tail light removal question

hey guys- I've got the two 10mm bolts out of both tail light assemblies and the assembly is totally loose but doesn't want to pop out? what am I missing? do I just need to pull really hard? something is obviously hung up and I don't want to break anything. is there a trick? just yank it really good?

 

Yes pull hard. And i think you need to pull out the 3rd 10mm black bolt. With the washer under it.
It's been a min. Since last pulled mine. But i bo remember that you have to pull hard to get them out.

 

thanks, yeah I got all three bolts out. they still don't want to come. the weird thing is they feel totall loose, swing side to side, but won't budge in or out. 2014.

 

Yeah there are 3 bolts!

 

They take some coaxing for sure. I was worried when I last pulled mine but they will eventually pop out

 

GOT 'EM! Thanks guys. Yeah they took a good tug. There are two plastic (rubber-ish?) plugs toward the outside edge of each assembly that insert on the truck. One near the top and one about 2/3 of the way down. Sort of a "barbed" cap on the ends and this is what you are pulling out of. I guess they are there to hold the assembly in place when the bolts are removed. Makes sense. It was only necessary to remove two bolts from each assembly. Not sure what the "middle" bolt is for (it has a larger washer- just above the bottom assembly bolt). Elementary info, I know, but maybe it'll help the next guy. For what it's worth, I installed 921 silver stars in place of the stock reverse bulbs. Not sure if they are any brighter by actual lumens, but they sure help with visibility on the back-up camera display. I'm in a dark garage and am very surprised at the difference. Considerably brighter on the display.

 

Glad to hear OP!

 

Op if your looking for brighter bulbs try Jumpers leds thread here in T.World. I used the 700 lumin led reverse bulbs, plug and play. And they are noticeably brighter.

 

How do you get to the reverse lights on a 2015 Tacoma? I can get the tail light assemblies off but I can't get to the reverse lights, only the brake and markers . It looks like a sealed assembly. I tried taking out the 3 screws and it didn't seem to do anything. What am I missing?

 

Thanks OP, you did just help the next guy. I had to give a rather scary hard tug to get them out. There are two plastic plugs with a barb at the end mated to a plastic insert. Since the inserts are plastic, not rubber, you don't get that feeling of movement - they just pop, and loudly. I had to check to make sure nothing had broken.

FYI, I was doing this to install a bed extender.

 

Glad you got em. "Brute forcing" anything plastic always gives me an uneasy feeling! Ha And it's a nasty sound when they finally do pop out.