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Make Your Own Tail Lamp Gaskets, Applicable To All But The Wagons


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#1
badpenny

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I had thought about selling these, but with the way I get around to doing things, I will be lucky to get mine done this year.  I made a video on how I made my tail lamp gaskets, (currently uploading to the youtube)  In it, I showed the process of manipulating closed foam (EVA, not PVC) what materials I used (I will provide a list here) and fitment.

 

 

Step 1: Gather  your supplies, you will need

scissors

pen or fine tip marker

pins or tape (I used pins)

posterboard (for a template, but you could use your old "decent condition" gasket)

5/16 (7.5mm is as close as an approximation as I could get based on the thickness ranges I collected from the hatch and crx(neither were consistent)) EVA foam (I found PVC foam to not have a tension to it, nor have I worked in any capacity with PVC) all I know about pvc is if it is heated it releases toxic fumes.)

knife or x-acto blade, (I used a snap type box knife)

7/32 x 0.014" brass tube for the post holes (found at a craft store $1.49) my craft store is ACE Hardware

heat gun (to seal the foam after cutting it)

sanding block or power sander (i used 80 grit on a belt sander, it removed the texture really fast)

 

Step 2:

 

I made a template from poster board of my old gasket (you only have to make 1, you can flip it to get the other side)

cut it out

 

step 3 

 

I unrolled my floor mat (harbor freight $10)  set my template on it, pinned it down, and traced my pattern onto the non-textured side, then cut out the pattern.

 

step 4 

 

I sanded the texture off. (then unnecessarily heat treated it)

 

step 5

 

I cut out the recesses and holes with my knife and brass tube

 

Step 6 IMPORTANT STEP

 

Heat sealed all cut surfaces to repel moisture. (this means you won't have to resort to caulking, like I saw some 2/4g guys doing in a similar video I found on youtube)

 

my camera glitched during this step and is black (that is why I made it an important step, because it is not shown in the video)

 

step 7

 

I test fitted it on a housing i had.

 

The end?

 

 

UPDATE: I completed my first set for Gimpalot, and I discovered that sanding is not necessary, due to the limited area that makes contact on the lamp housing, one could easily bypass the sanding step.  The reason for this is noted in the old gasket, There are hard lines of the lamp housing that "cut" into the gasket.  Heat treating isn't really necessary due to the fact that the material, that is most of the cut material surface, will never see extreme weather (because its inside you car, or in a pinch point. 

So in summary follow steps 1,2.3.5.7


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#2
GeezRX

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Nice write up/video sir, thanks! When I did mine I found this:

image_url-2050-1520102925.jpg

1/4" thick closed cell cross-linked polyethylene foam (24" x 48" piece) for $11.99 here: http://www.thefoamfa...ylene-foam.html which provided a leak free installation without the sanding/heating. I punched the necessary holes using one of these: https://www.harborfr...h-set-3838.html . I have a large amount of the foam leftover. I, too originally thought of making these for sale but decided against it.


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#3
badpenny

  • tinker, tinker....BOOOOOOM!!!! then I run around
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Edited original post with Update.


Honda, because it's hard to look baller in your mom's Volvo.Posted Image 
The entire tool selection at Sears or the contents of a Snap-On truck will do you no good if you do not know how to use them.