DIY: how to make your headlights black housing with 20 bucks...

dmhenderson

Oh and for the record, 11 minutes at 210 degrees in an oven is ~too long~ unless you really like the melty headlight look

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Dallaz

Questions......


Can this beaded wire stay inside the light while baking?
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1359426432.917127.jpg

Also, I can't get this bad boy off, it's the last thing holding all the wires to the light, and it looks like it should just slide off........ Well, it won't. Suggestions?
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1359426460.516094.jpg


Here it is again, top left-ish area of the photo. Also I'm assuming I can leave this other gray plastic piece attached to the blue wrapped wires in? Because I don't see how to take them off
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1359426527.966253.jpg


Another angle
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1359426596.866735.jpg

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AeroJacket Lip Kit | GTR switch | NISMO S-Knob | Blacked-Out-EVERYTHING| 5% Tint | Carbon Fangs/Upper Trim | VOSSEN CV3's | Painted Headlights | CF Diffuser

dmhenderson

Well for starters in image 1, yes that wire stays on while you're baking.

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Dallaz

Awesome!!! What else

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AeroJacket Lip Kit | GTR switch | NISMO S-Knob | Blacked-Out-EVERYTHING| 5% Tint | Carbon Fangs/Upper Trim | VOSSEN CV3's | Painted Headlights | CF Diffuser

dmhenderson

Pretty sure you do need to disconnect that doohicky in the rest of your pics. I'm holding my salvage light set in my hands and that wire is unhooked (part of the ballast assembly iirc)

I could be wrong about that though.

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dmhenderson

Wait no that's the bottom of the light. Hmm I dunno.

Here's what I remember.

-The HID bulbs are attached to the ballasts which you can completely disconnect. Be very careful extracting the HID bulbs and whatever you do, don't touch them with your bare hands. Don't touch the bulb part at all if you can help it. The bulbs should come right out with the ballasts (which you can then disconnect)

-The blinker bulbs come completely out attached to their harness which unplugs from the assembly.

-Be super careful with the little hatched/conical shiny reflectors that surround the parking bulbs. They look like plastic but they're not. They're ceramic and easily damaged.

I'm pretty sure that's everything you need to remove prior to baking.

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Dallaz

I'm just going to continue and try to take everything I can off, I'm only going to put it in for like 9 minutes at 190-200 degrees, even though I've heard plenty if people go 250 for 10 minutes

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AeroJacket Lip Kit | GTR switch | NISMO S-Knob | Blacked-Out-EVERYTHING| 5% Tint | Carbon Fangs/Upper Trim | VOSSEN CV3's | Painted Headlights | CF Diffuser

dmhenderson

Don't do 250. I achieved melty headlights at 11 minutes at 210.

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Dallaz

Got it!! Nasty F***** it was just stuck on this indention and you have to yank it for like 5 minutes and it finally broke loose

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1359427580.619857.jpg


Here is a pic of the PITA holding it in place.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1359427633.519311.jpg



And here is the removed wire assembly
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1359427663.519593.jpg

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AeroJacket Lip Kit | GTR switch | NISMO S-Knob | Blacked-Out-EVERYTHING| 5% Tint | Carbon Fangs/Upper Trim | VOSSEN CV3's | Painted Headlights | CF Diffuser

dmhenderson

Yeah that's the blinker bulb assembly and that needs to come off. You can use a screwdriver to apply pressure to those clip thingies to get it off. Sometimes it's easier to do with two people

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ZForce

Okay I m not the patient type nor want to take the time to do this myself.

If the OP or someone state side could get a core exchange going, then I would be on it for two sets staright away. I do not want the down time as this is my DD, therefore if someone would get hold of a unit and use if for a core exchange I am sure they could make a mint.

Good job, simota...btw: I am still waiting for you to come state side and install my dash fuel gauge decal from three years ago. The plane ticket is about to expire. We could hang out with your HS skool buddy Jaimie...haha

dmhenderson

The guys who cleaned up my headlights after I screwed them up might have a core/swap set.

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ZForce

Good sir, could you please shoot me a pm with their 411.

Dallaz

Just finished trying the first light... FAILURE!!!


We went for 200 degrees, initially for 11 minutes because we wanted to make sure the silicone was nice and gooey and easy to remove.... Well it wasn't. We pulled for probably 2 minutes full strength, got the first coupe tabs pried off but we could tell it wasn't hot enough, so we tossed it back in at 200 degrees for another 4 minutes, it hadn't been out of the oven for that long and was still hot.

We pulled it out, immediately went at it with mechanix gloves, no budging. I've watched Nut_N_Much's video and could tell I was pulling hard enough it just was still not hot enough. So we went for an additional 7 minutes at 200 degrees.

This time, it started hinting at coming apart but no crackling of the silicone was heard, the light was still obviously not hot enough, so we're going to call it a night. The light is still in perfect shape and I pushed it back together before the silicone fully hardened. So now I have to ask, HOW THE HELL DO YOU GET THESE THINGS OPEN?!?!?!?!

I've heard people say
"250 will melt your lights"
"250 for 10 minutes is perfect"
"Never go over 200 degrees and 15 minutes max"
Blah blah F'n blah

What am I doing wrong?

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AeroJacket Lip Kit | GTR switch | NISMO S-Knob | Blacked-Out-EVERYTHING| 5% Tint | Carbon Fangs/Upper Trim | VOSSEN CV3's | Painted Headlights | CF Diffuser

b1adesofcha0s

When we did it, we used a flathead screwdriver wrapped in electrical tape to help break them open. Took 2 people to do it. One would be trying to pull the lens apart with his hands and the other would use the screwdriver to help pry it open and break up the silicone seal. If you still can't get it, stick it in the oven at a bit of a higher temp. Check on it in short intervals (like 2-3 mins) to make sure it isn't melting anywhere.

The problem we had with it melting at 250 degrees was because we put in the headlight lens down. If you don't do that you should be ok, but I'm not guaranteeing anything. All I can say is to check it often to make sure it doesn't melt.

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