Removing Cab Clearance Lights?

[longbordz]

Rain Rain Rain!!! My 2007 Dodge Ram Power Wagon has black plastic/amber bulb factory cab clearance lights. I noticed some water dripping from my passenger side visor hinge. Leaking Cab CLearance lights. I RTV dipped the screws. Still drips , one light is dead, and the others have a lot of moisture in them. I unscrewed the front and back screws on one of them, but it's stuck to the roof. The Dodge dealer has a reasonably priced replacement set, but wants to charge me an hours labor to tell me how to replace them. Did the factory use an adhesive when they were installed? Do I need to twist or pry them to remove the old ones without damaging the metal/paint? Will I need to cut wires or drop headliner to install a new set?

 

[CincyCuda68]

Not sure on the 2007 but the 4th gen, the entire bottom of the light is a rubber seal, my guess is that it is just stuck to the roof after 11 years. There isn’t any adhesive or sealant. If you haven’t owned the truck since new, it may be possible a previous owner rtv’ed them???

The 4th gen lights are pretty inexpensive and if they are the same as your 2007, I would say buy a whole new set and install them, this way you have fresh rubber seals and they should stay leak free for many years to come.

Dodge Ram 1500 2500 3500 Roof Cab Clearance Lamps Light Kit Mopar OEM https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FDXOI60/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_AqeCCb6X8Y9DM

 

[longbordz]

Thanks. All the ads I see suggest '03 to '18 kits are the same. Is the whole process of switching out the old lights and installing new lightsdone from outside the roof, or is dropping the headliner necessary?

 

[wallacemf]

You can do them from the outside, no need to drop the headliner. I just replaced some of mine that were overtightened from the factory and cracked. Just don’t over tighten them.

You might also check your third brake light for leaks, sometimes the water will travel forward and exit at the pillars.

 

[Dinky]

Buytl tape look it up better then rubber. Never gets hard and high temp rating. I did metal roofing for 14 years and all the rubber boots for pipe we used buytl tape. Never had one leak.

 

[ErnieBoling]

When I replaced the white factory ones with aftermarket smoked, they were hard to get off. I grabbed low at the base and twisted back and forth and they eventually popped off. No adhesive from the factory. The after market flickered and burned out in just a few months, so I made my own. All work is done from the top. 30 minute job. Take your time and make sure to seal everything good.

 

[CincyCuda68]

Buytl tape look it up better then rubber. Never gets hard and high temp rating. I did metal roofing for 14 years and all the rubber boots for pipe we used buytl tape. Never had one leak.

Question on the butyl tape, how hard is it to get off if you need to replace a light. The factory rubber seems to seal fine, im expecting that 8-10 years the lenses will get brittle and need to be replaced anyway, but if you can’t easily get the butyl tape off it may not be worth it.

 

[Dinky]

Question on the butyl tape, how hard is it to get off if you need to replace a light. The factory rubber seems to seal fine, im expecting that 8-10 years the lenses will get brittle and need to be replaced anyway, but if you can’t easily get the butyl tape off it may not be worth it.

Plastic putty knife to get the bulk of it. Then some goo off or rubbing alcohol of the sorts.

 

[longbordz]

Buytl tape look it up better then rubber. Never gets hard and high temp rating. I did metal roofing for 14 years and all the rubber boots for pipe we used buytl tape. Never had one leak.

How exactly do you use butyl tape when installing a new set of cab lights or the 3rd brake light on the roof? Cut strips, or lay a base coat of tape and put the light on it or what?

 

[Dinky]

How exactly do you use butyl tape when installing a new set of cab lights or the 3rd brake light on the roof? Cut strips, or lay a base coat of tape and put the light on it or what?

It pretty much takes place of the rubber gasket. You cut it with scissors and mold it into place. For cab lights I would stick it to the bottom of the cab light itself and put light into place. Tighten light down firmly then and the stuff that squirt out just trim flush to light.


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