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      07-25-2008, 12:09 AM   #1
TheRustler
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DIY Request: Orange Turn Signal reflectors

Does anyone know how to remove the orange turn signal reflectors on the headlights? I don't like them.
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      07-25-2008, 12:27 AM   #2
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hahah none of us do man..
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      07-25-2008, 12:31 AM   #3
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I do, but i wouldn't bake my headlights. Did it on my suby plenty of times, but i dont think i have the balls to do it on these since there's a motor inside for the adaptive headlights.
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      07-25-2008, 09:08 AM   #4
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Only way I know is to bake them.
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      07-25-2008, 09:29 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ichiban View Post
I do, but i wouldn't bake my headlights. Did it on my suby plenty of times, but i dont think i have the balls to do it on these since there's a motor inside for the adaptive headlights.
I've contemplated doing mine a few times, but haven't had the balls (yet). Not sure if you drove a WRX or STi, but the STi had a motor in them for manual leveling and I did at least 4 sets without any issues.
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      07-25-2008, 12:14 PM   #6
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hmmm, i might just take the headlights out and fiddle around with it. Work up some courage (and save up enough to buy another set in case i mess up) .. we'll c, if i do, i'll be sure to post up a DIY.
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      07-25-2008, 12:59 PM   #7
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I'll bet there are 100 people scanning every day looking for the first rich kid to try (I am!)
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      07-29-2008, 08:52 PM   #8
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these housings are very very similar to the ones when the E90 first came out. There is a way to do it bu drilling a hole into the housing and they taking a small bit to drill through the housing into the clips to release the amber refelctor, at that point you would using needle nose pliers through the bigger hole you drilled to break apart the plastic amber lens inside the head light housing. once small enough you can just shake the peices out and plug the holes you drilled... There was a DIY on E90post but I cant find it. Very hard to do. I know I wont try it.
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      07-29-2008, 10:05 PM   #9
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thta sounds hard, and very tedious. I'd hate to have little tiny amber pieces floating around my headlight.
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      07-29-2008, 10:30 PM   #10
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Art, I remember those posts, and the results were not stellar. The bulb is exposed, and it doesn't look finished, or like the Euro version. I'll guarantee that our headlights are not the same as the Euros, except with amber reflector added.
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      07-29-2008, 10:43 PM   #11
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If you guys want Euro-style headlights as much as I want 'em, you can ask Riss Racing to make it happen.

I'm not affiliated with RR, but they seem to make great products.
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      07-29-2008, 11:20 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by subscience View Post
If you guys want Euro-style headlights as much as I want 'em, you can ask Riss Racing to make it happen.

I'm not affiliated with RR, but they seem to make great products.
They seem to be the most responsive to making items based on what customers want :thumbup:
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      07-30-2008, 09:16 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Artz 330 View Post
these housings are very very similar to the ones when the E90 first came out. There is a way to do it bu drilling a hole into the housing and they taking a small bit to drill through the housing into the clips to release the amber refelctor, at that point you would using needle nose pliers through the bigger hole you drilled to break apart the plastic amber lens inside the head light housing. once small enough you can just shake the peices out and plug the holes you drilled... There was a DIY on E90post but I cant find it. Very hard to do. I know I wont try it.
Sounds like lacoscopy to remove a gall stone lol.
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      07-30-2008, 11:06 AM   #14
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I'd just man up and buy a pair of Euros if it bothered me that much. Some vendor will have them up for sale at some point if they dont already.
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      09-20-2008, 04:20 PM   #15
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ohh

plenty of people have baked headlights even with motors inside...when i did my clear corners and amber delete i used a HEAT GUN!!! much easier and safer IMO
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      09-20-2008, 06:43 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by audi2bmw1 View Post
plenty of people have baked headlights even with motors inside...when i did my clear corners and amber delete i used a HEAT GUN!!! much easier and safer IMO
I agree, I did that with my suby lights and it was fine
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      09-21-2008, 01:19 AM   #17
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then do it and write a diy. I'll paypal you dub for your trouble
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      09-21-2008, 08:24 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandon26pdx View Post
I'd just man up and buy a pair of Euros if it bothered me that much. Some vendor will have them up for sale at some point if they dont already.
Not neccesarily, anyone selling non-compliant headlight or tailight assemblies may be subject to large fines.

Reflectors are required by law on all North American vehicles. They must be Amber in front and Red in the rear. Whether or not you decide to cover up or remove the amber reflectors is up to you, however doing so may subject your vehicle to a violation at some point.

Is it even beyond the possibile that your insurance company may void your coverage if your car is deemed to be non compliant with DOT and NHTSA standards? This might be worth checking out just in case.

Los Angeles Times article
Quote »
"Auto Products Wholesaler Fined $650,000
By John O'Dell, Times Staff Writer
A Southland auto accessories company has been fined $650,000 for selling thousands of substandard taillight assemblies popular with younger motorists, federal regulators said Friday.
American Products Co. of Corona is a major wholesale supplier of customizing and performance products to retailers including Pep Boys, Auto Zone and JCWhitney.com.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said late Friday that American Products had sold various models of replacement taillights with clear lenses or lens covers that failed to comply with federal safety standards.
American Products President Brian Torres said the $140-million-a-year company was targeted by regulators because it's the largest in a rapidly growing field. Some of the products were purchased from overseas suppliers, he said, and others "were manufactured under our interpretation" of regulations "that are 20 and 30 years old. Unfortunately, NHTSA challenged those interpretations."
In its statement, NHTSA said some of the company's taillight models were missing required side marker lamps or reflectors, and others replaced red lamps and reflectors with clear ones. In most cases, state and federal regulations require red automotive taillights.
American Products also sold "other noncompliant replacement lighting equipment" including clear corner and bumper lenses and kits to convert stock headlamps to brighter high-intensity discharge lamp systems, the agency said. NHTSA said it has ordered recalls of thousands of American Products parts since 1999. Information about the recalls can be found online at http://www.nhtsa.gov . Motorists with questions can call NHTSA's toll-free hotline, (888) 327-4236.
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      09-21-2008, 10:24 AM   #19
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I'm not sure how true that is... I remember reading a while back that the fronts could be amber or clear, the sides could be clear as long as they had an orange light when blinking and the rears could be red or amber...

I'm not sure how accurate it is now, but I did read a post on some forums before where some guy actually looked up the legal code.
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      09-21-2008, 10:57 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by audi2bmw1 View Post
plenty of people have baked headlights even with motors inside...when i did my clear corners and amber delete i used a HEAT GUN!!! much easier and safer IMO
How do you reseal without getting condensation on the inside?

Ive tried the drill out, break apart, and shake out method and it worked perfectly but that wasnt on a 1 series and the 1er headlight doesnt look like it can be done this way. Ill have to take a closer look.
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      09-21-2008, 11:30 AM   #21
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A heat gun may not work that well. This is the heat test regulation in the FMVSS 108 standard, they are going to bake test the plastic for two hours at 175 deg F, and it is not allowed to change color, shape or appearance.





(e) After exposure to the heat test as specified in subparagraph (f) of this paragraph, and after cooling to room ambient temperature, a test specimen shall show no change in shape and general appearance discernable to the naked eye when compared with an unexposed specimen. The trichromatic coefficients of the samples shall conform to the requirements of SAE J578c, Color Specification for Electric Signal Lighting Devices, February 1977. (f) Two samples of each thickness of each plastic material are used in the heat test. Each sample is supported at the bottom, with at least 51 mm. of the sample above the support, in the vertical position in such a manner that, on each side, the minimum uninterrupted area of exposed surface is not less than 3225 sq. mm. The samples are placed for two hours in a circulating air oven at 79 <PLUS-MINUS3 degrees C.
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      09-21-2008, 04:18 PM   #22
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lol - so who wants to go first?
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