Disclaimer.
This procedure is a guide to replacing the rectangular rear light cluster with the new carbon effect housing and lights as used on the bike engined cars. You undertake this procedure at your own risk. E.M Engineering accepts no responsibility for damage to any vehicle, however caused, by using this procedure.
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Rear Light Cluster (Old Style) |
Around April 2000, the Vehicle Inspectorate, in the shape of the Southampton testing centre, decided the original rear light cluster did not comply with the SVA 2.5mm radius regulations. Westfield and owners embarked on a fix that required filing the edges of the lenses and reflector, followed by sanding with Wet / Dry paper, and finishing off with metal polish to produce the required radius. This solution was successful and many owners passed SVA using this solution.
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| New Rear Light Cluster |
Following that, Westfield searched for a new rear light cluster that was SVA compliant. Zauber the German Westfield distributor came up with a carbon effect housing with round rear lights. Having seen these lights on a Megabusa at Exeter we decided to change ours.
Tools
Medium Cut Half Round File, Fine blade keyhole saw, Electric Drill, 4mm Drill Bit, 5.5 mm Drill Bit, Dremmel multi-purpose tool fitted with 407 or 408 sanding bands, Flat blade screwdriver, Phillips or X point screwdriver. Socket set including a 8mm Socket, 8mm ring or combination spanner.
Parts,
Rear light kit from Westfield, comprising: Carbon effect rear light housing (2), Stop/ Tail lamps (2), Indicator lamps (2), Reflectors (2), Wiring looms (2). No10 x 15mm Self Tapping Screws (8), M5 Stainless Set Screws (8)
Safety Precautions: Disconnect the battery positive (Red) Terminal before starting work
Procedure, RHS rear lamp cluster. The procedure is repeated for the LHS rear lamp cluster.
Old Rear Lamp Removal
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| Marking the position of the old light cluster |
Place a strip of masking tape across the wheel arch with the edge just touching the top edge of the rear lamp cluster rubber backing plate to mark the lamp cluster position after it has been removed.
Disconnect the rear lamp cluster from the wiring loom by unplugging the connector in the rear wheel arch.
Cut off the connector attached to the rear lamp flying lead. (You should be left with the rear lamp cluster attached to a length of wire)
Remove the rear lamp lens cover.
Undo the 4; M5 bolts holding the rear light assembly to the wheel arch, using the 8mm socket and ring spanner.
Remove the rear light assembly withdrawing the “flying” leads through the hole in the wheel arch.
To protect the surface of the wheel arch and the rear of the body cover the area where the new rear light housing is to be fitted with masking tape
Fitting the new style lamp cluster.
Identify the carbon effect housing. They are contoured to approximate shape to identify left and right side and will only fit in one position. Place in position with the top edge running along the edge of the masking tape, placed earlier to mark the position of the top edge of the rear lights.
The carbon effect housing, though contoured to shape will not be an exact fit since all cars vary slightly in shape and even each side of the car is slightly different. The rear edges of the housing will need to be carefully trimmed to match the contours of the car. The housing follows the contour of the wheel arch, but also extends inboard to follow the contour of the rear of the body
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| Marking the position of the new light cluster. |
Align the top edge of the housing, with the masking tape placed earlier. At the same time align the housing such that the outboard edge lines up with the moulding for the old style lamps in the wheel arch
Holding the housing in the correct position, mark on the masking tape on the housing, where it needs to be trimmed.
Trim the housing to fit using the appropriate hand tools or the Dremmel multi purpose tool. Work carefully and slowly removing the minimum amount of material (You can always take more off but you can’t stick it back on). With care you should get a perfect fit.
Personally, we are not fans of a Plastic to GRP fit without some intervening protection, so we backed the light cluster with 5mm vinyl beading available from VWP. You may find that once the beading is fitted you may have to re-trim the housing to get the best fit. 2nd advantage of backing the housing with the beading is that you can be slightly less accurate with the contour shape and still get an acceptable fit.
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| Marking the fixings |
Cover the wheel arch in masking tape as protection (in case you missed the instruction above). The lamp clusters have 4 Captive “U” nuts already fitted and are secured in place with M 5 Set Screws. (Unfortunately these fixings do not line up with the holes for the old rear lamp cluster.) The position of the “U” nuts needs to be transferred to the wheel arch. Once you have the best fit, place the housing on a piece of thin card. Draw round it and cut out the shape to form a template. Transfer the position of the “U” nuts to the card. Place the template in position on the wheel arch and transfer the position of the “U” nuts to the masking tape. Carefully drill 4, 5.5mm holes corresponding to the “U” nut position in the wheel arch. Temporarily mount the rear lamp housing using the M5 set screws and penny washers.
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| Mark the location of holes for bulb holders |
The housings are already cut and drilled to accept the rear lights and indicators. 2 holes now need to be cut in to the wheel arch to allow clearance for the back of the lamps and permit the bulbs to be replaced without removing the lamps from the housing.
Determine the position of the holes by marking them on the masking tape protecting the surface of the wheel arch fitted earlier. This can be done by carefully drawing round with a pencil using the housing as a guide and template. The diameter of the holes needs to be 40mm diameter.
Remove the housing.
On our car it looked like the inboard hole would straddle the seam between the wheel arch and the body. We checked with Westfield and were assured that the hole should be smaller and would come close to the seam but not break it. We thought about his long and hard and decided that if the bulb holder was to be removed from the back without removing the lamp then the hole would have to be 40mm and would straddle the seam.
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| Inboard hole will cut the seam of the wheel arch / body |
Drill a ring of 4mm holes inside the periphery of the holes to be cut in the wheel arch
Carefully cut the return of the wheel arch and body at the top and bottom of the ring of holes The cut should come between and close to 2 of the bolts securing the wheel arch to the body. This should not weaken the structure
Cut out the hole using a fine blade saw
Smooth out the hole with a half round file or Dremmel multi-purpose tool.
Smooth the returns to provide sufficient clearance for the back of the lamp using a medium cut file or Dremmel multi-purpose tool
Refit the housing as before
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| Light cluster housing in place |
Bulb holders in the wheel arch |
Fit the rear lamps in to the housing, Stop/ Tail (Red) inboard and Indicator (Amber) outboard. Secure using the self-tapping screws. The lamps have twist and fit bulb holders and bulbs already fitted. The stop/tail lamp holder is terminated in a 3-pin plug.) The indicator lamp is terminated in a 2-pin plug.
Connect the pre-formed wiring loom between the rear lights and the vehicle-wiring loom. Drill an additional hole in the wheel arch and body return as necessary and secure the wiring loom to the wheel arch with a “P” clip and an M5 set screw, penny washer, and nyloc nuts
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| Position the reflector |
Fit the rectangular reflector about 25 mm below the lamp housing and centralise on the distance between the rear lights.
Repeat the procedure for the LHS Rear lamp Cluster
When the fitting of the LHS cluster is complete, re-connect the battery
Test all lamps and indicators for serviceability.
Addendum, There are reports of SVA failure with the reflectors mounted in the position above, for being below the minimum height. Check with Westfield for the latest information
