Permaseals are no joke! Finally... Open, Mods Complete, Money Shots Page 4

[crystalworks]

Anyone have any tips on separating the lens from the channels?

I've removed all the silicon gasket from around the outside of the lens and the channel and can't get anything with any kind of leverage to break a seal anywhere on the lens which allows it to lift out of the channel.

I've opened lights before... even hard ones. This one is the hardest yet and I have about 3 hours in it so far with no real success. Not quite as hard as getting the tension arm ball joints out of the spindles over the last few days (2 hours for easy one, and 6 hours for hard one)... but getting close.

One thing is for sure... it's not going back in with gasket maker like it has... using butyl rope like I do on all the other lights I've done.

[itscoo2pyopants]

I butchered a set of pre-facelift headlights trying to get the lenses off. I didn't want to risk doing the same thing to the original headlights so i ditched the project. Seems like the permaseal headlights do not come apart like other headlights i've done. usually just bake them for 15 min and they pry open with little force. the ones i was working on, no matter how badly i butchered them, just didn't want to come apart. The housings were garbage by the time i was done with them. i was hoping the facelifted headlights were not sealed like some of the pre-facelifts.

there was someone recently that had success. they also reported having a tough time, but a heat gun and patience they were able to get it done.

are you installing LED Halos?

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by itscoo2pyopants

... are you installing LED Halos?

Yes, installing LED halos and maybe some other mods... paint yellow lens silver or something.

I'll just keep trucking away at it then. Worst case scenario I can break out the dremel and make them open, and then rebuild/seal the housings after... but I'd like to avoid that if possible.

[Ricky Bobby]

Looks like you need to get out the blowtorch and the utility knife - heat that blade up good and cut as best as you can

Work slow. This is why I never bothered with killing myself opening permaseals - although you guys dont have much option on the facelift models

[tmv]

Search for mrbmwx5 post about how he opened them

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by tmv

Search for mrbmwx5 post about how he opened them

Yeah... saw that, but heating to 400 degrees scares the hell out of me...

But *drumroll please* one of them is open. Heating these is not really beneficial other than to help soften the plastic to bend it back. In the end I decided to cut it off and rebuild it later. Doesn't look pretty now, but will be fine in the end. I will do a DIY (I've been taking pictures) if there is interest, but I don't see many people being willing to do this to their $800 headlights...

Here is where I am at:

[crystalworks]

Played around a bit with some vinyl but I think I am going to just paint the reflector silver. I don't trust vinyl in a space that is so hard to access. I would be gutted (and pissed) if the vinyl started to peel or something. I have a few different color vinyls and just threw the carbon fiber on there for s's and g's as a proof of concept so there are a few wrinkles, but tell me what you think. I'm heavily leaning towards paint.

[jopecasa]

Subscribed!

Looking forward for the finished mod!

[SlickGT1]

I like the CF in there. Maybe put some sort of resin over the vinyl to hold it in place.

I want a write-up. Because if there is one thing I am going to do to this X, it put in god damn bright as effk halos.

[crystalworks]

Here's where I'm at currently. Angel eyes mounted, corner lens painted, and now I am going to polish the lens before permanently reinstalling it.