Tail Light Guards

[VX KAT]

STRIKE ONE.....
Thought I'd try to easiest route with these plastic stick on guards so Jon didn't have to get all mixed up in metal and welding......

These VTech Tuff plastic ones have a 90 degree angle to them, but our lens are more like 110-120 degrees, so you can see the big space in between. I put a screwdriver in between to show the distance.

Is this a job for a heat gun???
Heat them enough so the angle can be relaxed a bit and fit the contour? I'm afraid I'd really deform them if I tried it however.....

Any other suggestions???















List Price: $53.87
Our Price: $36.21
You Save: $17.66
Vtech Tail Light Cover - Vtech Tuff - Black Plastic Slotted
1998-2001 Isuzu Rodeo
V-TECH TUFF TAIL LIGHT COVERS, ABS PLASTIC, BLACK, SET OF 2 -- Made of high impact and durable ABS plastic; Features bold raised slots; Vacuum formed for rolled edges and seamless finish; Easy no-drill installation using OEM grade 3M tape.

[braaus]

Thank you everyone, very nice! I found this on eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/320778863088...49#ht_690wt_80

[braaus]

Vxkat and Vxorado, thanks to PK I'll check around here for Jackaroo guards and if I find I can ship to you. Another thing, I'm Brazilian and my English is not perfect, please bear with me.

[braaus]

Found this image, will go to some car shops on Monday! The shape looks right. http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j1...s/ALIM3769.jpg

[VXorado]

Found this image, will go to some car shops on Monday! The shape looks right.

Those guards look similar and would probably work.

With high shipping prices back and forth, you may want to check with a local shop to see if they could weld some bracket for you. Just something to consider if shipping is expensive.

[VX KAT]

Pretty hard to find black powdercoat steel tail light guards for Rodeo/Passport readily....

so.....These two are the polished stainless steel tail light guards at pretty good prices...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-PASSPO...#ht_3330wt_993

http://www.ebay.com/itm/320778863088...49#ht_776wt_97

1) was wondering ballpark how much it would cost to get them powdercoated??

2) Would the powdercoat be as durable as if it came from the manufacturer powdercoated?
Would it be more likely to chip since it's aftermarket?
Or can a good shop do these polished ones really nice?

3) I did find some Aries brand black guards, but they seem to be on a back order so I'm not real optimistic they'll actually arrive.

4) Westin, SteelCraft, Romik, Polar Bear, don't seem to be available any longer and Manik has gone out of biz. So I'm hoping the Aries ones are actually still available.

5) I've set up several std ebay searches for all these.

[maxprime]

To powder coat them should cost around $35-40 for the set.

As far as chip resistance, all powder coating is applied thru magnetism to bond to the metal and baked to harden the coating and will be no difference between factory and aftermarket.
hope that helps, Kat

Also, I am thinking about making a set for my two VX's since I haven't found any that fit like a glove.

[tom4bren]

Sue,

I can get them powder coated for you. It'd save you shipping cost if you could find someone local to do it though. Just FYI.

Tom

[braaus]

Tomorrow, the 21st, is the day! I'll be collecting my VX in Melbourne.It's coming of the boat from Tasmania overnight, and will be at the port at 6:00am. i'm counting the minutes. I'm so excited that i've been buying stuff to modify it even before i've seen it in person. Bought roof rack/box + a pair of fog/driving lights, and will make the black fins become shiny.

[VX KAT]

Tomorrow, the 21st, is the day! I'll be collecting my VX in Melbourne.It's coming of the boat from Tasmania overnight, and will be at the port at 6:00am. i'm counting the minutes. I'm so excited that i've been buying stuff to modify it even before i've seen it in person. Bought roof rack/box + a pair of fog/driving lights, and will make the black fins become shiny.

Will...Will.. ya out there somewhere??? You're probably in your new VX right about now!

HAVE FUN!

[braaus]

Help! i'm trying to post pictures, followed the steps [IMG] etc... and it still doesn't work, qhat am i doing wrong?
Here's some links for my roof rack and Vehicross, anyway :/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/17121683@N00/6728865523
http://www.flickr.com/photos/17121683@N00/6728864865
http://www.flickr.com/photos/17121683@N00/6728865373

[VX KAT]

I still can't get them to show in the forum, but they do open in Flickr.


For us dummies on the udder side...what are the "fins" you're talking about??

Also, just curious, do you have the factory OEM CROSS BARS that go side to side, that the silver basket gets attached to? I didn't see them in the pictures.


The silver cargo basket looks like a rebadged "Thule" brand...called the "Xpedition 696" over here......do you know if it is?
It's been discontinued over here, are any more of those available where you got it?
There's several owners over here that would be interested in getting that same basket.


Good luck trying to sleep the next 2 days!!!!!

[braaus]

Dear VXKAT, here's where i got the roof racks, Powerfull 4x4 brand around here, looks like a replica, but t's very well made, took me 2 hours to put together, comes with the cross bars in black, you can see one attached at the back:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Heavy-Dut...item43a76d3bb6

Pretty cheap, but all the way here in Australia... They have 3 sizes for sale, and i bet if you buy in bulk they would ship to you, they come disassembled.
I'll attach the other one once i have the car in my garage, will do some measurements before attaching to the car. The fins i was talking about are those on the front grille that looks like teeth, mine are black, i want silver or shiny.
Here it's 2:40pm, friday, half day ahead of you already, i'll go early to bed to catch the train to Melbourne at 4 in the morning and drive back
Please let me know if you need any help buying the racks, i can be your contact here.
Finally, i miss USA so much, lived in Martha's Vineyard, MA for 3 years, and i'll never forget the amazing time i had over there.

[VX KAT]

Dear VXKAT, here's where i got the roof racks, Powerfull 4x4 brand around here, looks like a replica, but t's very well made, took me 2 hours to put together, comes with the cross bars in black, you can see one attached at the back:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Heavy-Dut...item43a76d3bb6

Pretty cheap, but all the way here in Australia... They have 3 sizes for sale, and i bet if you buy in bulk they would ship to you, they come disassembled.
I'll attach the other one once i have the car in my garage, will do some measurements before attaching to the car. The fins i was talking about are those on the front grille that looks like teeth, mine are black, i want silver or shiny.
Here it's 2:40pm, friday, half day ahead of you already, i'll go early to bed to catch the train to Melbourne at 4 in the morning and drive back
Please let me know if you need any help buying the racks, i can be your contact here.
Finally, i miss USA so much, lived in Martha's Vineyard, MA for 3 years, and i'll never forget the amazing time i had over there.

WOW! That looks like a really good copy of our Thule 695 and the larger Thule 696. I'm not interested in buying any, but thanks for putting the info up here, several people have wanted to get them but they are discontinued here. So this should make some folks happy!


You should try to come over here in May and go to Moab Utah with the gang, it would be fun! PK is trying to come in May 2013.

[wekilled]

Came back up for air (back to schoolwork tomorrow). I didn't mess with the curvature of the guards themselves (no pipe bender avail-or anything besides simple power tools and sidewalk, which is like cowbell, you can never have too much) All I did was use a Dremel to shorten the tubing you see in the pic--figured it would be a useful spot to mount stuff later --the pic you had with the CB antenna mount (BINGO, I LOVE the antenna mount). I then had the weld shop take three pieces of flat steel and weld it at a 45degree angle on the inside of the guard. Then vise grips, crescent wrench and some educated guesswork and just bent them to fit. One reason I have them so far from the tail light is the mismatch same as the plastic ones on the angles, it doesn't look as odd when they are further out (and they match the distance on my Mercedes grilleguard anyway)