How to get high beam lamp out of housing?

[R1ckM]

I have a 89 325i, the high beam lamp glass was cracked, got a new one but I am not sure how to get the glass/housing out of the main low/high beam bracket they are attached to. There are 3 long screws, two with platstic ends and one short one.
How can I replace the high beam light without tearing anything up?

[Fourbanger]

If you have sealed beams then the bulb and reflector are one part that you replace as a unit.

If you have projectors then you'll see a black cap at the back of the reflector cone.

[Fourbanger]

Scratch that, didn't read closely enough. You have to bake the lights in the oven to get the glue to let go.

Edit: still didn't. See if this answers your question: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=210730

[R1ckM]

farkk, yeah they are sealed. I mean I have a new glass inside the housing already, I just want to swap that in for the cracked one. Is it possible?
Those screws look like a pain since they have plastic looking tabs inside the housing too.

Is there a way to get them out of the main housing of the lamps?
I think that whole thing might melt if i oven it.

[Fourbanger]

See my edit above. That's a stupid "mod" but it might show how to get them apart. I've never replaced a sealed beam bulb so I dunno how it works. If you're trying to fix the glass on a sealed beam, though, just forget it and buy a new bulb.

[R1ckM]

These screws and tabs highlighted in green look tough to get out...




I want to take this whole piece out and swap it with a new one. The area I put green through.

[Fourbanger]

Rotate the white plastic part of the screw seen in the last photo, it should free the whole adjusting screw from the bracket.

From there it'll be easier to get the adjusters off, which may take using a pair of pliers to depress tabs on the little black sockets that the ball of the screws are set into (also seen in the last photo).

[R1ckM]

Alright, got em out and the new ones in, clips and all. Kinda tricky, felt like I was going to break the clips and bend the long screws.