Tail light lens seal, where does it go? Options

[vitamin914]

I need some guidance with installing the rubber cord seal from 914Rubber on the tail lights.

The lenses and reflector housings are replacements from AA. The OEMs are too far gone with no reflector chrome and corrosion in the sockets.

It seems the contour of the lens isn't a perfect match to reflector housing (even on the old OEM housing). There is a gap mid way at the top (see first photo). The gap sort of disappears if there is no rubber cord when the lens and housing nest together. Adding the rubber cord makes it worse as the lens does not seat as deeply. This also raises the question... Where does the rubber cord go? Does it go in the housing or does it go in the lens? (last two photos)

I really want to stay away from using RTV silicone if I ever need to change a bulb.

[scallyk9]

I had exactly the same problem and it took about a year of trying to match used warped housings with various used and aged lenses to go a different direction, made worse by the fact that not all of the original lenses were the same shade of red. After purchasing and having to return replacement housings from SMC, I finally found a great match using the reproduction housings from AA with a set of NOS Hella lenses (which came with the correct off-white ivory colored rubber seal) purchased here from our classifieds.

[vitamin914]

I had exactly the same problem and it took about a year of trying to match used warped housings with various used and aged lenses to go a different direction, made worse by the fact that not all of the original lenses were the same shade of red. After purchasing and having to return replacement housings from SMC, I finally found a great match using the reproduction housings from AA with a set of NOS Hella lenses (which came with the correct off-white ivory colored rubber seal) purchased here from our classifieds.

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The housings I have from AA are great too. They match the body extremely well - with nice bright chrome reflectors. It is the reproduction lens that are the culprit with that wow in the top center (can't see the bottom for fit, drainage if a gap?). If you don't push the replacement seal to the bottom of the lens it is near impossible for the three screws to pull in the plastic lens and push the rubber cord in. Pushing the seal all the way in leaves the seal too far away in the top wow to do anything useful. Guessing how far to push/not to push in the seal at the top is a hopeless task (not to mention that it still won't seal very much it the rubber moves deeper over time). I would love to try NOS Hella Euro lenses, if you can find (and afford) them.