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Covers for stock fog lights?
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:19 pm
by MrHatchWagon
So, I have a tendency for cracking fog lights. No idea why it happens (maybe I follow people too closely, or something..). My stock ones both had holes in them from rocks, so I got a set of aftermarket 4-inch ones that fit right into the stock holes. One of those is now cracked too, and the opposite one doesn't work, whether it's a wiring issue or a burnt bulb, your guess is as good as mine.Here's what I was thinking, maybe I could pick up or make, a set of round plastic pieces to put over my fog lights, similar to what STi owners had on the older models, and paint them the same color as the cladding or just stick some vinyl on them.The only two issues would be getting them to stay there and making them removable, and what to put on them graphics-wise. Gray would kind of be plain-jane and wouldn't contrast with the bumper enough (or would it?), so I was thinking maybe just writing Pontiac, or Pilot (my fog lights are Pilots), or the Pontiac logo, or what?What are your opinions towards this? I know one guy who took round tractor reflectors and used silicone to stick them over his G5's fog lights, to give them that yellow look. Should I keep thinking about it and go through with the project, or scrap it and keep my fog lights exposed? Would it be too tacky?
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 1:11 am
by Wolfman213
ToolGuy (I think) used to sell fog light covers. Had velcro on them and used some form of plastic. Others will be able to chime in that have them. Just haven't seen him on in a while and not sure if he still does them or not.
Re: Covers for stock fog lights? (Wolfman213)
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 1:21 am
by Baltovibe
Quote, originally posted by Wolfman213 »ToolGuy (I think) used to sell fog light covers. Had velcro on them and used some form of plastic. Others will be able to chime in that have them. Just haven't seen him on in a while and not sure if he still does them or not.Toolguy's thread is here. However, he hasn't been heard from in over 2 years, and in that thread there is an alternative mentioned.
Re:
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 5:49 am
by MrHatchWagon
Thanks for the advice! And I hadn't thought of velcro as a way to anchor them into the holes.. brilliant. Looks like I'll be doing some experimenting! I'll chime in with pictures once I get it right Edit: I think we've got some Lexan lying around the garage, so maybe I'll go that route and figure out a way to tint it, or make them yellow/light blue like some people in Toolguy's thread. The advantage with the velcro is, if I get tired of one, I can make another and switch them out!
Re: Re: (MrHatchWagon)
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 6:23 am
by KITT222
A few ecomodding Vibers actually took some plastic and contoured it to the bumper to cover their fog lights. It's pretty cool, but attaching may be an issue, just like trying to get them the right shape. One of my fogs is cracked and gets moisture in it, so I'm open to ideas to protect my fog lights. A small mesh guard could work and look cool too.
Re: Re: (KITT222)
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:41 am
by MrHatchWagon
That's not a bad idea. I ran to Canadian Tire and picked up a 4.5 inch round reflector, I'm going to experiment with different ways of masking it. My aftermarket fogs are a little smaller than the stock ones, I think, and the reflector is just a tad larger. I could stick it on with two-sided tape (since I have a burnt fog light, I won't be using them). Here's what I was thinking of doing: Something like the arrowhead in the middle, leaving that part reflective, and painting off the rest? Or maybe painting the whole thing, and then ordering some reflective overlays from Grafxwerks..
Re: Covers for stock fog lights? (MrHatchWagon)
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 9:37 am
by djkeev
Hmmm 07 Vibe ourchased new, 100,000 plus miles driven. Not a crack or a chip in the fog lights! Maybe you are right and you are following too closely thus immediately getting the rocks kicked up in your nose! What's your paint look like? Lots of rock chips in it?Maybe seeing as to how you are aware that you follow too closely, relax, back off, enjoy the trip and see the scenery instead of driving up people's rear with the continuous tension that tailgating naturally brings.Seems to me stopping, getting out and removing a safety cover on the fog light is a lot of effort and a major waste of time every time you wish to use them.Dave
Re: Covers for stock fog lights? (djkeev)
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:47 am
by MrHatchWagon
Yeah, you're right. I've got one burnt fog from the ones I had installed and won't be using them at all this winter, but when it's nicer outside I'll have a look to see if it's the bulb, or the wiring. And my paint actually looks okay on the bumper, which puzzles me even more
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 6:18 am
by donniej
You can make them out of plexiglass. Pribably $20 worth of material. Only requires a saw, drill and heatgun to shape the plexi...
http://forums.genvibe.com/zerofile/1630 ... ro...e.JPG
Re: (donniej)
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 7:49 am
by jkm311
I bought a set from ToolGuy in 2007, and they are *still* on the car. I am shocked. What upset me, though, is there couldn't have been 5 months between me buying the car brand new and putting the covers on, and my passenger side fog was already cracked. So bummed, but it was minor. I just covered it with the ToolGuy cover, and haven't touched that area since 2007. I still wash them by hand when possible, and have gone to manual pressure washer places DOZENS of times to get the road salt off in the 5 winters since putting them on, and they are still holding up like a champ. So shocked, given that they are only held on by the sticky backing of the velcro. I do remember them having a very strong, thick type of velcro that was clear. Definitely not the thin, shaggy, black velcro you pick up at craft stores.Hope you find a good solution for yours, Christopher.
Re:
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 7:01 am
by MrHatchWagon
Progress report:Finally got around to painting the soon-to-be covers. I sanded the surface with 220 grit sand paper, cleaned then applied 3 coats of Satin Black Krylon plastic paint. I also had some vinyl decals cut in red to apply to them: I'm still giving the paint some time to dry properly before applying those, but that's the idea! STi-inspired covers
Re: Covers for stock fog lights? (djkeev)
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:39 pm
by lannvouivre
Quote, originally posted by djkeev »Hmmm 07 Vibe ourchased new, 100,000 plus miles driven. Not a crack or a chip in the fog lights! Maybe you are right and you are following too closely thus immediately getting the rocks kicked up in your nose! What's your paint look like? Lots of rock chips in it?My Vibe came with cracked fog lights and a chipped-up bumper cover, and only had 38k miles on it! It did come from Austin, though (used to be a rental)
Re: Covers for stock fog lights?
Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:40 am
by MrHatchWagon
Tadaa!
Re: Covers for stock fog lights? (MrHatchWagon)
Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:57 pm
by jkm311
Those look great. Nice fabrication. Are you planning on ever replacing your fogs? Or are these the final configuration?
Re: Covers for stock fog lights? (MrHatchWagon)
Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:59 pm
by KITT222
They do look good. Nice work! How are they held on?
Re: Covers for stock fog lights?
Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 6:18 am
by MrHatchWagon
jkm311: Thanks! I don't think I'll ever replace the fogs, it seems there's always one bulb that burns out prematurely and the other one ends up cracked If I eventually decide to get HIDs, I might get new fogs and HID those as well though. KITT222: Thanks! They're just held on with 4-5 pieces of 3M foam-backed two-sided tape.