Take Apart B8.5 Headlight Housing

[joekimchi]

Some of you may know me from the B8.5 page on Facebook but thought I'd post in here as well. The last couple months, I've been showing off my blacked out housing on my headlights and I’ve gotten a bunch of requests to make a video on taking apart the B8.5 headlight since there aren’t any tutorials on taking apart the actual housing as well as taking the amber reflector off. Thought I'd give a pretty straightforward tutorial. Tools are listed in the description.

https://youtu.be/DHmGbmUT0vE

[B18b1ex]

Do you know if there are replacement led for the daytime running lights? Thanks.


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[joekimchi]

The actual modules? Or just the plastic strips?

[gmurom]

Thanks for the video!

Do you have any experience changing projectors?

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[romanrnd]

Appreciate the video. I hit a bird, or actually a bird hit me and cracked my driver side headlight. I took the opportunity to upgrade both sides to e-codes and sold off the good side and still have the cracked lens with a replacement lens waiting to be installed so I can resell it. This will be useful.

[bakedziti]

I just took my headlights apart for paint plus new projectors and used the below 2 threads for the walk through.

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...eplacement-DIY

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...Corner-Install

@B18b1ex you can get a RGBW switchback LED module to replace the current LED module, but it seems like a considerable amount of work and have not undertaken the project myself.

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...ED-replacement

[B18b1ex]

I just took my headlights apart for paint plus new projectors and used the below 2 threads for the walk through.

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...eplacement-DIY

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...Corner-Install

@B18b1ex you can get a RGBW switchback LED module to replace the current LED module, but it seems like a considerable amount of work and have not undertaken the project myself.

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...ED-replacement

Thanks, looks like a serious pain. May have to get a used set to try on.


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[SteveYem]

Helpful video. Having disassembled / reassembled my B8.5 headlights multiple times, I'd like to add a couple of helpful tips from my experience:
* Wear rubber/nitrile gloves when working with the internal parts of the headlight assembly. The chrome and silver coatings are very delicate and will scratch easily. In the OP's video he handles these parts pretty roughly IMO, and that's OK if your plan is to paint everything anyway - but if your goal for disassembly is to do some other modification such as a corner reflector or projector lens swap, I recommend wearing non-marking rubber/nitrile gloves and handling the assembly much more gently than is portrayed here.

* Do not touch the inside of the front housing lens. It will show fingerprints / smudges easily, and will also scratch easily when trying to remove said fingerprints / smudges.

* Put a soft towel or blanket down on your hard work surface to project all of the parts as you manipulate them.

* When you remove the front housing lens, place it face-up on your work surface to prevent dust or anything else from falling onto the inside surface

* One of the Torx screws holding the main silver shroud in place is a bit hidden, behind the top outer corner of the shroud. At the 1:42 mark in this video, this screw is located behind the corner of the shroud that is at the top left position. In order to get at this screw I have to carefully and slightly press down on that top corner of the shroud to make room for my screwdriver.

* After a few times of pulling the front housing lens off the main housing by hand, I purchased a set of locking ring pliers (link below) which facilitates gently and incrementally pushing the front lens off the housing once the butyl rubber is softened by the heat gun:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

* One of the times I pulled the main silver shroud out of the housing, the upper DRL tube pulled partially out of the shroud such that there was about a ~1" gap from the end of it to where it meets the bottom tube at the inner 'corner' of the shroud. At first I thought I had broken it, but all I had to do was gently but firmly slide it back in from the back side of the shroud.

* I keep using the word 'gentle'. Take note.

* You will notice dust accumulating on everything while you work. GENTLY wipe away any dust with a new and clean microfiber towel. Even better, use clean compressed air to blow out any dirt or dust.

* I do not recommend using any cleaning solution of any kind on these inside surfaces. The coatings, specifically the chrome parts, are very, very delicate and will scratch or strip easily.

[gmurom]

Helpful video. Having disassembled / reassembled my B8.5 headlights multiple times, I'd like to add a couple of helpful tips from my experience:
* Wear rubber/nitrile gloves when working with the internal parts of the headlight assembly. The chrome and silver coatings are very delicate and will scratch easily. In the OP's video he handles these parts pretty roughly IMO, and that's OK if your plan is to paint everything anyway - but if your goal for disassembly is to do some other modification such as a corner reflector or projector lens swap, I recommend wearing non-marking rubber/nitrile gloves and handling the assembly much more gently than is portrayed here.

* Do not touch the inside of the front housing lens. It will show fingerprints / smudges easily, and will also scratch easily when trying to remove said fingerprints / smudges.

* Put a soft towel or blanket down on your hard work surface to project all of the parts as you manipulate them.

* When you remove the front housing lens, place it face-up on your work surface to prevent dust or anything else from falling onto the inside surface

* One of the Torx screws holding the main silver shroud in place is a bit hidden, behind the top outer corner of the shroud. At the 1:42 mark in this video, this screw is located behind the corner of the shroud that is at the top left position. In order to get at this screw I have to carefully and slightly press down on that top corner of the shroud to make room for my screwdriver.

* After a few times of pulling the front housing lens off the main housing by hand, I purchased a set of locking ring pliers (link below) which facilitates gently and incrementally pushing the front lens off the housing once the butyl rubber is softened by the heat gun:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

* One of the times I pulled the main silver shroud out of the housing, the upper DRL tube pulled partially out of the shroud such that there was about a ~1" gap from the end of it to where it meets the bottom tube at the inner 'corner' of the shroud. At first I thought I had broken it, but all I had to do was gently but firmly slide it back in from the back side of the shroud.

* I keep using the word 'gentle'. Take note.

* You will notice dust accumulating on everything while you work. GENTLY wipe away any dust with a new and clean microfiber towel. Even better, use clean compressed air to blow out any dirt or dust.

* I do not recommend using any cleaning solution of any kind on these inside surfaces. The coatings, specifically the chrome parts, are very, very delicate and will scratch or strip easily.

Great notes!

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