I picked up a spoiler not too long ago, and I'm preping it for install. I plugged it in to no avail. I looked at the light a little closer, and the wires have split and are preaty much apart.

I've been picking at it, trying to get it open to see about repairs, or retro fitting something in there.

Has anyone ripped one of these apart? Is there a trick? Do I need to warm up and free up some sort of glue?

Any thoughts are helpful.






Shady wires

The little black dots look like glue spots.

 

Those lights are high voltage neon lights from what I've read on them, at least that's what the sticker said on the one I had. As far as I know they weren't serviced seperately from the spoilers either. You could try using a heat gun on it at a corner and see if it wants to come apart. Are you going to try and mount it with the four tabs?.

 

Unfortunately not, some broke as it wasn't the warmest day, and I didn't have anything to remove the tabs from the glass. I will be using some glue from work, glue mixed with air, used on window frames on garage doors, and entrance doors, to seal the light to the spoiler, then 3m double sided tape to the window, same tape for rain guards.

The heat gun was/is my next step. I gotta wait until I get mine replaced tho, as my dad killed the fan part of the gun when he had it.

 

Most tail lights and 3rd brake lights are ultrasonically sealed, which basically melts the two halves together, there's no "glue" that's actually used. To open them, you have to resort to cutting them open with a rotary tool (Dremel)

Why manufactures do this on tail lights instead of using a sealing adhesive like the do on headlights is beyond me...

 

Got yea.

around the wires, there is what looks to me as the same glue we use drop use on garage door panels.

Panels would be cut in half along the top and bottom, then glue put in its place, to allow for the cold and hot temperature changes/flexing.

kinda resembles construction adhesive.

Will be bringing home the cutter tomorrow to see what I can come up with

Edit: pictures of what looks like glue.

Around the wire locations

In the corner, havwnt really seen it anywhere else

 

Just ordered these. I watched a video on YouTube where a guy installed them instead of getting an oem replacement strip, and turned out good. So will give that a try in a worst case scenario.

Forgot to add a pic lol

 

Looks like that'll be easier than the LED 3rd brake light that I constructed for an 06 Tacoma I use to have years ago lol

Luckily with it though, the lens separated from the assembly.

I actually robbed the LED's from a random busted taillight in the salvage yard

 

Leds came in, pack of 6, not sure if I'm using 1 or 2 yet...



Going to cut enough to get them mounted, looks like there is a chrome reflector in there I can use to angle the light. Hopefully going to run the wires out the rubber plug you see.

 

How did you end up getting the light open? Or is that the back side of it?

 

Thats just the back side. I haven't been able to touch it this weekend. Hopefully will in the next couple of days.