Rear Tail Lamp Guards Installation

[thomlad54]

Hello All:
I just bought a set of rear tail lamp guards that do not require any drilling to mount. The instructions that came with them just shows a diagram of the back of the FJ. Could someone here tell me if the tail lenses have to come off in order to install these?
They also came with just 3 pieces of adhesive pads and there are 6 prongs
(3 on each guard)
Thank you for your help.

Thom

[jwcheek]

Depends on the type that you bought I think. I installed a pair of the Manek taillight guards. You can just lift the light a little to get the elbow between the light and body that screws to the edge of the guard. Was a pain in the a#$ to get to the screws to the lights from the inside which you have to do to loosen them but eventually got it. The driver side required drilling one hole behind the door hinge but it wasn't bad. If you've got big Schwarzenegger arms good luck.

[uphill]

The lenses don't come off, but it's a PAIN IN THE NECK to install them. Almost all of the rear interior panels have to come off. Plan on about a 2.5 to 3 hour install if you're like me (not perfectly mechanical). If you need more specific information, PM me and I'll shoot you my cell phone number.

[Decidion]

I read the contents of this thread and was able to install Manik Tail Light guards without removing *any* interior body panels, except for the small ones that normally just pop out for tail light bulb replacement. It took about an hour and a half and was a pain, but there are two keys to getting it done:

1) You have to have the right tools:
a) A racheted, flexible 10mm crescent wrench
b) A deep 10mm socket and long socket extention

The 10mm crescent wrench (you only need to buy a 10mm one, $10 at Lowes) looks like this:

and

2) Drilling a small hole in the interior body plastic that is normally covered by either the right rear storage door or the sub woofer.

I suggest reading the post (and you can find more posts by doing a search under "tail light guard") and if you have the sub woofer, do a search for "sub woofer" to find step by step instuctions for how to remove it (it's very easy... 4 bolts).

For a picture of the the hole (by NDA432FJ):


Thanks,

[Tracyk123]

Decidion...THANK YOU!

Thanks to the pics and advice in this string, I just installed tail light guards today in about an hour (and I am a complete novice that was sweating about this install).

Couple things as modifications (potentially specific to the 08, which I have).

FIRST and most important is that (as Decidion stated) there is a long leader screw/bolt through the nut that you need to loosen on the light, so you absolutely need a DEEP Socket. Mine were about 3" deep on the 10mm and it barely covered the leader and nut. I got my socket at Home Depot.

1. Driver and Passenger side install does not require loosening the back two screws, only the "front-most" screw (the one that you have to get to through the storage doors rather than the bulb replacement doors). There is enough give by loosening only the front screw to wedge the front bracket into the space between the body and the front of the tail light. I used a screw driver and gently pried the light away from the body of the car (very gently so as not to scratch the paint, and it worked...I was amazed).

2. On the 08 model there is a "false floor" in the passenger side storage compartment that pops out easily by hand. This is a great addition since this obviates the need to drill a hole in the plastic of the compartment. The forward screw that you need to get to can be easily obtained on the passenger side by reaching through the storage compartment false floor opening with either a crescent wrench or a ratchet (smaller is better in both cases---these compartments are small).

3. On the Driver side install, just a note...you can get to the forward screw that you need to access somewhat easily by going in through the jack storage door and reaching through and up to the left.

Thank you all for sharing your experience. I feel that it saved me about 3 hours and several trips to Home Depot or Lowes.

TK

[Decidion]

Tracyk123 previously said:

Decidion...THANK YOU!
Thank you all for sharing your experience. I feel that it saved me about 3 hours and several trips to Home Depot or Lowes.
TK

Glad I could help....and thanks to those who came before us, we all learned from their experience.

[Nate]

Yea, I jut installed mine yesterday as I got them for Christmas, but they forgot to ship the bracket that ataches behind the light. Some observations I noticed:

I had to loosen all 3 screws. I tried just loosening the back one, but I still couldn't get the bracket in.

It was a pain. End of story. Of course, I didn't have all my tools since I'm in an apartment in another city. You really need to have a ratchable, bendable wrench. But it's not a "must have" if you have small, girl-like hands like me.

It's easy to do, but a little time consuming and fustrating as you don't have much room to work with.

[Dimiscus]

Can you guys post some pics of the final product. I am thinking about getting these but want to see what they look like on. And if someone has the Voodoo, that would be even better. Thanks.

[Nate]

I'll get some when I get home for ya. And I have the Voodoo.

[Dimiscus]

Sweet, thanks Nate.