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Splitting the headlights
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2014 7:51 pm
by Spencer54
Bear with me here I'm thinking of fitting some led running lights but what I want to do is put them inside the headlight. From the refurb I did on the lights it looks as though they are held together with a rubber adhesive of sorts has anyone split the lights before?
Re: Splitting the headlights
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2014 7:58 pm
by Gasy
Think some on here have split them by warming them up and pulling them apart
Re: Splitting the headlights
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2014 9:32 pm
by the laird
Send stuc a post he's done stuff to his lamps
Re: Splitting the headlights
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 10:44 am
by dave_aber
The lenses have a tounge & groove fitting into the shells, and this is filled with really sticky 'stuff'. You might get them apart with heat, but you will need a lot of patience!
Re: Splitting the headlights
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 10:57 am
by Spencer54
Contemplating buying a second hand one and having a fiddle with it and see whats possible.
Re: Splitting the headlights
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 11:33 am
by philpdr
Re: Splitting the headlights
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 5:00 pm
by Spencer54
Thats it exactly, not sure about drilling the lights though.
I'm going to split the lens and fit them so they look like this.

Re: Splitting the headlights
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 9:50 pm
by ELZE
the laird wrote:Send stuc a post he's done stuff to his lamps
I concur Stuc and I discussed this last year but as always Stuc always the action man tackled it recently. I figure a hairdryer and dental floss will split them but Stu will know.
Re: Splitting the headlights
Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2014 1:26 am
by Spencer54
Yeah Stuc has done it by heating the headlights and prising them apart.
Flexible LEDs on their way.
Re: Splitting the headlights
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 12:10 am
by stuc
Re: Splitting the headlights
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 12:18 am
by stuc
Spencer54 wrote:Yeah Stuc has done it by heating the headlights and prising them apart.
Flexible LEDs on their way.
Have you a link to the led's you are going to use, they look good.
Re: Splitting the headlights
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 4:34 pm
by Spencer54
Hi Stuc,
This is what I've ordered - for £4 its worth a punt I thought.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/250943608154
I'll do some pics and let you know how I get on

Re: Splitting the headlights
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 10:44 pm
by stuc
I had them on my last Bongo, they were good but didn't last that long, may be ok inside the lights. I've also got them on the back as foglamps.
Re: Splitting the headlights
Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2014 10:57 am
by billymansell
Having seen stuc's lights I did mine earlier this year.
I placed mine in a low oven until everything was warmed through and the mastic malleable and then with a bit of brute force was able to prise them apart. I blackened mine with sections of vinyl wrap rather than painting them although the wrap did eventually creep a little in the hot weather. Also, when I de-ambered the indicators I fitted chrome indicator bulbs.
I did reheat the two parts when rejoining them but it clearly wasn't providing as good a seal as before as eventually I got condensation inside the lights that wouldn't go away. I took them apart again, cleaned out the channel and applied fresh sealant and haven't had any condensation since.
I also polished the lenses as they were decidedly tired and reducing light output. They initially looked great and worked much better but I did find after a few months that they began to fog or bloom. I polished them again and applied some surface sealant from glasspolishshop.com and haven't had any further problems.
Re: Splitting the headlights
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 11:19 pm
by Spencer54
Yep all done
I have upgraded the whole set up now, with led sidelights, Osram night breakers and the led drls have gone inside the headlamps nicely.
Just need to think of a way to wire up the drls, either to the sidelights or do I put them on a separate switch that's the decision.
I'll stick up some pics when done.