Question about new tail lights...

[wmdavis007]

I'm about to install my new taillights but I have a question first...my new taillights came with a foam rubber seal attached to them, should I use this or should I use a butyl sealer of some sort? Thanks for any other tips you might give before I do this project this coming week. Thanks!

Here is what the taillights look like:

[ishkabibble]

People who have used that foam piece have said it works. It looks and feels really cheap and flimsy though.

In order to make sure you only install the taillights once, and to prevent leaks / taillight condensation, I'd advise getting a "windshield installation kit" (roll of butyl rubber) for around 15 bucks. Some mechanics call it "dum-dum".

As for other advice:

-Some of the plugs holding on the trunk trim piece can be a bear to get out if you don't have one of those forked "upholstery tool" things-Make sure you get all of the nuts off the stock taillights before you start pulling. I missed one that was hard to see.-Get all of the old butyl rubber off before installing the new taillights. I had to use a flathead screwdriver and Goo Gone. It was a PITA and took a long time.-Get red bulbs for the bottom part of the lights, and silver coated amber bulbs for the turn signals (credit to 94_240sx for that tip)-Don't overtorque the nuts when installing the new taillights. The metal on the taillight studs is somewhat flimsy (I snapped one off, but not a big deal since I was using butyl rubber to seal)

Glad you're putting them on, they make verts look 100% better IMO.

[94_240sx]

Dum-dum is way to go. It'll seal just like factory installed. Ditch the foam rubber seal and get dum-dum(butyl rubber). Get red bulbs if you don't want pink tail lights...

[wmdavis007]

Thanks a lot guys for all your input. I was planing on using butyl rubber for the installation but when I saw the foam rubber it threw me off a little. I have already bought red bulbs for the bottom, silver coated amber and silver coated clear for the top. I'll post pics when the install is complete. Thanks again guys. Here are the bulbs I used:red taillight bulbs

amber and clear taillight bulbs

while I had to order those I got these too:

day running light bulbs

instrument cluster bulbs

H4 city light bulb kit

[ishkabibble]

We demand post-install pics of all of this stuff!

[cmkelly]

Here are my pre/post install pics if you care to look...

zerothread?id=191094

[S-13]

I just finished dropping in my smoked version of these lights and after putting it all back together I realized I couldnt re-use the 8mm nuts that were on the factory lights and ended up buying 10mm to secure them in place. Did anyone else run into this problem?

[DeXteR]

I just finished dropping in my smoked version of these lights and after putting it all back together I realized I couldnt re-use the 8mm nuts that were on the factory lights and ended up buying 10mm to secure them in place. Did anyone else run into this problem?

oh, good catch! i'd also like to know this as i have a set of these on the way as well. it seems as though all the cheapo ebay stores got their shipments in. i jumped on them quickly.

[S-13]

well since your picking those up, 12 should suffice. You may as well throw some washers in there too just to get a better hold on the lights without overcranking the bolts and ruining your new lights. (looks like cheap made in taiwan mass produced item). Now having said that the new bolts will most likely be 10mm you might have to enlarge some of the holes a little bit to be able to get them flush again. Go the dum dum way as others suggested, I would not trust the ghetto squishy foam crap held on by double sided tape. I was able to get rid of all the old butyl without any solvents by tacking a small chunk into a sizeable ball and quickly "jerking" the strips away from the body and repeat. If you must use solvents I find the goo gone stuff takes too long. On some of my prior cars I find brake cleaner/carb cleaner is pretty damn strong as well as fuel injector cleaner, just dont use it on any parts of the exterior paint and you might wana wash the area after so your car wont reak like gasoline

[DeXteR]

looks like cheap made in taiwan mass produced item

all reports i've heard are that all of these clear tails for the coupe/vert are made from the same manufacturer that makes the origin lights. everyone that i know who has them says they're really good quality. i don't know. i'll find out soon enough.

regardless, they make the rear look a TON better.

[94_240sx]

I realized I couldnt re-use the 8mm nuts that were on the factory lights and ended up buying 10mm to secure them in place. Did anyone else run into this problem?

Now having said that the new bolts will most likely be 10mm you might have to enlarge some of the holes a little bit to be able to get them flush again.

Something's not right. I reused all my nuts and they fitted just fine. Manufacturer must have changed something or your lights came from different manufacturer.

I was able to get rid of all the old butyl without any solvents by tacking a small chunk into a sizeable ball and quickly "jerking" the strips away from the body and repeat.

That's exactly what I did. It's summer time, so it's going to be easy to remove factory tail lights. Heat up old butyl rubber with hair dryer and use this method.

[wmdavis007]

Just got my new tail lights installed!! Been really busy with work so I haven't been able to get around to doing it until now but it turned out looking great and I took pics of the install. I did use a window install kit (butyl rubber) instead of the foamy gasket that came on the lights. Here is a pic of the kit I used:

$12 at the local NAPA store.

Here is a before pic:

Here is a pic after I pulled the old lights out...just a little push from inside after removing the six nuts on each side and they came out very easy.

I used 3M adhesive remover to get the rest of the gooey butyl rubber off...works great.

Here it is after they are installed....the factory nuts on mine worked fine btw.

[Loki]

Holy ****, 3M makes stuff to loosen up dum-dum?! I've been doing it the old fashioned way, ripping it all off by hand.

[biggie]

Looks good.

I've really gotta stop putting off replacing my cracked tail.

[94_240sx]

^^Actually, you can grab a chunk of dum dum and tap it along the old seal. That way, dum dum will pull all the old stuff. It's fun too.

[Loki]

^^Actually, you can grab a chunk of dum dum and tap it along the old seal. That way, dum dum will pull all the old stuff. It's fun too.

Yeah, that's how I've always done it, but it takes awhile and is a PITA to do on two broken wrists =/ Does that 3M stuff help in the actual removal of the tailights though? That was one of the hardest parts for me, that dum-dum gets stuck in there good.

[ishkabibble]

^^Actually, you can grab a chunk of dum dum and tap it along the old seal. That way, dum dum will pull all the old stuff. It's fun too.

Not on my 240 or SE-R. Both required lots of scraping. I think it varies from car to car.

My old taillights were really stuck on, too. I ended up cracking one of them to get it out.

[wmdavis007]

Does that 3M stuff help in the actual removal of the tailights though? That was one of the hardest parts for me, that dum-dum gets stuck in there good.

No. The best thing to help remove the tail lights is heat...so after sitting in the sun for an hour or more, mine came out with ease. I pushed mine from the inside with my palm and they were no trouble at all. As for the 3M adhesive remover...it helps clean-up after the tail lights are out. Actually I used a plastic scraper and a wooden paint stirrer to get the big chunks of dum-dum off then used the 3M adhesive remover to get the rest off. It just melts it away.