What is the easiest way to take out the tail lights of the Supercrew? I have some aftermarket one's coming and want to be ready to pop them in without too much trouble. Thanks in advance, Mike

 

There are Torx screws in the edge of the box where the tailgate lines up. I think this is a T-20 or 25, you would want to verify.

With the screws out, there are targets on the 'front' part of the lense. If you pull the tail light straight back ( towards the bumper ), the targets disengage.

Don't pivot the lenses to the outside, I think this would break the targets off.

Once you get the new ones, you will see the targets in the front part of the lense, and the screw holes.

 

A lot of the aftermarket lenses have screw holes that are a lot more shallow that the OEM lenses. If you thread the bolt in too far, it'll bust the new lense. I used washers as spacers to prevent this on mine.

 

Hmmm,

Just replaced the right rear taillight bulb (no turn signal) and mine was held in by a 5/16" bolt head screw. Thing I thought about as I did this was, if that dang screw came out of the nut driver before I got it out of the hole that I was going to have a rattle in the back because of that dang screw down in the rear quater panel. Must have gone to the Torx heads after 2001.

I've heard about the holes being shallower in the OEM's and the L lights. Most seem to be doing what nomo suggested... adding washers.

Good luck with the new tail lights and post pics when you get a chance.

Cheleri

 

I stand corrected, wrong truck. I just pulled my truck out, opened the tailgate, and it is NOT torx.

I just saw the same thing aboiut the tail lenses,at the KarKraft.com site on the clear L tail lights.

Adding either washer, or plastic spacers ( hardware store ) to increase the depth.

 

I just changed my tailight bulb, and dropped one of the screws
down into the body. I had to remove the other screw and take the tailight assembly out to retrieve the screw (don't even bother trying to reach up from underneath-it's a maze of sheet metal). In the process of removing the second screw, I dropped it and my socket into the cavity. Using a claw retriever, I was able to reach everything with the tailight out. Anyhoo, 20 minutes later, everything was back together. It probably would have been a 5 minute job with a magnetic nutdriver.

Another interesting thing I noticed. I pulled out a 3457 bulb (OEM), I didn't have the same bulb, but I did have a 3157 (from my wife's Chevy Venture). They looked interchangeable, and they were! Everything seems to work fine. I'm guessing that the last two digits determine the mounting style.

 

If you drop the screw and/or your socket, just use a magnet to pull it out...the outer bed panels aren't metal.

 

Kinda embarasing but when I was changing my headlights to the silverstars, I droped the cap that holds the bulb in, somewhere in the engin compartment. And to this day have not found it. I spent over 45 minutes looking for it and even went over speed bumps really fast etc.

I have to get another one ordered, right now it's being held in by zip ties (works well belive it or not).

So be very carefull never to drop any parts in the engin compartment or anywhere else for that matter.

 

Last 2 are mounting style, and I asked a mechanic friend. He said the thought ( did not have his ref guides in front of him ) that the first 2 numbers are amp draw / brightness.
He was about 70% sure on this without looking it up.
He thought the 3457 would be brighter / higher amp draw bulb, again just a swag without books infront of him to look it up.

 

After I posted the above reply, I started looking. This is what I found, Go to the Sylvania Automotive lighting site:

http://www.sylvania.com/auto/pdfs/s8spec.pdf