Headlight tab repair

[M4J0R T0M]

I have an opportunity to get some icons for cheap but they have broken tabs. They will come with a tab repair kit but I've never done anything like that before. Anyone have any experience repairing broken headlight tabs? Any tips or tricks? It doesn't look to bad from the videos I've seen on youtube.

[j3ff12ey28]

Originally Posted by M4J0R T0M

I have an opportunity to get some icons for cheap but they have broken tabs. They will come with a tab repair kit but I've never done anything like that before. Anyone have any experience repairing broken headlight tabs? Any tips or tricks? It doesn't look to bad from the videos I've seen on youtube.

Pretty straight forward and easy. Actually did this myself since I retrofitted ICONS on my F80 as well that had broken tabs and used the OEM repair kit tabs. Depending on where the break is you more than likely will have to cut, shave, sand down the plastic (where the break occurred from the original now broken tabs) in order for the new tabs to sit nicely flush and in place/screw on. Having a dremel to help cut/sand/shave helps a ton. Other than that you'll see there are existing holes by the tabs where you'll screw in the new tabs w/ the provided screws from the kit. Hope this helps.

[M4J0R T0M]

Originally Posted by j3ff12ey28

Pretty straight forward and easy. Actually did this myself since I retrofitted ICONS on my F80 as well that had broken tabs and used the OEM repair kit tabs. Depending on where the break is you more than likely will have to cut, shave, sand down the plastic (where the break occurred from the original now broken tabs) in order for the new tabs to sit nicely flush and in place/screw on. Having a dremel to help cut/sand/shave helps a ton. Other than that you'll see there are existing holes by the tabs where you'll screw in the new tabs w/ the provided screws from the kit. Hope this helps.

That's a great help, thanks man. I'm pretty familiar with my dremel so maybe it wont be so bad. How was the fitment/alignment of your icons with the repaired tabs?

[j3ff12ey28]

Originally Posted by M4J0R T0M

That's a great help, thanks man. I'm pretty familiar with my dremel so maybe it wont be so bad. How was the fitment/alignment of your icons with the repaired tabs?

I think BMW did a good job in that they came up with a solid solution in the event the original tabs were to break. I don't think they are any weaker/compromised with replacement tabs. You should have the same amount of adjustment with the replacement tabs in place. From what I could tell they were designed to perfectly fit exactly how the original tabs were so long as you do a good job with the prepping of the old/broken area as discussed. Not sure which tabs on yours are broken but also depending on which tab and if it's a clean break sometimes prep work isn't even involved. One of my tabs I remember just screwing the new replacement in place. My best advice for alignment is to loosely secure the headlight in place, reinstall the front bumper and then make your headlight alignment/adjustment with the bumper in place since the bumper really is the reference point to proper headlight alignment. You can adjust and have access to all the headlight screws via the engine bay and behind the headlight so long as you remove the fender liner which is extremely easy and quick to do.

[M4J0R T0M]

Originally Posted by j3ff12ey28

I think BMW did a good job in that they came up with a solid solution in the event the original tabs were to break. I don't think they are any weaker/compromised with replacement tabs. You should have the same amount of adjustment with the replacement tabs in place. From what I could tell they were designed to perfectly fit exactly how the original tabs were so long as you do a good job with the prepping of the old/broken area as discussed. Not sure which tabs on yours are broken but also depending on which tab and if it's a clean break sometimes prep work isn't even involved. One of my tabs I remember just screwing the new replacement in place. My best advice for alignment is to loosely secure the headlight in place, reinstall the front bumper and then make your headlight alignment/adjustment with the bumper in place since the bumper really is the reference point to proper headlight alignment. You can adjust and have access to all the headlight screws via the engine bay and behind the headlight so long as you remove the fender liner which is extremely easy and quick to do.

Excellent, thanks again.

[Spun Crankhub]

Headlight tab repair is literally a 1 of 10 difficulty scale. I'm gonna go on ebay to look for the set of lights you are looking at and buy them first mwahahahaha