New gasket for 3rd Brake light?


harriw

15+ Year Member

Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
225
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City
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Vehicle Year
1994
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Hey folks,

(Mods, please move this if you like - I wasn't sure which forum this really belongs in.)

Pretty sure I have the classic 3rd brake light water leak. The prefered solutions seem to be either to buy a new light assembly (with fresh gasket included) for $40, or seal with silicone and deal with the old silicone/paint pealing/etc. next time the bulb goes.

I haven't pulled off the light fixture to have a look yet so maybe I'm picturing it wrong, but has anyone ever tried just replacing that gasket? I was thinking of scraping off what's left of the original, and cutting a new one out of a thin layer of closed-cell foam, if I can find some. All I can find in the auto store so far is the cork, rubber/cellulose, or rubber/fiber gasket material meant for engine/drive-train gaskets. Anyone know where I might find some suitable material? Or know any reason why this wouldn't work?

Thanks!

-Bill
 
it sounds like it would work. just have to be sure and cut it just right and get it put in correctly. i did the silicone thing and replaced the bulbs with LEDs so they should last. if you cant find anything to make a gasket and decide on the silicone just make sure you do it thin. it doesnt really take much to seal it up
 
I used silicone and a more vibration resistant bulb. 2 years later, still works. Before, when I used the bulb that the book called for, it would go out almost every year. So I would always carry spares.
 
maybe use the colored foam you can buy at a craft store? its dense, can be used in cold temps (i cut one up for my the foot pads on the base of my bindings on my snowboard because i destroyed the original ones cutting off these toe wedges somebody put on there). you would just need to cut it to the right size and maybe get longer screws depending on how thick of foam you get.
 
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