How do you remove the tail lights on an 05 Maxima.? Any potantial problems I need to know about.

 

Do u mind If I ask why ?

 

Sure. Im gonna tint the lights and I dont want over spray. Easier to tint when they are off the car.

 

Hey, you're in Arcadia, about 20 min away. Wanna help? J/K!!!

 

DeusEx, sorry, I wish I could help u out, but I've been doing research about the LED conversion on my tailights, so that's why I asked.

 

Have you made any progress on LED research? I've been wanting to look into it but just haven't had time...

 

What is the LED conversion?

 

jsmithsole, I'm still in the progress of doing the LED research and until I was reading this story, http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=204892
I'm sure we can come up something like that, but we just need to know how to remove the taillights. Let me know what u think ???

 

I bet my lights would look really really good with tint AND LED conversion. I still need to know how those f&*%in lights come out. m running out of daylight today

 

I figured it out. Piece of cake once you KNOW how. If you wanna know the process, email me.

 

IIRC: just undo the snaps over the carpet by the tails. unscrew fasteners underneath. tug on entire tail assembly straight out (including body colored frame). do the cargo hooks come off? I can't remember.

I replaced my reverse bulbs over the summer. if i forgot something please add.

 

I tried to remove the colored piece. It wont come off. I had to f*&kin tape it

 

colored piece? tape what? the tail glass is attached to the frame around it.

why not just buy the tint film? if you get cited, you'll need a pair of entire assemblies.

 

That's exactly how I removed mine to switch the reverse bulbs. If you remove the taillamp, you may also be able to remedy the alignment problem. The taillamps on most 6th gens leave a larger gap on the passenger side between the taillamp trim and the bumper piece. Removing the taillamp and readjusting should fix this.

 

It seems the way the bulbs are placed on our cars, you wouldn't be able to insert a flat panel for a few rows of LED's. Seems like you would have to do a lot of customization work...are you prepared for the job? I don't think I'm that savvy.
Seems like this bulb would work as a quick fix since they put light out in more than one direction. I had LED's if my F350 and they only directed light straight back and they weren't very bright at all because there was no reflection inside the tailight lens itself. (it was only a 10 or 12 LEd bulb though)
Check out the 24 LED 1157 Bulbs, and let me know what you think...
http://www.superbrightleds.com/1157.htm

 

what do these look like on a car? Im putting on light tint to minimize the likelihood of police citations. I am putting on final coatings tonight and then Ill clear coat tomorrow.

 

These being LED's or the tint film?
The LED's, see the thread attached above or the G35, and most stop lights (at least out here in cali)
As for tint film, there's a link around somewhere as well...
Hope I answered your question!!

 

Have you guys seen these?
Im gonna give'em a try.

 

I didnt want tint film because I cant regulate the darkness. I want to darken, some but not a lot. Ill post pics when Im done. I had to redo it. The spray isnt that easy to make look good. Grrrrr.

 

Dues, are you using Niteshades or something else? I did my neighbors accord with a can of spray tint. They sell it in hobby shops. Its used or R/C bodies, and it worked great...

 

Very interesting KC, let us know who it works out...and of course this goes without saying...post pics!!!

 

KC, I used that same stuff in the model shop. I removed the tint and started from scratch. The second time I put the tint on, I sanded the lights first this time with 600 grit. Then I reapplied the tint. Seems better now. Still same problem in that the tint was getting small craters in it. Im sure it was my fault cuz it takes the right touch to do paint right. I think i can wet sand most of the imperfections out and then clear coat the lights and then they will be fine. Will let you know and I will post pics too.

 

can you give us some info? at least price, and place to buy would be nice. what a tease...

 

Well, round two of my tinting turned out better, but still not happy with it. There are pock mocks in the paint after about the 4th coat. What am I doing wrong???? Ill try to sand with 1000 grit and then clear coat it to see if that will cure it

 

Show some pics of your problems. Are you laying the lights down flat?

 

Lights are flat. Its like the paint gathers and leave divots, like a golf ball

 

Well I smoothed out the tint with 800, 1000, and 1500 grit wet sandpaper. First light came out nice after clear coat on it. Second light has a rough look to clear coat. I kept tryintg to get second coat to smooth out but it wont get smooth. Do I have to wet sand the clear coat and reapply until I get a smooth coat?

 

Damn... thats alot of sanding. I guess you pretty much have to do it now huh? I never had any probs. You might not have shaken it up enough. Let us know.

 

That's the Spiderlite from Anron. Haven't seen them outside of SEMA.

They are the sex though... without question.

http://www.sema.org/images/33501.jpg

 

I shook the cans up for quite a bit. Im puzzled. ANyway, they are installed now. I will take some pics and let me know what you think. I think it looks great except if u come close to the car. I will wait a couple days, and then try to buff out the roughness with rubbing compound, then polish and wax. Im trying to figure out how to post pics. I have a yahoo photo album. Will that make it easier to post?

 

Start a cardomain page and link pics from there. It's free and a decent site to show off the MAX... www.cardomain.com

 

Here is the web address http://spiderlite.com/

They will not be available for purchase until March, at least that is what i was told when i called today SPIDERLITE INC.

 

Did they say how much? And which model will fit the 6th gen... because I'm SO there when they come out...

 

Viguera;
When I gave them a call he threw me a ball park figure of any where between 35-50 dollars for one fixture, depending on the size and model. BUT...the problem is; they have the correct replacement for our bulb number, but the sizes they currently have, do not seem to fit our Max. I really do not know the design of our tail-light assemblies very well, but the bulbs are encased in a plastic housing inside the tail-light (I am sure you know this) I am not sure if that can be removed...but with that the spiderlite can’t completely expand. I wrote them yesterday and asked if they were going to make different models that were smaller, or designed to fit our particular vehicles. Waiting for a response. He (Juan was the guy I spoke with) did seem eager to speak with me after I told him that I discovered his product through this forum. He mentioned if we were unable to purchase these lights from local vendors, then he would set it up to where we can purchase directly from them.

 

I wetsanded the one light with 1500 grit n then polished with Meguiar's Step 2 Polish. Looks much better. Im happy again. I have even had compliments from people that see them. They ask, How did you do that!!! Right on

 

I was looking at the tailight today and I don't see any way the spyderlight could work in our cars without doing some mods inside the the housing. Both lights are housed in a cup like shape whereas the light couldn't "open up" once inside, as jcberb said above.
I'm going to try these and see how they look:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/1157.htm
(2nd one down 1157 24 LED bulb)
Any thoughts?

 

jsmithsole, I think they look good, i had purchase bulbs similiar to those, but the ones i bought at the time i had my mazda were crap and only illuminated in the direction they were facing. From the diagram on the website it seems the ones you want to purchase do not have that problem. I wish there was a short video clip with them lit up. I might even order a pair to try them out.

 

Sorry guys, I couldnt find the info on the lights sson enough... Like others have said, it dosent look like their gonna work.

 

Agreed, I had the uni directional ones in my previous truck and they sucked, I left them in just because they were different.
I'm going to try and search them out today.

 

I fimally have pics of my tinted lights, both before and after. I need someone to let me e mail them so they can post cuz i dont know how.