Clear Corner Mod - USA only

[nene]

Last night on a whim I decided to take another crack at removing the amber reflector out of my housings. This is known as the Clear Corner Mod on othe circles. I decided to follow some of the information followed on another article concerning housing separation (http://forums.audiworld.com/a6/msgs/509100.phtml).

By now I'm getting so good at removing my headlight units, that I can do it in 15 minutes for both. I took them home along with my heat gun. Applied some heat to the seam where the plastic lens meets the black plastic back, and separated the two. A bit messy with all that warm glue, but it's like eating a great pizza.

I succeeded in removing the amber pieces off. With my GFs assistance, I was done with both amber removals in 90 minutes. Between 11pm and 12:30am mind you. It was nuts!!!
Applied the heat gun to the glue in the plastic lens seam, as well as to the seam on the black plastic back portion, and put the parts together again. Applied some more heat gun to make sure the pieces were tightly put together, and this morning woke up and felt refreshingly clear!

Pix later, on and off the car!

[audirs6sport]

Originally posted by nene
Last night on a whim I decided to take another crack at removing the amber reflector out of my housings. This is known as the Clear Corner Mod on othe circles. I decided to follow some of the information followed on another article concerning housing separation (http://forums.audiworld.com/a6/msgs/509100.phtml).

By now I'm getting so good at removing my headlight units, that I can do it in 15 minutes for both. I took them home along with my heat gun. Applied some heat to the seam where the plastic lens meets the black plastic back, and separated the two. A bit messy with all that warm glue, but it's like eating a great pizza.

I succeeded in removing the amber pieces off. With my GFs assistance, I was done with both amber removals in 90 minutes. Between 11pm and 12:30am mind you. It was nuts!!!
Applied the heat gun to the glue in the plastic lens seam, as well as to the seam on the black plastic back portion, and put the parts together again. Applied some more heat gun to make sure the pieces were tightly put together, and this morning woke up and felt refreshingly clear!

Pix later, on and off the car!


I would apply silicone around the sealant. Some folks had problem with it leaking even after a good heating/pressure applied upon reassembling the unit.

[nene]

Will do thanks. Any brand of silicone you recommend?

[audirs6sport]

I would use gutter/roofing applications since they are suppose to be truly waterproof. I would also get a silicone gun since it would make things alot easier to apply on to the housing. This can be all purchased from home depot =) Did you use a pair of latex gloves when you removed the amber pieces? I know once you get the finger print on the chrome portion, it's almost impossible to completely wipe it off...

[choppo]

Go to Napa and get a RTV selant that will take heat.
Dow makes great silicones and available @ all good part houses
I think it will be the red RTV that takes heat well or they might have it in black , in fact they do cause I used it last time on boat motors and it was a "dow" brand.

Just make sure to use DOT automotive approved so it will do what its suppose to.

homedepot is not the right place for automotive high performance silicones.

I do shop there quiet often too love the place in fact Auther Blank 1st opened them here right down the street and he lives a couple miles away in a huge ass house fyi
filthy rich guy too he is

[audirs6sport]

Yeah listen to choppo. He knows what he's talking about :p I've used the home depot silicone that they have available, and it seems to work perfectly fine. I was also a bit lazy to go out and look for a better quality silicone. However, I might do what choppo mentioned, since I am planning on repainting the housing sometime soon to matching body paint color when I get a chance to do so. Good lookin out choppo =)

[choppo]

It just seems as much work as you both did to get the mods done , no sense in it leaking for the same amount of money.
Sorry I am just anal and if I do it once I want it finished :)

[audirs6sport]

Originally posted by choppo
It just seems as much work as you both did to get the mods done , no sense in it leaking for the same amount of money.
Sorry I am just anal and if I do it once I want it finished :)

I feel the same way about it, except now I want to change the color... But that's a whole different story. :)

[nene]

My car with clearn corners at a recent GTG (http://www.htms.org/img/042005/BurlingtonGTG).


http://www.htms.org/img/042005/BurlingtonGTG/single2.jpg


Blinker on:
http://www.htms.org/img/042005/ccmod/clearcorner1.jpg


Blinker off:
http://www.htms.org/img/042005/ccmod/clearcorner2.jpg

Housing off:
http://www.htms.org/img/042005/ccmod/clearcorner4.jpg

[audirs6sport]

Kinda looks a bit odd. You got any better pictures?

[DaveyKid]

I just tested an extra one out that I had laying around. Left the orange bulb in there.

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/Daveykid/clearcorner.jpg">

[nene]

There will be nice pix coming soon.

[mi021le]

as u look back on it was it easy self exspanitory directions? looks good. :mech:

[nene]

I did not want to use the oven method, simply because of the wires within the housing. I figured my old trusted heat gun would be easier to apply a more local heat. The first one I did slowly as I was a bit nervous about the whole process. But it was not that bad. The directions found on the web, albeit short, were exactly what I needed. Some use the oven, others use the heat gun method. Both seem to work just fine.

[DaveyKid]

I think someone said they used 250 degrees, but the OEM black sealant was pretty soft and mushy at that temp. I'll bet you could still pry it apart at 175 and I seriously doubt you'll do any damage to the wires. Did you have to take off the headlight housing when you used the gun or did you do it right on the car?

[mi021le]

anyother links? im going to do it when i feel a bit more comfortable with what im doing.

[audirs6sport]

Originally posted by DaveyKid
I think someone said they used 250 degrees, but the OEM black sealant was pretty soft and mushy at that temp. I'll bet you could still pry it apart at 175 and I seriously doubt you'll do any damage to the wires. Did you have to take off the headlight housing when you used the gun or did you do it right on the car?

headlight housing must come out under any circumstances. you still need to apply heat all around not just the top and side of the housing.

[DaveyKid]

Never mind my question on my last post then!

[nene]

I always take the housings off, even to change the bulbs. I've got it down to a science now, that it only takes me about 7 minutes per housing.

Here are some of the links that helped me out get an idea:
1. Bi-xenon upgrade (http://forums.audiworld.com/a6/msgs/509100.phtml)
2. Use of heat gun (http://forums.audiworld.com/a6/msgs/509200.phtml)
3. Remember the pizza cheese idea (http://forums.audiworld.com/a6/msgs/514274.phtml)
4. Bimmian bulbs (http://www.rs6.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6470)
5. More observations from another modding session (http://forums.audiworld.com/a6/msgs/514323.phtml)
6. Using the oven - some details (http://forums.audiworld.com/a6/msgs/513845.phtml)
7. Another baking session (http://forums.audiworld.com/a6/msgs/513888.phtml)

[nene]

It was raining this weekend in Boston, so I got together with another A6 owner and we did the clear corner on his car. Here are the pix and click here (http://forums.audiworld.com/a6/msgs/518246.phtml) for full story. Any other RS6 owners that wish to join me in the cc modded list, just PM me.

http://www.htms.org/img/042005/ccmod/cc1.jpg

http://www.htms.org/img/042005/ccmod/cc2.jpg

[nene]

Here's a few other shots of the outcome. Even though the signal bulb is silver, it blinks amber. It is dual filament with a flat base.



http://www.htms.org/ccmod/clearcorner6.jpg

http://www.htms.org/ccmod/clearcorner7.jpg

http://www.htms.org/ccmod/clearcorner8.jpg

[audirs6sport]

Nelson, have you talked to the kid you helped out about the amber reflector pieces?

[nene]

I did speak with him, and he had to go out of town this week. Problem is that I'm going out of town tonight, until next Friday. So most likely I won't be able to get my hands on them until I get back. I'll see if I can get them by next Saturday, as that's the earliest posssible we can hook up.

[audirs6sport]

Originally posted by nene
I did speak with him, and he had to go out of town this week. Problem is that I'm going out of town tonight, until next Friday. So most likely I won't be able to get my hands on them until I get back. I'll see if I can get them by next Saturday, as that's the earliest posssible we can hook up.


THANKS A BUNCH!! :D

[choppo]

Hey guys,
what was the part # on the silvervision bulbs that fit our stock blinkers ?
TIA
Doing the clear mod this weekend :)
Plus anyone know where to get just the "city" lights for a european headlight?
spp will not sell them seperately :(