Chinook RV

After returning from a recent trip out east, I noticed at dusk that my driver-side headlight seemed to be out. Since I was still about 30 miles from home and on the highway, I couldn’t safely stop to check. When I arrived home normally, I back into my driveway, but this time I simply pulled in forward and decided to investigate the issue the following day.

Upon inspection the next morning, I discovered that all the lights on the driver’s side were out — high beam, low beam, and turn signal — with only the marker and fog lights still functioning. That led me to believe the issue wasn’t a wiring or grounding problem, but possibly old or blown bulbs. I had replaced the high and low beams with LEDs about four years ago, but the other front bulbs were still the original bulbs.

Once I began the project, I noticed that the headlight lens had also begun to oxidize internally. Since I was already replacing the bulbs, it made sense to replace the entire lens assembly while I was at it. However, this turned out to be more involved than I expected — in order to remove and replace the headlight housing, the front grille assembly needed to come off as well. The same applied to the turn signal and marker light units; removing the grille provided much better access and made the process cleaner and safer.

(See attached photos for reference.)

Project completed! I successfully reinstalled the front grille along with all new lighting components — including high and low beam bulbs with new lens assemblies, as well as replacement signal and marker lights. The LED fog lights were in great shape since I very seldom use them.

While I had the front end apart, I decided to refresh the grille with a few coats of black paint since the original finish had begun to fade over time. The result gives the front of my RV a cleaner, more modern look — a subtle but noticeable upgrade that really brightens up the overall appearance.

I’m very pleased with how everything came together. Another project checked off the list… now on to the next one!

(See attached photos for reference.)

Nice work! It looks super clean and beautiful again!

We just went out in our 2001 Chinook Destiny over the Thanksgiving holiday, and I was noticing that the lights just didn't seem as bright anymore, so we're looking at doing the same thing you just did.

Where did you end up picking up the lens assemblies? I would like to replace ours as well, since they are looking pretty dull, and I'm just not sure that doing the polishing trick is going to bring them back.

Hi Amy12,

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. As requested, I’ve included the information below. I did my best to visually represent how I positioned mine—it's not perfect, but it should give you a clear idea of the layout.

At the time of my purchase, the complete kit wasn’t available, so I had to buy the components separately. Even so, the overall price point was still very reasonable.

The assemblies came with standard halogen bulbs, but I replaced mine with LEDs. If you’d like, I can try to locate my sales receipt—those were purchased locally. However, you can easily find compatible LED bulbs at most auto parts stores.

Regards,


Driver Side Headlight Assembly
https://www.carparts.com/details/Chevro ... 78-90.html

Passenger Side Headlight Assembly
https://www.carparts.com/details/Chevro ... 77-90.html

That is awesome! Thanks so much for the information. I'm thinking about replacing the bulbs with LED as well. The headlights just seem too dim to me right now, and it would be nice to see better at night.

Good job! The lights on both the Fords and Chevys left a lot to be desired. I replaced the entire assembly with a vantage optics light and enclosure. The extra light makes night driving a lot nicer!

Hi Blewett,

Thanks, I appreciate it. You’re spot on—the factory lighting on these Ford and Chevy chassis really leaves a lot to be desired, especially for night driving.

I actually wasn’t familiar with Vantage Optics until you mentioned it. For now, I went with new lenses and upgraded bulbs, which has already been a noticeable improvement, though a more comprehensive lighting upgrade may be in the future.

Thanks for sharing your experience—it’s always helpful to hear what’s worked well for others.