tail light guards

blueridge · 11-28-2006, 09:20 PM

I am wondering if anyone has a set of black tail light guards on a titan. Several manufactures make them (smittybuilt, manik, ect.) However no pics available I have no idea how they look. I would like to have them for their function but I am un easy about a purchase if I do not know what they will look like. So even if you have come across a pic online somewhere I would be greatful.

AZZ Titan · 11-28-2006, 09:28 PM

im intrested too.................i have been thinking about them. I have a black truck also

blueridge · 11-29-2006, 10:40 PM

I spent another hour last night looking them up on every sight. They all show pics of the guards or it will say now for nissan titan but they show a chevy s-10 or some other truck that looks nothing like ours. Their has to be some one with them!!!!!!!

**Blackbeauty** · 11-30-2006, 06:35 AM

I've got the stainless steel ones.

(Made the pics bigger so you could see them better.)

I did a quickie, pretty poor photoshop of them:

d0va · 11-30-2006, 06:52 AM

blackbeauty where did you purchased your and how much?

Is that your crib on the background

**Blackbeauty** · 11-30-2006, 06:58 AM

I bought them from a seller on ebay. I don't have the exact link right now, but I have the receipt at home if you want the specific seller. I believe that these sold for around $114 and total shipped was around @120. I can verify that once I get home from work.

The background is one of my local historical monuments. They're the first cement kilns built in this country, right in my backyard (literally when I lived at the apartment just beyond them).

Website: http://www.saylorcementkilns.org/

I just think they're cool...

d0va · 11-30-2006, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty

I bought them from a seller on ebay. I don't have the exact link right now, but I have the receipt at home if you want the specific seller. I believe that these sold for around $114 and total shipped was around @120. I can verify that once I get home from work.

The background is one of my local historical monuments. They're the first cement kilns built in this country, right in my backyard (literally when I lived at the apartment just beyond them).

Website: http://www.saylorcementkilns.org/

I just think they're cool...

I like this better than the plastic ones that get glue to the taillight

I was going to ask you If you had other pict of your truck but I saw some more on the lighting fogs thread

nice looking truck bro.

as for the light covers Ill see if I can find them on ebay

**Blackbeauty** · 11-30-2006, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d0va

I like this better than the plastic ones that get glue to the taillight

I was going to ask you If you had other pict of your truck but I saw some more on the lighting fogs thread

nice looking truck bro.

as for the light covers Ill see if I can find them on ebay

Thanks d0va! You have a nice ride there too! I like how you mounted the lights in the lower grille cavity. That is real clean. I need to get more updated pics on here. Since these have been taken, I've installed the bullbar & lights as well as the N-Fabs. t's in my mods list, but not my photos!

xterraintx · 11-30-2006, 10:44 AM

I off road a lot and have for years. My Titan is a 4x4 off road but just used to tow and get to the trails. I have an 01 Xterra modded for off road. A lot of X's come factory with the tail light guards and tumbleweed guards in front.

I'm not really bashing "Tail Light guards" but if for function they are pretty useless. Unless you have welded on fabricated ones for that purpose.

Everyone I have ever seen get the "for show" models hit has destroyed them and or the light and fender. This has been both the stick-on and screw-on models. Some have lost them and not even realized it.

if cosmetic... go for them if for a function there are other, better, ways to spend the bucks.

My .02

**Blackbeauty** · 11-30-2006, 10:56 AM

I have to agree, the design seems to be lacking in that for true off-roading, tree branches and tall brush WILL get caught by these. Mine are basically for looks. I wanted a little "shiny-shiny" on the tail of the truck to break up the mass of black. That's also the reason for the SS bib.

blueridge · 11-30-2006, 10:00 PM

Black beauty thanks for the pics that helps alot. Good photo shop on the black ones. It certainly helps me make up my mind. I do light trail riding and buffing out a scratch on the paint is easier than replacing a scratched tail light lense. While it would not stop it from breaking if I backed against a tree trunk do you think it would stop a 1 or 2 inch diameter branch if lightly slapped while backing?? Is it an easy mount. Sorry for all the questins however you are my only resource!!

**Blackbeauty** · 12-01-2006, 05:36 AM

Blueridge, I have no problem with questions. It's the answers I struggle with!

Let's see, first off, I feel it will provide additional protection for the taillight, even when backing into stuff. Now, if you stop when you make contact, you may bend the guard a little, but probably not crack your taillight. And yes, it will definitely stop branches from hitting anything regarding the taillight while backing up. These are sturdy units, not flimsy or aluminum or anything - real stainless steel. I got them because I just liked the way they looked.

Mounting them is easy. Just remove the two screws that hold in the taillight inside the tailgate and slide the taillight straight back. There's a tab at the front that you can break off if you yank it sideways (perpendicular to the bed side). So, easy does it on the removal. There's a bracket that's prebent to match the contour of the taillight pocket and it attaches with a bolt to an existing hole in the body behind the front part of the light. This will stabilize the edge of the guard that faces front. I found that my brackets didn't even come close to matching the contour required, so I just got a body hammer, flattened it out on my vise flat, eyeballed the new bendlines, marked them with a pencil, and rebent it to shape in my vise. It was a little trial and error to get the proper bend angle, but a little at a time and it's pretty easy. they provide you with longer screws, which are required to reinstall the taillight as there are two tabs that the taillight screws must pass through. The guard bracket tabs are too thick for the old screws.

That's all there is to it. Good luck with your decision, and I hope I've helped some.