Hymer Headlight repair prototype finished. (1 Viewer)

[GWAYGWAY]

As you may remember there have been several cases of hymer headlamp glasses spontaneously breaking causing financial heartache to the owners. I have been making some covers for my own van and have now reasonably made a complete new lens reapair for one of these. I collected a well smashed left headlamp from SteveandDenise at the Peteborough show. This unit had been hit and smashed by an errant pheasant that totally broke the lens and the body of the light as well.
I have repaired the back of the unit to get a basis to work on then fitted one of my moulded blanks to use as a lens attaching it with grey Sikaseal, you cannot have too many clamps for this as you can see from the photos. the last pictures are the almost finshed unit but without the decorative edging to the lens itself, which on the original is inside of the glass. What are your views on this which is only my prototype and the next one will be better as I improve my technique.

 

[Manic]

Great job, if I had that type of light, I would be very happy with your repair.

 

[Steve and Denise]

Brilliant job Graham that is a excellent alternative to paying for a whole lamp when only a lens is required maybe trim the outside edge with some vynnal as you say

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Larrynwin]

Looks a really good job but hope I won’t need one

 

[Diabalo]

Yea top job matey. You could buy a sheet of decal vinyl cut it to the shape of the lens then mark in about 20mm all the way round cut it out and you would have a nice edging to stick on.

 

[funflair]

Looks great

Martin

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Detnor]

Impressive Graham, too many know what a shattered one looks like.

 

[CazPaul]

Cracking, how much in total was that then for the bits used?

 

[Just smiffy]

What is the lens made of?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Great job Graham, well done.

 

[dalspa]

Looks good, Graham. The Hella glass lens on mine looks to be bonded on in a similar fashion. I have recently bought a set of the protectors that attach with suckers, but haven’t fitted them yet. Am looking to see if possible to also fit a couple of zip ties, just in case the wind gets under and detaches the suckers.

 

[emjaiuk]

I would be more than happy with it as it stands rather than pay Hymer's prices for a new one. Very well done.

Malcolm

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[tonyidle]

I'd be very happy with that - top job!

 

[GWAYGWAY]

What is the lens made of?

This lens is PETG as the polycarbonate is difficult to work without drying it for a few hours to drive off the moisture it gathers in the pores, this moisture if it is still there will boil inside the material and cause bubbles which completely cock the sheet up. PETG does not have that trouble but is only about half as resistant to damage But can be cleaned and is less bothered by scratching as the softer PC. It also forms easier in the moulds. On this damaged one I had to use a bit of polished alluminium tape which does show in the photos, but for a broken lens only, it will be a lot neater. I have slightly changed my template to give a slightly larger overlap that can be trimmed back after the glue has gone off (two days at least) I will try other glues to hold it on as I do not yet know the ability to hold the new lens when being severely pulled. The plastic has about the same stickability as the glass has.
The grey edge the original lens has is on the insdie but I will use two pack to put it outside but some compromise is needed against the setup that Hella has against my shed.

 

[Taran_Las]

Well done​

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[GWAYGWAY]

Looks good, Graham. The Hella glass lens on mine looks to be bonded on in a similar fashion. I have recently bought a set of the protectors that attach with suckers, but haven’t fitted them yet. Am looking to see if possible to also fit a couple of zip ties, just in case the wind gets under and detaches the suckers.

I also made a set for mine and I use suckers but not with water as that get hot in the sun and pops off the glass, I used a little bit of grease. A tiny dob of superglue would make it a fixture and use the nuts to remove it leaving the sucker in place to clean the lenses. It would need a blade to destroy the suckers to remove them.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

Cracking, how much in total was that then for the bits used?

Probably £10 for the actual plastic and a million hours of thinking about how to do it and the moulds. + a bit of a tube of sikaseal glue.

 

[dabhand]

Another satisfied customer, great job and I now have a fully working spare, well done Graham and thanks

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Baldeagle7470]

I think that’s great,well done you.
Now we have just bought a 2010 B518CL will be watching your thread,great idea.