Restoring Tail Light Housings

[PDXk5]

I’m going to be sending off my tail light housings (and a series of other parts) to have zinc plated.

Does anyone have a source for these brass 1157 bayonet connector sleeves?

I pulled out the brass bulb connector sleeves so they won’t get plated when I send in the housings. Maybe not a good idea to have done that. One came out easy, the other one I bent during removal. It might work but I will surely replace it, if I can buy new ones.

I found some online with pig tails and some that had a bottom but none that were tube type sleeves like our trucks have. I know the whole assembly is made as a reproduction, so someone makes the sleeves just not sure they sell them seperately.

Thanks

[franken]

Be real careful of new Asian parts if you look at replacements.
My truck came with new Asian parking lights in front and it took a while to figure out it was the craptastic sockets that let the spring loaded terminals pop out and short. Yay.
I just took some originals and painted the inside white to reflect better.
I'm sure you searched, but here's another. https://www.google.com/search?client...31.tP4K2Tgu2bo

[toolboxchev]

Couple places to try:

https://www.repairconnector.com/

Napa does have some stuff you would think many do not have

http://www.wiringharness.com/ This is M and H electrical. They have a lot of stuff

[Willys_MB]

Take the piece in to your local NAPA. I’m always amazed what they have when you go in with an obscure part and talk to the oldest guy behind the counter.

[fdbdw]

Originally Posted by franken

Be real careful of new Asian parts if you look at replacements.
My truck came with new Asian parking lights in front and it took a while to figure out it was the craptastic sockets that let the spring loaded terminals pop out and short. Yay.
I just took some originals and painted the inside white to reflect better.
I'm sure you searched, but here's another. https://www.google.com/search?client...31.tP4K2Tgu2bo

X2, nearly impossible to to mount without the bulb popping out

[DeadheadNM]

I've got a spare set of zinc re-plated housings...

[BCOWANWHEELS]

Who does the zinc replating

[DeadheadNM]

Arrow Plating in Ft Worth is who I recommend. Do not use Kaehr Plating in Albuquerque.

[PDXk5]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Arrow Plating in Ft Worth is who I recommend. Do not use Kaehr Plating in Albuquerque.

Hmm. Good to know. I had been speaking with Kaehr. I’ll reach out to Arrow Plating.

[BCOWANWHEELS]

thanks

[DeadheadNM]

Yes. I’ve been meaning to post a review to steer members away from Kaehr. They have gone way downhill. Shipped my parts to a wrong address and these were poorly packaged. Poor quality work. Terrible customer service. Here’s an example of my latest and last batch that Kaehr did and what the same pieces looked like after Arrow redid the pieces. Note how dull and water stained the Kaehr batch is. Can you believe they actually tried to pass this along to me?

Arrow has good service, good prices, and prompt turn around.

Avoid Kaehr Coating in Albuquerque!!

[PDXk5]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Yes. I’ve been meaning to post a review to steer members away from Kaehr. They have gone way downhill. Shipped my parts to a wrong address and these were poorly packaged. Poor quality work. Terrible customer service. Here’s an example of my latest and last batch that Kaehr did and what the same pieces looked like after Arrow redid the pieces. Note how dull and water stained the Kaehr batch is. Can you believe they actually tried to pass this along to me?

Arrow has good service, good prices, and prompt turn around.

Avoid Kaehr Coating in Albuquerque!!

Pete,
I have quite the cache of materials to send off for zinc plating, black phosphate coating and powder coating. I have been removing parts, documenting and am excited to send them off for the work. I’m pretty well set on the (clear) zinc and powder coating but am still a bit fuzzy on the black phosphate.

The door latches, door catches, tow hooks and other parts you had done look amazing. I’m really curious what process you had done. My understanding is that there is a Black Oxide coating (seen on impact tools frequently) a Black (zinc) Phosphate coating and a Black (zinc) Chromate coating.

The corrosion resistance qualities are:

Black Oxide coating: Good
Black (zinc) Phosphate coating: Very Good
Black (zinc) Chromate coating: excellent

From my research the Black Oxide and Black (zinc) Phosphate coatings are processes where the parts are dipped into a liquid solution.

The Black (zinc) Chromate coating is a secondary dipping process.

I would really like to see samples of the three different processes on parts to be able to see what they look like compared to each other.

[DeadheadNM]

Jeff I believe my pieces have been black phosphate coated and that work was done nearly exclusively via Kaehr (never again). I wish could give you a better reason as to why that coating as opposed to another but I basically wanted to replicate what GM did and the former owner of Kaehr (good guy - father in law to current guy not running it well imo) suggested it. I’ve seen images of some black zinc that looks a bit too black vs OEM.

Am curious to know what finish you pursue and which company. Before/after pics would be fun to see.