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Hey guys. Just wondering if someone has a step by step for how to bake the headlights and the tear down and re install. Thanks
Baking Headlights Info Needed
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sure any help will be great, even just how you baked them and re sealed them when you were finished. Thanks
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Before you put them in the oven, remove the screws that hold the chrome bezel on the inside.
Do NOT preheat the oven. I put headlights in the oven at 275 for 20 minutes. Then use a flathead and pry the headlight apart. Pry at it where the clips are located. After a couple, it will come right out. Then you have your open headlight and you can do whatever you like. I do not remove the glue because it is still good to be reused. I have done this method a bunch of times and I have not had any problems.
If you touch the chrome at all, use rubbing alcohol to get rid of any fingerprints that you may place on the bezel while it is one.
When you go to reassemble the headlight, again do NOT preheat. While its cold, try to reassemble the headlight by placing the clips in place and then trying to close it. it may close or it may not close. If it does then great and if not, no big deal. Place the light in the oven and re-soften the glue. Place the headlight together correctly when it is ready.
NOW!
I place clamps
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all around the light where the 2 pieces meet each other. The more the better IMO. I got some at Home Depot for $0.56 a piece. I bought the whole box 
then let each headlight sit for a couple hours.
CAUTION: DO NOT DO THIS ON A DAY WITH HUMIDITY, RAIN, OR ANYTHING BUT SUN! IT WILL MESS WITH THE GLUE AND THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE CONDENSATION.
Good luck!
Do NOT preheat the oven. I put headlights in the oven at 275 for 20 minutes. Then use a flathead and pry the headlight apart. Pry at it where the clips are located. After a couple, it will come right out. Then you have your open headlight and you can do whatever you like. I do not remove the glue because it is still good to be reused. I have done this method a bunch of times and I have not had any problems.
If you touch the chrome at all, use rubbing alcohol to get rid of any fingerprints that you may place on the bezel while it is one.
When you go to reassemble the headlight, again do NOT preheat. While its cold, try to reassemble the headlight by placing the clips in place and then trying to close it. it may close or it may not close. If it does then great and if not, no big deal. Place the light in the oven and re-soften the glue. Place the headlight together correctly when it is ready.
NOW!
I place clamps
then let each headlight sit for a couple hours. CAUTION: DO NOT DO THIS ON A DAY WITH HUMIDITY, RAIN, OR ANYTHING BUT SUN! IT WILL MESS WITH THE GLUE AND THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE CONDENSATION.
Good luck!
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390 Posts
Now, Mike has a 04 ram, which has a different headlight setup than mine from the sounds of it.
I preheat my oven to 225, if your nervous about ruining anything, 210 will actually do the trick as well. Same as Mike did, 20 minutes in should soften that glue up enough for you to pull it apart.
On my headlight, I tried to use a screwdriver, and it actually bent up the plastic in a few places, try to just separate any type of snaps there may be with the screwdriver, and the rest should be pulled apart by hand. If it doesn't come, don't force it, another 10 minutes in the oven, and kick up the temp 10 degrees to soften it up again.
By the way, wear some mechanics gloves, 225 will heat up the light enough were it'll suck to touch it.
When putting it back together, I normally put the back of the light into the oven for about 15-20 on 200 to soften the glue up again. Put the light back together, and use whatever clamps necassary to hold the light together.
The clamps Mike listed may work on his, but for my light setup, I don't think they would've been successful. I used a longer adjustable clamp, and had to try and push the back of the light into the front lens, the edges weren't really an option on mine.
Mine didn't seal back up on the original glue, I actually bought 2 tubes of Black RTV sealant (4 bucks a tube at your local Wal-Mart) and used a tube per headlight putting a nice bead around the edges, with the light together. This should be done when you are happy with the project, and pretty much know your not gonna bake them apart again. The RTV is best when you let it sit for at least 16 hours, but I recommend 24 hours if you can. The RTV may not look real pretty, but you won't be able to see it from anywhere unless you take the headlight apart, so nothing really to worry about.
I preheat my oven to 225, if your nervous about ruining anything, 210 will actually do the trick as well. Same as Mike did, 20 minutes in should soften that glue up enough for you to pull it apart.
On my headlight, I tried to use a screwdriver, and it actually bent up the plastic in a few places, try to just separate any type of snaps there may be with the screwdriver, and the rest should be pulled apart by hand. If it doesn't come, don't force it, another 10 minutes in the oven, and kick up the temp 10 degrees to soften it up again.
By the way, wear some mechanics gloves, 225 will heat up the light enough were it'll suck to touch it.
When putting it back together, I normally put the back of the light into the oven for about 15-20 on 200 to soften the glue up again. Put the light back together, and use whatever clamps necassary to hold the light together.
The clamps Mike listed may work on his, but for my light setup, I don't think they would've been successful. I used a longer adjustable clamp, and had to try and push the back of the light into the front lens, the edges weren't really an option on mine.
Mine didn't seal back up on the original glue, I actually bought 2 tubes of Black RTV sealant (4 bucks a tube at your local Wal-Mart) and used a tube per headlight putting a nice bead around the edges, with the light together. This should be done when you are happy with the project, and pretty much know your not gonna bake them apart again. The RTV is best when you let it sit for at least 16 hours, but I recommend 24 hours if you can. The RTV may not look real pretty, but you won't be able to see it from anywhere unless you take the headlight apart, so nothing really to worry about.
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390 Posts
What are you planning to do while it's apart anyhow?
If your doing any taping off, just a hint that the chrome flaked off quite a bit when I did mine. And yes, I was using the standard blue painters tape, the chrome doesn't stick well to the plastic of the light.
If your doing any taping off, just a hint that the chrome flaked off quite a bit when I did mine. And yes, I was using the standard blue painters tape, the chrome doesn't stick well to the plastic of the light.
250, 18 minutes, start at the bottom corner, towards the grill. Yank them apart. Remove ALL old glue, it is not reusable on the 06+ headlights. Reseal with butyl rubber.
Tip - put the bezel back in the lens before you attempt to seal. Some put the bezel on the housing then try to smoosh the lens on, that doesn't work well.
Tip - put the bezel back in the lens before you attempt to seal. Some put the bezel on the housing then try to smoosh the lens on, that doesn't work well.
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390 Posts
Not saying those clamps wouldn't work in most applications, but I'm not sure they'd work on the 06-08 design. The way the back housing lips under the lens... idk, it's weird.
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You can scrub it off and see how you like it. It honestly really doesn't take much. It takes time just for the pure surface area of the light, but it doesn't require alot of effort. I think you'll end up painting them, just for a glossier finish, but still take off the chrome, or else your paint will be adhereing to the chrome, which just flakes off.
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This is the way I do it except I run the oven at 210-220 and depending on the lights check them at 7mins , 10mins , 12min and longer on some until I find the right time for the make and year . While it glue is still hot I use a Snap On hook tool to pull out all the old glue and reseal with fresh butyl . Everyone has their own way , just start off with a lower temp until you get the hang and comfort of it . Good luck on the mod and if you have more questions just ask .
If I can ever get a free moment I need to open mine back up and install the Hella E55 Bixenon D2 projectors and Red and White LED strobes .
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I like this process.
The last thing you wanna do is OVER cook the light... there's no going back from that. If you under cook it, no harm done.
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