08 Focus Headlight Baking Recipe

[BradWhite]

I was asked to post my instructions for separating the lens from the case on the 08' Focus headlight. So here it is.

Headlight Recipe (well done)

To get the headlight lens off of the case you are going to have to bake the entire headlight in the oven in order to soften the NASA space shuttle tile glue Ford uses to hold the lens in place.

(I’ve done this twice now, with no adverse effect to the headlights at all. The second time is even easier with normal silicone in there.)

Items Required:

To Disassemble
Two (2) 2008 Ford Focus Headlights (one at a time please)
Two (2) Medium size regular screwdrivers
Oven mitts
Razor knife

To Reassemble
Silicon (I used Permatex / 3 oz. Tube Clear RTV Silicone Adhesive Sealant $5.49 at AutoZone part #80050)
Clamps (strap clamps work well, Lowes part #186520, $29.98) use any clamps you have but be very careful to protect your lens from scratches.

Instructions:

Remove headlight from car (well, you just never know with some people )

Here's a link on "how to" remove the grille on an 08'. It's easy to do and sure makes getting those headlights in and out a lot easier.

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=161006

Pre-heat oven to 300’ (three hundred degrees!)

Place headlight on baking sheet (keep lens up and not touching the baking sheet)

Work up courage

Work up more courage

Place headlight in oven for 20 minutes (twenty minutes!) DO NOT allow any part of the headlight to come in direct contact with the oven sides, top or bottom.

Find something else to do for 20 minutes or you will drive yourself nuts staring in the oven window.

After 20 minutes;

Caution HOT: use the oven mitts and remove headlight to your work area (leave the oven on)

Use your razor knife and score inbetween the case and lens, score on the case side to avoid slicing your lens.

Now use one screwdriver and work it down in-between the lens and the case (do this on the side of the lens that does not overlap the case, see picture below); you want to get down under the lens;

And then gently – DO NOT RUSH – pry up the lens sslloowwllyy.

Work about a 2 inch area with the screwdriver and slow but sure pressure should cause the lens to start coming up out of the case.

When the lens is up high enough place the other screwdriver beside the first one and repeat the above process.

Continue moving the screwdrivers down the line and working the lens out of the case.

STOP when it starts getting harder to get the lens to move up.

Re-bake for another 10 minutes and continue.

Continue this process until complete (only required one re-bake the first time I did this)

Ok, that’s the hard part. Stop, have a drink or whatever process you use to calm down and marvel at what you have just accomplished.

Be careful with that Lens, always sit it on a nice soft cloth – they scratch easily.

Now somewhere in here you are going to need to stop and clean the old silicon (NASA tile glue) from the case and lens. This process will actually take longer than getting them apart did. I used a razor knife and an old small screwdriver (which I filed to create a small chisel) to clean mine out. The BETTER you clean them the better seal you will have when you re-seal the lens and case later.

So they're apart, do what ever it was you wanted to do that prompted you to this maddness and then;

Re-Seal Headlights

But before you re-seal the headlights, now would be a good time to get all those finger prints and whatever else off of the chrome insert, the lens and the reflector. Clean them good, very good and then clean them again.

Now, you’ve already cleaned out all the old silicone (as much as possible, the more the better) so run a liberal bead of new silicon into the grove all the way around the headlight case. Do not leave any gaps. I made sure the grove was filled from the bottom of the grove to the top edge of the headlight case. Yep, you are going to squeeze some out when you install the lens but it won’t be visible and you will get a good seal between the headlight and lens thereby preventing any moisture from sneaking in there later.

Now clamp, tape, strap, sit on, (whatever) the lens and headlight together so everything is nice and snug. Leave them this way for at least 12 hours. The strap clamps work great for this, I used my strap clamp in the middle of the headlight and one more regular clamp on each end.

Depending on the clamps you use be careful to protect the lens from scratches.

Here’s a pic of one of mine waiting for the silicone to dry.



After the silicon has cured for at least 12 hours you may remove the clamps and re-install the headlights.

Hope you found this helpful and if I can correct or clarify anything don't hesitate to PM me.

[Sponsor]

[BradWhite]

Oh yeah, I found out that it's not all that easy to write something up with a baby California King snake crawling through your hair.

DAMN KIDS!! Come and get your freek'n snake will you!

[ShamrockSVT]

good write up, funny and informative!

[Tom]

Excellent post, its now stickied.

[BradWhite]

Thank you gentlemen, I appreciate your responses and the rep points.

[norcalfocus01]

nice write up sir, i was just wondering why you took yours apart anyhow?

[BradWhite]

A lot of guys do it to paint, but I took mine apart to do this





There are now four blue LEDs in each, two mounted under each chrome cross piece, and pointing back in at the reflector.

[S2]

Added to the 'HOW TO ARCHIVE'.........

[Casper666]

wow thats badass..im likeing that blue LED effect.

[theWorst]

Thanks Brad !!!!!