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Let’s discuss taillights


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3 hours ago, AZJeff said:

I got a set of the new lenses from Key Parts.

 

I also have got a "spare" set of taillights with really crappy lenses that I was going to experiment on.  Can you elaborate more on exactly where you made your cuts?   I have some small saw blades for my Dremel, and was thinking they might be the ticket for getting the old lenses off the reflector housings.

 

Some close up pictures of where you made the cuts would be really helpful.

 

Thanks.

I just finished up one of the tail lights, sealed it together with Threebond afterwards and it actually came out really nice.. I’ll work on cracking the second housing open tomorrow and I’ll take pics of where I cut, should be much easier the 2nd time. I’m glad I had a spare tail light with a broken lens to test it out on first! 

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10 hours ago, fiatslug87 said:

Did you repaint the silver “reflector” part since it was chalky? If so what did you use?

I did not, luckily I noticed how chalky it was when cleaning dirt off of an inconspicuous area, so then I very carefully rinsed it with water and “pat dry” the area as to not wipe off any more of the silver color. I thought about repainting, but didn’t think it would be necessary once the unit is sealed back up. However the test housing I baked originally had hardly any silver reflector paint inside, probably due to me pressure washing it prior to baking. I would say add paint on a case-by-case basis depending on how your housing looks when pulling it apart.

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On 1/11/2022 at 8:16 PM, MYE Jeep said:

I just finished up one of the tail lights, sealed it together with Threebond afterwards and it actually came out really nice.. I’ll work on cracking the second housing open tomorrow and I’ll take pics of where I cut, should be much easier the 2nd time. I’m glad I had a spare tail light with a broken lens to test it out on first! 

I never heard of "Threebond", so using my Duck-Duck-Go skills, I saw they make a plethora of different adhesives.  So which one did you use, and why?   And what retail source is there for the stuff?

 

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On 1/11/2022 at 5:27 PM, DesertRat1991 said:

 

Just a thought, there may not be any glue at all.

 

The plastics may be ultrasonically welded together.  That would make sense for something that needs to be leak proof and was never intended to be serviced or disassembled.

 

RIP to all the decent housings that are going to get wrecked attempting this swap.  I've been looking for a set of junkers to experiment with but they aren't all that cheap either.

They are welded that way. The info is here and has been for years. I don't know how or why soo many guys here that should know have forgotten it. It's where I found it doing my research before experiments on my tail lights. Nobody listens though or bothers to dig. Not one time anywhere in 15 years have I seen anybody put their money where their mouth is showing them separating them with heat gun or oven. YOU WILL RUIN THEM! Housings melting point of polymer is much lower than the lens. It's intentional so they can ultrasonic fuse melt around 212 degrees Fahrenheit if I recall correctly. A dremel is your best option. The resealing of lenses over time and how they actually last is something never brought up either. Most times people say "rtv" yet again don't show, prove it, and follow up with real-world experience over time. I don't care about your garage queens when it comes to this topic. Give me proof in a working daily driver under normal circumstances. 

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13 hours ago, AZJeff said:

I never heard of "Threebond", so using my Duck-Duck-Go skills, I saw they make a plethora of different adhesives.  So which one did you use, and why?   And what retail source is there for the stuff?

 

I use threebond on just about everything, it makes a strong bonded seal that holds up to weather well, but is flexible enough for a small amount of movement. 
 

You could get away with a lot of different types of sealants but this is just personally what I’ve used in the past on headlights and tail lights and I’ve had good success with it. Butyl tape is another good option but a little harder to work with as it doesn’t compress as well for applications like this where there isn’t a “channel” for the butyl tape to sit in. 
 

I’ll post more pictures soon, sorry I’ve been caught up with a house remodel and haven’t had a chance to get pictures of the tearing apart and sealing process, also waiting for new light sockets to arrive to install everything. 

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14 minutes ago, acfortier said:

It honestly seems a bit silly that they would just reproduce the lens if the lens and housing are fused together in that manner. I haven't looked, did they release instructions on how one is supposed to replace their lens?

Agreed. No instructions came with my order. Honestly the sellers (Key Parts) are kind of dicks when you ask about anything. Definitely have to get a little creative on this one, but we’ll worth it for the looks of a shiny new tail light lens!

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Just now, MYE Jeep said:

Agreed. No instructions came with my order. Honestly the sellers (Key Parts) are kind of dicks when you ask about anything. Definitely have to get a little creative on this one, but we’ll worth it for the looks of a shiny new tail light lens!

 

 

I asked if the product came with instructions and they scoffed at me as if that was a ludicrous inquiry...so I agree, they are kind of dicks

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11 hours ago, MYE Jeep said:

I use threebond on just about everything, it makes a strong bonded seal that holds up to weather well, but is flexible enough for a small amount of movement. 
 

As a retired mechanical engr., the first thing I did was read the tech. specs. On the various ThreeBond adhesives, and I saw a couple that might be effective for this application.

 

But…..I could not find anything on their website on how to buy their products through any retail channels.   Which product did you choose, and how did you obtain it?

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