ACHTUNG: Read instructions completely before proceeding with your blackout corner lenses.
Items needed:
1 pair CB or CC corner lenses
1 roll masking tape
1 rattle can of paint
1 philips head screwdriver
1 flathead screwdriver
1 tube silicon sealant
Caveat: I am not responsible if you break your lenses. Use common sense and your better judgement while doing this. If you kill your corner lens, you'll have to live with it until you get another set off of Ebay for $1.
For this I used a spare passenger side CB lens that I had laying around that was damaged from striking a coyote in 2003, and I used RED just to clearly show the blacked out areas.
1: Remove corner lenses. How you may ask? Easily: remove small philips head screw from top of lens and pull lens straight toward the front of the vehicle. If it is the first time the lens has been removed, it may take a bit of effort. Don't be afraid to break two thin plastic pegs at the back of the lens, as they won't feel a thing.
You should have something that looks like this:
2: Seperate the lens. BE CAREFUL doing this. remove the black plastic weatherstripping from the lens; the method of removing it is at your discretion. Keep in mind the lens from your CB or CC is most likely anywhere from 12 to 16 years old, and is most likely brittle around the edges. Use a flathead screwdriver and carefully pry around the edges until the lens cover seperates from the amber reflector and chrome backing. Once you have it seperated, use a philips screwdriver on the back to take out a small screw that hold the amber reflector to the chrome backing.
You should have something that now resembles this:
3: Paint that bad boy. Mask off the edges where the silicon sealant adheres and on the actual light reflecting surfaces of the lens for the 194 wedge bulbs. Use fresh masking tape, not duct tape like I did. Once you have it masked, its time to paint. Shake your rattle can of color of your choice thoroughly and spray in even sweeps past the item you're spraying. Most will choose to use a semi-gloss black whereas I used bright red for ease of visibility.
If you can follow instructions, you should have had your lens look like this and this:
4: Let dry and remove tape. I let this lens dry for about 3 hours and carefully removed the tape. When removing your tape be sure not to carelessly rip it off in great haste, as it may remove the chrome you were trying to protect. Take your time removing the masking tape.
Your result should like mostly like this:
5: Putting it back together: Just like the title would suggest, its time to put it back together. Reassembly is the opposite of disassembly as far as the amber reflector goes. To readhere the clear lens cover over the reassembled amber reflector and the freshly painted chrome backing plate, carefully put 1/8" bead of silicon sealant all the way around the contact surface of the chrome plate where the lens will contact. Use clamps or rubber bands or books or whatever it takes to apply steady pressure to allow the sealant to dry, usually overnight.
Your reassembled corner lens should look something like this:
6: The finished product. Put your sealed lens back on your vehicle. Its the same as taking it off, but just the opposite. Be sure to plug in your lights and put the tiny philips screw back in.
You finished product should look like this: (without the painters tape to hold it in place that is, and hopefully your bumper isn't scratched either)
Lights off:
Lights on:
Again: please use your common sense and don't blow yourself up doing this. Spray in a well ventilated area, don't stick yourself with a rusty screwdriver separating the lenses, and don't scratch up your car trying to get your corner lenses off for the first time.
DO NOT try to seperate the lenses using an oven such as with a headlight blackout DIY, as all you will successfully do is melt the lenses.
Enjoy your new blacked or blued or greened or whatever color you choose lenses.
Items needed:
1 pair CB or CC corner lenses
1 roll masking tape
1 rattle can of paint
1 philips head screwdriver
1 flathead screwdriver
1 tube silicon sealant
Caveat: I am not responsible if you break your lenses. Use common sense and your better judgement while doing this. If you kill your corner lens, you'll have to live with it until you get another set off of Ebay for $1.
For this I used a spare passenger side CB lens that I had laying around that was damaged from striking a coyote in 2003, and I used RED just to clearly show the blacked out areas.
1: Remove corner lenses. How you may ask? Easily: remove small philips head screw from top of lens and pull lens straight toward the front of the vehicle. If it is the first time the lens has been removed, it may take a bit of effort. Don't be afraid to break two thin plastic pegs at the back of the lens, as they won't feel a thing.
You should have something that looks like this:
2: Seperate the lens. BE CAREFUL doing this. remove the black plastic weatherstripping from the lens; the method of removing it is at your discretion. Keep in mind the lens from your CB or CC is most likely anywhere from 12 to 16 years old, and is most likely brittle around the edges. Use a flathead screwdriver and carefully pry around the edges until the lens cover seperates from the amber reflector and chrome backing. Once you have it seperated, use a philips screwdriver on the back to take out a small screw that hold the amber reflector to the chrome backing.
You should have something that now resembles this:
3: Paint that bad boy. Mask off the edges where the silicon sealant adheres and on the actual light reflecting surfaces of the lens for the 194 wedge bulbs. Use fresh masking tape, not duct tape like I did. Once you have it masked, its time to paint. Shake your rattle can of color of your choice thoroughly and spray in even sweeps past the item you're spraying. Most will choose to use a semi-gloss black whereas I used bright red for ease of visibility.
If you can follow instructions, you should have had your lens look like this and this:
4: Let dry and remove tape. I let this lens dry for about 3 hours and carefully removed the tape. When removing your tape be sure not to carelessly rip it off in great haste, as it may remove the chrome you were trying to protect. Take your time removing the masking tape.
Your result should like mostly like this:
5: Putting it back together: Just like the title would suggest, its time to put it back together. Reassembly is the opposite of disassembly as far as the amber reflector goes. To readhere the clear lens cover over the reassembled amber reflector and the freshly painted chrome backing plate, carefully put 1/8" bead of silicon sealant all the way around the contact surface of the chrome plate where the lens will contact. Use clamps or rubber bands or books or whatever it takes to apply steady pressure to allow the sealant to dry, usually overnight.
Your reassembled corner lens should look something like this:
6: The finished product. Put your sealed lens back on your vehicle. Its the same as taking it off, but just the opposite. Be sure to plug in your lights and put the tiny philips screw back in.
You finished product should look like this: (without the painters tape to hold it in place that is, and hopefully your bumper isn't scratched either)
Lights off:
Lights on:
Again: please use your common sense and don't blow yourself up doing this. Spray in a well ventilated area, don't stick yourself with a rusty screwdriver separating the lenses, and don't scratch up your car trying to get your corner lenses off for the first time.
DO NOT try to seperate the lenses using an oven such as with a headlight blackout DIY, as all you will successfully do is melt the lenses.
Enjoy your new blacked or blued or greened or whatever color you choose lenses.
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