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Thu Jun 30, 2022 5:21 pm

Does anyone know the MM size and thread count for the screws that connect the headlight buckets to the tabs inside headlight hole of the front fender? I bought some M6-1 and the diameter is to big. Didnt try them, but M4 looks to small. No hardware stores near me carry any M5 machine screws.

Thu Jun 30, 2022 6:24 pm

Can you add a photo of the hardware you're looking for?

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1814167

Mon Mar 13, 2023 6:52 pm

I have a 1969 Squareback and a 1974 Karmann Ghia.

I just went to my hardware store and bought some stainless screws to replace some of the original, rusted screws.

The headlight outer trim ring is held in place by a tab at the top in the center and (1) M4 x .7 x 20mm screw at the bottom in the center.

The headlight assembly is attached to the car with 3 round-head or oval-head sheetmetal screws. I don't know the size.

The headlight lamp chrome ring (which holds the headlamp to the headlight assembly) is secured by (3) M4 x .7 x 8mm screws.

The original M4 x .7 x 8mm screws are the worst. They are usually completely rusted in place and the cross in the head is usually stripped out by people trying to back the screw out when it is completely rusted in place. I had to drill one of mine out.

I experimented with both flat-head and hex-head screws in stainless for the lamp retaining ring screws. They both work great. The hex-head screws have the advantages of staying on the tool (Allen wrench) better than a screw stays on a Phillips screw driver and the Allen wrench being more slender than the shaft of the Phillips screwdriver.

Do not remove the headlight adjusting screws unless you really have to. If you do, you will need to readjust them after you put the new lamp in.

I further recommend that, if the lamp retaining ring screws are badly rusted or stripped, you remove the entire assembly from the car to work on it. Particularly if you are working with original style screws, you may end up dropping them into the assembly multiple times when putting them in (like I did). So, remove the assembly and at least start the retaining ring screws before you put the assembly back into the car.

Mon Mar 13, 2023 8:56 pm

Not sure this helps you with the headlight screw issues, but here in Phx I've bought 5mm screws, 7mm screws in little drawers at local Ace Hardware.

Mon Mar 20, 2023 9:30 am

Cusser wrote: Not sure this helps you with the headlight screw issues, but here in Phx I've bought 5mm screws, 7mm screws in little drawers at local Ace Hardware.

Yes, was at Ace a couple of days ago, and that Ace DOES carry 5mm bolts and nuts.

Tue Jun 04, 2024 5:24 am

Hello, just waded into replacing the mismatched & burnt out Sylvania/GE sealed beams on my 1971 Super Beetle, Sunday past with a pair of E-Code H4 headlights acquired from the Bus Depot.
Unfortunately, both sets of machine screws attaching the retaining ring to the bucket were rusted/fastner-drive-heads destroyed requiring some delicate surgery to extract with out damaging the threads.
Specifically speaking to #7 highlighted in the below exploded parts diagram:

Photo Courtesy: Kafer by Texas Air Cooled

Found a seller on eBay selling packs of six (6) as of 06/04/2024
https://www.ebay.com/itm/386252778218

Also appears ISP sells sets of six (6)
https://vwispwest.com/headlight-retaining-ring-screw-kit-113941183

Tue Jun 04, 2024 6:59 am

Allie_Gator wrote: Hello, just waded into replacing the mismatched & burnt out Sylvania/GE sealed beams on my 1971 Super Beetle, Sunday past with a pair of E-Code H4 headlights acquired from the Bus Depot.
Unfortunately, both sets of machine screws attaching the retaining ring to the bucket were rusted/fastner-drive-heads destroyed requiring some delicate surgery to extract with out damaging the threads.
Specifically speaking to #7 highlighted in the below exploded parts diagram:

Photo Courtesy: Kafer by Texas Air Cooled
Note that I've been able to find these screws at local Ace Hardware stores in the past. They generally have them in stainless too, which makes for easier removal next time around.

Oh, and BTW, welcome to The Samba! :-)

Tue Jun 04, 2024 9:46 am

baldessariclan wrote:
Note that I've been able to find these screws at local Ace Hardware stores in the past. They generally have them in stainless too, which makes for easier removal next time around.

Oh, and BTW, welcome to The Samba! :-)

So happy to finally have a legitimate reason to post here on The Samba after an embarrassingly long-time as a lurker. :)
Also, high-5 on the stainless steel versions. BTW, the ebay seller lists the ones he has for sale as stainless in the description, but had not checked until after reading your post. Are you aware by chance of the average lifespan of the Hella replacements/sealed beams? Did not see anything stating such on the packaging.

Had to modify the rubber boot included with the Hella replacements so the male connectors could actually fully seat into the wiring-plug.

Tue Jun 04, 2024 11:09 am

Allie_Gator wrote: Are you aware by chance of the average lifespan of the Hella replacements/sealed beams? Did not see anything stating such on the packaging.
Not sure on the Hellas -- the headlights on my car are just regular sealed-beam halogen bulbs, Sylvania brand I think. They are the same ones that came with the car when I first bought it about 8+ years back, so I know they can last at least that long... :-)

Just FYI, here's link to the Belmetric website, which sells lot of metric fasteners (and other metric-sized hardware -- e.g. fuel hoses, et al.) at fairly reasonable prices. I've used them a lot in the past and highly recommend them: https://belmetric.com/

Sat Dec 13, 2025 9:37 am

Allie_Gator wrote: Hello, just waded into replacing the mismatched & burnt out Sylvania/GE sealed beams on my 1971 Super Beetle, Sunday past with a pair of E-Code H4 headlights acquired from the Bus Depot.
Unfortunately, both sets of machine screws attaching the retaining ring to the bucket were rusted/fastner-drive-heads destroyed requiring some delicate surgery to extract with out damaging the threads.
Specifically speaking to #7 highlighted in the below exploded parts diagram:

Photo Courtesy: Kafer by Texas Air Cooled

Found a seller on eBay selling packs of six (6) as of 06/04/2024
https://www.ebay.com/itm/386252778218

Also appears ISP sells sets of six (6)
https://vwispwest.com/headlight-retaining-ring-screw-kit-113941183

Hi,
thanks for the detailed picture.
where can I get item #30 on this picture, please. mine is broken.

Sat Dec 13, 2025 1:11 pm

alidabiri wrote: Allie_Gator wrote: Hello, just waded into replacing the mismatched & burnt out Sylvania/GE sealed beams on my 1971 Super Beetle, Sunday past with a pair of E-Code H4 headlights acquired from the Bus Depot.
Unfortunately, both sets of machine screws attaching the retaining ring to the bucket were rusted/fastner-drive-heads destroyed requiring some delicate surgery to extract with out damaging the threads.
Specifically speaking to #7 highlighted in the below exploded parts diagram:

Photo Courtesy: Kafer by Texas Air Cooled

Found a seller on eBay selling packs of six (6) as of 06/04/2024
https://www.ebay.com/itm/386252778218

Also appears ISP sells sets of six (6)
https://vwispwest.com/headlight-retaining-ring-screw-kit-113941183

where can I get item #30 on this picture, please. mine is broken.

WW has them:

https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/wolfsburg_new/electrical/bug_electrical_2/head_lic_light.cfm

https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=311941195

Sat Dec 13, 2025 1:50 pm

Stated as M5; "311 941 145"

The adjustment screw is M5 then and stated as 40mm (length) "311 941 141 A".

Sun Dec 14, 2025 2:46 pm

OldSchoolVW's wrote: alidabiri wrote: Allie_Gator wrote: Hello, just waded into replacing the mismatched & burnt out Sylvania/GE sealed beams on my 1971 Super Beetle, Sunday past with a pair of E-Code H4 headlights acquired from the Bus Depot.
Unfortunately, both sets of machine screws attaching the retaining ring to the bucket were rusted/fastner-drive-heads destroyed requiring some delicate surgery to extract with out damaging the threads.
Specifically speaking to #7 highlighted in the below exploded parts diagram:

Photo Courtesy: Kafer by Texas Air Cooled

Found a seller on eBay selling packs of six (6) as of 06/04/2024
https://www.ebay.com/itm/386252778218

Also appears ISP sells sets of six (6)
https://vwispwest.com/headlight-retaining-ring-screw-kit-113941183

where can I get item #30 on this picture, please. mine is broken.

WW has them:

https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/wolfsburg_new/electrical/bug_electrical_2/head_lic_light.cfm

https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=311941195

thanks very much for the link to headlight components. I appreciate that.