CLASSIC DIY: 04 taillight conversion

[gearbox]

ORIGINALLY POSTED BY ZEN_MASTER Hi guys! This is going to be my first DIY for 7thgencivic.com. (for complete DIY of the 04 tailight itself, go down...........) In concern of the other 2004 Civic taillight conversion DIY, I went to Radioshack and was trying to find the required stuffs....like the cables, butt connectors, Y shaped connectors, etc.. However, I got a trouble finding the correct butt connectors that I want to use to connect the wire to the socket. After 30 minutes trying to find the right connector, I was circling around Radioshack to find something else that is simpler and easier to use. I got this: 1. Adaptaplug 6" Power Leads -- $2.99 from Radioshack. 2. Socket number 33304-S30-003 from Majestic or Honda dealer. $4.55 3. 7443 Bulb from any local auto store (DOUBLE FILAMENT) $5.83 *Taillight DIY: Step1 (Image)* the wire/adapter that I bought is a "Adaptaplug 6" Power Leads," with the pricetag of $2.99 from Radioshack. As you can guess, it's absolutely simple to use this wire to accomplish our DIY. *Taillight DIY: Step2 (Image)* Installation procedure: The only thing that you have to remember is the way you install the connector into the socket. Look at the picture above, as you can see, I plugged the connector not just by simply plugging it into the socket. All you need to do is to plug the two connectors on the wire into the LOWER part of the metal pins inside the T20 socket. Why do we connect it this way? This way, the Radioshack adapter won't wiggle around. If you plug the adapter straight above the metal pins (so easy), the connector can move around and the bulb won't light up. Instead of doing that, we plug the adapter below the metal pins, so that the adapter won't wiggle anymore. *Tailight DIY: Step3 (Image)* Then, you should know the rest of the DIY....It's a simple connection to our wiring harness into the hardened wire of the Radioshack adapter. Voila! We're finished! Just like that! *Taillight DIY: Step 4 (Image)* From the picture below, you should realize how easy it is to do this DIY. SO..... here's how to swap your 01-03 "sad" looking tallight into the "happy" looking 04 taillight... first, take out the fabric cover by unscrewing that plastic tab... this is how my old 01-03 tailllight looks like... then...we've to unplug all the sockets from the housing....simply by turning the socket anti-clockwise... the second socket from the left is the old turning light socket that we got a trouble with....how to change it? you can read the DIY above.... simply unscrew the 5mm lug nut by using socket wrench number 8......metric size... there are total 4 of em on each side.... this is how my car looks like without the taillight....neat, eh? hahaha.. after this step, you just have simply do the DIY above....or another DIY to prepare the T20 socket that fits the 04 taillight... after everything's ready....just put back the 04 taillight into your civic...and everything should be allright.....make sure to look after the plastic tab on the side of the taillight...don't break em.. on the picture below, this is how my wiring looks like right now...by using the Radioshack Adaptaplug... i used the green wire clipper to hold the old side market that we won't use no more... and this is the final picture.. you should see the happines of my car.....and the "sad" look of the old taillight! notice the happy look of my wal-mart muffler tip? more pics and more pics for your information...........

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