So I notice the passenger side taillight lens start to make its way off the assembly today at work. I gently pushed it back into place. When I got home I noticed it again, this time I pulled out on it (not knowing how it was assembled) and notice glue was the only thing holding it on. I am assuming the hot weather has broken down the adhesive and the lens is starting to come off due to the vibrations during driving.
Question is: Is this normal? If so, what is the best course of action to prevent this from happening in the future?
Mine usually stay on, but pull off rather easy... You can probably find the proper kind of glue to stick it back into place. I'm sure someone here can tell you what kind of glue to use.
I have had a few come off like that but I dont know of anything to glue them back together with other than to try clear silicone
That's what I was thinking. I will give the silicone a shot.
Bungee cords.
i had a similar problem and never got around to fixing it but here is the reply i got from one of the members here on how to fix it
"if the cover is coming loose take the whole light out and re-glue it there is this black epoxie by dupont for windshields and it will reseal that cover and there are seal clamps embeded in there also but it does come apart now its all plastic so be careful use a work bench not the corner of your trunk sit it flat and use a chisle or putty knife to seperate it and the epoxie is at auto paint supply shops not auto part shops and it is expensive and you may want to do both sides and check your headlights as well because if you do all of them it works its worth the money because it hardens in the tube"
Hope this helps a little with your problem
your in rare form tonight. LOL
Sorry,I was tired.
I actually have some of that black epoxy, I will take a look at it this weekend. I might as well take them both off and clean them up and reglue.
Thanks
Here's my permanent fix. I drilled 3 small holes and installed screws.
(http://i38.tinypic.com/15p4mf9.jpg)
What/where did you screw into?
ford used a butyl tape. if you bought just the lense a
roll would come with it . windshield urethane in the caulk
tube will work too. you can get either from a body shop supply store.
the tape is available in 1/4-5/16 or3/8. dig out the old stuff
first. its sticky.--irv
sorry vinnie-no red lense colored bungee cords are
available.
If memory servers me right there is a "glue" as well as some very small "clips".
If you are going in there to do this job, mights well do it all... pull it all apart and clean all the dust from the inside, use chrome paint to repaint the reflector surfaces if they are dingy, etc.
Becareful, the flat black on the corners is on the inside of the lens and it can crumple very easily. Real PITA to try and repaint that and make it stick.
I've used black silicone when I did it several years ago. I'm going to have to redo one of mine shortly.
That is a good tip. I will probably do it at a later date. I just put a couple dabs of clear silicone (not totally confident it would do the job holding it on) on the taillight cover and the next day I checked it and it is solid. So, I will hold off until I get the same problem again. Thanks for the advice.
Yep. Little springy guys with teeth that grab and hold the two pieces together.
(http://www3.telus.net/neat/pics1/taillight_clip.jpg)
If you use windshield urethane, there's no way in hell that lens will ever come off again. And wear gloves, or you'll be scrubbing for a week before the stains come off.
Only downside to "never coming off" is if you need to get it apart to clean a bunch of dust or something out of it.