagshanty said:


> Boff, I have to disagree about use of black insulating tape. Being black they build up heat underneath, and I have seen cracked glass result from this.


Hi,

OK, agreed that black may be not the colour of choice here. Though I am not sure that black builds really up so much heat that this can really lead to cracked glass, a brighter colour like orange or yellow might be better.

The deflecting effect is in any case the same.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## Bagshanty (Jul 24, 2005)

Black absorbs the heat, giving a localised overheating effect, distorting therefore cracking the glass. (I've seen it) Silver foil on the otner hand reflects it, keeping the glass cool

I am just serving up Xmas lunch, and I stop to reply - am I sad or what?

Merry Xmas, anyway.

And for Pusser, "sandy bottoms"


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## 92263 (May 1, 2005)

Boff, the reason headlights are progressively being manufactued in plastic instead of glass, is due to trying to reduce the amount of serious injuries that are caused to pedestrians when struck by vehicles.
Thanks for all the replys.
Skippy.


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## oldun (Nov 10, 2005)

When removing plastic clip on headlamp protectors wait for a warm day as the colder the plastic the more brittle it becomes.


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## 97864 (Feb 25, 2006)

*headlight covers*

hello all

we had trouble finding covers for our pilote,we found a company in northampton called smashguard on 01327 706885 who fitted a security film to our headlights & fog lights for 35 pounds, you cant see that its there and it does not cause any damage to the lights or surrounding area it works the same as having headlight covers stopping stones breaking them etc, i hope this is useful to someone.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

We were somewhat less than pleased to discover that the headlamp protectors/beam deflectors bought for our 2004 Peugeot Boxer from Peugeot do not quite fit our new 2006 model. There is so little in it that it might just be a file-the-retaining-lugs job but it is a nuisance.

G


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## philjohn (May 29, 2005)

Just a quick tip about removing the deflectors is to have the headlights on for a time before attempting to remove as this softens the adhesive nicely. (Dont forget to have the engine running so you don.t flatten the battery)

Phil J


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## SidT (May 9, 2005)

tigger said:


> I have only ever used a couple of pieces of insulating tape on each headlight to alter the beam for continental driving. I just stuck it on in the relevant position & trimmed to suit (if you look at the patterning on the lens, the sideways V shape from the middle, gives you the outline to follow).


Tigger. Our late model Fiat Ducato has clear lenses without any patterning on them to tell you where to fit the deflectors, don't know about other models.
Cheers Sid


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