how do you replace the license plate bulbs on the wagon tailgate?

i thought i'd done this before but i don't remember. got pulled over by a bored cop a few weeks ago - to tell me my lic plate lights were out.
shop manual just says to remove screws from covers, which i did. What's the trick to coax them out? it seems like they have tabs that recess into the handle and yet something else also seems to hang them up and i really don't want to break them.
Surely you don't have to go through the inside of the tailgate and take the panel off etc...

It takes a lot of wiggling to get them out from the outside, but the chance of breaking them is high. They are extremely brittle. It is safer to take them out from the inside. There are a few nuts that hold the trim to the gate. I suggest that you replace them with LEDs.

i could tell mine are a bit dull and sunbaked - how does that even happen with them upsidedown? lol
i'll go ahead and do it the hard but safer way. I was planning on using leds too as i have a few on hand

Fred Kiehl wrote:

I suggest that you replace them with LEDs.

If you have suggestions about the specific LEDs, I am all ears. Thank you!

Just match the bulb type. You need 12 volt bulbs.

a bit of thread drift here..
got a set of SANHE 9004 HB1 LED Headlight Bulbs, 40000LM 6500K Pure White, 140W LED Headlight Bulb,High & Low Beam,24 CSP Chips, Halogen Replacement Easy Plug-N-Play Installation, Pack of 2… from who else, Amazon..
installed on Skippy (95 roadmaster wagon)..
VERY BRIGHT, not so much plug and play since the plastic retaining ring needed a little bit of work to fit over the 'bulb' assembly due to the wires coming out the bottom, a hand drill and a dremel bit did the job, neat..
road test will be tuesday and wednesday, if successful I'll get another 3 sets for the other boats in my fleet.. :-)
now to gather some turn signal LED bulbs front, rear and 3rd brake light..
and comments from others with some wisdom to impart, please do..
in the works of the legendary Fraser Crand "I'm listening" :-)

The turn signal bulbs will not work unless you replace the blinker relay with an electronic one. The original relay uses the resistance of the bulbs to activate it. The LED bulbs do not have enough resistance to activate the relay. Emergency flashers... same deal. Brake, corner illumination, and non blinking marker lights will work fine.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

The turn signal bulbs will not work unless you replace the blinker relay with an electronic one. The original relay uses the resistance of the bulbs to activate it. The LED bulbs do not have enough resistance to activate the relay. Emergency flashers... same deal. Brake, corner illumination, and non blinking marker lights will work fine.

thank you Fred, for the hint re. the blinker relay..
may not be worth the effort to change over to brighter LED bulbs..