This thread is a big help to me, thanks guys
Front turn signal removal
- Thread starter newbee mechanic
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Just a fair warning also guys, be careful when you have the light housing out of the vehicle, that top tab where the screw goes is prone to breaking if pushed on the wrong way. I have another set of parking lights laying around and one of the tabs broke off, guess something pushed on it funny.
After hitting a big construction lip, it must have snapped that corner top tab. I took a piece of roofing joist bracket and tin snips and created a support then epoxied it behind the tab. Tentative fix.
The trick I found to remove the corner tab lower snap in tab was to take a long screwdriver vertically placing the tip on the tab tip and swiftly hitting the top of the screwdriver with the midpoint fulcrum. It popped right out. Be sure to have removed the top screw tab first.
The trick I found to remove the corner tab lower snap in tab was to take a long screwdriver vertically placing the tip on the tab tip and swiftly hitting the top of the screwdriver with the midpoint fulcrum. It popped right out. Be sure to have removed the top screw tab first.
Took ~ 5 minutes to complete this repair job. I pushed a hacksaw blade through the crack between the headlight and the turn signal to release the tab and the light pretty much popped right out. The key is the tab guys. 1
and that's a stretch. Anybody want a water logged turn signal
pnwfj’s hacksaw through the crack release the tab within seconds. Thank you! In frustration I had tried to remove the light fixture by pulling hard and also tried to release the tab under the fender. I had failed in both. Save some frustration and time by going for the “hacksaw” method from the beginning.
Man, I finally got it,
After about an hour of trying by pushing
on the tab, I said screw this. I never got enough leverage in that tight space.
So, I just pulled hard straight forward
and it poped out. I had to put on some heavy gloves so I could grab the sharp edge of the turn signal on the outer side. Wasn't hard I guess. I just never thought to use gloves previously, so could never pull hard enough. 1loud was right.
So the trick is, to use heavy gloves so you get a good grip on that sharp edge and to pull straight forward without fear.
Anyway, here are some pics of the TABs for for future reference.
newbee_mechanic/Front Turn Signal - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
Thank you guys.
Sorry about that blank post.
I just wanted to add something that might help someone else. I didn't have any problem getting my light assembly out; it kept falling out on its own. Fortunately, it was still attached to the wiring and fortunately, I have a front bull bar with narrow openings, so I didn't lose it. I kept putting it back in place and it kept falling out.
Upon examination, I realized that the top tab that is held by a screw inside the engine compartment had cracked. The top piece (holding nothing) was still screwed in place, but was not holding the light assembly in place. I repaired the tab with JB Weld.
My contribution is regarding the re-installation of the part. Darned if I could figure it out. With the tab intact, it was blocking every angle I tried and I didn't want to break it off again. After reading on this forum that it slides in and out basically straight, I tried again. No dice. Maybe the bull bar was preventing it from sitting at the correct angle for sliding in from farther out (which I couldn't achieve without removing the whole bar. I was ready to break the tab and glue it in with silicone.
I discovered that by pushing down HARD from the engine compartment on the outer part of the headlamp assembly, I gained a small increase in the opening between the fender and the headlight. With care, the assembly slid in place. I reinstalled the screw on the tab but didn't crank down on it, hoping this would prevent it from cracking off again.
I just wanted to add something that might help someone else. I didn't have any problem getting my light assembly out; it kept falling out on its own. Fortunately, it was still attached to the wiring and fortunately, I have a front bull bar with narrow openings, so I didn't lose it. I kept putting it back in place and it kept falling out.
Upon examination, I realized that the top tab that is held by a screw inside the engine compartment had cracked. The top piece (holding nothing) was still screwed in place, but was not holding the light assembly in place. I repaired the tab with JB Weld.
My contribution is regarding the re-installation of the part. Darned if I could figure it out. With the tab intact, it was blocking every angle I tried and I didn't want to break it off again. After reading on this forum that it slides in and out basically straight, I tried again. No dice. Maybe the bull bar was preventing it from sitting at the correct angle for sliding in from farther out (which I couldn't achieve without removing the whole bar. I was ready to break the tab and glue it in with silicone.
I discovered that by pushing down HARD from the engine compartment on the outer part of the headlamp assembly, I gained a small increase in the opening between the fender and the headlight. With care, the assembly slid in place. I reinstalled the screw on the tab but didn't crank down on it, hoping this would prevent it from cracking off again.
The assembly on my wife's LX 470 was broken with all of the front plastic of the lens gone. I tried releasing tab, pulling, using a curved awl and hacksaw without success. Seeing a YouTube video, I bought this set https://www.harborfreight.com/trim-and-molding-tool-set-5-piece-64126.html. Using the pryer with the round hole at the other end I slid it under the assembly and it popped right out.
