Clear tail lens swap?
04-04-2006, 05:56 PM
#1
Senior Member
Superstock
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 281
Clear tail lens swap?
So I got the clear tail lens for my SHawk and when I broke the tail setion down to its lens I noticed 2 things:
1. The OEM lens has red plastic clipy tabs protruding off of it, the clear lens does not. It's smooth.
2. The OEM lens is actually wax/rubber-SEALED on the housing!
I began to attempt to pry off the red clipy tabs off the black housing (there's four I think) but noticed I'd probably break the whole thing as it was on there pretty darn good with that wax sealant.
The clear lens I bought has no tabs and I was beginning to doubt if it'd stay on there. After possibly ruining the tail's OEM lens via flathead screwdriver I decided to ask you guys.
Has anyone been successful on this procedure? Is brute-force the key? Does anyone know what I'm talking about?
1. The OEM lens has red plastic clipy tabs protruding off of it, the clear lens does not. It's smooth.
2. The OEM lens is actually wax/rubber-SEALED on the housing!
I began to attempt to pry off the red clipy tabs off the black housing (there's four I think) but noticed I'd probably break the whole thing as it was on there pretty darn good with that wax sealant.
The clear lens I bought has no tabs and I was beginning to doubt if it'd stay on there. After possibly ruining the tail's OEM lens via flathead screwdriver I decided to ask you guys.
Has anyone been successful on this procedure? Is brute-force the key? Does anyone know what I'm talking about?
04-04-2006, 09:50 PM
#2
Senior Member
Back Marker
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Montreal
Posts: 201
Re: Clear tail lens swap?
Yes Mike, I know what you are talking and facing about! I was almost as scared at you when I've tried to perform this mod myself!
Here's a "short" resume of what I've done, and below is the picture of what it look like now.
#1 I was also questioning myself about the red clipy tab but like the clear lens doesn't have these tabs, I've decided to don't care about them and I cut them to give me space for the operation #2
#2 I've used a classic "olfa" yellow knife to gentle cut the wax/rubber sealer between the OEM lens and the tab of the light assembly. This take several time to cut it all and well done, but it worked for me! ( I suggest that you secure the light assemblis in a vices to do this )
#3 After you have cut, the best you can, all the wax/sealer between the lens and the light assembly, it's time for "brute force" but with white glove ( if I can say like this)
be carefull and slowly pry each side of the lens with a flat screwdriver to remove it. Take care to not broke the light assembly tab ( some final cutting could also be necessary to finalize the job )
#4 At first, this step was an accident but after the whole process, I find this very more nice like this. After I had remove the lens I did not care about the inner of the light assembly and I put some greasy finger inside, make some scratch with screwdriver etc. I was thinking that the platic inside was injected grey at factory... WRONG!!! Very wrong and when I tried to clean it with a paint wash ( gentle tinner ), all the grey stay on the towel!!! Haaaaaa!!!
#5 I've tried to repaint it grey, but that was not at my taste, then I decided to paint it satin black to give a more "dark" and "deep" look.
Finally, it was a good decision especially with the 48 LED bulb that I've put instead of the standard 1157 bulb, I think it make a nice look! So, take care of the grey paint inside if you don't would like to have to repaint it!!! :wink:
#6 I've resealed the new clear lens with some silicone, you can use hot melt glue if you would like, but IMO, silicone is better because it will allow a more easy removing of the lens... just in case! And also because you don't want to remake step #1 and #2 again!!!
Oh! and be gentle with the silicone as you don't want that all the excess goes inside when putting the clear lens in place...
Allow the silicone to fix, replace the light on the bike and this is over enjoy your new light!!
To see what it look like on my bike, go there https://www.superhawkforum.com/viewt...=asc&&start=15
Good luck with your mod
Cia
Here's a "short" resume of what I've done, and below is the picture of what it look like now.
#1 I was also questioning myself about the red clipy tab but like the clear lens doesn't have these tabs, I've decided to don't care about them and I cut them to give me space for the operation #2
#2 I've used a classic "olfa" yellow knife to gentle cut the wax/rubber sealer between the OEM lens and the tab of the light assembly. This take several time to cut it all and well done, but it worked for me! ( I suggest that you secure the light assemblis in a vices to do this )
#3 After you have cut, the best you can, all the wax/sealer between the lens and the light assembly, it's time for "brute force" but with white glove ( if I can say like this)
be carefull and slowly pry each side of the lens with a flat screwdriver to remove it. Take care to not broke the light assembly tab ( some final cutting could also be necessary to finalize the job )#4 At first, this step was an accident but after the whole process, I find this very more nice like this. After I had remove the lens I did not care about the inner of the light assembly and I put some greasy finger inside, make some scratch with screwdriver etc. I was thinking that the platic inside was injected grey at factory... WRONG!!! Very wrong and when I tried to clean it with a paint wash ( gentle tinner ), all the grey stay on the towel!!! Haaaaaa!!!
#5 I've tried to repaint it grey, but that was not at my taste, then I decided to paint it satin black to give a more "dark" and "deep" look.
Finally, it was a good decision especially with the 48 LED bulb that I've put instead of the standard 1157 bulb, I think it make a nice look! So, take care of the grey paint inside if you don't would like to have to repaint it!!! :wink:
#6 I've resealed the new clear lens with some silicone, you can use hot melt glue if you would like, but IMO, silicone is better because it will allow a more easy removing of the lens... just in case! And also because you don't want to remake step #1 and #2 again!!!
Oh! and be gentle with the silicone as you don't want that all the excess goes inside when putting the clear lens in place...Allow the silicone to fix, replace the light on the bike and this is over enjoy your new light!!
To see what it look like on my bike, go there https://www.superhawkforum.com/viewt...=asc&&start=15
Good luck with your mod
Cia
04-16-2006, 12:10 PM
#3
Member
Squid
Squid
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 83
Re: Clear tail lens swap?
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