Quality head light replacement.

[richards72chevy]

Just looking for a stock replacement that will last.Mine are faded and i have refurbished thim several times and they just yellow again.

[Just call me Sean]

They all yellow. It's what they do.

[truckdude239]

the 3m heavy duty kit with clear coat is what i use at work it keeps them clear for about 3 years

[richards72chevy]

Thanks for the input I found some through GM I will probably get those.

[truckdude239]

Good deal althea aftermarket lights suck that's why I try to restore and clear coat factory lights aw much as possible

[EVRLET]

I wondered why they yellowed quickly and so I did some low budget experimenting. I have 4 NBS trucks and they all have aftermarket headlamp assemblies. I live in Vegas and so the heat is nice and toasty.

All my trucks had the headlamps with all chrome housing. I’m not talking about just the reflective portion, but the outer edge of the housing too. The factory headlamps are black edged.

My research showed that the all chrome housing started yellowing within the first year. The brand did not matter. Could the reflection be the issue, who knows.

When I switched to a black housing, either all black inside or just the outer edge black, the lens did not yellow. This pic of the black edged housing is 2.5 years old, on a daily driver truck, that’s parked outside 24-7, soaking up the Vegas heat. The all black housing is about 2 years old parked outside 24-7. The yellow headlamp is the all chrome one and is just under 1 year old.

I’m convinced that the all chrome ones yellow more than black housing ones. Maybe I got a good batch or maybe the all chrome one reflected too much and accelerated the yellowing.

[Redneck Rydes]

I have had good luck with TYC products on my projects.

[richards72chevy]

Originally Posted by EVRLET

I wondered why they yellowed quickly and so I did some low budget experimenting. I have 4 NBS trucks and they all have aftermarket headlamp assemblies. I live in Vegas and so the heat is nice and toasty.

All my trucks had the headlamps with all chrome housing. I’m not talking about just the reflective portion, but the outer edge of the housing too. The factory headlamps are black edged.

My research showed that the all chrome housing started yellowing within the first year. The brand did not matter. Could the reflection be the issue, who knows.

When I switched to a black housing, either all black inside or just the outer edge black, the lens did not yellow. This pic of the black edged housing is 2.5 years old, on a daily driver truck, that’s parked outside 24-7, soaking up the Vegas heat. The all black housing is about 2 years old parked outside 24-7. The yellow headlamp is the all chrome one and is just under 1 year old.

I’m convinced that the all chrome ones yellow more than black housing ones. Maybe I got a good batch or maybe the all chrome one reflected too much and accelerated the yellowing.

That's part what is wrong with mine is the discoloration on the inside of the light.My truck is old and beat up so I didn't really want a custom headlight assembly but it would be worth it if the don't yellow up over time.

[1971 GMC SHORTY]

Originally Posted by EVRLET

I wondered why they yellowed quickly and so I did some low budget experimenting. I have 4 NBS trucks and they all have aftermarket headlamp assemblies. I live in Vegas and so the heat is nice and toasty.

All my trucks had the headlamps with all chrome housing. I’m not talking about just the reflective portion, but the outer edge of the housing too. The factory headlamps are black edged.

My research showed that the all chrome housing started yellowing within the first year. The brand did not matter. Could the reflection be the issue, who knows.

When I switched to a black housing, either all black inside or just the outer edge black, the lens did not yellow. This pic of the black edged housing is 2.5 years old, on a daily driver truck, that’s parked outside 24-7, soaking up the Vegas heat. The all black housing is about 2 years old parked outside 24-7. The yellow headlamp is the all chrome one and is just under 1 year old.

I’m convinced that the all chrome ones yellow more than black housing ones. Maybe I got a good batch or maybe the all chrome one reflected too much and accelerated the yellowing.

I Bought New ACDelco Headlights And Had UV Protection Clear 3M Film Put on And They Still Look New after 5 Years

[hatzie]

I installed GM headlamps and turn/DRL with Lamin-x UV film in late 2018.
So far so good. The New England sun seems to tear stuff up worse than it did in Hotlanta, Kansas City, and Cincinnati. I wonder if it's related to the latitude. Dunno.

The sun in Denver, Flagstaff, and the Salt Lake valley seems to be pretty rough on stuff too. Noticeably worse than Phoenix or Santa Fe... Maybe altitude???

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by hatzie

I installed GM headlamps and turn/DRL with Lamin-x UV film in late 2018.
So far so good. The New England sun seems to tear stuff up worse than it did in Hotlanta, Kansas City, and Cincinnati. I wonder if it's related to the latitude. Dunno.

The sun in Denver, Flagstaff, and the Salt Lake valley seems to be pretty rough on stuff too. Noticeably worse than Phoenix or Santa Fe... Maybe altitude???

I'm suprised the GM ones are still available.

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

I'm suprised the GM ones are still available.

I bought mine on evilbay in 2018

• GM Silverado 99-02 RH Headlamp 16526134
• GM Silverado 99-02 LH Headlamp 16526133
  
• GM Silverado 03-07 RH Headlamp 10396912
• GM Silverado 03-07 LH Headlamp 10396913

I can't say whether any are still available or pricing but these are the OEM part numbers.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by hatzie

I bought mine on evilbay in 2018

• GM Silverado 99-02 RH Headlamp 16526134
• GM Silverado 99-02 LH Headlamp 16526133
  
• GM Silverado 03-07 RH Headlamp 10396912
• GM Silverado 03-07 LH Headlamp 10396913

I can't say whether any are still available or pricing but these are the OEM part numbers.

I know this is an old post, but are Silverado Headlamps the same as the Tahoes in 2003?

[richards72chevy]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I know this is an old post, but are Silverado Headlamps the same as the Tahoes in 2003?

I think Silverado went to the cat eye head light starting in 03 but Tahoe's and suburban kept the old style headlights for what ever reason.The bulbs and the bulb sockets interchange.I had about five bulb sockets that corroded and I replaced them with an 06 from a local wrecking yard.

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I know this is an old post, but are Silverado Headlamps the same as the Tahoes in 2003?

Your rig likely uses the 99-02 headlamp assemblies.

Originally Posted by richards72chevy

I think Silverado went to the cat eye head light starting in 03 but Tahoe's and suburban kept the old style headlights for what ever reason.The bulbs and the bulb sockets interchange.I had about five bulb sockets that corroded and I replaced them with an 06 from a local wrecking yard.

1999-2002 Silverado


2003-2007 Silverado


2003 Tahoe.
Looks kinda like the 1999-02 Silverado


1999-2007 Sierra


2003 GMC Yukon
Looks like the Sierra nose.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by hatzie

Your rig likely uses the 99-02 headlamp assemblies.



1999-2002 Silverado
Attachment 2345679

2003-2007 Silverado
Attachment 2345680

2003 Tahoe.
Looks kinda like the 1999-02 Silverado
Attachment 2345697

1999-2007 Sierra
Attachment 2345681

2003 GMC Yukon
Looks like the Sierra nose.
Attachment 2345696

I was at NAPA buying oil, and asked the counter guy. He looked it up, and pulled a Halogen element bulb off the rack, and even installed it for me. Under 9 bucks. I would never have figured out the ''Tent Stake'' deal. Worked perfect, and I bought a spare, in case the P/S burns out.

[Getter-Done]

Bringing this to the top for the great information.

I just purchased a 2003 Tahoe.

I bought a Cheap set of lights and billet grill on E bomb.

The fog lights are acceptable the blinker lights are okay.
The headlights are junk.
In the picture below you can see the gap under the lights.

The driver's side is the worst fitting of the two.

['68OrangeSunshine]

It's funny. Two years ago [this month] when I bought my '03 'Hoe, the passenger side Fog Light was smashed, but the Driver Side was there. Not sure if the bulb worked.
Now my other Fog Light is smashed, and I don't recall any incident that did it.
They are replaceable via LMC or Rock Auto, but I'm not fixing them if I don't really use them.
Some other front end lights are out.
[need pix]
More concerning is the bleary look of the main headlights. I know there are all kinds of remedies: sanding them down and applying some clear agent, mostly. I'd rather just drop fresh lenses on and not worry about it.

Hatzie asked in Post #10 if Altitude has anything to due with sunlight? It's the thinner atmosphere at highter elevations that allows stronger UV levels to attack susceptable substances.