Brand New Taillight Lens Installation

[MYE Jeep]

I’ve received a good amount of messages in response to installing these new Key Part tail light lenses, so I figured I’d do a little write up for those wanting more information.

 

Finished result:

 

Important!

As with most headlights and tail light modifications, normally most people first think “Bake then in the oven”. And while that case is true with most vehicles newer than the 2000s, it’s very much not the case with these.

These tail lights are heat bonded, meaning there are no adhesives or glues to melt to separate the lens from the housing. Ask me how I know? I bought an extra used tail light with a shattered lens to test on before tackling this job on my own taillights.

Don’t bake them. Trust me.

 

First step is to separate the old lens from the housing, I tried a couple different methods, baking, dremeling, etc. and the most effective method I came across is a simple chisel, putty knife or very wide flathead screwdriver, maybe a mixture of all of them. In my case, the lens was brittle enough to get a putty knife between the lens and the housing, and instead of prying, just give the putty knife or screwdriver a little “twist” ever so slightly, you might hear a slight cracking noise, and that’s a good sign. Don’t twist the handle of whatever you’re using hard enough to leave marks in the housing. Just make a little twist, and move to the next spot. Keep following along the edges and twist just enough to hear a tiny crack noise. You may have to go around the edge 2-3 times before you start to feel it separate. Once you can get it wide enough to put your fingers inbetween the lens and housing, slowly pry with your hands.

Okay cool, you got the housing off! Time to clean it. Run it under some warm water and rinse the crud out, be very careful not to touch the silver paint inside the housing. It comes off extremely easily. Pat dry with a light cloth, or if you don’t have problems with hard water, use a air gun or can of compressed air to dry it.

You may also choose this time to spray new reflective silver paint into the housing. I did not paint the inside of my housing, and I don't think it's noticeable even in the slightest once it's installed.
 
 

Next, use a small pick or razor blade to clean up the seams where the lens was molded to the housing, feel free to break off any small bits of plastic that are sticking up from the heat molding process as you want your new lens to fit nice and flush. 
Clean it out again with compressed air.

 

Use a sealant of your choice to bond the new lens on. I personally used Threebond for a variety of reasons, it takes a while to harden giving you more time to work, it’s very smooth making it easy to work with (imagine creamy peanut butter), and once it’s dried, it still has a good amount of flexibility to it. Use whatever you want, but I’ve always had good luck with Threebond. If it can seal the crank case on my KTM it can seal my lights. It’s similar to a butyl tape once dried.

 

Anyways, moving on. Use a small pick to evenly spread your adhesive around all edges, making sure to seal all the way around the screw holes, don’t use a ton of adhesive as it will squeeze out on the inside of the housing(not a big deal for me because I used the black trim lenses).

 

Once you’ve got a good spread of adhesive, slap that new lens on and use a couple clamps to hold it together, let it sit for 24 hours, then you’re ready for the next step!

 

This part is probably optional, but it’s a good safety measure. Use some of your adhesive and fill in the gaps around the edges of your tail light. Keep in mind you’ll be able to see these edges just a little bit once the light is installed, so use your finger to make a nice smooth seam, kind of like using caulking on a window, bathtub, baseboard moulding etc.

 

And you’re done! Enjoy your pretty new tail lights and fingers crossed you did a good enough job so that they don’t leak! 

 

Also, pick up some new bulb housings at your local parts store and get rid of those old metal housings that never sealed right to begin with, put some nice new plastic ones with big fat foam seals to protect contaminates from getting in your newly refurbished tail lights.

 

Go get em tiger!

 

[fiatslug87]

Thanks for the write up, looks fantastic!

[fiatslug87]

Just tried this separation method, worked great! If you’re lucky enough that your lights are slightly separated in places it’s much easier, one of mine was. Start at the middle of the socket side not the fastener side. I’m reusing the lenses, wanted to clean everything up. THANKS again.

[Black Widow MJ]

4 hours ago, MYE Jeep said:

I’ve received a good amount of messages in response to installing these new Key Part tail light lenses, so I figured I’d do a little write up for those wanting more information.

 

Finished result:

 

Important!

As with most headlights and tail light modifications, normally most people first think “Bake then in the oven”. And while that case is true with most vehicles newer than the 2000s, it’s very much not the case with these.

These tail lights are heat bonded, meaning there are no adhesives or glues to melt to separate the lens from the housing. Ask me how I know? I bought an extra used tail light with a shattered lens to test on before tackling this job on my own taillights.

Don’t bake them. Trust me.

 

First step is to separate the old lens from the housing, I tried a couple different methods, baking, dremeling, etc. and the most effective method I came across is a simple chisel, putty knife or very wide flathead screwdriver, maybe a mixture of all of them. In my case, the lens was brittle enough to get a putty knife between the lens and the housing, and instead of prying, just give the putty knife or screwdriver a little “twist” ever so slightly, you might hear a slight cracking noise, and that’s a good sign. Don’t twist the handle of whatever you’re using hard enough to leave marks in the housing. Just make a little twist, and move to the next spot. Keep following along the edges and twist just enough to hear a tiny crack noise. You may have to go around the edge 2-3 times before you start to feel it separate. Once you can get it wide enough to put your fingers inbetween the lens and housing, slowly pry with your hands.

Okay cool, you got the housing off! Time to clean it. Run it under some warm water and rinse the crud out, be very careful not to touch the silver paint inside the housing. It comes off extremely easily. Pat dry with a light cloth, or if you don’t have problems with hard water, use a air gun or can of compressed air to dry it.

You may also choose this time to spray new reflective silver paint into the housing. I did not paint the inside of my housing, and I don't think it's noticeable even in the slightest once it's installed.
 
 

Next, use a small pick or razor blade to clean up the seams where the lens was molded to the housing, feel free to break off any small bits of plastic that are sticking up from the heat molding process as you want your new lens to fit nice and flush. 
Clean it out again with compressed air.

 

Use a sealant of your choice to bond the new lens on. I personally used Threebond for a variety of reasons, it takes a while to harden giving you more time to work, it’s very smooth making it easy to work with (imagine creamy peanut butter), and once it’s dried, it still has a good amount of flexibility to it. Use whatever you want, but I’ve always had good luck with Threebond. If it can seal the crank case on my KTM it can seal my lights. It’s similar to a butyl tape once dried.

 

Anyways, moving on. Use a small pick to evenly spread your adhesive around all edges, making sure to seal all the way around the screw holes, don’t use a ton of adhesive as it will squeeze out on the inside of the housing(not a big deal for me because I used the black trim lenses).

 

Once you’ve got a good spread of adhesive, slap that new lens on and use a couple clamps to hold it together, let it sit for 24 hours, then you’re ready for the next step!

 

This part is probably optional, but it’s a good safety measure. Use some of your adhesive and fill in the gaps around the edges of your tail light. Keep in mind you’ll be able to see these edges just a little bit once the light is installed, so use your finger to make a nice smooth seam, kind of like using caulking on a window, bathtub, baseboard moulding etc.

 

And you’re done! Enjoy your pretty new tail lights and fingers crossed you did a good enough job so that they don’t leak! 

 

Also, pick up some new bulb housings at your local parts store and get rid of those old metal housings that never sealed right to begin with, put some nice new plastic ones with big fat foam seals to protect contaminates from getting in your newly refurbished tail lights.

 

Go get em tiger!

 

how did you restored the lense? and whats the part number of the bulb housings and where did you get them?

[KANTANKRUS]

40 minutes ago, Black Widow MJ said:

how did you restored the lense? and whats the part number of the bulb housings and where did you get them?

This thread relates to the brand new 'Key Parts' lenses, that can now be purchased. He did not refurbish his old OEM lenses, he installed the 'Key Part' lenses, to his OEM housings.

[Black Widow MJ]

16 hours ago, RestoringNV said:

This thread relates to the brand new 'Key Parts' lenses, that can now be purchased. He did not refurbish his old OEM lenses, he installed the 'Key Part' lenses, to his OEM housings.

Where do you get new lenses? 😱 plus still want to know about the bulb housings

[fiatslug87]

Key parts just started selling new lenses.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=comanche+tail+light+key&_trksid=p2535124.m4084.l1313

[MYE Jeep]

22 hours ago, RestoringNV said:

This thread relates to the brand new 'Key Parts' lenses, that can now be purchased. He did not refurbish his old OEM lenses, he installed the 'Key Part' lenses, to his OEM housings.

Thanks for clarifying for me!

 

5 hours ago, Black Widow MJ said:

Where do you get new lenses? 😱 plus still want to know about the bulb housings

Key Parts Inc Ebay page, and the socket is a Dorman 85881 part number. It will convert the bulb size to a more modern 3157 bulb.

[Skylynx]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175085411417?hash=item28c3e75c59:g:HUAAAOSwTf9hy2d6

 Here's a more direct link to them, since it took me a while to actually find them!

[Salvagedcircuit]

This is an excellent guide. Many thanks for being thorough! If I end up taking mine apart, I may just use sem seam-sealer or 3M 08008 Black Weatherstrip /gasket Adhesive to seal them up again.

[Drahcir495]

Awesome write up . I will be working from this in the future for sure.