tail light lens adhesive?

[Kilgore]

I have a pair of 91 tails but I didn't like the way they came out (plus one just got cracked) and I want to remove the red lense and replace them with another lens.

what adhesive do I use to glue the red lens to the black piece that the lights connect to?

[Fred Kiehl]

Windshield urethane should work, but you may not be able to get them apart again.

[4DoorSS]

Check the Internet for the process of installing projector headlights. I remember seeing videos on how you split the lens and back housing from each other. The process would be very similar for tail lights.

Can't remember for sure but think they baked them a bit to loosen the adhesive and then used silicon to reseal them.

[DougDePew]

It's essentially a 3M rope caulk that's used to put them together in the first place, and you can get that at auto body supply shops

[4DoorSS]

I don't think it is just that 3m strip caulk as that is not very permanent. I saw a vid on YouTube where they retrofitted projector bulbs in stock housings. They heated the whole lens capsule in an oven, the pryed the 2 halves apart while still warm. Later when they reassembled, they heated the adhesive back up and clamped the halves together.

My company is a 3rd tier part provider to a lot of companies and one of the things we make are headlamp and axel vents in my plant. Our engineers typically take these apart for testing and fabrication work. I'll check with one of them and see if I can find out what exactly is used on the halves from the factory.

[96SSbbb]

http://www.sequentialtaillights.com/buckets.html


Disassembly/Assembly FAQ

Q: What sort of sealant do you use when putting the lenses back together?

A: I used black RTV sealant available at most automotive stores (I got mine at a local Advance Auto Parts) under the brand name; VersaChem, Black RTV Silicone sealant TYPE 270, in a 3 OZ tube.

You will need 2 ea. tubes to adequately do the job.

>Also, will the new seal be weather resistant?

Provided you clean all the old putty out and put a bead in the sealant channel so the lens can touch the bead to a depth of 1/4", you will have no problem. Technically, the lens is not sealed air tight as it has two drain holes/slots on the bottom edge to allow any water that migrates in to drain out via gravity feed. All you should be concerned with is the top and side mating surfaces be sealed effectively. If you do not care to use silicone sealant you can use and alternative windshield tube-seal sold on a roll. This is very simular to the OEM sealant.

[Kilgore]

thank you!

[4DoorSS]

Oh, so the tail lamps are NOT sealed unit like the headlamps are...good to know. Usually when headlamp seals fail, you see condensation inside and that's what our vents help to eliminate.

[JOHNER]

Originally Posted by 96SSbbb

A: I used black RTV sealant available at most automotive stores (I got mine at a local Advance Auto Parts) under the brand name; VersaChem, Black RTV Silicone sealant TYPE 270, in a 3 OZ tube.
.

X2 On the black RTV,thats what I used on my tail lenses,worked great! Good time to add chrome tape to them buckets...

[4DoorSS]

talked to one of our Process Engineers about what the companies like Guide use to put the 2 halves together. He said it is typically a Butyl type caulk that they can order from McMaster car if they need to.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#butyl-rubber-tape/=kw4c7s
He also said they've just used RTV when doing testing and that works fine.

We have an Oven here for warming the headlamps to remove the lens. This allows them to add sensors and vents for testing. We also have a walkin weather test booth for testing the HL's and putting them through all sorts of weather cycles while they can monitor how the light and the vent is performing. I have seen other vehicle taillights here but those must be sealed units. On some of the on car testing Ive seen, they have to remove the front bumper just to replace the headlights....damn car designers.