Dont forget the tailgate light up top! You can smoke that out too :D Also if your water is hard, you might want to recommend distilled water so it doesn't get buildup inside after drying
Hi!!! I am about to do the same on mine. But I just wonder how it looks at night. Do the lack of chrome kills the neon feel of the rear lights? Thanks!!!!
@@themaverickhntr FYI to all the other viewers and DIY owners, do not buy the squirt bottle version, buy the large bottle, it’s a more effective mix. They ended up great!Did the top 3rd BL too. Thanks for the tutorial.
Headlights are way more involved, because you can't get rid of the chrome right around the lights. You need that to reflect the light. So, you have to pull the entire thing apart. Others have done it, but I did something much simpler with vinyl wrap. Check out my window tint episode for more info.
Hi Mister Maverick Hunter, Would you dare to do the same thing on the front headlights to see if it looks good and they turn on the same as the rear ones. Let us know if you can try it, it would be great, greetings from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷
The front headlight assemblies are sealed and it requires a much more complex process to take them apart, strip the chrome and re-assmble. It's not something I would attempt myself, but there are people who have done it, and if you search, there are some videos out there showing how it's done. Good luck!
Great Video…. I tried and it worked. The only issue I have now condensation. I tried to using a hair dryer and it looks dry but the next day after I reinstall them, condensation is back. Any advice?
Well I'd take them off and dry them out some more. You obviously didn't get all the moisture out. I have had zero condensation or moisture inside the lights since doing this.
Oof, I soaked them overnight and there are still some chrome on it. I needed to drive to had to put it back together. Do you think it will eventually all come out?
I'm very surprised you still have chrome. I don't think it will come off unless you soak it again. Are you sure there was still chrome in there after you rinsed it out good? If so, soak them agsin and shake it out good when you rinse. You'll get it!
I just went out and looked closely at mine with the BAP. The chrome you were taking off to make black, is black on mine. But the "dish" area behind each light bulb is still chrome on mine. Your method took that chrome off also. I'm curious to see how bright your lights are at night now. I mean it looks great, and very easy and inexpensive to do, but I think the you're going to lose some brightness, I just hope it's not too much. Do you think this could be achieved by using less degreaser and direct it to that center area only with a funnel and small hose or something?
I would really like to see the taillight at Night and during the Day after doing this. I like the look just concerned that those behind me might not be able to see me put on the brakes or see the turn signal as its now not as reflective. Could you add this to the video... as I might like to do this when I get my maverick as long as it's safe to do it. Thanks, a very good video.
I suppose anything is possible but I think it would be very difficult. I think folks are overthinkibg this. The lights are still plenty bright at night.
@@themaverickhntr great to hear! Your method makes the lights look smokier than my factory BAP ones, which is cool, so I'm glad to hear the brightness is good. Very cool. Enjoy, and be safe!
This is the question I had. He has another video showing how to switch the taillights to brighter, LED bulbs. But I've read you can get "errors" with the LEDs where they "hyperflash" or have fault codes that warn of faulty bulbs on the dash display.
Would love more details about the drying process. The Zep worked wonders after 15 minutes in each housing. However, even after rinsing with distilled water, the hair dryer is NOT drying the housing. I’ve had a hair dryer on it in 15 minute increments for 90 minutes and even though the distilled water prevented water spots, I still have a puddle of water inside the housing. I’m struggling to understand how this step took you 15 minutes?
If you have to, push a lint-free rag down there with a plastic kitchen utensil to soak up the remaining puddles. You should only have a few drops of water left in the light housing when you go to the blow dryer.
Well, when the bulb comes on, you can see light from inside the plastic light housing. Does the black plastic interior of the housing reflect light as well as the chrome interior that I removed? Well, of course not! Is it still bright enough? I would say yes. I also replaced the factory halogen bulbs with LEDs to improve brightness.
@@themaverickhntr Just out of preference then? Or something I might be overlooking? I'm thinking about doing this to my 3rd brake light when I get my Mav.
@@El_Chivo_Padre I have a rack on my bed with a bunch of gear carriers. This fixture isn't that visible from the outside, since it's sort of surrounded by my gear cases and I like the chrome in it to reflect the light into the bed. I am sure you could do it if you like.
@@SteveBorysiak I replaced the stock halogen bulbs with LASFIT LED bulbs and the brightness is fantastic. I love this mod and IMO this is a non-issue. But if you’re concerned just don’t do it.
You really need to be fitting brighter led bulbs now you have stripped the reflectors, theres no way the light given off will be anywhere near as good, do look much better though.
Why wouldn’t you try to leave the chrome in the reflector cups? Just don’t fill it up all the way and then they’ll still be functional and look blacked out in the sides
The chrome is literally what you HAVE to remove to change the look. This process doesn't change the plastic. I recommend you not do this if that's your plan.
I wanna ask what those rims are and why every maverick owner buys them? I'll be sure not to because chirst it seems like every enthusiast is just okay buying every mod but not actually making a mod..
@@Lemonhead8890 I mean, they are wheels. On some level, a wheel is a wheel. A steel wheel on an XL rolls the same. It's really a matter of personal preference and style I guess.
@themaverickhntr Yes I mean that's fine, I was just curious since it seemed a popular choice. 😅. Looks good though man! I can't decide whether to do this tail light mod, I found that XPEL supposedly makes a tinted film for headlights and tails that may be a more spendy option but at least removeable and can decide how dark or clear.
Why would I be so nutty as to darken my tail lights! If anything I would wanna make them brighter so people wouldn’t run into the back of me. You all have a loose screw🫤
LOL. I think they look cool as hell, done the way the OP has shown. But, as you mention, I am also concerned about getting rear ended on a foggy or rainy day in low visibility. I considered getting LEDs, but they are more costly, but even more importantly, I've read that they give false "light out" warnings and are prone to this thing called "hyperflash." I've seen it, and I don't need to deal with that crap.
Love the hair dryer trick!
It works!
I just bought tint😂. I will be sending it back. Thanks for the video!
Glad it helped you!
I tried this on my Area 51 Maverick. Looks great! Thanks again for the video.
Awesome! You're welcome.
Put me down for another vote to see them lit up post-blackout. Thanks!
Pre lit and post lit! Let’s go!
I put aftermarket LED bulbs in. Plenty bright!
Thanks so much for sharing this trick it worked great!
Glad to hear it!
great video , thanks
Dont forget the tailgate light up top! You can smoke that out too :D Also if your water is hard, you might want to recommend distilled water so it doesn't get buildup inside after drying
Yeah I didn't do the cab light but you could.
I like it 🙌
Hi!!! I am about to do the same on mine. But I just wonder how it looks at night. Do the lack of chrome kills the neon feel of the rear lights? Thanks!!!!
Great trick I was just wondering unless you have a video on this what did the left and bigger tires do to your gas mileage?
reduced it obviously. im averaging about 23 mpg
mostly rural mountain roads
@themaverickhntr how long did it actually take? I’m in the middle of my first, its been 2 hours and the chrome is spotty :/
One side needed a lot longer than the other. Give it time. It'll come off.
@@themaverickhntr FYI to all the other viewers and DIY owners, do not buy the squirt bottle version, buy the large bottle, it’s a more effective mix. They ended up great!Did the top 3rd BL too. Thanks for the tutorial.
u sir are a brave man.
please let us see them lit .
where did u get those black FX4 badge? thanks.
I'll post a follow up of them lit at some point. You can get the decals on Etsy.
Video hitting the brakes / reverse etc?
That looks amazing! I really wanted the BAP, but couldn't justify the cost. Any idea how to do the headlights?
Headlights are way more involved, because you can't get rid of the chrome right around the lights. You need that to reflect the light. So, you have to pull the entire thing apart. Others have done it, but I did something much simpler with vinyl wrap. Check out my window tint episode for more info.
Does this cause heat issues at all when wrapping the headlights?
Hi Mister Maverick Hunter, Would you dare to do the same thing on the front headlights to see if it looks good and they turn on the same as the rear ones. Let us know if you can try it, it would be great, greetings from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷
The front headlight assemblies are sealed and it requires a much more complex process to take them apart, strip the chrome and re-assmble. It's not something I would attempt myself, but there are people who have done it, and if you search, there are some videos out there showing how it's done. Good luck!
Great Video…. I tried and it worked. The only issue I have now condensation. I tried to using a hair dryer and it looks dry but the next day after I reinstall them, condensation is back. Any advice?
Well I'd take them off and dry them out some more. You obviously didn't get all the moisture out. I have had zero condensation or moisture inside the lights since doing this.
@@themaverickhntr I'll try that again....
Try adding rubbing alcohol in them to dry out faster.
Oof, I soaked them overnight and there are still some chrome on it. I needed to drive to had to put it back together. Do you think it will eventually all come out?
I'm very surprised you still have chrome. I don't think it will come off unless you soak it again. Are you sure there was still chrome in there after you rinsed it out good? If so, soak them agsin and shake it out good when you rinse. You'll get it!
@@themaverickhntr - the issue was that I bought the pre-mixed, ready-to-use degreaser. It needs the concentrated version to work effectively.
could you do that to a lariat with the led?
This still works with distilled water? I can´t buy ZEP in my country. Thanks!
My tail lights wont pop off like that, are there extra steps not listed on this or is it different for 2024? Xlt fx4
I just went out and looked closely at mine with the BAP. The chrome you were taking off to make black, is black on mine. But the "dish" area behind each light bulb is still chrome on mine. Your method took that chrome off also. I'm curious to see how bright your lights are at night now. I mean it looks great, and very easy and inexpensive to do, but I think the you're going to lose some brightness, I just hope it's not too much. Do you think this could be achieved by using less degreaser and direct it to that center area only with a funnel and small hose or something?
I would really like to see the taillight at Night and during the Day after doing this. I like the look just concerned that those behind me might not be able to see me put on the brakes or see the turn signal as its now not as reflective. Could you add this to the video... as I might like to do this when I get my maverick as long as it's safe to do it. Thanks, a very good video.
I suppose anything is possible but I think it would be very difficult. I think folks are overthinkibg this. The lights are still plenty bright at night.
Still nice and bright.
@@themaverickhntr great to hear! Your method makes the lights look smokier than my factory BAP ones, which is cool, so I'm glad to hear the brightness is good. Very cool. Enjoy, and be safe!
@@rondogwil also you can add the Lasfit aftermarket LED bulbs if you want EXTRA brightness.
Since the chrome is now blackened, does it make a difference with the brightness of the light?
This is the question I had. He has another video showing how to switch the taillights to brighter, LED bulbs. But I've read you can get "errors" with the LEDs where they "hyperflash" or have fault codes that warn of faulty bulbs on the dash display.
Yes they blink really fast with leds because Ford made an update.
Can you do this on the lariat taillight?
What kind of tires you running?
Firestone Destination AT2 in 245/70
Is the degreaser vehicular and diodegradable?
It's ZEP from Home Depot. I have no idea if it's biodegradable. But you can look it up and read the label.
Would love more details about the drying process. The Zep worked wonders after 15 minutes in each housing. However, even after rinsing with distilled water, the hair dryer is NOT drying the housing. I’ve had a hair dryer on it in 15 minute increments for 90 minutes and even though the distilled water prevented water spots, I still have a puddle of water inside the housing. I’m struggling to understand how this step took you 15 minutes?
If you have to, push a lint-free rag down there with a plastic kitchen utensil to soak up the remaining puddles. You should only have a few drops of water left in the light housing when you go to the blow dryer.
does it still reflect light with the chrome being removed?
Well, when the bulb comes on, you can see light from inside the plastic light housing. Does the black plastic interior of the housing reflect light as well as the chrome interior that I removed? Well, of course not! Is it still bright enough? I would say yes. I also replaced the factory halogen bulbs with LEDs to improve brightness.
Did you also 'dr chrome' your top / 3rd brake light?
No. And don't plan to.
@@themaverickhntr Just out of preference then? Or something I might be overlooking? I'm thinking about doing this to my 3rd brake light when I get my Mav.
@@El_Chivo_Padre I have a rack on my bed with a bunch of gear carriers. This fixture isn't that visible from the outside, since it's sort of surrounded by my gear cases and I like the chrome in it to reflect the light into the bed. I am sure you could do it if you like.
I wonder would this work on the headlights?
No.
The red got darker too right?
Actually it didn't change the plastic at all. It just changes the appearance as a result of the chrome paint being removed from the inside.
@@themaverickhntr But, it does affect the brightness because the chrome is gone, which helped illuminate/reflect light from the bulb.
@@SteveBorysiak I replaced the stock halogen bulbs with LASFIT LED bulbs and the brightness is fantastic. I love this mod and IMO this is a non-issue. But if you’re concerned just don’t do it.
You really need to be fitting brighter led bulbs now you have stripped the reflectors, theres no way the light given off will be anywhere near as good, do look much better though.
I upgraded the bulbs to Lasfit LEDs. Showed it in a later video. Very bright.
Would have been nice to see them lit up afterwards.....
Sorry, I didn't record any before or after footage after dark. I'm more interested in how different they look in the light.
@@themaverickhntr Thanks. I'm more concerned with how this affects the light output.
Can you do the headlights too
No. The headlight unit is sealed. Process much more involved. It has been done but I recommend it for most people.
Why wouldn’t you try to leave the chrome in the reflector cups? Just don’t fill it up all the way and then they’ll still be functional and look blacked out in the sides
That's what I want to do. I'd rather not sacrifice the taillight function by removing the chrome from the reflector cups.
The chrome is literally what you HAVE to remove to change the look. This process doesn't change the plastic. I recommend you not do this if that's your plan.
I wanna ask what those rims are and why every maverick owner buys them? I'll be sure not to because chirst it seems like every enthusiast is just okay buying every mod but not actually making a mod..
Fifteen 52
@themaverickhntr is there something particularly special about these?
@@Lemonhead8890 I mean, they are wheels. On some level, a wheel is a wheel. A steel wheel on an XL rolls the same. It's really a matter of personal preference and style I guess.
@themaverickhntr Yes I mean that's fine, I was just curious since it seemed a popular choice. 😅. Looks good though man! I can't decide whether to do this tail light mod, I found that XPEL supposedly makes a tinted film for headlights and tails that may be a more spendy option but at least removeable and can decide how dark or clear.
Sounds great! Let's tint our safety features
Not tinted. Plastic/lens is unaltered.
You must have voted for Biden typical lib that just can’t scroll by you feel the need to run your mouth
Should have replaced with LED’s
I did.
Why would I be so nutty as to darken my tail lights! If anything I would wanna make them brighter so people wouldn’t run into the back of me. You all have a loose screw🫤
LOL. I think they look cool as hell, done the way the OP has shown. But, as you mention, I am also concerned about getting rear ended on a foggy or rainy day in low visibility. I considered getting LEDs, but they are more costly, but even more importantly, I've read that they give false "light out" warnings and are prone to this thing called "hyperflash." I've seen it, and I don't need to deal with that crap.
How dare you take money away from Ford.😂
LOL