'97+ Taillight cleaning
11-04-15, 12:18 PM
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'97+ Taillight cleaning
It is time to change the color of my taillight backup lenses from brownish yellow back to factory clear.
From the outside the backup lenses look cloudy but no apparent moisture. I've looked at the diy files regarding baking to open them up same as the headlights, but can't find a diy regarding this specific issue.
Question: after baking will the passenger side lamp come apart or do I need to do something different about where the key lock tunnel parts meet?
Question: what causes the discoloration? Is there a reflector in there like the headlights, or is it just dirt?
TIA
From the outside the backup lenses look cloudy but no apparent moisture. I've looked at the diy files regarding baking to open them up same as the headlights, but can't find a diy regarding this specific issue.
Question: after baking will the passenger side lamp come apart or do I need to do something different about where the key lock tunnel parts meet?
Question: what causes the discoloration? Is there a reflector in there like the headlights, or is it just dirt?
TIA
11-04-15, 12:30 PM
#2
Good day SMWallis!
The plastic itself fades its transparency or darkens in time. Personally, I have a 97+ tail lights, that was bought brand new 2 years ago and modified before anything else. Currently the reverse light looks brownish or darker yellow now. The plastic itself is beige-ish to begin with when it was brand new out of the tail light assembly.
The tail lights are the hardest to take apart out of all lighting parts. Especially the passenger. The light diffusers were put in before theater half of the key hole was glued on. This makes the diffuser lock itself in place, specifically the reverse lens. There's an old thread that details how to take apart. Others will say to snap off the other half of the key hole either by force or with tools, then just gluing it back on later on. And another way, which we do, is to snap off the piece of plastic that wraps around the key hole and forcing the reverse lens diffuser to slide off. All the damage will be done in the inner part of the tail lights, so nothing will be seen once everything is put back together.
Please let us know if we can be of any help to your project. Thank you!
The plastic itself fades its transparency or darkens in time. Personally, I have a 97+ tail lights, that was bought brand new 2 years ago and modified before anything else. Currently the reverse light looks brownish or darker yellow now. The plastic itself is beige-ish to begin with when it was brand new out of the tail light assembly.
The tail lights are the hardest to take apart out of all lighting parts. Especially the passenger. The light diffusers were put in before theater half of the key hole was glued on. This makes the diffuser lock itself in place, specifically the reverse lens. There's an old thread that details how to take apart. Others will say to snap off the other half of the key hole either by force or with tools, then just gluing it back on later on. And another way, which we do, is to snap off the piece of plastic that wraps around the key hole and forcing the reverse lens diffuser to slide off. All the damage will be done in the inner part of the tail lights, so nothing will be seen once everything is put back together.
Please let us know if we can be of any help to your project. Thank you!
11-05-15, 01:21 AM
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Good to know about the original color. Sounds like I need to be very careful. Tks.
Good day SMWallis!
The plastic itself fades its transparency or darkens in time. Personally, I have a 97+ tail lights, that was bought brand new 2 years ago and modified before anything else. Currently the reverse light looks brownish or darker yellow now. The plastic itself is beige-ish to begin with when it was brand new out of the tail light assembly.
The tail lights are the hardest to take apart out of all lighting parts. Especially the passenger. The light diffusers were put in before theater half of the key hole was glued on. This makes the diffuser lock itself in place, specifically the reverse lens. There's an old thread that details how to take apart. Others will say to snap off the other half of the key hole either by force or with tools, then just gluing it back on later on. And another way, which we do, is to snap off the piece of plastic that wraps around the key hole and forcing the reverse lens diffuser to slide off. All the damage will be done in the inner part of the tail lights, so nothing will be seen once everything is put back together.
Please let us know if we can be of any help to your project. Thank you!
The plastic itself fades its transparency or darkens in time. Personally, I have a 97+ tail lights, that was bought brand new 2 years ago and modified before anything else. Currently the reverse light looks brownish or darker yellow now. The plastic itself is beige-ish to begin with when it was brand new out of the tail light assembly.
The tail lights are the hardest to take apart out of all lighting parts. Especially the passenger. The light diffusers were put in before theater half of the key hole was glued on. This makes the diffuser lock itself in place, specifically the reverse lens. There's an old thread that details how to take apart. Others will say to snap off the other half of the key hole either by force or with tools, then just gluing it back on later on. And another way, which we do, is to snap off the piece of plastic that wraps around the key hole and forcing the reverse lens diffuser to slide off. All the damage will be done in the inner part of the tail lights, so nothing will be seen once everything is put back together.
Please let us know if we can be of any help to your project. Thank you!
11-06-15, 01:58 PM
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