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Baking headlights apart?

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Old Jan 2, 2017 | 02:05 AM
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Default Baking headlights apart?

Well I bought a cheap set of housings for my old super duty to do my headlight conversion.
I watched a number of videos on baking housings apart and gave it a try. Mine will not come apart like in the videos I watched? It seems the plastic housing just gets soft and bends all over the place and the darn glue will not release?
I'm wondering are my housings that crapy or am I heating it wrong? I had read the cheap off shore housings will separate easier due to less glue and such but now I'm not so sure? Is it normal for the plastic to get really soft? I started at 220 and went all the way up to 270 all that's happening is the plastic gets softer but still will not come apart?
Thanks for any advice you might have. I'm getting a little frusterated on my end.
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Old Jan 2, 2017 | 12:05 PM
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I have had good luck with many housings at 220 for 10-12 minutes. I have always had an easier time getting aftermarket lights apart compared to OEM. The key is finding the right corner to start on. What year is your Superduty?
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Old Jan 2, 2017 | 12:29 PM
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04. The housings aren't that big so I thought it would be easy?
I eventually got one apart. I got one corner started and then it very slowly pulled apart with constant pressure. The other finally broke though. I would have the corner spread open half an inch and two inches away it was just not letting go for anything. I think they were just glued together extremely well which surprised me since they were cheap ebay units.
I just wonder if my technique was so flawed or if I just got a really bitchy set of housings? I also started at 220 but that was just not getting me anywhere at all.
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Old Jan 2, 2017 | 12:37 PM
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Well the issue with higher heat is while you wont notice right away, you will cause spider-webbing and cracking of the lens. This usually is evident a week or 2 after putting them back on the vehicle and the UV light starts its magic. I have never had the cheap ebay lights give me problems.
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Old Jan 2, 2017 | 03:02 PM
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I must be doing something wrong then. I even used the ones from the same vendor you did on your build thread in your sig. Now I need to decide if I try again or just keep it stock. I need to figure something out soon since one of my factory housings is broken. Sigh
Thanks for your input.
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Old Jan 2, 2017 | 04:11 PM
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No problem. That sucks as ones from a 04-08 F150, 04 Focus and 07 Superduty all came apart easily for me.
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Old Jan 2, 2017 | 04:12 PM
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Are you preheating the oven, turning the oven off, placing the lights in it on cardboard, letting the heat set in for 10 minutes and removing them and prying and repeating?
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Old Jan 2, 2017 | 07:44 PM
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No I was just pre heating and then tossing them in for about 8 to 10 minutes or so. I left the oven on the whole time. I would try prying for about a minute or two and then toss them back in for 5 or 7 minutes again.
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Old Jan 3, 2017 | 12:12 AM
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Man... I just tried the same thing this week with some 2015+ f150 headlights. I started with 7 mins @ 250 and then bumped it up to 270 for 7 mins and they still wont budge. I got one corner to release but the rest of the sealant is still pretty solid.

Im about to turn this project over to a retrofitter since I'd rather not break these lights.
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Old Jan 3, 2017 | 12:44 AM
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I'm tempted to do the same. Crapy part is there isn't one I know of near me and I've got the parts now.
I'm kinda wishing I just bought fitted headlights but I guess I'll try another set of housings since they are only about 60 bucks for mine.
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