Clearing the Headlights

[SubieChik]

Is it hard to clear the headlights?? I keep hearing all of these things about baking them in the oven and everything.....sounds like a pain in the ass to me. Do you have to remove the front bumper to remove the lights?? Can anyone give me an easy step by step to doing this?? I also heard of people smoking them or just removing the chrome.....which looks the best and will I get frustrated doing it and quit?? :Dunno:

[Bskey]

I have done quite a bit on my car....sways, springs, coilovers, brake lines, rotors, up pipe, mid pipe, and some other random stuff. I was up later in the night clearing my headlights than any other work I've done. It takes a bit of work, and more patience. You do have to remove the whole front fascia to get the headlights out. It looks great afterwards, but takes a while. I say patience is definately key. I could do it faster now the second time around, so I'd reccomend finding a local with clearing experience to help out if you can, that may speed things up.

[Dookie]

The bumper is not hard to take off, there's only a hand full of easy bolts and plugs to remove. This would make your life much easier to remove the lights.

Clearing the lights is not hard, just like Bskey said....just need to be patient. First of all, the easy way would to bake them @ 220 for 10 mins. Wear some leather gloves and just pry them apart. Should come off pretty easy. The other way would to use a heat gun and heat up the outer seal. This method is a little harder and could damage your lights if not careful.

The amber lens just pops out with a little TLC.

If you need more help just let me know and I'll try to do a write up with pics this weekend.

[TSi+WRX]

SubieChik -

I know I've asked this before, but I think I must've missed an answer. :o Are you able to access .com at all?

There's a great walk-through there, and not only is that very first set of posts in the walk-through most helpful, but the subsequent posts in that very long-running thread contain quite a lot of tips, hints, and tricks from quite a lot of contributors, which may further be of-help to you.

I'll also see if I can't dig-up what brother Scans007's personal website. That should have some of this type of stuff saved to an external location, and it may still have his compilation of LGT-related exhaust sound-clips, too. :)

[SubieChik]

Thanks and yes I do have access to .com. I go on there whenever I get a chance but that is not very much. I am on .org all day because this is the only forum website the military has not blocked yet (knock on wood):smash:

[TSi+WRX]

http://www.pimpmyauto.com/Legacys/pictures.htm

^ Here's Scans007's personal website link. :)

You'll find headlight clearing instructions under the "Instructions" section, and under the "Media" section, you'll find one of the most complete list of clips ever compiled for the LGT's various exhaust systems.

I honestly would still recommend that you go to .com to search out both the full thread for headlight clearing ( of which Scans only took the first post from, with permission from the author, of course! :) ), as it will contain valuable hints through its tens of pages.

Also, while you're there, search for the author "almondcookie", crossing that with keyword "exhaust." That's another sound-clip compilation.

[ih8vtec13]

A lot of Scans links are broken FTL :(

[SubieChik]

I love Scan's car....:bow: I have had his website as one of my favorites for a while now :D

[TSi+WRX]

^ +1. I actually like all of his rides. :)

A lot of Scans links are broken FTL :(

:( indeed - great loss for the community.

[SubieChik]

All of his cars?? So the Dodge and the VW are his also??

[TSi+WRX]

^ I'm not sure about the VW..... but yes, the Dodge was (still is?) his. :D

That's a monster of a truck - and darned fast for it, to boot. :) I've seen a couple around where I live, and they always put a smile on my face.

[SubieChik]

Ok so I am thinking that clearing my headlight would look very nice, but I don't think that I am going to do it though. I will end up screwing something up and then I will have a crap load of condensation on the inside.....basically it will look like Dookie's Poopie as Bskey well put.:lol:

[Bskey]

I don't want to tkae credit for putting Dookies poopie anywhere :lol:

[SubieChik]

I don't want to tkae credit for putting Dookies poopie anywhere :lol:

:rofl:.....you know what I would like to thank all you guys for keeping me entertained while I am here at work

[Bskey]

Me too, it keeps a futile grin on my face!

[Dookie]

U guys leave my poopie out of this thread! http://www.landroverforums.com/upfiles/smiley/icon_beat.gif (javascript:void(opener.addSmiley('body1','http://www.landroverforums.com/upfiles/smiley/icon_beat.gif')); self.focus();)

[Bskey]

Ooohh.... new and unique smiley.

I am trying to leave your poopie out of it, but it seems to be popping up all over the place! :lol:

[ih8vtec13]

^ I'm not sure about the VW..... but yes, the Dodge was (still is?) his. :D

That's a monster of a truck - and darned fast for it, to boot. :) I've seen a couple around where I live, and they always put a smile on my face.

Yes the VW is his new ride. He says its his favorite ride to date to. He sent me a link to a new bumper and exhaust he is getting, hope he can stick with it. He is a great addition to any car comunity.

[TSi+WRX]

^ Thanks for the update, bruddah!

Indeed, I hope he'll settle-down a bit ( on his automotive stuff, that is! :lol: ) - he truly was a great asset to the LGT community, and I was very sad when he left. I'm sure that he'll contribute in just such an awesome fashion to the VW crowd, too. :)

[SubieChik]

I really do not like the new GTIs at all, not even the slightest bit. I don't know why but it is just plain old ugly to me. I really do like the MarkIV. I would take that one over the V any day! :tup:

[Bskey]

Yeah, I am a open guy, and I try to see the best things in all cars, but I cannot bring myself to think of the GTI as a total ricer car. Until I can upgrade to a BMW335xi, I have to say that there isn't any car that I would want more than the LGT!

[Dookie]

After 4 months of having chrome signal bulbs, I finally installed them last night. Here are some pics


Stock vs. Chrome
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p837b0d65f4ce03c7ee5f8162ef2450ec/e8ec6cb8.jpg

Before shot
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p809b952061dd69cb4f92bf5e930b3f19/e8ec6ce7.jpg

After shot
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p9c2c7d63b991f0fd48358c44fec6caae/e8ec6c89.jpg

And another
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pbe3816e584f38b65639332643d135967/e8ec6c54.jpg


Awwww nice and clean.

[SubieChik]

I wish I could trust myself to clear my headlights...I am worried it won't seal right agin. Is it impossible to do without talking your bumper off??

[Dookie]

There are a few bolts under the headlight and you'll have to lower the bumper an inch or two to get them. Bskey said he could do it without lowering the bumper.

The bumper is really easy to remove and put back on. Trust me, it's harder to remove the headlights than the bumper.

[Dookie]

I wish I could trust myself to clear my headlights...I am worried it won't seal right agin. Is it impossible to do without talking your bumper off??

I thought that too, but once you do the first one and you realize how easy it was, the second one is a piece of cake. It's easy to seal, just use some silicone at the joints, press hard, rebake for 5 min to soften the black sealant, and press again for final closure.

Second option, I'll do them for you free, you just have to pay for the shipping both ways.:)

[SubieChik]

Ha! I think the cops would say something to me when I am dring down the road with no headlights. I could be like the race cars and just put headlight stickers there :D I saw a guy at a Subie meet yesturday with cleared smoked headlights. Looked awesome :tup: He said that he taped everything off sanded down the chrome and sprayed it with black primer.

[TSi+WRX]

^ When you tape-off, just be sure that you're VERY careful and don't accidentally tape-off any "chrome" reflector areas that you actually plan on keeping.

Even the good "blue painter's tape" can take off this very, very thin "electroplated" coating! :eek:

[SubieChik]

Yea.....that's why I am not going to do that myself :lol: You think if I brought it to a paint shop they would do it?? Probably a silly question.

[TSi+WRX]

^ I honestly don't know - I'm not sure that they'd be willing to tackle the actual "bake and open" part of the job.

If you were to open the housings for them, they might be willing to do it.

Honestly, the percentage of people who do this and who do wind up seeing condensation on the inside of the housing is a definite minority. A number of that sub-set also have modified their light housings to accommodate other accessories (i.e. revised optics for HIDs, CCFL/LED halos, etc.) - and such modifications, often done with things like a Dremel tool, can create a bit of plastic dust which may in-turn cause the left-over silicone bead, usually sufficient for at least 2 or 3 "re-seals," to not seal properly (thus, if you do tackle such modifications, including painting, I'd recommend supplementing the left-over silicone sealant with a new bead, just to make-sure).

Honestly, this process is not hard at all, and the .com walk-through is *excellent*. Most people have absolutely no problems.

I've opened my housings 3 times, and each time, I re-sealed it using nothing but the pre-existing/original left-over silicone beading. I have no condensation, no water-ingress, nada. :)

[Bskey]

Send 'em to Dooks!

[Dookie]

Send them my way mang. I'll hook you up. Besides, you could use 2 flashlights in replace of your headlights. Just make sure you click them on at night and click them off when done.:lol:

[SubieChik]

Ha.....I would have to get the LED flashlights.....it would be "HIDs" :lol:

[Bskey]

That would be sweet. Please post pics!

[Dookie]

Here you go, strap this bad boy on.

http://www.magnalight.com/images/product/large/316.jpg

Rechargeable HID Handheld or headlight replacement Light

[SubieChik]

Rally lights! :tup: :tup: :lol:

[Bskey]

I have a sweet ass Swiss Army flash light my parents brought me back from Zurich. It's LED, and then you can switch it back over to regular bulb for low light. Nice!

[Dookie]

Does it come with the retractable knife, screwdriver, corkscrew....etc.

[Bskey]

Nope, just badass lighting powa!

[Dookie]

Then it's not a true Swiss Army Light.:lol:

[Bskey]

But it will break glass if I try!

[Dookie]

Nice!!