Headlight lens removal

[ford20]

So I got my headlights from LMR today and looking at their picture and the picture someone had on the car I assumed these were either the clear version that spyder used to sell a while back or lightly tinted .... Well I was just a wee bit off on that one:

Anyway, does anyone know how to remove the headlight lenses off the factory headlights and put them on here? I could have sworn I read somewhere that the oven trick doesn't work with the headlights.

 

[eighty6gt]

I'd just ship them back and get some proper lights.

 

[morrowstang95]

Pop them in the oven on 250 for bout 15 min. Pry them apart. But it would be easier to just exchange them.

 

[ford20]

The only problem is that the only ones like this aren't available until sometime next year from what I heard so I will just throw them in the oven and swap things over. I guess I need something to do over the winter haha.

 

[morrowstang95]

I did it on my saleen hids. Painted the inside red to match the car. Not hard at all.

 

[o2sys]

Removing and replacing is not the hard part imo. Making a good seal is always the issue for me. Especially on the 05-09 you have to remove the front bumper to replace the headlights. Getting condensation afterwards sucks.

 

[bujeezus]

just a bit...lol!

 

[ford20]

Same thing with me, although thankfully it is a wee bit easier than on the 05-09 cars. sealing it back up is my biggest concern. I think I will heat them back up and to soften the rubber and put the lens back on and clamp it down for a few hours and then go over it with some clear RTV and hope for the best.

 

[Bullitt 3309]

The permaseal on the OEM lights is a bitch, but can be opened up with a few passes in the oven. It took three turns in the oven at 235/240 degrees in 15 minute increments. I also used a heat gun as well. Those aftermarket lights will open easy, just 15 minutes and they come open just fine. Buy some sealing butyl from the retrofit source as well. As far as that tinting goes, it is absolutely criminal to sell those lights. How many dumb asses run those and don't even realize how degraded their night vision is...

 

[cbass]

The only problem is that the only ones like this aren't available until sometime next year from what I heard so I will just throw them in the oven and swap things over. I guess I need something to do over the winter haha.

Eh, what's another year?


When you have them apart, you can take the reflectors to a coating company and see if they can do them in black chrome. A little more darker look, with WAY less light output problems.

 

[morrowstang95]

I didn't try to use the factory sealant. I scraped and cut it all out and used windshield urathane to put it back together. Been 4 years now and never had a problem

 

[ford20]

The permaseal on the OEM lights is a bitch, but can be opened up with a few passes in the oven. It took three turns in the oven at 235/240 degrees in 15 minute increments. I also used a heat gun as well. Those aftermarket lights will open easy, just 15 minutes and they come open just fine. Buy some sealing butyl from the retrofit source as well. As far as that tinting goes, it is absolutely criminal to sell those lights. How many dumb asses run those and don't even realize how degraded their night vision is...

LMR has them listed as DOT legal which is the bad part. There's not a chance in hell these are DOT legal. I put them on the car and I can't tell if these are a tad smaller than the OEM ones as there is a gap between the grill and the headlights so I have to measure them first before I remove the lenses on the OEM lights. I was wondering what kind of temperature to put these things in the oven for, everyone keeps saying different temperatures and times but I will go with those numbers to start with and go from there.

Eh, what's another year?


When you have them apart, you can take the reflectors to a coating company and see if they can do them in black chrome. A little more darker look, with WAY less light output problems.

The housings are black on the inside from what I was able to tell, the reflectors are clear which will give it a blacked out look but nothing too major which I kind of liked.

I didn't try to use the factory sealant. I scraped and cut it all out and used windshield urathane to put it back together. Been 4 years now and never had a problem

I may have to try that. Did you seal with some RTV or just the windshield urathane?

 

[morrowstang95]

just the urathane. You wont need anything else.