License Plate lights & housing = impossible? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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License Plate lights & housing = impossible?

kaczman

Well-Known Member
Joined
July 28, 2011
Messages
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City, State
ohio
Year, Model & Trim Level
2002 Heavily Modified ST
Hello all,

I took these plastic covers off to replace my license plate lights. Now I cannot get them to stay for the life of me. The bulb housing just keeps falling into the bumper, and the outer cover looks like it has no method to attach.

How the hell do I get the bulb housing to stay in the bumper, and then put this cover over it? Is superglue the only way?

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You broke the housing ........... the socket just twists and comes out of back of the housing. You must now buy new lights.
 






sweet. how does the new housing get installed?
 






It will just push into the hole from the outside of the bumper. The square tabs on the part of the broken sockets in your photos retain the new housing into the bumper.


Just FYI, all of the other lighting sockets are removed/installed the same way except for the headlight bulb.......twist to remove.
 






I did the same thing to mine and ended up getting another pair from a junkyard 2nd Gen Explorer. You gotta be really gentle when pushing in the tabs because they'll break and if you pull too hard on the housing the end result is what is pictured above. Go to the pic apart and pull two off an Ex, they have steel bumpers so taking them out is easier then on our plastic bumper covers.
 






Why did you remove the housing to replace the bulbs Jerry?
 






Mine are broken too. They broke when taking my back bumper off for the Body Lift lol I have no clue how.. But I'm gonna look in a junk yard one of these days. But I also have one of my bulbs blown, so I think I'm gonna get some LED bulbs and put those in there when I get around to it.
 






Hey guys thanks for the help. Using the diagrams you posted, I just broke the housing more, modified it to fit a set of 154 6K leds, then use clamps and gorilla glue to reattach the assembly. Let sit for 2 hours, and they snapped right back in perfectly. It looks awesome, Ill have pictures tonight.
 






I couldn't get my big hands behind the bumper to remove the light bulb from that side so I tried the other, snapped the housing off and glued it back together. That only lasted until the next time I tried to remove it, same thing happened so I got a pair from a junkyard Explorer.
 






looks awesome. its the little things that matter.

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You need a class III or IV hitch. I wouldn't trust the bumper hitch on our trucks, just me.
 






came with the truck. I have a hitch from a 01 Sport. Can we use a hitch from a 4x4 sport or 4 door of similar year?
 






Pretty sure, but ask a professional, not me haha.

Lights are looking good, those are the LEDs?

Also, nice license plate, and quick question, where did that name come from??
 






Not sure, what's the part number and brand hich you have from the sport?
 






Both mine broke, i just superglued it all back together.
 






Pretty sure, but ask a professional, not me haha.

Lights are looking good, those are the LEDs?

Also, nice license plate, and quick question, where did that name come from??

Yes, they are 5K LEDs. 6K is too blue for a license plate light.

Kacz = last name. Kaczman = nickname.

Not sure, what's the part number and brand hich you have from the sport?

I work at a salvage yard and have a few that look like OEM hitches.
 






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