helllo..

wow! great post!

im a newbie!!... and i dont want to sound stupid but wants the purpose of "baking" the headlights?? .. i really want to clean one of my headlights coz it's soo dirty.. and the other is spotless.. so its kinda embarrasing when im driving around....

if anyone has the link for a detailed "very detailed" instructions pls let me know

do u think a newbie like me can do this???

thanks in advance

 

Baking them pretty much means stick 'em in the oven so the silicon that bonds the plastic lens to the actual assembly losens so you can take it apart to reach the orange reflector.

Great PICS Seattle!! I was very nervous about doing this mod, but I think I might actually take a chance on this. I've taken the assemblies out before, no prob. But never "baked" them. What type of silicone did you use to reseal them with? Is it water tight? Hows the plastic polish working? Do you have to reapply a lot? Good job!! Oh and can you post a pic up with them installed? With the parking lights on and off? Thanks!

 

Blux, I don't think you'll have any problems with police as long as you leave the orange bulbs in, it still lights up orange just like a normal signal. I've done my rears too and replaced the clear bulbs with orange, also looks like it could be stock. I wouldn't worry about cops with these mods, the chance is almost zero that they'd notice it wasn't stock.

 

Good job !! Too bad I'm afraid I'll mess my lights up if I do it....

 

Great job and very informative thread.

I was just curious....has anyone done this same process to remove the amber on their tail lights? Is it even possible to do this on an LS? I looked at my rears the other day and I just can't tell if the amber section is simply a plastic piece that can be removed. I know that a number of people have just bought new tail light assemblies with the center cleared out, but has anyone cleared them on the LS using this "baking" process?

 

The tails can be cleared, although from what I've read it's a more delicate process. There are delicate tabs that hold the layers together that have to be broken, and the lenses will have to be put back together with clear silicone to maintain a watertight seal.
At least on the ES, the orange lens serves to both color and diffuse the light. So, if you wish to remove the orange, you'll want to put in an orange turn signal bulb, and replace the orange lens with a clear lens made out of a diffuser for a flourescent lamp. (The kind that you see in offices, etc, with the flourescent lamps mounted in the suspended ceilings.) Should be able to pick a piece of that plastic for cheap at the Home Depot.

 

On the ES, the orange can be removed from the tails, but like squarehat said they are more delicate than the headlights. There are actually two lenses in the ES turn signal, you have to break out and remove the orange one and put the clear one back in place. So the clear lens is already in there behind the orange, but it isn't quite as big so it doesn't fit perfectly, but it does work and look nice. You do need to put orange bulbs in the ES to keep it legal.

I can't say whether this will work in the LS as I've never paid extremely close attention to there tail lights. I wouldn't be surprised if it worked, but I would offer no guarantees. The aftermarket tails with clear signals I've seen for the LS look nice, they would be a good option as well. If you really want the clears, maybe try taking yours apart and if it doesn't work you can order the aftermarket ones, you might be able to save yourself the money.

 

After removing from the oven, how much time do you have to open it apart before glue starts to cool and harden? I am about to do this project today and want to be prepared. I did clear my corners on my other 95 ES last year but it wasn't by using an oven, I used a heatgun.