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Headlight clearing (w/pics)


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I also cleared mine over the weekend thanks to these instructions. I used the oven method (225 degrees for 15 minutes) which was much easier than I anticipated. I used an old butterknife to separate the housing when they came out of the oven.

 

Once they were cleared, I added some black silicone sealant, pressed them together as much as I could, reheated them in the oven (225 degrees for 10 minutes), then pressed them together so that they clipped together, screwed in the torx screws, and they resealed nicely.

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of course' date=' the real test is whether they fog or not once you take her through the car wash.[/quote']

 

 

Yes, EXACTLY.

Living in arguably the rainiest part of North America, I worry about 'the fog' all the time.

There is nothing more budget than seeing a car around town with cleared corner lights or aftermarket tail lights that are so foggy, they are dripping from the inside.

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285 for 7-8 minutes and you don't need a butterknife.

 

 

I also cleared mine over the weekend thanks to these instructions. I used the oven method (225 degrees for 15 minutes) which was much easier than I anticipated. I used an old butterknife to separate the housing when they came out of the oven.

 

Once they were cleared, I added some black silicone sealant, pressed them together as much as I could, reheated them in the oven (225 degrees for 10 minutes), then pressed them together so that they clipped together, screwed in the torx screws, and they resealed nicely.

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of course' date=' the real test is whether they fog or not once you take her through the car wash.[/quote']

 

I just did the clearing, and it's raining a lot here so tonight I'll know if I sealed the headlights properly.

 

BTW Thank for the write-up

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alright, you guys have me convinced! i think i'm going to do this tomorrow night. now, aside from just regular tools (i am limited since we just moved and am not sure where everything is anymore) what might i need? i have a leatherman, screw drivers, an oven and about 3 hours to do this! :p
Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle yeah!!!
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I used

1. Heatgun (oven will save you some time)

2.Vice Grip (for the weird shape screws)

3. Flat screwdriver

4. Phillips screwdriver

5. 10mm socket

6. sealer

and most important

7. a lot of patience

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well i ended up taking a break but turned out to be a mistake. :( 2nd light, i didn't realize it didn't seal all the way so when i attempted to reinstall it, it wouldn't fit. so i had to redo that one before i could put the car back together. well, got that fixed, bumper and grill back on and now my damn HOOD won't close! argh! everythings on like it was so not sure why it's not closing. like the latch isn't catching all the way to keep it closed. but it's 20 til 2 am and i have to get up in 4 hrs for work, still have to pack and get everything ready to go for my 10 day trip! go figure i HAD to do this before i left! lol. but otherwise, the hubby wouldn't let me. we'll see how long it takes for him to realize the lights are clear now. ;)
Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle yeah!!!
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ROFL! :lol:

 

If my lack of notice of the wifey's new haircuts is anything to judge that by, I'd say it'll take your hubby a few weeks?

 

;)

 

Seriously, though - I do hope you get the hood back in-place OK, and that this does not put a damper on your trip.

 

-A

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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intsead of the vice grips for the torx screws, i would recomend using an allen wrench, much easier.. started using the vice grips but found an allen key that fit just right...

 

Umm....silly Q. How about torx bits or torx wrenches? Less than $10 at Sears.

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ROFL! :lol:

 

If my lack of notice of the wifey's new haircuts is anything to judge that by, I'd say it'll take your hubby a few weeks?

 

Yeah, but this is a car. I give him 15 minutes tops. :lol:

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Yeah, but this is a car. I give him 15 minutes tops. :lol:

 

All-right, you're right, I'll give you that one. :p

 

If the wifey came home in a Ferrari :eek: , I'd notice in less than a heartbeat, too.

 

-A

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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well, who knows if he notices or not. i'm in the car mostly so he only sees it when i'm home. if he were home when i'd decided to do this, he'd have objected and given me his warranty woes and this or that..... blah blah blah.

 

i did get the hood down. just as i suspected, since it was 2 am i didn't slam it shut so it wasn't catching. this morning, before work, i slammed it down and it stayed. yay!

 

i'll know how well i did on the reseal when i wash the car in a few. would post up pics but the car's covered in bug guts! :(

Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle yeah!!!
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Wayne53, I love the blacked housing. Any issues with durability? I would think everything would be great under the headlight lens but still a little nervous. Don't want to create a problem for the future.
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Umm....silly Q. How about torx bits or torx wrenches? Less than $10 at Sears.

 

nothing wrong with um... but if you dont have um laying around or dont wanna spend money, you can use the allen keys and usually people have a set laying around...but no problem if you wanna go out and buy some...

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trdvibe -

 

So, is there any way you can convince my lovely wifey - Sara - to be as much interested in cars as you? :) Don't get me wrong, she's confessed that she loves her 4EAT Rex (this is a big step for her, as she's truly not a car-nut by any stretch of the term) and she more than puts up with Winky, but I'd love to get her into modding as well.

 

And as for the "Scooby Slam," I still cringe every time I do that. After 15+ years of easing the hood down as a sign of respect (and out of need, too - i.e. CF), every time I close the bonnet on Winky or my wifey's Rex, I feel just a little bit of guilt.

 

-A

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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