THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

How do I get access to the tail light assembly to change bulb?

I have removed the two screws but cant get the assembly to come apart. Is there a trick?

Hard to not smack it with a hammer.

Just insert the two screws you just removed back into the lens and use them to move the lens clockwise then counter clockwise until the lens breaks free go slow and the lens will come free.

I'm not sure if this is standard, but my 712M has an ovoid slot on the bottom of the black plastic-like housing that surrounds the tail lights. It gave me enough room to push my pinky finger in there and help push the tail light out. Once the 2 screws are removed on each tail light, there is nothing else holding it in except for a sticky foam-like gasket, dirt, grime and time. Patience and wiggling it back and fourth a lot is what did the trick for me. -Jon

Thanks....I finally got both off. I wonder at the gasket...seems it welded itself to the lens and the frame as it aged. I used a paint can opener with the little hook on the end to slip between the lens and the housing and catch the back of the lense to help work it out.

must be something you can coat the gasket with to keep it from bonding to the lense

thanks for the hints!!

blackstack wrote:must be something you can coat the gasket with to keep it from bonding to the lense

Good idea--I didn't even think about doing that! Maybe a teflon spray or something similar? Any other ideas? -Jon

VASOLINE....ask your wife..there is some in the house somewhere! LOL

Surprised no one has mentioned this...the device in your tool box that looks like a compas with a 1/4'' knob at each end (used to hold the fan blade when loosening) is a perfect fit in the screw holed on the lens.

Morris,

After 8 yrs. w/ a Pinz, that's the first I'd heard of that trick. It's sort of like the spare bolts in the bed bulkhead which are, to my knowledge, only there for pulling the brake drums.

Crafty fellows that made those Pinzgauers.

(((( must be something you can coat the gasket with to keep it from bonding to the lense)))))

I use Dielectric grease for all my electrical lube needs,spark plug boots,light bulb sockets,etc. Should work great for the lens issue.
Vaseline melts at a low temp,it would be oozing out of the t-light housing,at least in AZ!
Mark

undysworld wrote:Morris,

....... It's sort of like the spare bolts in the bed bulkhead which are, to my knowledge, only there for pulling the brake drums.

Crafty fellows that made those Pinzgauers.

Although they aren't used on most Pinzes ( in the most common form), they are are used for brackets for "M" radio trucks. And if my mind serves me right, there was also alternate spare tire mount that fitted there. Remember the basic truck was the "T" , adaptive to any configuration....Those bolts just happen to fit the drum.... I have never looked, but does the "K" platform have those bolts..... I know they're missing from my 716K, but so are the drum brakes.