Fog Lamp Replacement
 

Hello Folks!!...
I did a "search" for "Fog Light Replacement" for an XK8 and found nada... Someone out there must have some knowledge of this. I need to replace everything. It looked as if someone kicked the lenses out of my Jag prior to my purchace. Then they just shoved a smaller set up in the holes just for looks. But my Jag Indie said that most of them just melted out from the heat of the halogen bulbs. At any rate, I need to take the old brackets out and install new brackets and backs. How do the brackets come out?? what type of bolt?screw?whatever do I dismantle it with. Do I have to take out the fender liner, or nose clip? some kind of panel underneath??. I was looking for R&R instructions on my JTIS, but found none. I could sure use a "block of instruction" on this, or pointed in the right direction.
Hahahaaa... I just know that h20boy will say that if I looked, the info will be on page such and such paragraph whatever in the FAQ page..but I'm pretty sure that I did a thorough squint on everything available..;>))) As an aside...I noticed that some early posts had unique icons that did various things...do they still work here? if so, where can a person find them?
Thanks for the help...
Drive On!!...
Fast Freddie

I have no idea what you mean by brackets. The fog lamp lens and housing are all replaced as one unit. The entire assembly bolts to sheet metal brackets in the nose of the vehicle, is this what you mean? I don't know why these brackets would be damaged, or where you would get them.

To remove the 3 mounting bolts from the fog light assembly (8 mm socket iirc), some have removed the front nose to gain access. I went a different route that I find very easy. Remove the front of the wheel liner and peel it back out of the way (very easily done). IIRC you can get to one of the bolts from here. The other two bolts I accessed from the front grill area with a 1/4" ratchet, 1/4" 12-inch extension, a 6" extension, a 1/4" u-joint, and a 1/4" 8-mm socket. The long extension reached the bolts with ease.

The nuts are cast into the plastic housing. In my case, one of the nuts started turning, so I reached in through the open wheel liner and clamped a small vise grip on the plastic around the nut to hold it in place while I removed the bolt from the front.

New fog light assembly was around $180 from the dealer a few years ago.

Dan

Howdy MrTexasDan;
Yes...I ment to say "assembly" (front and backs). as well as bulbs... I just know it will be a special treat. I changed out the parking (pilot) bulbs today. I accessed them by going through the little glass (inspection?) covers. Another challenge when your missing some finger tips...;>))) I pulled my LH visor also...to fix the clips. But used the wrong stuff to secure the clips. So I need to find a hobby store so I can buy some "5 minute epoxy" as per video showing how to do the repair.
Thank you for your reply Dan...
Fred

The wheel liner has an access door, but if you want FULL access to those fog lights, remove the entire liner. BAM, there it is. Easy to get to everything you need. (ok, I could see it, I didn't R&R it or anything.

And no freddie, there isn't a DIY thread on this particular repair/replacement. I challenge you to do a detailed writeup, and put a few pictures of the steps. :) It will be your first FAQ worthy thread, a real honor amongst some of these guys!

Hahahaaa!!!... You've got to be kidding!!!.... Me do a technical write-up with pictures!!... Your talkin' to a guy that can't turn a wrench the same way twice...;>))) I once spent almost a whole day lookin' for a "hose bender" for a 4 inch discharge hose ( my first day as a "Bulk Fuelman" Private at MCAS El Toro 1964). Sort'a like lookin' for a can of compression (My Grandad pulled that one on me too...). I believe I'll take a longer squint at that "challenge" before I decide to pick it up or not...:>)))
Thanks alot h2oboy (whut'a stinker)
Fretfull Freddie

You can do this!!

To be clear, removing the wheel liner lets you see the fog light, it lets you touch the fog light, it even lets you remove one bolt on the fog light. You could even paint a pretty picture on the fog light. But you can't remove the fog light from here ... nuh-uh, no way, nyet.

... and you can't even do that much from the stoopid access door thingy. Takes just a minute to remove the wheel liner.

OK MrTexasDan... you have my undivided attention. It seems that you have contemplated this little gem before. What is your advice? Did you have to remove the grill? What about from under the nose?. What about the black panel under the nose...will that help with the access?. Hahahaaa...I may have to go to a body shop and get it done..:>(((
Thank you again Dan
Slow Freddie

Aw dan, you're scaring dan (you know which one I'm talking to) :)

Please read my post from 8/5 where I describe how I did it (easy). Others have removed the nose.

My old post on fog light repair
 

I made the post below (on another forum) in 2008. The plastic covers I mention were modified by cutting the clips so it snaps into place in the outside recess but I have never seen these parts since. Something like this is a really good idea as it buffers rocks from hitting the glass. This was a really nasty job because of the access problem. Another poster said he used a long extension from the front to get at the problem bolt. I still have a lost 8mm socket somewhere in there.

From 2008:
"My right front fog light was broken out so I acquired the replacement unit and set about replacing it. I searched this and other forums for help ahead of time but there was nothing useful. In my case it turned out to be one of those jobs you don't want to ever see again. The JTIS info on this amounts to "remove three bolts" so no help there.
The access is through the removable panel in the wheel well. This allows one arm. You can turn the wheel hard in (what I did) or remove the wheel, which would be better because you could probably get a look while working. Otherwise it is blind groping and it takes awhile to figure out how to position the tool. The three bolts require an 8mm socket and there is next to no room to work on the top two. I used a short handle 1/4 drive ratchet because there is no room for anything larger. The upper left bolt (right if you are working on the left side) requires a short extension because a support bar is right in the way. I think a flex shaft ratchet would be good but I didn't have one.
In my case things went south when the top bolt nearest the bumper edge (upper right and least accessible in my case) would not come out. I finally deduced after an hour of two or three click ratchet work that the brass insert on that bracket had broken loose. This is in a place that can't be seen and can't be accessed so deduction is all that is left. Since I could not access the problem end the only solution was to use a set of cutters to nibble the plastic fixture away. You can remove most of the parts by releasing two tabs on the side of the assembly. This leaves just the outer surround, mounting brackets, and what remains of the glass lens. I removed all the plastic until just a small remnant the offending bracket remained. Then I jammed a small screw driver into the back end of the offending insert, held that with my right hand through the front opening, while I backed out the bolt with my left hand through the wheel well. This was not fun and a sharp reminder of why I gave up my motor head ways and started hiring professionals. They have the right tools, the right facility, and more patience.
I had purchased some snap on plastic fog light guards that someone is selling on Ebay. These don't work because once in place the replacement light would not line up with the mounting holes. The mounting holes could be modified but that would be really difficult without removing the entire bumper assembly. I'm going to look at modifying these but cutting off the snap arms and tab them in place with some dots of clear marine grade silicone on the edges. The fog lights are prone to being broken by flying rocks so some sort of plastic shield is a good idea. There is a factory shield available but apparently only for VIN's later than mine. I saw them on the britishparts site."