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View Full Version : DIY: BD/BG clear corners



shazapple
08-25-2006, 01:00 AM
This is the method I used to remove that ugly orange reflector from the corner in a 97-99 Legacy. The 95-96 years have a one piece headlight unit, so prying the two sides apart would be a bit more complicated.

There is an excellent writeup on scoobymods which is for a 2000 Impreza. Their corners are almost the same as ours, so it is a pretty good guide.
http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showth ... readid=474 (http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=474)

Tools
- Oven
- Knife
- Flathead screwdriver
- Phillips screwdriver

1) Preheat oven to 150*f degrees, or any low temperature.

2) Open your hood, and on top of the corner piece will be a phillips screw you will have to remove. The corner clips into the fender so you will need to pull it firmly. Once it pops out you will have to remove the bulb by rotating it.

3) I put my corners in the oven for 15-20 minutes. I put them on something soft and checked them every 5 minutes for any melting. Every time I checked them I would try to pry them apart with the flathead screwdriver. Be careful, they're hot and theres a screw and a few tabs that hold the two sides together.

4) So you don't get glue all over the place when you pry it open, use a knife to cut the stringy glue. Once they're pried apart, it should be easy to pop out the reflector. Either pull it out with your hand or use the flathead screwdriver.

5) I didn't use any extra sealant when putting the two sides back together, but it wouldn't hurt. This would prevent any condensation. Reverse the process and you're done!

While you have everything apart, you can replace the bulb. I find the orange coloured bulb reflects in the corner housing and doesn't quite get rid of all the orange. If its legal in your area, you can put in a clear bulb. If not, you can buy chrome covered bulbs which light up orange. I had a can of chrome spray paint, so I put a light dusting on my existing bulbs.

Heres a before and after picture.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2006/08/2004september9yr-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2006/08/2005september7oj-1.jpg

smoke3006
08-25-2006, 06:57 AM
Nice!!
I just may have to do this :grin:

BlueMan0312
08-25-2006, 08:42 AM
what type of sealent would work... and where do you get an clear bulb that lights up amber?

Plays_with_Toys
08-25-2006, 12:26 PM
you could do LED bulbs. I just put the same bulbs that are supposed to go into the lamp but minus the A on the part number. (A of course is for amber). So they are clear, but not a super brilliant blinding white like some cars. I have not had any problems with them for almost a year now.

Huffer
08-25-2006, 12:45 PM
what type of sealent would work... and where do you get an clear bulb that lights up amber?

Not clear, but chromed:
Philips Silvervision
http://www.eur.lighting.philips.com/aut ... ision.html (http://www.eur.lighting.philips.com/automotive/eur/html/products_silvervision.html)
Silver coloured indicators
• Directly interchangeable with existing amber bulbs
• Enhances the styling look of transparent headlights

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/

JPaul99GT
09-16-2006, 07:05 PM
there is of course sylvania silverstar bulbs, but they look blue not silver.

white2abbit
10-29-2006, 08:46 PM
there is of course sylvania silverstar bulbs, but they look blue not silver.

I bought those bulbs yesterday and installed them, they look exactly like the stock bulbs, maybe a tad brighter. I wanted them to be white/bluish but they are yellow :(

Huffer
10-30-2006, 10:40 AM
Quick question - will the oven smell funky after baking the lights? Do you think I could do this with just a heat gun?

sheepdog
11-01-2006, 01:29 PM
Heat gun will work. All you are doing is melting the sealant holding the glass to the housing. Make sure to not melt anything though!

phi11
11-01-2006, 01:40 PM
Quick question - will the oven smell funky after baking the lights? Do you think I could do this with just a heat gun?



YES and YES

(have done both)

shazapple
11-01-2006, 02:04 PM
Mine didnt smell, but I didnt have my temp up that high either

alterian
12-26-2006, 02:18 PM
did it to mine looks alot better

StatGSR
04-28-2007, 10:07 PM
way to mention the screw in the lower rear corner buddy...... just snaped off a piece of grayguys corner light...:shock: well i guess the second one should go fine, but ya might wana edit your first post....

Black Sunshine
01-01-2009, 10:15 AM
I have used high temp RTV (Red or Copper) to glue lights back together with. I've modified any, but I've taken them apart to wipe condensation out and them resealed them with RTV to prevent condensation relapse.

Soul Shinobi
04-12-2010, 12:25 AM
Just did mine. Had to get my oven around 225 degrees to get them apart. I had it up to 250 at one point and warped one lens a bit. The second one was way easier to take apart once I found that the lens slides forward (forward from the perspective of them being installed in the car). Don't forget to remove the little screws on the back first. I warmed them up again when putting them back together to promote the glue resealing. Couple pics for you:

http://home.comcast.net/~subrosa135/car/clear_corner_01.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~subrosa135/car/clear_corner_02.jpg

subikid90
04-19-2010, 10:25 AM
I just did mine this weekend and they look awesome. Still need to get the chrome bulbs.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/04/CIMG2492-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/04/CIMG2493-1.jpg

Benders
04-28-2010, 08:37 PM
That's really strange. Because I have a 97 GT, yet my headlights are USDM One piece lights, not 2 piece like the 97-99 comes with. Wtf?

xx97LEGACYxx
05-15-2010, 02:16 PM
...

xx97LEGACYxx
05-16-2010, 07:00 PM
just did mine today!
heres some pics:

before:

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/3296/05161011073701.th.jpg (http://img7.imageshack.us/i/05161011073701.jpg/)

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/6825/05161011074601.th.jpg (http://img121.imageshack.us/i/05161011074601.jpg/)

xx97LEGACYxx
05-16-2010, 07:06 PM
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/8615/05161012440001.jpg (http://img156.imageshack.us/i/05161012440001.jpg/)</noscript>

xx97LEGACYxx
05-16-2010, 07:09 PM
some tools i used and broken reflector pieces

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/6465/05161012441901.jpg (http://img168.imageshack.us/i/05161012441901.jpg/)

xx97LEGACYxx
05-16-2010, 07:14 PM
this reflector came off in one piece.

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/8168/05161013485801.jpg (http://img28.imageshack.us/i/05161013485801.jpg/)

xx97LEGACYxx
05-16-2010, 07:23 PM
put em back together and back on my baybay!

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/3912/05161015424101.jpg (http://img132.imageshack.us/i/05161015424101.jpg/)

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/9434/05161015430001.jpg (http://img41.imageshack.us/i/05161015430001.jpg/)

took me a while but got it done!

xx97LEGACYxx
05-16-2010, 07:25 PM
btw my headlights are from a usdm 97 legacy gt.

hrdrifter
04-20-2011, 05:51 PM
I just had the worst time doing this. Cracked the plastic around the edges. I guess the trick is to have them hot enough before you start prying?

xx97LEGACYxx
04-21-2011, 11:38 PM
yeah the glue has to be all stringy and melted. then you just simply pull them apart

mycargoesvroom
04-22-2011, 12:27 AM
Looks good. I've been meaning to clear my JDM headlights since I got the car.

hrdrifter
04-22-2011, 05:07 PM
Mine today. (Low quality 1st gen iphone pic)

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/04/img2401bb-1.jpg (http://img716.imageshack.us/i/img2401bb.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

Soul Shinobi
05-08-2011, 11:44 PM
I cleared some one-pieces today, 200-210 degrees did the trick.

Since they're so big I worked each lens off a little bit, put them back in, then pulled them apart the second time.

I realized that breaking the orange corners out is much easier when the lens is hot, I put one lens back in after I got it separated to warm it up and it popped off with little prying.