09-Present F-150 Harley Davidson Headlights for $10!
Hey all, last night I finally got around to doing the HD mod to my headlights. I didn't take pictures throughout the process but I figure I'd do a write-up.
***DISCLAIMER*** I am in NO WAY responsible for your headlights if you screw this up. You're saving hundreds by doing this, but as with everything else you've DIY'ed on your truck, you know about good ole Murphy's Law.
What you will need
Headlights
Oven
Satin Krylon paint
Auto/Marine sealant
Flathead screwdriver
1000 grit sandpaper
Torx wrench
Painters tape
Towel
Cardboard
Patience
1.) Remove your headlights. 3 screws and a little wiggling will get them out. Don't forget to take the lights out!
2.) Preheat your oven to 275 degrees. Other write-ups have said anywhere from 200-375, I did 275 and everything worked perfect.
3.) Wipe down your headlights on both sides if you wish, just to ensure your oven doesn't get dirty and you don't get yelled at
4.) There is one bolt on the back of the casing, remove that.
5.) Lower the oven rack to the bottom level. Place the cardboard on the rack (to prevent melting to the metal) and place your headlight on the cardboard. Make sure you don't set it on the lens.
6.) Let the headlight cook for 5-7 minutes.
7.) Set the towel on a table or workbench with your flat head screw driver. The towel will prevent any table/headlight from getting scratched up.
8.) Take the headlight out (Oven mitts recommended) and put it on the table.
9.) Using the screwdriver, begin to pry apart the headlight from the black casing. I recommend starting on the corner on the top side of the turn signal housing. Once you get once section undone, it's all downhill from there. The lip on the black casing WILL deform from your prying and you will think you're breaking the casing. Don't worry, you're doing it right. When it's all said and done it won't look bad.
10.) Once the black permaseal stops being pryable (probably only 3-4 minutes of prying), stick it back in the oven for 5-7 minutes.
11.) Once you get the first lens off, your life just got way easier and the second one will come off in a breeze.
12.) In the middle of the lens, there is a silver piece that has the ford logo. Using a torx bit, unscrew that. Be careful to no scratch up the lens.
13.) There will be 3 torx screws that are holding in the silver inlay that you are wanting to paint. Unscrew those and remove the inlay.
14.) There is a reflector connected by 3 tabs on the inlay. Use your ingenuity to remove it.
15.) Now you can go ahead and start sanding the places you will be painting. This includes the inlay AND the metal piece that sits in the middle. It will creat a black reflection throughout the light with no light output damage. Make sure that you don't sand the turn signal reflector, as a matter of fact you can go ahead and tape that off with painters tape now.
16.) Using the best technique of your knowledge, begin with your first coat of Krylon paint. I put 5 coats on and they look great. I let 20 minutes of drying in between coats and 4 hours of drying in between painting and installation.
17.) In this 4 hours, be productive. Go ahead and remove all that black sealant that was holding the lens in previously- it will help re-sealing so much! Also, deep clean the lens (NOT the reflector) if you'd like.
18.) After 4 hours is up, you can now remove that painters tape you put on over the turn signal reflector. Go ahead and put that reflector back in. Should snap right back into place. be careful of scratching the paint, made that mistake
19.) Screw back in the inlay to the lens and the middle piece back into the reflector.
20.) Remember where you removed all of that black rubbery crap from? Now begin the lace that space with the auto/marine silicone sealant, or the sealant of your choice.
21.) Place the lens back to the housing and push it deep into the sealant. Use some kind of weight or strap (I used 4 wheeler straps) to keep pressure on the lens and housing to create a water tight bond between the two. They recommend 24 hours but as most of us, I didn't have 24 hour and left it overnight (about 12 hours).
22.) Remove the straps, make sure you have a good strong seal and re install your headlights!
23.) Enjoy and turn heads as you enjoy those hundreds of dollars you just saved!
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