How do I remove the lens on my headlight?

david01130 · 10-20-2009, 05:37 PM

Has anyone ever removed the front lens on one of their headlights? I bought some Saleen HIDs and the housing is all F'ed up and was thinking about replacing it. In order to get the HID bulb and lamp out I believe I need to remove the lens. It looks like there is a bead of silicone around the lens. Whats the best way to break that apart?

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157db · 10-20-2009, 06:27 PM

With a hot knife.
They dont remove...

Boozshey · 10-20-2009, 06:34 PM

Bake in an oven on 175* for a fre minutes then take out and pull apart. Clean it up, reseal and put it back together.

However I am not real sure that you have to open the lense to get to the bulb that wouldn't make much sense and make for an expensive bulb change... :/

david01130 · 10-20-2009, 07:39 PM

A few people have mentioned baking it I guess I will give that a try. Its not just the bulb I need to remove its the entire "lamp". Its similar to the Ford HIDs where the lamp has a slightly different design. You cant just pull that out from the back like the bulb. Ill be doing this on Thursday Ill let you know how it goes.

Boozshey · 10-20-2009, 07:51 PM

Oh you know what though... Thinking about it, I wouldn't bake it with the bulb in there.... Uh oh...

david01130 · 10-20-2009, 07:55 PM

I can take the bulb out

Studnike13 · 10-21-2009, 10:20 AM

After you remove the housing, take some plastic panel poppers, knife and heat gun. Take your time, heat up the back of the housing. It'll take a while, but it'll come off nice and smooth. I'll enclude pics of everything. I did it last weekend. After you remove the plastic lens, heat up the sealent and romove the plastic black piece inside. Next you'll have to twist the piece that aims the light, clockwise I think. Once you remove the black piece you'll be able to see what I mean. Then you'll have to pull like all hell to remove the bulb housing. It's held in by 2 ball joint whit plastic pieces. Let me know if you have any questions. Hope this helps.

mykim72 · 10-21-2009, 12:44 PM

looks like someones done some retrofitting...

Tylus · 10-21-2009, 12:59 PM

do what studnike said.

we've been doing this in the F-150 for several years now.

bake at 175-250 in the oven for 10 minutes at max at a time.

pull out and really quickly start removing that sealant with a knife.

once you the majority of the silicone removed, you can start trying to pry apart the case. it's nerve wracking, but pretty easy. just takes patience.

btw, it will require several re-heats to maintain the silicone pliant. You want the plastic hot, so I suggest you wear gloves so you can maximize your time handling it prior to throwing back into the oven.

also, set the lights as far from the oven heating element as possible to prevent melting.

good luck.

david01130 · 10-21-2009, 06:48 PM

thanks for the comments. will baking it screw up any of the internal pieces? I took out the HID element but there still seems to be a little box with a wire coming out below where the bulb goes.