Hi folks!

I was experiencing intermittent headlight door operation from my '90 Reatta. Finally, I had enough of it and ordered some parts from Eckler's in FL (p/n 29304), in anticipation of finding worn rollers in the mechanisms' clutch. Armed with Mr. Eaton's superb instructions, I began the project. After disassembly, I was pleased to discover that my gear mechanism has aluminum rollers inside the clutch, so no replacement of rollers was necessary; I will post the P/Ns for those motor assemblies later (I'm going to dig back into the Reatta again for some fine tuning of the geometries).

As Mr. Eaton points-out, the bellcrank arm has very little material in contact the flats on the gear shaft. In my particular case, I noticed that the bolt that retains the bellcrank arm to the gear shaft was loose on both door mechanisms. And this alone was responsible for poor headlight door operation. It is my opinion, that should anyone be interested in prolonging the lifespan of their obsoleted bellcrank arm, that they attend to this item thoroughly. Considering basic physics, there is no good reason for the softer bellcrank material to wear unless its retaining nut loosens: allowing for misalignment and wear to occur. Therefore, I fashioned two customized washers according to Mr. Eaton's recommendations.

The following is a list of materials used for my headlight door overhaul (all readily available from a decent hardware store):

2x M6 (6mm) flat fender washer
2x M6-1.00 jam nut (M6 is size - 1.00 is thread pitch)
2x 1/4-20 x 1" NYLON hex bolt
6x 1/4-20 NYLON hex nut

After customizing the flat fender washers creating two flat surfaces, and enlarging the round 'ends' to accommodate the gear shaft, they were ready for installation on the 'outside' of the bellcrank between the retaining nut and bellcrank proper. As Mr. Eaton points-out, this will add a little more effective area for the bellcrank to use (IF and ONLY IF the retaining nut is secure). This is where the jam nut plays its role. After tightening the bellcrank retaining nut, add the M6-1.00 jam nut to prevent the retaining nut for vibrating loose.

The nylon hardware was used to replace the aged & embrittled 'bump stop' hardware. I will post more detailed pics & diagrams later. Regards

I just checked www.reatta.net and the washer has been removed....mainly because it did not solve the problem for an extended period of time. See link below.

http://www.reatta.net/headlight_repair.html

This piece of bent strap works better but the real solution is my steel replacement bellcrank.

I recognized that the modified washer was not a cure-all. Only the friction (between the washer, bellcrank, and retaining nut made the washer's flats against the bellcrank shaft's flats) would produce any gains. I am of the opinion that adding jam nuts will prove to be very helpful, as the jam nut will prevent the retaining nut from vibrating loose. Considering the headlight doors are subject to road vibrations and constant buffeting from the headwinds at highway speeds, that retaining nut is a root cause for the mechanism to deteriorate.

The modified strap is definitely a better idea as it becomes a more unitized system than the washer. Perhaps I am all wet about the efficacy of a jam nut; I'll keep you folks posted.

I repaired my headlights. The plastic rollers in it were good but I replaced them as a precaution since I already had new ones. My problem was the bellcrank had completely rounded out on the inside.

I easily repaired my bellcranks by drilling and tapping each side of the bell crank for a 10-32 x 1/4" (flat nose) set-screw. The set-screws are tightened up on the flats of the shaft, on opposing sides. I added a little blue Locktite to the threads of the set screws to keep them from backing off. The bell cranks have been used on the car for over a year now. They are still tight and working perfectly.

There are numerous ways of repairing the headlight bellcrank. Some work better and last longer than others.
The basic problem is the soft zinc material of the factory bellcrank.

Many Reatta owners do not have the equipment/tools to drill and tap or make other modifications and/or are relying on a mechanic to do the work.

I was looking for a solution that most owners could do with a few tools, or they could give the part to a mechanic and the mechanic could install the replacement part.

If you have the tools and skills, you can make the same part I sell......it is a Pontiac bellcrank. It must be reformed to shorten the throw. A piece of steel must be welded to the end to replicate the stop. The Pontiac part has a plastic stud that the link snaps on. I do not use the plastic part because many are damaged and sometimes melt when the welding is done.

Using Barney's bellcranks is the fastest and easiest way to repair your Reatta headlights if a worn bellcrank is the problem. I should have said that in my previous post.

Barney is right, the drilling and tapping does require extra time and some experience using hand tools.

Installing Barney's bellcranks would be the best solution if you have the extra money. I was just offering an alternative way of cheaply repairing the bellcrank that worked well for me.

At the time of installation, I did not have available time to do the work myself.

It was fun to hear how much the people at my free standing Buick shop of lots of years appreciated how easy it was to use Barney's replacement parts.

Tom T

BarneyCranks...BooKoo # 1 ....

I have not heard that expression in 40 years... but I do agree. KennyV.