Best Headlight Restorer

[Ponto]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

I think it is determined by the type of cleaning you're doing.
- getting rid of yellowing and small scuffs = 800 grit
- getting rid of gouges = 320 grit

Guess i went with the assumption we all live in Alberta and would have some gouges and sand blasting lol.

[witchcraftz]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

I think it is determined by the type of cleaning you're doing.
- getting rid of yellowing and small scuffs = 800 grit
- getting rid of gouges = 320 grit

[stef2.7t]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

I will disagree with this completely. I started with 400 wet and it still took forever to get the pits out (didn't even get all of them), I should have started with 320 dry. If i started with 1000 grit I would have been there all day to get the rock pitting out of my headlights.

Have to agree with this. Was doing the same job right next to him and he was about to lose his mind at how long it took with the higher grit.

[Ponto]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

My advice for any project with sanding is you don't need to start with as coarse a grit as you think. I would just start with wet-sanding at a high grit and follow with a polish and then that plast-x stuff to finish.

I will disagree with this completely. I started with 400 wet and it still took forever to get the pits out (didn't even get all of them), I should have started with 320 dry. If i started with 1000 grit I would have been there all day to get the rock pitting out of my headlights.

[Kor]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

My advice for any project with sanding is you don't need to start with as coarse a grit as you think. I would just start with wet-sanding at a high grit and follow with a polish and then that plast-x stuff to finish.

[Stonewall]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

Did you put any UV coating or protection on them?

Big thing is once you polish them you need to either 3m them or clear coat them otherwise they will pit and yellow again way faster than the first time since you have now removed the factory coating.

I don't believe I did but that is good advice, thanks.

[PRY4SNO]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

The reason toothpaste works is that the "white" versions contain a fair amount of baking soda (the gels don't and so won't work) It's much better to take a few tbsp of baking soda, dish soap and water mix into a paste and use.

Cool! I'm all about DIY approaches to stuff like this, especially when the cost delta is around a case of beer

[FlyBoy]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

Popular Mechanics tested 5 restoration kits last month. Gave Sylvania 5 stars (said most elbow grease, but has "lifetime warranty" lol), Rain-X and Meguiar's Heavy Duty 4.5 (no dislikes for either), 3M a 4 (problems with the pad being too flat for curves), and Lenz Solution 3.5 (has a sealant that is tricky to apply). It says they all worked well (following the directions), but the better ones had foolproof instructions.

[witchcraftz]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

I've heard of great results with toothpaste instead of commercial goop. Seriously.

The reason toothpaste works is that the "white" versions contain a fair amount of baking soda (the gels don't and so won't work) It's much better to take a few tbsp of baking soda, dish soap and water mix into a paste and use.

[Ponto]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

I used one of the 3M kits on mine last year. They are starting to yellow again already.

Did you put any UV coating or protection on them?

Big thing is once you polish them you need to either 3m them or clear coat them otherwise they will pit and yellow again way faster than the first time since you have now removed the factory coating.

[Stonewall]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

I used one of the 3M kits on mine last year. They are starting to yellow again already.

[PRY4SNO]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

I've heard of great results with toothpaste instead of commercial goop. Seriously.

[JVD]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

Yep, wetsand up to 2000. Start with whatever is necessary.

Polish by machine... with any compound/polish you see fit. Doesn't need to be PlastX although it works pretty well.

Headlights by jvd240, on Flickr

[R_Ethug]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

i have a mothers kit i'm going to try this spring on both cars

[hooddub]

Re: Best Headlight Restorer

Depends on the lense. I don't think you can polish glass by normal means, but plastic, wet sand (I started at 1500 and ended with a 3000) and then a rubbing compound (I used 3m #1) and they look like new. You can basically polish plastic like paint with a power polisher but you don't need to use a swirl remover because well, it's plastic.