Temps in the low 50's & sunny today, so I thought I'd wrap up a few unfinished things.

One of which was fitting some new boots, as mentioned in the title. These are PN 914.631.217.10, and are referenced for US/Canada/ROW in PET.

Problem is that the small "tit" off the main boot for running side marker light wires through is blocked by a molded-in plug. Not the end of the world to drill/punch/carve out - just wondered what others had done when they encountered this? Don't want to screw the things up, because they aren't cheap.

Pat

What? No pics?????????????

bizzzzzzzzzzzzz

Jeez,

You act like you've never seen one of these before!

Here's a pic - the area inside the rectangle is where the molded plug is.

How to safely remove?
Pat

wood dowl the right size (to fit in the small end) and use a drill press for a exact sized hole

Pat, did you add this to the Parts Vault? Since you already have the P/N and a picture handy.

I just cut a small slit and pushed the wires through, then used a small piece of that good 3M electrical tape.

Mark,

No (head bowed, toe scraping the turf, humble look on face)! Sorry, will do.

Pat

Great idea Bruce, except I don't have a drill press. Guess I could just use my Black & Decker & eyeball it. Or, since the pluga appears to be about a quarter inch thick, I could just hand drill with a sharp bit. Or, I could use a mini Exacto to punch through & gradually widen it.

My originals, which recently disintegrated in my hands do not appear to have had a plug in them. The wires to the side markers lights are encased in shrink tubing and the rear edge of the tubing resides well into the boot itself.

I suspect the Factory had lots of ROW boots left, or decided to have manufactured only the ROW boots from some point on. My new ones were made in July '06.
Pat

Now you have a reason to buy a drill press

Use a drill bit just slightly smaller than the wires. That way when you push them thru the hole the rubber will seal against them keeping water/dirt out