Tail lights/boot fog lights LED instalation on standard housing
Tail lights/boot fog lights LED instalation on standard housing
Hi all,
As the title says I will submit my tip of how to install SMD rings inside the standard housing of the tail lights and rear fog lights.
This is how it should look like:
Step 1.
Take off the tail lights - there is a walkthrough here that explains how to do it.
Step 2.
Use a Dremmel tool with a diamond blade. The diamond blade will make a clean and neat cut plus it will not melt the plastic as much as the other ones. Please see below:
NOTE: Please make sure you are cutting around the whole tail light. The lenses are very likely to break or crack (no one wants that, right?) so please make sure there is nothing there to hold it. Once it’s done, remove gently and with caution.
Store the lenses somewhere safe where no one (wife, child or cat) will break it.
SAFETY NOTE: Use safety goggles. They sting like hell, believe me.
Step 3.
Once opened, remove the plastic housing with caution. There is a small screw behind it that might hold it. Make sure you unscrew that one! Also take off the red plastic cover of the light.
Step 4.
Now it is up to you whether you want to paint it black or leave it as it is. I painted mine and I left a chrome ring around the light. I think it goes well with the Lexus badge. If you paint it, mask the bits you don’t want painted. Use the purple 3M masking tape. I found that to be the best as it doesn’t peel off the chrome once removed like others do.
Step 5.
For the SMD rings I used 120mm for the tail light and 90mm for the rear fog lights. They can be easily be found on Flebay at a very good price - 8$ or something for a pair.
Step 6.
Install the rings on the red plastic cover as pictured. I used a 5 minutes epoxy to have them attached. Make sure you have them right in the middle, otherwise will look very unprofessional. Also, you can install more than one ring but with a different diameter of course.
NOTE: Don’t install them inside the chrome housing. They won’t look as good trust me.
Step 7.
Wait for them to dry completely. In the meantime you can drill two 1mm holes through the chrome housing and also the whole tail light plastic housing.
NOTE: Once the wires are run through these holes, make sure to cover them with silicone.
Step 8.
Put everything back together. To seal the light back together I used a black polyurethane adhesive/sealant used in construction. It’s fast curing and seals everything really neat.
NOTE: Use gloves when working with this or any other silicone/sealant/adhesive stuff. It is very hard to take off your skin. Also, don’t wear your Sunday clothes.
Step 9.
Now it is up to you how you want to run the LED lights inside the housing
Repeat the same steps for the rear fog lights.
Note: Before cutting the lense off please make sure you make a mark on the lense and the on housing, so when you seal them back the lense will align perfectly with the housing.
Also it will be up to you of how you want to wire them. I hook them up in the number plate lights. and they look like this:
Voila...you are done.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask.
Great write up mate, well done, lights look great :thumbup1:
Marsdendean Where about do you live and would you consider doing it for anyone else who can't do it ??!
Marsdendean Where about do you live and would you consider doing it for anyone else who can't do it ??!
Looks awesome mate!
ive edited the first post so pics work, and added Rep!