View Full Version : Hazed Pontiac Headlights
The headlight lens on my 2001 Pontiac are getting hazed over. I guess it`s the UV coating coming off. It`s not smooth to the touch. The car is outside 24/7. I sanded a small spot with 1000/1500/then 2000 wet sandpaper. Next I applied scratch-x a few times. I can still see small scratches in the lens. I guess I should have started with 1500 or 2000 first. Can this be fixed by hand?(getting them clear again) I don`t have a PC. Should I do the whole thing?
charlesaferg
04-05-2008, 01:45 PM
The headlight lens on my 2001 Pontiac are getting hazed over. I guess it`s the UV coating coming off. It`s not smooth to the touch. The car is outside 24/7. I sanded a small spot with 1000/1500/then 2000 wet sandpaper. Next I applied scratch-x a few times. I can still see small scratches in the lens. I guess I should have started with 1500 or 2000 first. Can this be fixed by hand? I don`t have a PC. Should I do the whole thing?
Rotarys work best for this, without a doubt. I was in that boat once, without any polisher. Even if you wetsand, you`re going to want a rotary to polish it effectively. Hand-polishing, especially on headlight housings, takes way too long to be worth it. If you do use a rotary, tape EVERYTHING around it off, I can`t stress that enough. Use a smaller pad as well, no larger than 6.5" - preferably spot-pads. Compounds are up to you, but with the smaller pads come faster speeds, because you`ve got less leverage as you would with a pad thats farther away from the center of the rotary. This is one of the rare instances where the speed should be turned up a bit.
Neofate
04-05-2008, 01:47 PM
Did the sandpaper and scratch-x make a noticeable improvement? Or did it make it worse?
I assume the headlights are plastic?
You can safely polish them with fairly agressive polish, something like 3M even.
Personally I just used some scratch-x and polished by hand.. but mine were only mediocre hazed.
Yours seem to need a stronger action.
The sandpaper should be taking care of it though, but it will induce the scratches on the plastic -- I think I might get some intermediate polish and try to break it down by hand, or some rubbing compound .. Then follow up with some scratch-x.
A machine would really make this job ALOT faster and procure better results, but you have to work with what you have , right =)
Others should chime in with agreement or disagreement hehe..
Neofate
04-05-2008, 01:48 PM
Charles what polish would you recommend?
And what if he used a Random Orbital?
Bottom line, if he is doing this by hand,.. What do you recommend as his best chance?
I`m actually thinking some rubbing compound and elbow grease followed by the scratch-x might be the best way. But can`t say for sure.
I did a small spot , I taped it off. Probably was too small of a spot. It seems the same or a little better;but not perfectly clear like I wanted or hoped for. It was hazed over after the sanding as expected, scratch cleared it up a bit scratches can be seen if you look close.