drivers side taillight stuck

[87manche]

So I've got the upper screw all boogered up. it's rusted in there pretty solid and I've stripped the head. I don't want to ruin my taillight whie doing this. Anyone got any ideas? I thought about sliding my sawzall between the light and the body, but that didn't seem like a good idea. I suppose I could drill ou the head and removed the threaded part with vise grips. Does anyone know what size hole is in the plastic? I'd look on the passenger side, but it's rusted up too, and I think I'mgoing to have to do this to both.

[DirtyComanche]

Grind off the head and vice grips.

 

 

I ground mine, only to find all the clips on the inside broken anyways. Then I threw out my bed. So, there might be a moral there.

[87manche]

I don't have any vise grips that are going to get in there. it's deep in the plastic. If I can get at it with a dremel I'll put a slot in it and try a regular screwdriver. It's so rusty that I may break off the head at that point, but then I can pull the taillight and remove the rest with vise grips.

[Pete M]

If you carefully drill out the heads for the outside screws, the housing should pull right off, leaving the screws behind. Then they are relatively easy to deal with. I recommend finding some stainless or otherwise rust-resistant screws to replace them. I think I'm using some regular old galvanized wood screws on my 88.

Jeep on!

--Pete

[87manche]

yeah, I think I'm just going to go that route. Gotta find my drill bits though.