Your video was helpful, but I have a 2006 Thunderbird and there is a 3rd attachment besides the two screws that are bolted in. It is a metal spike that locks into a plastic anchor. After I removed the 2 bolts, as shown in your video, I had to use a wooden rod and a hammer to gently force the metal spike to release it from the plastic anchor so I could remove the rear light cover. I have pictures, but your comment box won't allow adding photos. Also, I used an 11mm extended socket that was 4 1/2" deep and it made bolt removal so easy.
To save a lot of future headaches, replace the hex nuts with wing nuts of the same metric size. MUCH easier to install/remove that way. Be careful with these, replacements are over $1,000 if you can find them.
I have done exactly as you have done in the video and the light assembly will not come out. I notice there is also a plastic bushing that clicks over something in between where the two nuts were removed. Does that plastic piece need to be removed? Is there a trick to pulling the light assembly out?
Update is the plastic piece is where a threaded rod presses into it from the taillight assembly so it doesn’t rattle up and down. The bolts that the nuts are taken off of take care of the side to side movement but the plastic piece keeps the up and down movement stable. Anyhow, a friend of mine had to gentle knock the threaded rod out of the plastic piece before the taillight assembly could be removed. Lights are changed now. Hope this helps someone in the future.
Why is the one stud so long? Since you will never ise the super tall socket that you will buy, for anything else, label it, throw it in a baggie and leave it in the trunk. Stupid engineers. What were they thinking?
Thanks. I used a small vise grip on the 11 mm socket for the outboard 11 mm nut.
Thank you very much for this video; now I’ll know exactly what to do to replace my back left taillight on my 2003 Thunderbird
Your video was helpful, but I have a 2006 Thunderbird and there is a 3rd attachment besides the two screws that are bolted in. It is a metal spike that locks into a plastic anchor. After I removed the 2 bolts, as shown in your video, I had to use a wooden rod and a hammer to gently force the metal spike to release it from the plastic anchor so I could remove the rear light cover. I have pictures, but your comment box won't allow adding photos. Also, I used an 11mm extended socket that was 4 1/2" deep and it made bolt removal so easy.
To save a lot of future headaches, replace the hex nuts with wing nuts of the same metric size. MUCH easier to install/remove that way. Be careful with these, replacements are over $1,000 if you can find them.
thanks your idea is great im a retired tool maker i never thought of that good one
thanks
I have done exactly as you have done in the video and the light assembly will not come out. I notice there is also a plastic bushing that clicks over something in between where the two nuts were removed. Does that plastic piece need to be removed? Is there a trick to pulling the light assembly out?
Update is the plastic piece is where a threaded rod presses into it from the taillight assembly so it doesn’t rattle up and down. The bolts that the nuts are taken off of take care of the side to side movement but the plastic piece keeps the up and down movement stable. Anyhow, a friend of mine had to gentle knock the threaded rod out of the plastic piece before the taillight assembly could be removed. Lights are changed now. Hope this helps someone in the future.
Socket size?
11 mm
Why is the one stud so long? Since you will never ise the super tall socket that you will buy, for anything else, label it, throw it in a baggie and leave it in the trunk. Stupid engineers. What were they thinking?
I'm sure it made sense for assembling the car
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