Headlight "Bakeability"

[bjeremi]

I just wanted to see if someone could confim that theses headlights are bakeable. I.e. you can open them up by heating.

I know my Tahoe headlights use some sort of adhesive that made it impossible to do so.

Thanks

 

[Bstollmaier]

You're having the same thought as me. I'm going to try a heat gun. I've read it works better than the oven method. The black sealant seems gummy enough that it should loosen with heat, it's not a CA glue. My bigger question is what to do regarding the amber. Should it be lightly painted to take away some of the amber color or should it be removed and if removed, what to do with the reflector behind it assuming it's chrome and not black chrome like the area around the actual headlight.

 

[R1chard]

I just wanted to see if someone could confim that theses headlights are bakeable. I.e. you can open them up by heating.

I know my Tahoe headlights use some sort of adhesive that made it impossible to do so.

Thanks

Yes these headlights are "permasealed" as is just about every other Ford product headlight these days. Don't expect them to be easy to open.

 

[joshdhat]

i put mine in the oven at 210 for 20 min and they wouldn't budge. Am i doing something wrong?

 

[bjeremi]

Define how much budging you were trying.

 

[JohnBoyToo]

TeeHee - reminds me of the good ole' days of playing high level softball....
many teams would 'bake' the softballs making them smaller and harder....

one time we were playing a team and I got a close look at their ball and asked the ump to look at it....

they had obviously baked it too long the cover was loose the innards had shrunk so much !!!!

 

[Azazell64]

I know on the 2011 and 2013 F-150's you can bake them, my dad and I have done this several times on his. It does take a little patience but can be done assuming they have the same seal as the f-150's.

 

[Azazell64]

We baked at 250 for 10-12 minutes, you still have to apply a decent amount of pressure but they will come.

 

[bjeremi]

Thankyou Azazell, that is valuable info!

 

[Azazell64]

Also another note to mention is when prying them, you almost have to pry until the point you think they will break, they won't but it must be awfully close. I've also talked to other people that had the same fear and they were successful as well, be sure to not "overbake" them as you can distort the lens and end up with an awful and expensive mess on your hands.

 

[joshdhat]

Define how much budging you were trying.

two grown men pulling and prying and using flat heads lol should have got a picture of that. the lens didnt budge at all. i guess ill try with a heat gun this weekend.

 

[The Cheat]

bake them. You can't spot heat them with a gun, it needs to heat soak.

 

[Azazell64]

bake them. You can't spot heat them with a gun, it needs to heat soak.

This is correct, if baking them wouldn't work, a heat gun, certainly won't.

 

[joshdhat]

This is correct, if baking them wouldn't work, a heat gun, certainly won't.

ok makes sense, i guess i will try what what you mentioned. turn the heat up to 250.
should be working on them tomorrow night.

 

[awmenard]

Hey Joshdhat,

If you don't mind me asking what are you planning to do with your headlights?

 

[joshdhat]

replacing the projectors, bulbs, and ballasts with the ds2 setup. possible tinting the amber markers and taking measurements for a future led drl switchback setup.

 

[joshdhat]

trying to figure out if tinting like this
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=356349
will look good on a white limited. also i hate the color orange. haha

 

[awmenard]

I'm sure that would look amazing on a white limited. Possibly a good idea would be to paint the amber a white colour, maybe some kind of light grey clear coat.

This way it might blend more white the white exterior colour.

Regardless anything would look better the that amber reflector.

Keep us posted of your process can't wait to see some pics.

 

[joshdhat]

ok will do. i hate to jack bjeremi's thread, so ill start a new one once i have everything back together. with pictures and part numbers and how to.

 

[joshdhat]

how to is up.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=385096