Tail Light Lens Replacement

[AZJeff]

I bought a set of the reproduction tail light lenses from Key Parts.   While doing the install, I did a write-up of what it took to get good results.

 

Is anyone interested in me posting a PDF of the procedure I went through?

[Big Dan]

Yes

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[Pete M]

absolutely!    drop your info in here:  https://comancheclub.com/forum/10-mj-tech-diy-projects-and-write-ups/

[Limeyjeeper]

Yes please. I am too old and cranky to know it all!!

[DesertRat1991]

Yes

[ghetdjc320]

Most certainly! 

[AZJeff]

PDF is uploaded.  There are tons of pictures, so downloading it is the best way to see the details.

 

MODS-- I couln't get my document to copy/paste into the main message screen because I had photos with highlighing lines, etc.  Thus, I just uploaded a PDF.   If you can tell me how to fix this, I will repost directly into message screen for easier viewing.

 

 

[Pete M]

Quote

 

Now that new taillight lenses are available from “Key Parts”, there has been some discussion on
the Comanche Club on how to remove the old lenses and install the new ones. What follows is
the approach I used.
I cut the lens off the reflector portion of the taillight housing by using a Dremel tool with a small
circular saw blade. I did a “plunge” cut into the gap between the lens and the reflector, and
worked my way along, separating the two parts.
The yellow dotted lines in the below picture shows the point where I applied the saw, and below

that is a photo of the type of saw blade I used

 

 

 

I'll have to look into it later today.  might need to do a bunch of screenshots. 

[AZJeff]

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I have tried to screen shot the pages of the PDF.  They are pasted below.

[Minuit]

Now THAT is how you do a writeup.

[AZJeff]

I have also added a write-up on how to repair the hole in the reflector housing where the bulb socket does it's "twist lock" engagement.   Mine were all trashed.   That write up is in my thread about the taillight restoration in the DIY section.

 

[big66440]

Thank you for the write up!! Do you feel confident these new lenses will endure and keep their “like new” look for years?

[AZJeff]

19 minutes ago, big66440 said:

Thank you for the write up!! Do you feel confident these new lenses will endure and keep their “like new” look for years?

More than anything else, this is dependent on the quality of the raw acrylic resin used in molding the replacement lenses.  
 

Keeping them out of the sunlight when practical will help.  (You should see what AZ sun does to plastics out here, even those that are “UV stabilized”). The best thing to extend their life is probably limiting sunlight exposure, and that applies to ANY taillights, not just ones on an MJ.

[Minuit]

I'd be highly tempted to put some type of ceramic coating on them while they're new and undamaged by UV rays.

[Mjjeep91]

On 2/14/2022 at 4:43 PM, AZJeff said:

I bought a set of the reproduction tail light lenses from Key Parts.   While doing the install, I did a write-up of what it took to get good results.

 

Is anyone interested in me posting a PDF of the procedure I went through?

Do you have a link of where you bought your lenses?

[AZJeff]

They were listed on eBay.  Key Parts has a “store” on eBay.