Tech/Flush Taillight Install

Step 1 preparing your work surface...

• Remove your broken, battered stock taillights. Mine were heavily rusted due to water getting in the cracks and were awful to get off.
• Fill mounting and wire holes with bondo. Sand.
• Measure a center point and use an old scratched CD (near perfect 4.5") to outline placement. I bought 2 red 4.5" flush lights at a heavy truck parts store for $8 each.

Step 2: lots of options for cutting into your body...

• There are a few ways to make the hole. A drill and a rotary file. A metal cutting hole saw. A jig saw w/metal blade. Being a cheap bastid I asked a friend if he had a hole saw I could borrow. He ended up loaning me an electritian's hydraulic conduit punch.

Step 3: the hydraulic punch...

• Drill pilot hole.
• Insert punch through hole twist on the cutter and pump the handle...POP!

Step 4: cake anyone?

• Insert punch with the big 4.5" components, pump and...POP! A perfect 4.5" hole no need to de-bur the edges even!
• This whole process took about fifteen minutes for the two 4.5" holes. Piece-o-cake (nearly even heights too!!!) and I'll have less of a chance of killing a taillight.

Step 5 - Fini!

• Now just cut the old pigtail off of the wiring harness and graft the new one on.