LENS/HOUSING DISASSEMBLY/REASSEMBLY HELP
BELOW ARE SOME TIPS AND TRICKS TO REMOVE YOUR BROKEN 78/79 MONTE CARLO CLEAR LENS FROM THE HOUSING AND INSTALL YOUR NEW "SHAFFER LENS" 78/79 MONTE CARLO LENS TO THE HOUSING.
DETACHING LENS FROM HOUSING: FROM THE FACTORY, THE CLEAR LENS AND HOUSING WERE ASSEMBLED WITH A PLASTIC WELDER, BASICALLY MAKING ALL THE PARTS ONE PIECE OF PLASTIC. THE EASIEST WAY THAT I FOUND TO DETACH THE LENS FROM THE HOUSING WAS TO USE A VERY THIN PUTTY KNIFE AND HEAT IT UP WITH A SMALL PROPANE TORCH, BUT A HEAT GUN CAN ALSO BE USED. WITH THE PUTTY KNIFE HOT, START IN A CORNER AND SLOWLY MELT THE PLASTIC BETWEEN THE LENS AND HOUSING ALONG THE SEAM.(SEE PICTURE ON RIGHT) YOU WILL NEED TO REHEAT THE KNIFE EACH TIME YOU MAKE A SLICE BETWEEN THE TWO PARTS. SLOWLY WORKING AROUND THE LENS, MAKING CUTS EACH TIME, UNTIL THE LENS IS SEPARATED FROM THE HOUSING.
REUSING THE REFLECTOR (OPTIONAL): YOU'LL NEED TO USE THE SAME PROCESS AS ABOVE WITH A PUTTY KNIFE TO CUT THE REFLECTOR OFF THE LENS. THE TWO LARGE TABS OF THE REFLECTOR ARE THE ONLY PARTS WELDED TO THE LENS. (SEE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT) ONCE THOSE TABS ARE SEPARATED FROM THE LENS, THE REFLECTOR WILL COME RIGHT OUT.
PREPPING THE HOUSING: WITH THE LENS REMOVED, YOU'LL NEED TO SMOOTH OUT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE HOUSING THAT THE LENS ATTACHES TO. MIGHT BE AS EASY AS SANDING IT DOWN WITH SOME 80 GRIT SANDPAPER OR YOU MAY NEED TO USE A DREMEL OR SIMILAR TOOL. THE HOUSING EDGE DOESN'T NEED TO BE A PERFECT MATCH TO THE LENS, BUT NO LARGER THAN A 1/8" GAP IN SPOTS.
ADHESIVES: THE CHEAPEST AND EASIEST ROUTE IS "JB WELD PLASTIC BONDER" WHICH CAN BE PURCHASED AT HOME IMPROVEMENT STORES OR WALMART.(SEE PICTURE ON RIGHT) A BETTER, BUT MORE EXPENSIVE OPTION IS 3M DP100 PLUS, BUT REQUIRES THE DISPENSING GUN AND MIXING NOZZLES (WHICH IS FAIRLY EXPENSIVE) BUT EASIER TO DISPENSE AROUND THE EDGE USING THE NOZZLE.
ADHERING THE REFLECTOR TO THE LENS (OPTIONAL): TEST FIT THE REFLECTOR IN THE NEW LENS, THE TWO LITTLE TABS ON THE REFLECTOR SLIP IN BEHIND THE TABS INSIDE THE LENS. SAND THE LARGER TABS AS NEEDED FOR A NICE FITMENT. APPLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF ADHESIVE ON THE LARGER TABS OF THE REFLECTOR AND INSERT THE REFLECTOR IN THE LENS. ONCE IN THE REFLECTOR IS IN PLACE, EITHER HOLD PRESSURE ON THE REFLECTOR AND LENS TILL THE ADHESIVE CURES OR USE A SQUEEZE CLAMP. SQUEEZE CLAMPS MAKE THIS JOB AND THE NEXT JOB MUCH, MUCH EASIER. ONCE ADHESIVE IS CURED, IT'S TIME TO ADHERE THE LENS TO THE HOUSING.
ADHERING THE LENS TO THE HOUSING: ONCE YOU HAVE THE HOUSINGS PREPPED, REFLECTORS INSTALLED, THE ADHESIVE YOU PLAN TO USE, AND OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED SQUEEZE CLAMPS, IT'S TIME TO ADHERE THE LENS TO THE HOUSING. MIX UP A LARGE BATCH OF ADHESIVE (BETTER TO HAVE TOO MUCH MIXED UP AND WASTED VERSUS NOT HAVING ENOUGH AND NEEDING TO MIX MORE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PROCEDURE!!) APPLY AN 1/8" BEAD AROUND THE ENTIRE EDGE OF THE HOUSING, EXCEPT FOR THE SMALL INDENT/NOTCH ON THE BOTTOM OF THE HOUSING.(SEE PICTURE ON RIGHT) THAT HOLE NEEDS TO STAY SO MOISTURE AND PRESSURE CAN ESCAPE THE BOTTOM OF THE LENS. ONCE YOU HAVE A NICE BEAD OF ADHESIVE ALL THE WAY AROUND THE EDGE OF THE HOUSING, CAREFULLY PLACE THE LENS ON THE HOUSING, SMASHING THE ADHESIVE BETWEEN THE LENS AND HOUSING. ONCE YOU HAVE THE LENS AND HOUSING LINED UP, EITHER PATIENTLY HOLD THE TWO TOGETHER UNTIL THE ADHESIVE IS CURED OR UTILIZE THE SQUEEZE CLAMPS TO HOLD THE PARTS TOGETHER. IF YOU'RE USING CLAMPS(SEE PICTURE ON RIGHT), ONCE THEY ARE IN PLACE, INSPECT AROUND THE EDGE TO ENSURE THERE ARE NO GAPS IN ADHESIVE BETWEEN THE LENS AND HOUSING. ALLOW THE ADHESIVE TO FULLY CURE FOLLOWING THE MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED CURING TIMES!! ONCE THEY ARE FULLY CURED, INSTALL AND ENJOY!
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