Since I have one headlight that I couldn't sell, and based on
this thread I thought I would give it a try.
Note: Use this How-to as a guide at your own risk! Your results may vary.
Tools / materials need
1 oven
1 stubby & wide flat head screwdriver
1 thin flat head screwdriver
1 pair mechanics gloves
cookie sheet
Time
45 - 60 minutes per light
Skill level
Intermediate
Directions
Ford stamped headlight:
Try to follow me here. I will explain as best as I can:
Think of where the clear lens and black housing of the headlight assembly as a mating point. The black plastic housing is shaped like a U, and the clear is |. The clear | slides into the black U which contains the adhesive. One part of the U is exposed to you and the other is inside the headlight. Waht you're trying to do is soften the glue and pry the | out of the U.
1. Pre-heat oven to ~250 degrees. I tried 325 and it started to melt the housing.
2. Remove black plastic trim the runs along the top of the headlight. It is "melted" on in four spots. I used a flat screwdriver and pried under either side of the melted spot until it popped off.
Overflow of glue on top:
Overflow of glue on bottom:
3. Remove as many screws as possible - most are torx.
4. Place cookie sheet on rack and place headlight in oven.
5. Leave headlight in oven for ~3 minutes. Check the overflow glue every minute thereafter to see if it has softened. Once it has softened, wearing your mechanics gloves, remove headlight from oven.
6. Scrape the overflow glue off the headlight:
7. Use the thin blade screwdriver to pry under the black plastic:
Repeat this as quickly as possible all around the headlight. If you take too long, you will should put the headlight back in the over for another minute or two to soften the adhesive again. Use the short stubby screwdriver to get good leverage to pry.
8. Repeat the process until:
Once the headlight is apart, you will see that the channel and lens may have a lot of adhesive left on it:
9. If the adhesive has gotten hard, pop it back into the over for a minute or two to soften the adhesive.
10. Use the screwdrivers to scrape and pull the adhesive out of the channel and off of the lens:
Here is a clean channel ready for your adhesive of choice when you are ready to seal them back up:
You can see below how the clear lens fits perfectly into the black housing:
Now I have a passenger light opened and ready to paint and/or projector.
Hope this helps.
