'88 - rear tail light & hi-mount brake light bulb replacement

Are there any special cautions or time saving tricks from the pros here when replacing 1 burnt out bulb in the tail lamp assembly or (1-2?)in the hi-mount rear brake light?

Don't overtighten the wingnuts. They strip easily.

Hi-Mount bulbs are replaced from the interior, remove the center trim panel over the hatch door, two torx screws on the belt loop and then pull fwd. There two friction screws that hold the front corners, once the panel is off the bulb sockets are accessible.

The Tail Lamp is quite another story, do a search here, if you don't have success with the search come on back for a descriptive, it's a two person job to do without damage.

well that's what I needed; a challenge. I managed to do the high mount without too much trouble although, it took me a little bit of pulling and tugging to figure out how it came away from the back window. I hadn't seen your post yet earlier today when I was doing it.

I managed to do the rear taillights by myself...twice!!

I undid all those stupid wingnuts (10 + the 4 carpet holders), gently pulled and tugged at the rear taillight assembly until it came away from the body and replaced the burnt out bulb. Put it all back together, tightened up all the wingnuts and carpet holders, wiped the grease off my hands, closed the trunk, turned on the tailights....fine. Now back up next to a store window to check out the now working high mount brake lights and....a burnt out brake light in the taillight assembly!

I looked up at the sky and said, "you probably think that's funny!"

So....twice.

Also, make sure you do not over tighten the screw that holds the light assmebly against the window. It will break the plastic. It's a "duh", but it's also easy to do. Avoid the temptation to make it fit real snug against the window.

And you really gotta pull on those friction screws, they are long little suckers.

yes, they certainly are long enough. Good advice about not overtightening the screw. The previous owner had broken the plastic and the hi-mount bulb casing was just sitting loose. I put a larger washer around the fastening screw so it would hold the plastic casing in place.