Quote:
Originally Posted by Dallaz
Hopefully, I'm still trying to get some answers on the do's and don'ts of painting these things, but I'm pretty confident I'll get it done and have em back on for the meet.
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Some tips:
Completely disassemble all the pieces off of the headlight into a freezer ziplock bag including all screws. Get a cookie sheet and place a dampened towel on it to lay the headlight on. 250 degrees for 10 min is perfect. Use mechanix gloves when taking out and pulling apart to separate, it will be hot. Start from the corner of the light that is closest to the rear of the car and pull it back. Separate slowly, use a butter knife to separate a small tab on the side and continue pulling apart. There will be a snap once you get toward the bottom but don't b scared, happens every time. Just be careful and the very bottom, those plastic tabs will snap if you bend the glass off at too much of an angle. I recommend going very slow and pulling it off in an upward motion. Once apart I would wait for it to cool a bit then pack some of the glue back into the plastic edge of the headlight to make the glass slide back in easy when its time to reassemble. Unscrew the 3 screws that hold the chrome shroud. Note they are longer than the other screws. Taking off the shrouds has to be in order. First take off the clear parking light cover, then the orange reflector, then the hid shroud. Reverse when installing. Clean the chrome housing with paint prep and then sand with 300-400 grit sand paper before painting. Hopefully in a dust free environment which no DIY person has. Bugs love the smell of paint and a small dust lint will screw up your paint, especially if it has any gloss or is black. Let dry, don't rush yourself. Next clean the glass carefully and thoroughly, it scratches easy and dust shows when you turn on your headlight. Reassemble in reverse order. Use silicone sealant in the plastic base if you feel it needs more or want to be safe. Bake again and press together firmly. Do not use a drill when reassembling. The Plastic will be hot and will strip easy. I would just place the screws in and tighten to 100% after you are sure it has cooled a bit. Hope that helps.