Jay
Admin
Originally posted by c3dpo
Right guys I got the clear headlights thinking they are pop out and plug and play. I was sooooo wrong, so thought i would help anyone else in the same boat
IMPORTANT: READ THE WHOLE TUTORIAL BEFORE STARTING!
THINGS U WILL NEED:
PATIENCE!!!!!
1 Pair of clear indicators (with built in reflectors)
1 Bucket and/or hairdryer (u will see soon)
1 Flathead screwdriver thin tipped and wrapped in a little masking tape to not damage lense
Masking tape
Chrome metalic paint (available in halfords £4.99)
1 small tube of sealant (must remain flexible, waterproof heat and vibration resistant- I used loctite sealant again available in halfords for £4.99 its black and a wise choice)
1 Stanley Blade (and person to cut for you a couple of times, might not need)
2 orange indicator bulbs (£3) not in halfords though try local spares place (optional extra, silvatec style bulbs much more expensive but chrome coloured, DO NOT GO FOR SILVATEC STYLE ON EBAY)
STEP 1:
The first thing we need to do is to remove the clear lense from your indicators. do 1 indicator cluster at a time!
This is not easy and DO NOT rush as u will break the whole lense!
Fill your buckeet with hot water (not boiling as u will risk craking lense, ruining rubber L trim,burn yourself)
Leave the lense to soak for about 10 mins (tea time)
right with your gloves on (u need protection from heat and knives aswell as being able to hold) take out the indicator. U will notice that it is held in by 4 notches (this is not the case).
Infact what really holds it in is the sealant/bond and has been designed to stay there under weatheering and heat there is also a lip that the unit sits into so must be taken out one way)
Dont panic, simply work out any sealant (gunk) with your little screwdriver from around the 4 notches first (if there is any). KEEP THE UNIT HOT, this enables u to work it loose IT WILL SET AGAIN IN SECONDS so when it gets tough DUNK IT!
The next thing to do is decide on and entry point for your thin MASKED screwdriver. (this will differ for everyone, but u will see where for your own)
This is cruicial that u work it slowly, and remember to keep the unit WARM by resurbmerging it.
DO NOT be suprised if the water gets luke warm before you havent moved anything or made ANY visual progress.
So have a tea/fag/beer and refill your bucket.
Now repeating this process all away around the unit with your screwdriver, u should be able to see the whitish/grey gunk. If u can pry it out with your driver and fingers then get whatever you can.
If u can get a stanley blade in the cracks the gently run thorough the gunk with it with many cuts as it will reseal if a just 1 or 2 clean cuts.
REMEMBER: keep dunking, SLOWLY working the gunk out, and at NO time should u be levering or pulling the lense out, it will not come and u risk breaking your RARE lense!!!
1 hour later...............
There should be some progress I hope, if not do not dispair just recheck for bulky gunk deposits. HOTSPOTS are corners, 4 clips, and right at the back of the shortest side of the indicator lense holder.
REMEMBER: keep unit warm while working on it!!
Right u will need to clear those clips, by gently levering the plastic on top of them over them on both sides. TIP: lever once, then move it slighty to retain the plasstics integrity.
Are they all clear?
If so then u can start working on the Sealant again, there is loads of this stuff and it is sticky as hell so persevere and the end result will be spotless.
LENS CRACKING RISK:
When ALL gunk is cleared from the unit (I dont mean clean, just enough removed to break the seal)
choose the corner u can get best access to and good leverage.
Slowly insert the driver and GENTLY lever the unit up a LITTLE!
REMEMBER: keep unit warm while working on it!!
Do this all the way around the unit, and dont think it will go in one hit. TIP: Dont worry if the lense keeps getting sucked back in when u think youve moved it, your getting close just rewarm and continue
use the blade to cut the driver to lever, slowly but surely u will see the lense start giving into your will!!!
DO NOT be tempted to rush this, u can crack or worst still snap a big shunk out of the lenses!
When you can get a corner almost out, have someone else cut through with your stanley blade I TRIED THIS ON MY OWN AND GOT CUT!
U will no be able to see the lip holding the lense in the unit and any gunk strings still holding your lense in.
so heat and attack the remain gunk as before.
A final dunk and the lense will "peel" away if its not peeling and breaking the sealants compound with eease go back a few steps.
behold 2 hours later......
STEP 2:
This step is to remove the Orange lense from the unit.
Simply slide it out, Step complete
STEP 3:
In this step we will make the slightly silver/black unit shine like new
make sure unit is clean, (its been in water so should be)
AND DRY.
Then mask of the black plastic surrround in around the unit.
Shake your can of metalic silver spray and let of a few burst of the can about 8"s or so away to lightly dust the INSIDE of the indicator.
Once again take your time, and slowly build up the coats over time.
Allow to dry completely (the "ribbed" part of the unit stays wet for ages.
STEP 4:
Reassambling the spanking new units.
Ok so it looks devine, now dont mess it up. Remove any access build up of old gunk from both units. if u cant get it all(as its soooo hard) then dont worry ive got tips to come.
Polish inside of clear lenses with ordinary house polish and wipe dry.
Doing one lense at a time, squirt the Loctite sealant everywhere it was beforehand on the BLACK UNIT.
Then gently slide the lip part of lense into cluster and press in the other three side as far as u can get them. TIP: pull the lip up from the black plastic underneath to cover the lense
WOW u like, allow the sealant to cure (Dry/harden)
Now simply fit your ORANGE BULBS (legal requirement) and then your new indicators and screw in place, (1 screw on top)
Job done!
TIPS and TROUBLES:
LENSE CRACK: if not too bad, then get some araldite clear glue from halfords for about £5 its works very well.
GAP BETWEN BLACK PLASTIC AND LENSE: Remember me saying that black was a good choice. Thats why, u can smartly fill the crevice by removing the unit (not lense) and applying the loctite black sealant, wipen any away that is on the lense and its flush.
NEW UNIT DOESNT SIT FLUSH: push in the bottom of the indicator unit while on car. It will go "pop" when in
U DAMAGED THE PLASTIC SURROUND: Use back to black after evening the surface (DO NOT SCRACTH ANYMORE THOUGH)
Now you may have noticed I didnt mention the hairdryer. This is because i used the water and bucket method as i only had heatgun and didnt want to melt the plastic.
FEEL free to use this as I beleive in controlled bursts u will half the time at least removing the lense but just be careeful of your hands and melting the plastics or cracking the lense.
Check my update on C3s Budget build for pics of mine installed
Or you can bash the hell out of the unit with a screwdriver but be careful.
Detailed writeup lad, well done!