Hack for removing broken 1157 bulbs from sockets?

[YY1]

Some of the housings are built/cast/molded around the sockets in such a way that it's nearly impossible to replace a socket without replacing the entire assembly.

I just went through this with a 72 Charger housing. NO WAY to remove the socket without destroying either the socket or the housing, and no way to insert a new socket without modifying the housing.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I've had to roll them in
But yes the more distortion the harder to remove

Yeah. Grab a pair of needle nosed pliers and mash hell out of them in two places, 90 degrees apart and they'll fall out.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Some of the housings are built/cast/molded around the sockets in such a way that it's nearly impossible to replace a socket without replacing the entire assembly.

I just went through this with a 72 Charger housing. NO WAY to remove the socket without destroying either the socket or the housing, and no way to insert a new socket without modifying the housing.

Then replace it. It's JUST a socket. I've had the glass part of the bulb break apart from the base with the glass INTACT. Those will give you a little bit of a fit, but I've never had one not come out where I've had to replace a socket and I've replaced a LOT of bulbs. Just like I described in my previous post. Jam a small screwdriver down beside the bulb base ALL the way down to the bottom of the base and bend the base IN towards the middle in four places 90 degrees apart. If it doesn't fall out after that, grab some needle nosed pliers and mash hell out of the base in those same four spots 90 degrees from each other. Turn the socket upside down and the base falls out. If it happens to be corroded into the socket, the socket needs replacing anyway. Lordy, you'd think it was the end of the world for some folks.

 

[nckennyb]

I like Kano Kroil for penetrating oil. It has worked great on my rusted up stuff.

 

[Woody500]

I like Kano Kroil for penetrating oil. It has worked great on my rusted up stuff.

But it's WAAAY expensive & the smell hangs around forever. Does work good.

Make a Seafoam drip can, use can of Seafoam liquid, drill a very small hole in lid an FORCE a red spray tube into the hole.

And it works much better on heated parts than Aerosols, the bubbles in Aerosols, seem to inhibit the penetrant, where liquid soaks in immediately, if not too hot when applied.

Knock-er-Loose was the best, until the company was sold & new owners made a pb blaster clone out of it. Bad decision.
PB BLASTER IS NO GOOD!

 

[YY1]

NOPE. Sockets on 72 taillight housings are integral to the housing.

You can see they are separate parts, but can not be removed without destroying the housing or the socket...and if you destroy the socket, the challenge is to get a new one in.

 

[RustyRatRod]

NOPE. Sockets on 72 taillight housings are integral to the housing.

You can see they are separate parts, but can not be removed without destroying the housing or the socket...and if you destroy the socket, the challenge is to get a new one in.

That's why it's really important when you replace bulbs to use BULB grease like the factory did. I don't know what it was, but it was kinda a yellow paste lookin junk. It dried out over time though.

 

[Woody500]

That's why it's really important when you replace bulbs to use BULB grease like the factory did. I don't know what it was, but it was kinda a yellow paste lookin junk. It dried out over time though.

Notsure what factory used, but Dielectric grease works, like HEI boards(units)are mounted on Ford(and probably others) distributors with. A Non conductive grease, like for Spark Plug Boots.

 

[slantsixdan]

Quick ebay search:

2,200+ results for 1157 socket​

Slow down, there, Turbo, and read this.