Replacing corroded tail light bezels.

[KenB]

Hello All,

I've been reading the forum regularly since 2017 and don't remember anybody mentioning this.

The chromed taillight bezels on our 2018 tail lights were turning a gross matte green from winter road chemicals used in Minnesota and maybe a Colorado trip over I70 on my way to Moab in March a few years back.  I found that etrailer.com sells just the chrome bezel separately and that I didn't need to buy the whole tail light if I wanted the taillights to look nice again.

The replacement bezels are only $4 each, so I bought a set of six.  Since they fit and are inexpensive, I may just buy another set and put them away for a rainy day.

They are held in place by four tabs on the back of the bezel and old bezel just pops off.  I've attached a photo of where the bezel tabs lock in on the light housing.  There are four bezel tabs, two on the top and two on the bottom.  I used a few thin screwdrivers and an old fillet knife to get them to pop loose.  After learning where the tabs are on the first one it made removing the next five much easier.

There are many other items on my trailer that are ugly due to unrepairable road chemical corrosion, but at least this one is fixed.

Hope this helps someone else with their northern winter use trailer too.

Ken

 

[Patriot]

A good reminder Ken and good scoop on the bezels.
Sodium Chloride used on roads in the winter is just brutal on mostly all metals, and as you have pointed out some plastics. For this exact reason I avoid towing our Oliver anywhere in the winter where I know the roads are going to be treated.

Those shiney new bezels will look great! 
 

 

[MAX Burner]

6 hours ago, Patriot said:

Those shiney new bezels will look great! 

Ditto!  We like shiny!!!  HA!

[Corvus]

Thank you, this is very timely. I was trying to figure out how to remove mine yesterday because they are taking on that corroded look too.

[Mike and Carol]

I replaced mine before the rally and it does make a big visual difference.  Mike

[jd1923]

9 hours ago, Patriot said:

Sodium Chloride used on roads in the winter is just brutal...

Brought up in Chicago and TG we left there 25 years ago! Also thank goodness when we get snow up here in the Bradshaw Mountains of the Prescott NF, Yavapai county uses a sand mixture without salt. And in the spring, they run the street sweepers right down our street. Nice!

And thanks @KenB. I had seen these on Amazon for $6 and when I need another item on eTrailer I'll get a set of these to combine shipping. Ours are pretty good, but #113 is 8 years old now in the AZ sun. Not as shiny as once was When I get around to a professional de-oxidization (is that a word?) and gelcoat of the outer hull, it will be nice to first remove most trim items and do the job right.

Other items I will replace at that time:
Furrion RV Outdoor Receptacle Cover - 15 Amp - White Furrion Accessories and Parts F15RCSPSAM (etrailer.com) (not sure this is the correct part#)

Amazon.com: Sea Dog 337150-1 Screw Out Deck Plate, 5-7/16" / White : Sports & Outdoors (could not find on eTrailer)

 

[topgun2]

1 hour ago, jd1923 said:

Other items I will replace at that time:
Furrion RV Outdoor Receptacle Cover - 15 Amp - White Furrion Accessories and Parts F15RCSPSAM (etrailer.com) (not sure this is the correct part#)

Instead of replacing this cover and then a few years down the road when it "yellows" again, I took mine off hull #117, cleaned it up (very well) and used Krylon gloss white rattle can paint.  It still looks new after three years.

Bill

p.s.  of course with the cost of a single rattle can these days and the work involved in cleaning the cover up .......

[KenB]

1 hour ago, jd1923 said:

Other items I will replace at that time:
Furrion RV Outdoor Receptacle Cover - 15 Amp - White Furrion Accessories and Parts F15RCSPSAM (etrailer.com) (not sure this is the correct part#)

Amazon.com: Sea Dog 337150-1 Screw Out Deck Plate, 5-7/16" / White : Sports & Outdoors (could not find on eTrailer)

If you're going to replace all of those, you might as well replace the handles on the propane cover too.  It's just chromed pot metal and while it works fine indoors in the Oliver kitchen, it's very susceptible to corrosion outdoors due to getting blasted by winter road brine if towing during fall or winter.

I bought mine from Oliver, but if you type the part number off of the back of the pull into a search engine you'll get a few options for purchase.  They are very easy to replace.  Just unbolt and bolt the new one on.  No sealant or anything.

A photo is attached to show how bad my handles had corroded.  

[jd1923]

1 hour ago, topgun2 said:

Instead of replacing this cover and then a few years down the road when it "yellows" again, I took mine off hull #117, cleaned it up (very well) and used Krylon gloss white rattle can paint.  It still looks new after three years.

Bill

p.s.  of course with the cost of a single rattle can these days and the work involved in cleaning the cover up .......

And if this is the correct cover, again it looks a little different, it's only $10 with tax. BUT, if I had the can of paint on hand, paid for, I would do the same and save the $10!

Edited May 26 by jd1923
Added second sentence

[jd1923]

39 minutes ago, KenB said:

If you're going to replace all of those, you might as well replace the handles on the propane cover too.

OMG Ken, wow! I see you are from the beautiful land of 10,000 lakes, frigid temps half the year and a whole lotta street salt! (This is one reason why I started the thread, re listing your location.) Good addition though. I would not think that part to be so easy to source.

When I used to restore old cars, before working on the paint (which I jobbed out), I would remove EVERY piece of trim. Now it appears I am in the restoration hobby again with an old Oliver! The 2nd pic is the rear of my '59 300E (owned it 1992-2010). All trim, all stainless, all chrome, everything was removed. Then it only cost me $200 (1996 dollars) to get the paint buffed/detailed, on a 10-year-old lacquer repaint. It did cost 1000s more to rework the stainless, chrome the bumpers, purchase NOS lenses, etc. and likely 1000 hours of sweat equity (don't have that energy anymore, half-day labor now vs. a 10-hour day was normal back then).

When I get around to paying $$$$ to get the exterior fiberglass redone professionally, I will remove many trim pieces like this, so they can hit the whole panel with a buffing wheel. Until that day, ours will get duller as I collect parts like these, prioritizing jobs like a new AC unit.

Check out the doghouse handle on your hull a 2018 vs. ours a 2016 life in the southwest! I will remove these handles for the finish work, use a light polishing wax and remount them.

[Corvus]

Thought I would post this in case anyone else was reluctant to remove the bezel with metal tools and risk buggering up the light or gelcoat. This involves using an old credit card, or hotel key.

First slide the card between the light and bezel in the center. Next slide the card from side to side to release the clips. Sometimes there’s a click. Now the bezel can be gently pulled off. I didn’t find it necessary to release the clips on both sides but that could be the case at times.

 

Edited May 26 by Corvus

[Geronimo John]

That's a lot of corrosion.  Salt is bad.  

If replacing would some clear coat or gel coat help extend their life span?

GJ

[Rolind]

We have had a significant amount of corrosion on out light bezels and a lesser amount  on the propane handles. Our trailer is just a year old. The offending trip was to Bahia Honda. There was some chemical treatment on the roads through Tennessee but we washed the trailer immediately in arriving to Florida. 
any advice on the best way to protect plastic chrome pieces. Our 3m marine wax didn’t do the trick.  Thanks