Great how to Clive (as always) :broon:

Good idea about the bulb upgrade

 

Great how to Clive (as always) :broon:

Good idea about the bulb upgrade

A big fan of LEDs. Less power drain and longer life.

 

Thorough, as always :broon:

 

Went to do this exact job today only to find our screws are a rusted mess as I suspected they would be. Seriously, what was the price difference between a useless screw and a screw that could last a few years??

I also tried to take the rear bumper off to fit the new rear grillle - guess what? :guns4:

 

Elves came out of the bumper and attacked you? :wooman:

 

Damn those bumper elves!

 

Good how-to :broon:

 

just a thought - put vasaline onto thescrew heads on the new screws -stop them turning in to a rusty mess

 

Or spend a few pence on stainless ones.

 

Helpful thread!

Very handy - I literally couldn't tell what the lens was held on with - they looked more like pop rivets they were so corroded. At least I know what I'm looking at now, thanks.

 

Big thanks Clive. Will be changing to stainless screws this weeekend, Plus gassed on friday, battery drill charged and ready to go
Peace
John

 

The TF should have failed the last MOT as one of it’s number plate lights was out.

Luckily the tester turned a blind eye and made me to promise to fix it.

This should be a simple job to do.

Simply unscrew the 2 cross head screws that hold the clear plastic cover on





Lever out the clear cover and you will see the festoon lamp


The lamp itself just pulls out of the holder.

Replace with a new lamp.

Refit cover ensuring that the gasket is seated properly and replace the 2 screws holding the lens in place.

Nothing could be simpler.......Unless it is an MG.

Unfortunately, what you will probably find is 2 rusted lumps that should be the screw heads as MG used its famous high quality screws.


.

You havn't done it on a Disco then. Just the same pita. May be they used the same batch of screws.

 

You got a link for the holders Clive? Mine needs replacing

 

I think I got them off ebay.

 

You can get them from the usual places though

http://www.ukmgparts.com/product.as...D=a8e14a77-b922-41ca-8353-f2b3f41f4b6f&PID=ff2a9fab-763e-47a1-8363-44a454ad5425

http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-XFC000200

 

**** them prices :lol:

 

I fitted a set from a Streetwise, they need a little modification but fit fine, I have pics on the PC at home, will have to upload them.


You could probably fit standart ROVER 200/25/ZR pre 2004 units too. :broon:

 

LEDs ahhhhhhhhhh

 

The TF should have failed the last MOT as one of it’s number plate lights was out.

Luckily the tester turned a blind eye and made me to promise to fix it.

This should be a simple job to do.

Simply unscrew the 2 cross head screws that hold the clear plastic cover on

Lever out the clear cover and you will see the festoon lamp

The lamp itself just pulls out of the holder.

Replace with a new lamp.

Refit cover ensuring that the gasket is seated properly and replace the 2 screws holding the lens in place.

Nothing could be simpler.......Unless it is an MG.

Unfortunately, what you will probably find is 2 rusted lumps that should be the screw heads as MG used its famous high quality screws.

What does this mean for you? It means that a screwdriver will not move them as the cross point will just round off.

Sooo, what you need now is a drill.

Drill until the heads just fall off or can be gently levered off.

Do not drill too deep.

If you get it just right, then you will be left with a stub long enough to grip with a pair of long nosed mole grips, or similar.

Once the lense is removed you should be able to get just enough grip to unscrew the rusted screw.

Now change the festoon lamp and use 2 new screws to fix the lense back in place.


I wasn’t that lucky, so I bought 2 new units. Won them off ebay for around £23.50 inc p&p.

To remove the 2 light units

You need to remove the number plate as it fouls the inside edges of the lights.

If you are lucky, you should now be able to use a large bladed screwdriver to push under the nearside lip and push each unit towards the driver’s side and lever it away from the bumper.

If you have been successful, the light will be hanging by its cable. Do this to both units, open the boot, disconnect the cable connectors and push the grommets and the cables through the holes.

Refit the new light units by feeding the cables up through the holes and locating the units into the driver’s side first and then pushing the unit up until the nearside clicks into place. Reconnect the cables and refit the grommets.

I chose to remove the bumper.

http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=288282

Now you can get access to the 2 light units.

And push them out as described.

It takes a bit of force so just be careful you don’t damage the bumper or paintwork.

Now push in the new light units.

And refit the bumper.

I replaced the screws in the light units with stainless steel self tappers, so hopefully next time I won’t have this problem.

I also bought 2 LED festoon lamps off e-bay

and fitted them. They give a better white light and should last longer.

Remember, if fitting LED lamps they only work one way round, so if they don’t work, take them out, turn them around and refit them.

Also the led bits need to be turned in the direction you want the light to go. If you fit them upside down they won’t light the number plate very well.

Will led lights be effective as number plate lights?

 

Why wouldn't they?

 

Yes, they are much better, I have 9LED festoons in mine.

 

I did mine last winter, another 5 minute job that took ages in the end I had to enlist the help of my son armed with drill etc but the end result looks so much better!
Before

After

 

Excellent Reg number :broon:

 

Great upgrade, can't see why they would frown on you improving its visibility, conventional bulbs just don't cut it in some cars plate lights.