DIY Smoked Tail Lights using Purple Zep

[Barracuda340]

The taillights on the ford Black Appearance Package BAP available for 23 do not have a reflective coating inside them. They are black plastic as well. If the DOT had issue with it, Ford would not be able to sell it that way. This is a cheaper hack to get the BAP taillights. The lights have to pass certain things required by the DOT, I'm sure light brightness and transmissability are the 2 biggies. Yall are way over thinking this. The Lasfit LEDs more than make up the difference for any perceived dimness you think you may have.

Sponsored

 

[Skot5272]

Is there anyone with a side by side picture of the modified tail lamp and the factory BAP tail lamp?

 

[pa-outdoorsman]

IMHO the modded taillights are even better looking than the BAP/Tremor stock units.

 

[Maverick2023]

How does this look at night?

 

[FunctionSpec]

I had the opportunity to park near an actual factory BAP Area 51 Hybrid yesterday and compared the two taillights in person. Didn't get pictures as I didn't want to bother the owner by telling him it's because of an internet debate I'm having on a forum for interwebz points. Sounded fine in my head but in practice might have came off a bit weird.

Well anyways, factory BAP taillights are lighter in the bulb areas so I assume the chrome reflectors are there. When walking from the side to directly behind the taillights, it goes from looking "dark to light" while ZEP taillights look dark all around (if that makes sense). So in theory, it does compromise the function of the taillights but by how much, no idea and most likely unnoticeable. The factory incandescent bulbs are quite dim on the factory taillights anyways (I couldn't tell if I locked my doors from across the street when viewing from behind if the taillights blinked) so upgrading to LED bulbs was quite necessary as I have an OCD where I have to check if my doors are locked several times

 

[SoonerBrink]

Leaks great...but it looks like the fluid removes the reflective surface from the entire lens, and not just the middle side portion. If that is the case, I would think the reflective properties would affect light output, and light visibility.

 

[Dodeboost]

Just did mine. There’s definitely a reduced light output, but they’re plenty bright once I replaced the bulbs with lasfit.

driver side stock bulb, passenger side lasfit, both lights zep’d

Driver side stock light, passenger side zep’d, both running stock bulbs

 

[pa-outdoorsman]

Just did mine. There’s definitely a reduced light output, but they’re plenty bright once I replaced the bulbs with lasfit.

driver side stock bulb, passenger side lasfit, both lights zep’d

Driver side stock light, passenger side zep’d, both running stock bulbs

It's just a fantastic looking mod. Incredible how much better the lights look!

 

[McTreFlip]

Has any one tried this with the Lariat tail lights

 

[RedRider]

. I don’t understand the preoccupation on this board with the Maverick being somehow invisible on the road. Whether it’s this light mod, despite how many people who have done it saying there is ZERO change in light output or the contextual bias I keep seeing where people who are visiting a forum specifically about the Ford Maverick see people posting about Mavericks being rear ended and draw the conclusion that the Maverick is somehow more predisposed to being rear ended

I’ve driven in a range of conditions with this mod done with friends and family following and nobody has ever said “Dude I can’t see your truck anymore because the middle of your taillights where the reverse lights are is black now”. People can do it or not but either way there will still be no change in light output

I'd guess that you don't understand what a reflector in a light assembly actually does. If you remove that part, you are removing probably 75% of the light output. Get a light meter and take a reading of your blacked-out lights vs. a normal set of lights.

 

[Defconxzero]

The taillights on the ford Black Appearance Package BAP available for 23 do not have a reflective coating inside them. They are black plastic as well. If the DOT had issue with it, Ford would not be able to sell it that way. This is a cheaper hack to get the BAP taillights. The lights have to pass certain things required by the DOT, I'm sure light brightness and transmissability are the 2 biggies. Yall are way over thinking this. The Lasfit LEDs more than make up the difference for any perceived dimness you think you may have.

This is incorrect, sorry.

Sponsored