I’ve noticed from searching that most threads about amber removal most people are asking for a DIY but there is not a full right up with pictures and the whole nine yards so I’ll give it a try.

I got real bored the other day and decided I was going to make the rear of the GS look a lot better, after some searching around and finding ruff tutorials I went after it. Removal of the tail lights is simple remove the trim plates pull back the carpeting there are two 10 millimeter nuts that you remove, on the outside of the lamps there are two pop covers which when removed reveal two more 10 millimeter bolts which you remove and the tail lamps come free, unhook the 4 bulbs and you have the tail lights separate from the rest of the car.

Now this is where I was having my problem the to cut or to bake dilemma. My cutting skills are not that great but I can bake a good lasagna so I went for the heat method.

Preheat oven to lowest setting mine has wm (warm) and then 200 I set it for between the two guessing that would be 150-175 degrees (Fahrenheit). Place lights lens side up on the middle rack. And bake for about 10 minutes watching to make sure you do night melt the black plastic.

Once everything is good and warmed up take them out, use a towel to help you not burn yourself and hold the lights from not sliding across the table.

I used a screw driver to help me pry the lens from the housing with a little force (not enough to cause cracking) it let go and I worked the rest of the way round the lens took about 10 minutes of careful working.

On the second lens even with extra baking I could not get the glue to let loose so I busted out the dermal cut out a small section and then tried prying it loose again. It came right off.

The amber section in the lights is held on with some pop clip type deals you can carefully pull it out make sure not to bend the silver/chromatic lining.

I reheated the casing to make the existing glue sticky again (about 5 minutes at the 150-175 temp level)

Then using some black calking I put then lens back on to the housings allowed it to drive over night.


Reinstalled the next morning and it looks so nice.


i hope that helps anyone else who has been thinking about doing the amber removal on their tails. it was pretty easy just takes patience.

any questions feel free to ask


link to page in thread where bulb reviews begin

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...removal-5.html

 

Nice work and write up


100 x's better

 

anyone ever try this with the 01-05 tails? or does that not work? has it been attempted before?

 

it does not work on the 01+ from what i have read. the amber on those doesn't come out nearly as nicely.

 

Great job on that! Thanks for sharing the write-up and pics

 

great write up
wow! i never knew the amber piece was that large!

 

Nice job!

Did you change the bulbs to amber?

 

i did this with a friend
took us 6 hours total
used a dremel and had pieces flying everywhere
then bought an amber led and installed those resister things to slow down the blinking

 

4ntvings - yea it's huge it really surprised me and if you look at the before and after pictures the red changed tones it really looks good

DHRP - i have yellow ish bulbs in there now i ordered some that are chrome that blink in amber

kalristo - 6 hours dang all the work took me about 30-45 minutes then again i didn't have to dermal out very much the rest of the time was just cure time

 

You, my friend, are my hero!!

I'd posted a request a couple weeks back looking for this method exactly and you helped fill in a lot of unknowns! Thanks again for posting the write up and taking pics as well. If you don't mind, I'd like to link your thread to mine....just to make sure those who do a search in the future for this procedure are able to link to this thread.

Nicely done!

 

think I'll save my money and just do this instead of updated tails. it wouldnt be a bad business venture for someone to buy several pairs and de-amber them and sell em online somewhere or just offer the service . Charge folks lets say $50-60 or so plus shipping both ways. Still ends up bein way cheaper and better lookin then led's or 01+

 

jonny2k - no problem i try to help when i can, one of the mods should add this to the DIY sticky if others find it helpful

UGKkllr - for 60 bucks plus shipping i'd be happy to do it a few more times

 

nothing against this diy im pretty techy but damn not a good night broke one of my lens not cool.

 

SoloKaMGS - ouch, sorry to hear

i just did it again for a buddies dad with no problems, i guess you have to have "the touch"

 

has anyone painted the chrome backing black or any other color. I don't know if it would make much difference.