Headlight clearing (w/pics)

[scottybuckeye]

To install HID's, would one also risk condensation in the headlight unit as well?

[RobE]

To install HID's, would one also risk condensation in the headlight unit as well?

not if you do it right

[Googalash]

Well just wanna take a moment to thank Rex for these instrucions.

 

Just finished this conversion on my car and omg it rocks. However forgetting to hook up one of the blinkers = PITA.

[sta250]

i have an 03 jdm lgt and mine came without those horrible orange lenses..... im from the stattes and noticed the cars out here from japan are so much sweeter..... im in new zealand .... my questions about blacking out the light... does it effect the brightness or anything of the lights....

[antny]

my questions about blacking out the light... does it effect the brightness or anything of the lights....

 

Nope it is just cosmetic you dont paint the reflector portion for the turn signals

[rawfish]

I'm gonna start this project a.s.a.p.

[rawfish]

DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!Man the front end looks so much cleaner. Easy project to do.

[legacy2.5GT05]

Just did mine today.. damn it really makes it look sharp and clean on the SWP

 

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/sdavis1986/clearedfront1.jpg

 

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/sdavis1986/clearedfrontside.jpg

 

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/sdavis1986/clearedside.jpg

[unstablementaly]

now you just gotta black em out!

[Guest Gitster]

Small Writeup :

 

It really wasnt that difficult, the grille comes off in 2 minutes, the bumper comes off in 10. Headlights arent hard either, the difficult part was getting the headlight apart.

 

I was VERY cautious with the oven. I tried 160 degrees. I did it for 5 minutes, wasnt even close, then tried it a few more minutes at a time, prying more and more each time until the seal really broke. I finally turned the oven up to 200, a good 10 minutes later check it. Might need a few more minutes depending on elevation?

 

That silicon is messy, you gotta watch out, I recommend disposable gloves. The screws (7) that hold the actual headlight together. I dunno if its been mentioned, but i would recommend the proper Torx bit for the screws holding the light together. Thats the only thing I would have done differently. As stated in the OP's directions, he says a 2.5mm allen key fits. I think its probably a 2.5mm Torx bit, but a 2.5mm allen is too large (At least on my '07). A 2mm Allen fits. But go get the Torx bit. The 2mm allen wrench was tough, the thing is tiny and hard to get good leverage. I basically destroyed the screws with the combination of the 2mm allen, needle nose vice grips and my leatherman. If I was going to open them again, I would go purchase new screws and get the proper bit to get them out. Also, they are self tapping screws, so theyre no really meant to come out, so be careful putting them back in.

 

 

Im no scurrrred to do it again for HIDs. Im thinking maybe just yellow HID fogs and keep the headlights. A much easier installation. And the downfall of the lighting it the fog lights, not the headlights.

 

And some pics:

 

 

http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/2495/2293545010077408844S600x600Q85.jpg

 

 

http://inlinethumb05.webshots.com/68/2238132410077408844S600x600Q85.jpg

 

 

 

http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/3563/2344817990077408844S600x600Q85.jpg

 

 

 

http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/3098/2819856670077408844S600x600Q85.jpg

 

 

http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/1694/2018081180077408844S600x600Q85.jpg

 

http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/4459/2327863180077408844S600x600Q85.jpg

 

 

 

I used to Silverstar 3157AST . $9.90 for a pair from Advance Auto. Theyre iridescent, but some of the blue actually matches the NBP very well !

[unstablementaly]

black em out! sure does look sweet though!

[Guest Gitster]

Heheheh your all about it. I wouldnt consider blacking them out unless I got the hyperblack summer wheels im lookin at

 

Teh clear looks much better with the chrome stockers and chrome on my grille.

 

If I got the wheels, Id probably black out the lights and the rest of the grille. Decisions, Decisions.

[unstablementaly]

when i ever get off my ass and take new pics of my car AND its not friggen raining your decision wil be simple!

[toddp]

Getting ready to black mine out. just wondering what type of paint you guys used? And did you sand down the chrome at all prior to painting? If you didn't sand have you had any problems with the paint flaking off?

 

I consider myself pretty mechanical and handy, however I've nver taken a bumper off a car nor have I baked a headlight before. This makes me wonder a little bit, i don't want to "F" anything up but from all the posts I've read it seams nobody has had any major problems.

 

Once it stops raining here and gets a liitle warmer I'm goona tackle this mod> I'll post pics once it completed.

[underpowerd]

^the bumper's easy, several pop-its, two bolts. light brackets like 10 bolts. very straightfoward, you won't f that up.

i didn't sand down the chrome, no probs, almost a year -- just start out with very light coats. masking/unmasking is the most time consuming/dangerous part, imo (see my post p.20). the chrome is very, very delicate, and care must be taken so as to not peel it off with the tape.

what type of paint is up to you. I matched the charcoal of the 05 well with two duplicolor colors (see my post/pics p. 18)

follow tsi+wrx's excellent baking/working instructions, about 7-8 minutes @ 280*, i believe, and wear gloves. be generous with black silicone on the reseal -- again, almost a year here, and no fog. best of luck, toddp.

[whobaru]

Use "delicate" tape (see pic). I have a buhjillion pics of this mod, so let me know if u want to see ne other steps. Nerve-racking job, but sooooo worth it....and cheap!

[whobaru]

This has a bunch of stuff.

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17817&page=6&highlight=blackout+headlights

[Ari_OutbackWagon]

I'm having some moisture problems... So as soon as I got my car I cleared the headlights. I used the reheat and stick back together with the original glue method. So, the Passenger HL turned out great, perfect. The Driver side however has condensation. This weekend I took it apart again (major PITA) and this time sealed it up the silicon. Two days later and the condensation is back. I figure it's just the silicon drying and I've unpluged the high beam light so it can dry. Any suggestions?

[Riot]

Isn't there a desiccant you can use before putting the headlight in? Like those packets of silica gel you sometimes get in packages? Or even some table salt?

[Guest Gitster]

Im considering takin em out, taking the seal off the back of the headlight and keeping it over our Central Air vent for a night, seeign if the A/C will dry em out

[whobaru]

Im considering takin em out, taking the seal off the back of the headlight and keeping it over our Central Air vent for a night, seeign if the A/C will dry em out

 

...and just make sure you seal it well this time if you are lucky to get all the moisture out without it leaving residue. You may end up taking it apart neway to clean off the inside of the outer plastic shell. If you're gonna go through the efforts of taking it all the way apart again to clean the plastic, then definitely make darn sure it's sealed.

[Guest Gitster]

So I just took my headlights apart again to black em out.

 

Bad news. What I thought was condensation, is not condensation at all.

 

Appears to be some sort of baked on film. Possibly fumes from the silicon when re-sealing?

 

Either way I tried a natural orange cleaner to clean it, did not work. I also tried a paint solvent, safe for plastics. Did not work. Im not sure what to do, it look like condensation from the outside.

 

Ill try to get pics.

[Guest Gitster]

I think what I need is a polish good for plastics. Or a compound.

[underpowerd]

3m fine cut rubbing compound; best 10$ you'll ever spend.

[Guest Gitster]

Nice, thanks man.