Back to blacking out. Now what to do with headlight/taillight chrome?

[surfnturfer]

Just got done changing the door handles to black and Plasti dip the wheels on my wife's rig. Looks great but now all I can see is the chrome in the headlights/ taillights. Is there any way to black that out? I see some HID change outs but they are pricey. I am still searching the site but not much luck.

 

[jbstrd]

Just got done changing the door handles to black and Plasti dip the wheels on my wife's rig. Looks great but now all I can see is the chrome in the headlights/ taillights. Is there any way to black that out? I see some HID change outs but they are pricey. I am still searching the site but not much luck.

Buy TE headlights/tail lights. They are not "blacked out" but they are "smoked." Some may have their TE headlights and tail lights for sale if they have upgraded to LED tails or done a retrofit with new headlight housings. Just a thought.

 

[BrickSwindle]

You can remove the headlights, do a little baking, split them open and paint the chrome bezzles. I don't think that works for the tail lights though. If you don't mind spending a couple hundred bucks on lights, buying the trail ed. lights is a good suggestion. Look through the build threads in the stickied threads. I believe Jesse1983's thread includes the headlights.

 

[1engineer]

You can remove the headlights, do a little baking, split them open and paint the chrome bezzles. I don't think that works for the tail lights though. If you don't mind spending a couple hundred bucks on lights, buying the trail ed. lights is a good suggestion. Look through the build threads in the stickied threads. I believe Jesse1983's thread includes the headlights.

Yes and blacking out tail lights are included in [MENTION=48772]Jesse1983[/MENTION] thread.

 

[splash101]

I had smoked head and tail lights on a black Tundra with black wheels, but ended up returning to stock after a few years.

It's nice to have some contrast.

Be aware of possibly losing brightness with some of the products available to smoke or blacken.

 

[WODWorldWide]

You can remove the headlights, do a little baking, split them open and paint the chrome bezzles. I don't think that works for the tail lights though. If you don't mind spending a couple hundred bucks on lights, buying the trail ed. lights is a good suggestion. Look through the build threads in the stickied threads. I believe Jesse1983's thread includes the headlights.

Ah, the old baking method. I did that on my 4th gen and while I loved the look of them, but man is that a pain in the A. Mine ended up getting foggy (no water leakage) but were cloudy at the top. Save yourself the hassle of putting them in the oven and trying to get the glue just right and buy some new headlights.

Take luck

 

[BrickSwindle]

Ah, the old baking method. I did that on my 4th gen and while I loved the look of them, but man is that a pain in the A. Mine ended up getting foggy (no water leakage) but were cloudy at the top. Save yourself the hassle of putting them in the oven and trying to get the glue just right and buy some new headlights.

Take luck

Yeah I haven't personally done it, and don't really plan on it. Just wanted to give the OP a low-cost alternative haha.

 

[Jesse1983]

Buy TE headlights/tail lights. They are not "blacked out" but they are "smoked." Some may have their TE headlights and tail lights for sale if they have upgraded to LED tails or done a retrofit with new headlight housings. Just a thought.

very expensive route for a minor change in appearance.

Be aware of possibly losing brightness with some of the products available to smoke or blacken.

this is true for anything done over the lens such as a tint like on my tails. opening the headlights and blacking the chrome will not affect brightness.

Mine ended up getting foggy (no water leakage) but were cloudy at the top. Save yourself the hassle of putting them in the oven and trying to get the glue just right and buy some new headlights.

I've done several sets of headlights and the only way you will get moisture in them is if they aren't resealed properly. I wrote up a 4R specific DIY here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/148683-diy-te-headlights-black-headlights-bhlm.html

 

[surfnturfer]

Jesse, Exactly what I was looking for!!! Don't know why I did not find it in the search. I assume the tail lights can be done the same way? Thank you

 

[Jesse1983]

Jesse, Exactly what I was looking for!!! Don't know why I did not find it in the search.

In the future look here for mods you're considering. It's the last of 9 threads that are always at the top of the first page of this section.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/92594-modifications-write-ups-quick-links-faqs.html

I assume the tail lights can be done the same way? Thank you

no, the tails can't be done that way (that I know of). It's been my experience that the lens on the tail isn't as think as on the headlights and will break if you try and pry it off. I have not tried it on the 4R tails however. I tinted mine using VHT Nightshades. See here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/60125-jesse1983-7.html#post610536