kable

i put the kouki taillights on my s13 about a year ago. this seems like a moronic question as i installed the lights myself, but how do i get them off. i want to take them off to access the lower panel which runs below the lights and center piece. it came unpainted and i am going to paint it white which will give some more curves to the rear lighting of the car. if i can just get the lower panel off that would be fine, but i believe there is an order of operations for this install/uninstall.

i loosened the centerpiece but i am unable to get the taillight housing off. i removed all the bolts but it is still on really tight. could this just be the sealant? i find that to be unlikely because it is so tight - but i have taken every bolt off on the inside of the hatch and rechecked. should i just push and play with it? i don't want to break the lights because i sold my kidney to get them.

also, when i reinstall do i need to put some type of sealant on? i didn't put anything on when i initially installed. i read about the sealant from nissan but is it required or can i just use what is already there without any issues?

appreciate the help - thanks.

silviaks2nr

iTrader: (1)

use a hairdrier or heat gun. on a hot day you can probably park the car outside and open the hatch and get it warm enough to soften the glue. you shouldnt have to use more sealant upon reinstallation

kable

it was 2 combinations

1. there was a hidden screw - had a clip on top that held the taillight wires to to the body of the car. theres one on each side. this needs to be off obviously
2. the sealant - its tough and you'll need a screwdriver to pry it off as you pull and use a hairdryer to melt the stuff. be careful not to break anything but work slowly at the sealant seperating it bit by bit. once the screws are off that is all that is holding the lights in.

also - you do not need to take the lights/centerpiece off to take the bottom piece off as i had originally thought, there are seperate screws on the bottom for that piece. when removing the lights you do need to take the center piece off, but the lower trim piece is a seperate entity. this will help if you need to take the piece of to get it painted. i went to a body shop with the piece and they told me they'd paint it for 25 bucks - not a bad deal for something that is gonna add a lot style wise to the rear of the car.

the sealant that your pry off may get destroyed or be old. to be safe i am gonna pick up some from nissan when i put the part back on - it is heat activated butyl sealant. from what i read in another thread it works the best compared to other substitutes. when i call i will post a part number here.