Removing Map Lights
02-06-2011, 02:24 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Salt Lake
Posts: 844
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC & ROLL-Z
Engine: L98 Vortec FIRST TPI
Transmission: T56, Mech Speedo
Axle/Gears: G92 J65 3.27
Removing Map Lights
Does this forum really not have a lighting section..?
Well as I found absolutely nothing on the subject and I had to get creative, I thought i would share my ideas to lessen future headache for those in need.
(1) To remove the Lenses, use a razor blade. Be careful and slow. Pry the lenses covers off side by side. I start with the longer side because of the way it’s clipped on, but its do-able from either side.
(2) Now, you have the lenses off. Time to get that little Bsterd light bulb out of the socket. Seeing as how the space is waayyy too small to fit your fingers in there and simply take it out, (not to mention that fact that mine had 20 years worth of 0 movement metal on metal contact from never ever being replaced and was more or less "stuck") you need to get creative. After fighting with small engine picks and screw drivers and needle nose pliers... I finally decided that this might be a good solution.
I used a piece of shrink wrap for electrical wiring. Make sure you get a size that will fit around the bulb.
(3)Turn on the light for at least a good 4 minutes and give it time to get pretty hot. Stick the shrink wrap as far on as you can get it. Be careful, the fixture inside the bulb slides up and down and will slide out of reach without much effort.
(4) Let the light heat the shrink wrap for a good 30 seconds or so and turn the light off. (IE shut the door, flip the switch, what ever..) Like so..
(5) After you put it on, cut it to a length that you can pull on. Its a good idea to strengthen the heat shrink by actually shrinking the rest of it. So in about 2 second intervals.. BEING CARFUL and making sure not to get things too hot, use a lighter to shrink the rest. DONT MELT ANYTHING PLEASE... go slow and let it cool between heat application.
(6) Let it cool off completely so the heat shrink achieves maximum tension capacity so you can tug on it. It should look something like this when completely cooled off.
(7)Finally, get a pair of pliers and clap onto that heat shrink and give it a tug. You can try and use your hands first but seriously, mine was IN THERE and i had to give it some good effort to get it out, even with pliers.
You can see how much the heat shrink stretched out from the force i put on it.
and voila... you have your Map Light out. Dont ask me how to get it back in though...
Well as I found absolutely nothing on the subject and I had to get creative, I thought i would share my ideas to lessen future headache for those in need.
(1) To remove the Lenses, use a razor blade. Be careful and slow. Pry the lenses covers off side by side. I start with the longer side because of the way it’s clipped on, but its do-able from either side.
(2) Now, you have the lenses off. Time to get that little Bsterd light bulb out of the socket. Seeing as how the space is waayyy too small to fit your fingers in there and simply take it out, (not to mention that fact that mine had 20 years worth of 0 movement metal on metal contact from never ever being replaced and was more or less "stuck") you need to get creative. After fighting with small engine picks and screw drivers and needle nose pliers... I finally decided that this might be a good solution.
I used a piece of shrink wrap for electrical wiring. Make sure you get a size that will fit around the bulb.
(3)Turn on the light for at least a good 4 minutes and give it time to get pretty hot. Stick the shrink wrap as far on as you can get it. Be careful, the fixture inside the bulb slides up and down and will slide out of reach without much effort.
(4) Let the light heat the shrink wrap for a good 30 seconds or so and turn the light off. (IE shut the door, flip the switch, what ever..) Like so..
(5) After you put it on, cut it to a length that you can pull on. Its a good idea to strengthen the heat shrink by actually shrinking the rest of it. So in about 2 second intervals.. BEING CARFUL and making sure not to get things too hot, use a lighter to shrink the rest. DONT MELT ANYTHING PLEASE... go slow and let it cool between heat application.
(6) Let it cool off completely so the heat shrink achieves maximum tension capacity so you can tug on it. It should look something like this when completely cooled off.
(7)Finally, get a pair of pliers and clap onto that heat shrink and give it a tug. You can try and use your hands first but seriously, mine was IN THERE and i had to give it some good effort to get it out, even with pliers.
You can see how much the heat shrink stretched out from the force i put on it.
and voila... you have your Map Light out. Dont ask me how to get it back in though...
02-07-2011, 08:21 PM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Salt Lake
Posts: 844
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC & ROLL-Z
Engine: L98 Vortec FIRST TPI
Transmission: T56, Mech Speedo
Axle/Gears: G92 J65 3.27
Re: Removing Map Lights
Haha... learn something new every day. I cant believe I didn't notice this before. Aparently the whole assembly just pops right out with a screwdriver... uhg.
Learn something new every day right?
Sorry. I forgot to mention why i was taking them out. I replaced them with a LED bulb for brightness and to get rid of that yellow incandecent color. They are now a smooth bright white, I love them. I did the dome light and the step lights also. Turned out great.
Here is the bulb.
And here it is installed. Barley fits. But barley's all you need.
Learn something new every day right?
Sorry. I forgot to mention why i was taking them out. I replaced them with a LED bulb for brightness and to get rid of that yellow incandecent color. They are now a smooth bright white, I love them. I did the dome light and the step lights also. Turned out great.
Here is the bulb.
And here it is installed. Barley fits. But barley's all you need.
02-08-2011, 12:25 AM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Salt Lake
Posts: 844
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC & ROLL-Z
Engine: L98 Vortec FIRST TPI
Transmission: T56, Mech Speedo
Axle/Gears: G92 J65 3.27
Re: Removing Map Lights
They really have a good selection of LED's and i must add that their website is really user friendly. Ordered mine and 2 days later they were at my house. A+ for superbrightleds.com
Trending Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
