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Taillight disassembly?

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Old 03-15-2010, 12:07 PM
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Taillight disassembly?

I've searched, I've tried, I've yelled. How have people who have done LEDs in 5th gen tails taken them apart? Let's hear it. Pics would be a great help.
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Old 03-15-2010, 12:17 PM
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Are you talking actually splicing LED panels into the tail lights?

I've seen a few where people have used LEDs like these to do an LED conversion, but not a conversion that actually involves disassembling the tails since they're pretty much one solid piece.

Edit: There's also these tails for sale on eBay.

Last edited by Mr. Brett; 03-15-2010 at 12:19 PM.
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Old 03-15-2010, 12:29 PM
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Originally Posted by SLCPunk267
Are you talking actually splicing LED panels into the tail lights?

I've seen a few where people have used LEDs like these to do an LED conversion, but not a conversion that actually involves disassembling the tails since they're pretty much one solid piece.

Edit: There's also these tails for sale on eBay.
I'm not a fan of those tails or LED bulbs in my taillights. If I go LED in my tails, I want a full conversion.
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Old 03-15-2010, 12:39 PM
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Originally Posted by zero2sixtyZ
I'm not a fan of those tails or LED bulbs in my taillights. If I go LED in my tails, I want a full conversion.
Oh, no worries, I wasn't making suggestions. Just posting up what I'd seen to see if maybe that was what you'd seen.

I really don't like those bulbs either, but I remember someone saying a while back that they look really good in our tails. At least in dude's opinion.

As far as actually disassembling our tails, short of mangling them with a dremel, I don't think there's much we can do...

Do you have any example pics of the conversions you're talking about?

Edit:

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Old 03-15-2010, 12:55 PM
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Old 03-15-2010, 02:08 PM
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I like, how's the brightness?
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Old 03-15-2010, 02:09 PM
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Is the LED for the tail and stop light?
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Old 03-15-2010, 03:25 PM
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From what I remember our tails have to be cut apart in order to do any mods to them. Basically it's a dremmel with a cutting wheel around the outer perimeter of the lights type of deal. But there was a member here that did the conversions for you. It was a little expensive but as it was reported he didn't make much profit at it. Unfortunately I don't remember his S/N.
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Old 03-15-2010, 04:10 PM
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Originally Posted by zero2sixtyZ
[ IMG]http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/8867/newwater1ea3.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii184/davidwheeler/maximatail-1.jpg?t=1205730249[ /IMG]
Word. I like it. I wouldn't mind doing this myself.

I'd also like to tint just the red on the inside, and maybe clear the blinker. Oh, and maybe tint the chrome black. IMO, our taillights don't look any good if you tint the outside.

But yeah, other than careful chopping with a dremel, I don't see any other way to separate these...
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Old 03-15-2010, 05:06 PM
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I'm not exactly sure what it is you want to know. As for as LED's I had the black and clear altezzas with autolumination LED brake/ turn signal lights.

Once you do this mod though if you don't want the ricer blinking/fast look for your turn signals, you'll have to install 6 OHM loaders. I believe i just grounded each loader to 1 of the 4 screws that you have to take off if you're putting in new tails. I believe your supposed to splice it into the green wire. (maybe it's the brown, I'd have to look)

They looked great at night and I liked them on my grey luster just kinda over the look. I've had the LED's for over 3 years with no problems. The only problem you'll run into is the light/light on in dash. It's because your using less power to the tails and the electronic reader is reading it like a bulb is out.

If you're more specific about what you'd like to see I could take some pictures and upload them. The ohm loaders get HOTTT...
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Old 03-15-2010, 08:30 PM
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dont shoot if this a silly question..
but why cant taillights be put in the oven like headlights can be to pry them apart? NOT speaking from experience

Originally Posted by SLCPunk267
......

But yeah, other than careful chopping with a dremel, I don't see any other way to separate these...
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Old 03-15-2010, 08:40 PM
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Originally Posted by a33_ridah
dont shoot if this a silly question..
but why cant taillights be put in the oven like headlights can be to pry them apart? NOT speaking from experience
It's a completely different glue. It's not heat sensitive like the stuff in the headlights is. Basically the taillights will melt before the glue does.
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Old 03-15-2010, 09:12 PM
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kinda shoulda figured. thanks for clearing that up
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Old 03-15-2010, 11:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Froggmann
It's a completely different glue. It's not heat sensitive like the stuff in the headlights is. Basically the taillights will melt before the glue does.
Exactly. The lens is basically fused to the housing for the most part.


Originally Posted by Tippy Toes
I'm not exactly sure what it is you want to know. As for as LED's I had the black and clear altezzas with autolumination LED brake/ turn signal lights.
I am not interested in LED bulbs. The pictures posted have LED conversions (custom boards with LEDs soldered into them). I want to open my taillights, install boards, and paint the housing black under the lens. Before anyone mentions, I have NO desire to do 00-01 SE tails.

Originally Posted by SLCPunk267
Word. I like it. I wouldn't mind doing this myself.

I'd also like to tint just the red on the inside, and maybe clear the blinker. Oh, and maybe tint the chrome black. IMO, our taillights don't look any good if you tint the outside.

But yeah, other than careful chopping with a dremel, I don't see any other way to separate these...
I have a spare set coming soon, and I think the general idea is either into the back of the housing or at the lens/housing edge. I want to tint the amber > red underneath. I did the overlays, and they look great from a distance, but close up or at an angle, they look cheezy.
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Old 03-16-2010, 10:56 AM
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Haven't done it but would like to. I heard opening up the tails are PITA.
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Old 03-16-2010, 11:02 AM
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i have a cracked taillight that i will be replacing..
will least use it to practice opening with the dremel rather than tossing that issh
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Old 03-16-2010, 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by zero2sixtyZ
I want to tint the amber > red underneath. I did the overlays, and they look great from a distance, but close up or at an angle, they look cheezy.
Someone around here did figure out that if you spray candy apple red paint into the lower lens it does change it's color close enough to the stop/brake lens.
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Old 03-16-2010, 04:19 PM
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It's the Testors Transparent Candy Apple Red spray paint.
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