Tailight Housing Removal

[toga]

I have a 1978 31 ft CB Sovereign. Can anyone advise on how to remove rear tailiight housings? I have rear interior skins off as part of rear floor section replacement and can see that I have leakage around the housings. I would like to clean them up and reseal.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by toga

I have a 1978 31 ft CB Sovereign. Can anyone advise on how to remove rear tailiight housings? I have rear interior skins off as part of rear floor section replacement and can see that I have leakage around the housings. I would like to clean them up and reseal.

They are held in place with pop rivets from the back side of the quarter panels.

Could the leak be the tail light cans, and not the bezel?

Could the cans be leaking and not the bezel?

Andy

[DPeakMD]

I agree with Andy...those tail-lights are leakers! Make sure you have good seal around the cast aluminum housing where water can get between it and the skin, first.

Then check your lights. I've had 2 70's Airstreams with those lights and both have needed new cans for the lights (rusty) and new gaskets between the light cans and the cast housing. To my knowledge, the gaskets are NOT commercially available. The cans (that hold the lights) are easy to find, though. I used some sheet gasket material from the auto store to make my own replacements. At least some of my lights had enough remaining.

You may also check your electrical connections at the same time. They are usually corroded where they're spliced together using (uggh) twist connectors!

Good luck with your project! Remember, post pics , we love pics!!!

[SThorpe]

I have a similar problem with my 69 Safari. The tail light, back-up light sockets are rusted badly. I've found replacement sockets that can be fitted to the steel back-box, but wonder how to remove the steel back box from within the alum housing? When I pop off the lense cover, the steel back-box appears pop rivited to the alum housing or perhaps a structure frame. Can it be so simple as to drill out the rivits?

[Aerowood]

Originally Posted by SThorpe

, Can it be so simple as to drill out the rivits?

Yes It's that simple.

[SThorpe]

Thank you

[adonh]

Great info. I am going to check mine in my 76. Let me ask a question concerning the tail lights in the 70 model A/S's. Are the new style LED lights that I have seen advertised from Airstrem ( for 94 and newer A/S) available for the 70's trailers.

Thanks

Don
https://store.airstream.com/product_...roducts_id=274