Overhead Map Lights- Removing/Replacing The Bulb Covers
There must be a secret to this, but even the Ford manual is silent.
On the overhead map lights with the gimbel swivel, there is a four pronged plastic insert that covers the bulb. Try as I might, I cannot seem to keep from snapping one of the little plastic legs during removal or installation. I'm down to my last spare. Any advice?
try gently twising it in a circle, so the clips pop out of the hole, but not so much that they brake. i've had luck doing that. but then again, some have just randomly broken on me while driving? lolz
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93 3.0l xlt extended aerostar
mods:
800 watt sound system.
200+ farad kenetic battery + 875 cca reg. battery
2" catback exhaust w new flexpipe and cherry bomb muffler.
4g alt. wiring
Gutted stock airbox
2nd row bucket seats
Passengers mistake the cover for the on/off switch and poke on them until something gives. I picked up two units from the boneyard the other day. Its amazing how hot these lights get, every one shows signs of plastic melt either on the lens cover or around the center lamp. I think over time the plastic gets brittle and this is why they keep breaking.
No easy solution there. The heat from "normal" operation will first mwlt them, then they get brittle as they cool, making it almost impossible to remove them without breaking them. The only way to keep your new replacements from breaking like that is to use them as little as possible.
Those lights would be good candidates for conversion to LEDs.
Interesting subject--I thought my luck was bad with those, but agree with above--
it is the heat damaging the plastic. Maybe gently heating the black gizmos with hair dryer/ heat gun before removal?
Soften the plastic a little...
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