tuninghaus

iTrader: (2)

PICTURES POSTED UP IN 2ND PAGE

i have a 95 sc300 and would i need to take the rear bumper off to install the 00 tail lights? i tried to fit them in and they dont seem to line up properly at all. there is like an inch of difference where i can only see it fitting, if i take the rear bumper off.

can someone confirm with this or let me know?

quesiton is, how do you take off the rear bumper? kind of a basic question but didn't want to chance breaking some parts or clips that i might end up needing.

thanks

tuninghaus

iTrader: (2)

sorry guys jumped too fast to ask before searching i've searched and found a few threads about taking the rera bumper off.

there were mixed reactcions about the pre 97 bumpmer vs. the 97+ rear bumpers being different and fitment issues with the 00 tial lights.

O. L. T.

iTrader: (17)

If you take the rear bumper off to install tail lights I'd hate to see what you do to change the oil

Buy a 97 bumper THEN take it off.

Black_SC

iTrader: (6)

you dont need to take the bumper off at all.

TRD_Power

Simple... You remove the oil pan, pour out the old oil, fill it back up, then screw it back on

O. L. T.

iTrader: (17)

Do what?!?!? You mean you don't have to pull the engine?!?!?!?!?

SCpwner

Wow... you guys are funny

nysupraman

heres a simple answer: drill out the old holes to fit the new studs. the inner studs dont match up. you dont need to take out the bumper lol.

2JZ_SC

No way man…. Ducktape and bubble gum. If nothing “get a bigger hammer"

96sc3

iTrader: (1)

HAHAH, lol, I'm sorry, i just thought that was hilarious.

Blizzy

iTrader: (-1)

The rear bumper does not need to come off.

Place the two studs outside studs in their holes. Then, use some healthy coersion to get the inner studs to make it into the holes. You essentially will be trying to compress the rubber gasket on that side of the tail as much as possible to weasel the studs into the holes.

The fit is really tight. Once you get the studs in the holes ever so slightly, just give the entire tail a decent push, and it will go right in. Once it is fully in, there will not be nearly as much tension on the studs.

The issue is that the top center section of the rear bumper (where the SC300 badge is located) is fractions of an inch wider in the 96- bumper than the 97+ bumper.

If you remove the bumper to install the tails, you will then have difficulty getting the bumper to fit between the tails...perhaps much more difficulty than by just forcing the tails into place.

I used a very small screw driver to give me some traction on the inner studs to help pull them into the holes that they need to go through once I saw daylight. I was just trying to do whatever I could to get them in.

But, again, once they are in, you will be surprised that there will no tension on the studs. The stud holes are in the proper place; the bumper is just fractions of an inch wider in the middle.

Fireblaze

^Just like what Blizzy said, just put some real effort in there and they will line up.

mikeloc24

Better yet don't. I'm never a fan of using brute force in conjunction with getting plastic parts to fit. That combo could spell disaster for some...that's why man has tools!

Remove your stock tails, take a drill and stretch the stud holes slightly (drill through the sheet metal of your car and extend the holes making them oval instead of round), then the 97-2000 tails will just slide right in. There won't be any force needed to get them in if you stretch the existing stud holes with a drill. It took me about 40 minutes for the entire procedure from what I remember. I went through a few of Perry's (PerryInLA) drill bits but whatever, they're cheaper than replacing a cracked tail light should you apply too much pressure when attempting to force the light in.

Good luck

Duckness

anyone have any pictures? or a diy?

tuninghaus

iTrader: (2)

har har... funny guys

hey seirously, MIKELOC, NYSUPRAMAN, BILZZY thanks for the sound help and advice. i know this might sound like a silly question. but like you said mike, i bought these tail lights brand new from ebay and they are from hong kong. so it got me very worried and pissed off that the studs/holes and the light didn't fit!

i'm pretty relieved and glad that i heard the response now from you guys.. i found it pretty hard to see it fitting correctly with that much difference of space.

most likely i will just drill out the holes wider instead of using brute force i briefly tried it and was afraid i was going to break a stud or something else! lol

good advices guys, thanks!!