Tail light lense

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frenchfries
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Tail light lense

Post by frenchfries » Thu May 24, 2018 10:35 am

Hello

How do you remove the entire lense from the rear light?

Moi
1993 Turbo auto called Skip for the important stuff
2011 Juke 190 for everything else

eye of ra
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Re: Tail light lense

Post by eye of ra » Thu May 24, 2018 10:58 am

Don’t whatever you do follow the internet idea of putting it in the oven to loosen the glue, the light melts before the glue (if it is actually glue). Don’t ask me how I know. :nuts: :wall: :tomato:

On and off I’ve been thinking/trying to do the same and not as yet come up with a way.
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frenchfries
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Re: Tail light lense

Post by frenchfries » Thu May 24, 2018 12:38 pm

Oven? Did not think of that but since it is all plastic I would be doubtful :)

I have a very old set beyond repair and would like to explore a few options.
1993 Turbo auto called Skip for the important stuff
2011 Juke 190 for everything else

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brinkie
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Re: Tail light lense

Post by brinkie » Thu May 24, 2018 1:03 pm

Tried a hot air paint stripper already?

I have removed the lenses of the front light clusters once using boiling hot water.
Robert.

Present cars: 1994 Volvo 480 GT 2.0i, 1999 Volvo S70 2.5 Europa, 2010 Volvo V70 2.0F Momentum

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dragonflyjewels
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Re: Tail light lense

Post by dragonflyjewels » Thu May 24, 2018 1:23 pm

I often cook things in water to loosen old glue - try hot rather than boiling first tho in case the plastic distorts. Leave in the hot water on very low heat at least 10 minutes.
Sylvia

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frenchfries
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Re: Tail light lense

Post by frenchfries » Thu May 24, 2018 2:27 pm

dragonflyjewels wrote:
Thu May 24, 2018 1:23 pm
I often cook things in water to loosen old glue - try hot rather than boiling first tho in case the plastic distorts. Leave in the hot water on very low heat at least 10 minutes.
Will try that, a bit of salt will probably make it taste better :)
1993 Turbo auto called Skip for the important stuff
2011 Juke 190 for everything else

eye of ra
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Posts: 355
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Re: Tail light lense

Post by eye of ra » Fri May 25, 2018 8:57 am

frenchfries wrote:
Thu May 24, 2018 12:38 pm
Oven? Did not think of that but since it is all plastic I would be doubtful :)
It seems to work on modern plastic lights (it’s on YouTube, so it must be true :roll: ) but take it they are made of a different plastic and use different glue so the lights don’t melt first. :wall:

I don’t think the rear lights use the same glue as the front. I have tried broken ones in boiling water and it doesn’t soften. Looking at it I’m not even sure it’s a glue. Won’t do any harm to try it though as the plastic doesn’t melt in hot water.
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Alan 480
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Re: Tail light lense

Post by Alan 480 » Fri May 25, 2018 11:40 am

I've not checked carefully, but sometimes two plastic items are 'sonic welded' ie the two parts are pressed into contact and vibrate fast enough so that one of the plastic parts melts and bonds to the other, so NO glue involved!!
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

eye of ra
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Re: Tail light lense

Post by eye of ra » Fri May 25, 2018 12:18 pm

Looking at them I did think they looked melted together but thought "How would they do that?" I am now enlightened.

The down side of that is heating won't help and they will probably need cutting apart which will damage one side or the other.
Current:
480 ES Auto 1989
480 Celebration 187
480 ES Auto 1991
CLK430 Conv 2001
Hyundai i10 2015

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