how to remove tail light lense?

[w113bkk]

I am getting ready to send out my tail light frames to be replated and cant seem to remove the lenses. Are they glued to the frames? Whats the best way to remove them with out shattering the lens?

[kampala]

Not sure what taillights your car has but if you have the early all-red taillights I believe these are not easy to separate from the frame unless you are planning on replacing with new lenses.  Review the tech manual for the details:

http://www.sl113.org/wiki/Electrical/TailLights

[Garry]

The lenses were plastic welded into the outer frame and can be remover by using a Dremmel tool carefully on the weld spots and when refitting them using a bit of silicon around the edge to keep the old lens back in place.  If you break them new lenses are available but expensive.

Garry

[Jkalplus1]

If I may add, the new repro all-red lenses are very nice, crisp.  I did what Garry suggested to restore mine and it is really easy to do if you are patient.
I purchased my lenses from eBay member "aixsellent" and had the best price I could find after looking all over the internet.  You can look at my post in the vendor experience forum.
Jerome

[w113bkk]

My tail lights are all red. When I look at the backside I don't see much glue, only a small amount in the corners. Should I use the dremel to take away some of the red lens material?

thanks

[Garry]

There is no ‘glue’ there will be four or five spots where there appears to be a weld spot that is where the edge of the lens has been ‘welded’ to the surround. There may be some sealant also around the lens that will also couse the lens to stick in place but it is only the weld spots that need to be carefully removed with a dremel and the lens coaxed out.

  Because of the sealant, this is often when the lens is broken when trying to get it to release.

[w113bkk]

Are the weld spots the little tabs that stick out around the perimeter? If so should they be taken compleatly off? Attached is a pic of mine.

[Garry]

They are the ones. 

After removing them you should run a box cutter very carefully around the edge to ensure the lens will then detach.  As I said in an earlier post be a bit careful as the lens can be broken trying to get it out.  You could even run a fine dremmil bit around the edge.  They do eventually come out.

Garry

[w113bkk]

I'm going to practice on the cracked lens and hopefully master the removal process by the time I go to take out the otherside which I need to save.