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Need Help Cutting Metal Behind Headlight! - Pics Included

Old Feb 5, 2006 | 03:48 PM
  #1  
F150 Duke's Avatar
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From: In a van down by the river
Need Help Cutting Metal Behind Headlight! - Pics Included

Hey Guys,

Well there appears to be no way around it. In my HID retrofit there is a ballast connection that attaches to the bulb. It will stick out further than stock and run into the frame piece behind the headlight.

Thus I'll have to trim part of the frame behind the headlight.

Any tips on tools or blades to do this with?

Also, the newly exposed metal. I'm assuming this would be very prone to rusting if I did nothing to treat it. What do you guys suggest to protect the metal from rusting?

I found this picture that I had saved and I can't remember whose it is. So if it's yours, thank you for taking it and allowing me to use it.



Thanks,

Duke
 
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Old Feb 5, 2006 | 05:53 PM
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I would use a dremel to make the hole bigger and bigger until the connection fits. They spray paint the edge to protect it.
 
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Old Feb 5, 2006 | 06:07 PM
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From: In a van down by the river
Originally Posted by GotBeer
I would use a dremel to make the hole bigger and bigger until the connection fits. They spray paint the edge to protect it.
What dremel bit would work for that thought?

Duke
 
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Old Feb 5, 2006 | 06:13 PM
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From: Albany, GA
Originally Posted by F150 Duke
Hey Guys,

Well there appears to be no way around it. In my HID retrofit there is a ballast connection that attaches to the bulb. It will stick out further than stock and run into the frame piece behind the headlight.

Thus I'll have to trim part of the frame behind the headlight.

Any tips on tools or blades to do this with?

Also, the newly exposed metal. I'm assuming this would be very prone to rusting if I did nothing to treat it. What do you guys suggest to protect the metal from rusting?

I found this picture that I had saved and I can't remember whose it is. So if it's yours, thank you for taking it and allowing me to use it.



Thanks,

Duke
Thats my pic! I didn't give you permission to use it! JK!!!
I think I used that pic to show how to remove the headlights to install the HD headlights way back when.

How much metal have you got to removed...if its just a little use a dremal. If its a lot a die grinder might be your best choice. As for protecting the metal just paint it where you cut it and you should be fine.
 
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Old Feb 5, 2006 | 07:49 PM
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Use one of the tungsten carbide bits #9901 to #9912. Any hardware store should have atleast one of those.
 
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Old Feb 5, 2006 | 11:56 PM
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Spray paint should be good enough to protect where you cut. The frame was probably e-coated from the frame supplier. We have our Titan/Armada/QX56 frames e-coated before sending to Nissan, and when we have to do a repair after e-coating, we just spray some glossy black Krylon spray paint. It's a standard procedure for all frame manufacturers.
 
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Old Feb 6, 2006 | 12:04 AM
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From: In a van down by the river
Originally Posted by RamSS/T
Thats my pic! I didn't give you permission to use it! JK!!!
I think I used that pic to show how to remove the headlights to install the HD headlights way back when.

How much metal have you got to removed...if its just a little use a dremal. If its a lot a die grinder might be your best choice. As for protecting the metal just paint it where you cut it and you should be fine.
Thanks for letting me use it! It'll also help me learn how to remove these headlights.

I should have the finished HID retrofit next week. I'm preparing for the amount of metal that I'll need to cut. I'll take pictures and show you guys in paint before I do it, just so I don't cut anything that I shouldn't.

To protect the metal I'll just prime and paint with automotive spray paint cans.

Thanks again for the help!

Duke
 
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