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Write-Up: Black Tail light Mod (BTLM)

Vince77

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What you'll need.
-Dremel or rotory tool of somekind, with cut off wheel, regular or diamond disk will work, and sanding drum.
-Knife or flat head screw driver.
-Painters tape.
-Xacto or somekind of small sharp knife
-Plastic fusion black paint. Whatever finish you choose.
-Somekind of plastic glue, Edit: Use some type of two part epoxy. Super glue fumes bring out any little finger print that might be left inside lens.
-Silicone.

First you start by cutting along the groove between the clear lens and the black backing of the tail light. Careful to stay in the groove as much as you can. And move slowly, the regular cheap cutting wheels will shatter easily, but cut a little easier also.

You only need to cut as deep as the black line you can see on the face of the tail lens.
tl.jpg


Once you have cut all the way around the lens, you'll have to use a knife or flat head screw driver to pop the lens the rest of the way off. Some of the plastic will stick back together. Do a little bit at a time so you do not crack the lens.

With lens off.
IMG_0547.jpg


Now you need to sand and smooth down the edges where the lens and tail light will come back together.

Next tape of the areas you don't want to paint. Use the xacto knife to make your clean edges. We taped off the one side reflector but painted over the rear facing one.
DSC_0073-1.jpg


Next, clean and paint the tail light. Let dry and remove tape.
DSC_0075.jpg


Make sure to clean both the inside of the lens, and tail light before putting them back together.

You can either tape them or have someone hold the lens onto the tail while gluing them back together.

Once lens is glued back on, run a small bead of silicone along the seam of the tail light and lens. Run your finger along the seam to push it in some, and clean up any extra.

After the silicone has dried, tape off all but about a 1/4" of the edge of the lens. You'll need to paint a small portion of the edge to hide where the seam was cut.

Let paint dry, remove the tape and your done.

DSC_0077.jpg


DSC_0078.jpg

DSC_0081.jpg
 
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Generation-X

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Guy upstairs from me just did this to his subaru tails....flat black on them.

Question for you though, can you not go from the side and inwards instead of on the most visual part of the light that people see? On the suby we did it right along the back edge so nobody could see the line???
 

Vince77

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Guy upstairs from me just did this to his subaru tails....flat black on them.

Question for you though, can you not go from the side and inwards instead of on the most visual part of the light that people see? On the suby we did it right along the back edge so nobody could see the line???

I'm think you could, and would it would be a good idea also. This is just the way we did it. We still only have one done, maybe we'll try that on the next one and I'll edit this write up. Thanks for the idea. :top:

Edit: After looking at the tails again, I don't see how it could be done that way with our tail lights. Either way it would show threw.
 
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1blkt

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:adore: These are the first set of tail lights that I've liked. Might have to try and find a spare set now. Wanna do mine? lol
 

Tapp

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NICE!!!!

i knew this would be done sooner or later!!! tails look awesome :adore:
 

1blkt

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I think I bit off more than I can chew with this mod :hmmmm2: I got one of the lenses cut off, hopefully I do a better job cutting off the second one.
 

XR-Ace

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those are some sick tails im gonna have to try this. Good luck with this mod 1bklt i want to see them in person one day after you complete them.



Denny
 

Bhawkeye700

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damn those look really good. wish i would of saw this before buying my new tails. :top:
 

Sykotic336

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damn thats awesome yo awesome write up. i had some questions is the lens clear or alittle red? and since youve opened them up like this has there been an fog in them?
 

Vince77

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damn thats awesome yo awesome write up. i had some questions is the lens clear or alittle red? and since youve opened them up like this has there been an fog in them?

The lens is clear. The reflector might give it a bit of a red tint. :dontknow:

As far as fogging, I'm not sure. We only have one done still, once we get the other done I'll throw them on for a while and see. I don't think they will fog at all. Just like the head lights, you just have to seal them good. Except the tails are easier to do.
 

Sykotic336

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The lens is clear. The reflector might give it a bit of a red tint. :dontknow:

As far as fogging, I'm not sure. We only have one done still, once we get the other done I'll throw them on for a while and see. I don't think they will fog at all. Just like the head lights, you just have to seal them good. Except the tails are easier to do.
all questions answered thanx. i knew there was a way but i remember someone doing it with a saw and i dont know about that lol. I still want to do my halo tails thats why ill need to take a stab at it this weekend if i have time still.

yeah they seem easier since you have all access all around the peice
 

mRESPECTe

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do u think i could just put the lights in the oven for a few minutes and get that caulking soft enough to pull apart the lens?
 

Vince77

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There's is no calking stuff, its sort of a plastic weld, that's why they have to be cut. I wish it was as easy as that. But then again alot of people would already have done it.
 

SE_XRUNNER

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in the next couple of days im goint to attempt to do a mod similar to this one. instead of painting the reflector part black im going to apply precut tint to the inside of the lenses on my tails. like a moron i thought that the head and tail lights were the same and they could both be baked to remove the lenses. yeah that was a no go. i baked my tail lights in the oven at 310 for about 14 minutes and still couldnt get the lenses off... then i realized there was no caulk and i would have to find a different way... lol sometimes i amaze myself at how much of a moron i can be... anyways ill do a write up complete with pics when im done and if you dont mind vince77 id like to just add it to this thread instead of cluttering the forum with another one. if it turns out good it may be a cheaper way to tint those puppies without having to take them to a shop. ill include all costs and everything. now if i could just go get a damn dremel tool id be ready to do it!!:rockon:
 

SE_XRUNNER

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ok so it didnt turn out good at all... it was so horrible that i didnt even take pics. as soon as i was done i looked at it and immediately ripped the tint off... it would have worked out great if i had a solid peice of tint but the precuts i bought had little slits in them to help with the contours of the tail lights... i guess the company didnt know that vinyl tint is stretchy when its heated. the lines from the slits stuck out like a sore thumb. dont buy the precut tint if it has slits in it.... im goint to try the front ones though because they are one peice and they look alot easier. i will post pics of those if they look ok.
 
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