Headlight UVA Help Please

[Desertnate]

How hazy are your headlights? Are they just yellowed?

In the severe kit the process goes like this: oxidation removal -> wet sand aggressive -> wet sand medium - > wet sand light -> coating.

On my daughter`s car, the lenses were both hazy and yellowed. The oxidation remover was pretty amazing in the level of yellowing it removed. From what I remember it actually took most, if not all of it out, but they were still hazy/cloudy. Only the sanding and the coating was able to make the lights clear again.

[Setec Astronomy]

How hazy are your headlights? Are they just yellowed?

In the severe kit the process goes like this: oxidation removal -> wet sand aggressive -> wet sand medium - > wet sand light -> coating.

On my daughter`s car, the lenses were both hazy and yellowed. The oxidation remover was pretty amazing in the level of yellowing it removed. From what I remember it actually took most, if not all of it out, but they were still hazy/cloudy. Only the sanding and the coating was able to make the lights clear again.

If you`re responding to me, as I noted, the headlights have been previously sanded to remove the failed factory coating, and periodically polished to remove the yellowing. So they are (optically) clear, just yellowy. If I use just the oxidation wipes and the yellow is removed, I guess I`m comporting with the Griot`s "moderate" kit protocol, but I`m just not sure if the coating really needs the tooth from the 3000 grit paper (which is perhaps why Griot`s doesn`t sell that kit anymore).

[Desertnate]

If you`re responding to me, as I noted, the headlights have been previously sanded to remove the failed factory coating, and periodically polished to remove the yellowing. So they are (optically) clear, just yellowy. If I use just the oxidation wipes and the yellow is removed, I guess I`m comporting with the Griot`s "moderate" kit protocol, but I`m just not sure if the coating really needs the tooth from the 3000 grit paper (which is perhaps why Griot`s doesn`t sell that kit anymore).

I was responding to MisterSnoop who was right above my comment...probably should have quoted him to eliminate the confusion.

I do find it interesting they sell a kit with no sandpaper at all. I was under the impression you had to scuff the surface a little bit in order for the coating to adhere to the plastic. I guess not.

[Setec Astronomy]

I do find it interesting they sell a kit with no sandpaper at all. I was under the impression you had to scuff the surface a little bit in order for the coating to adhere to the plastic. I guess not.

If you`re referring to that Griot`s kit, I don`t see that they sell that anymore. Cerakote sells a package that only has the coating wipes (20). I sent them an email; I`m not holding my breath for an answer.

EDIT: Well, I did get an answer. I asked that since my headlights had previously been sanded to remove the factory coating and were clear but yellowed, if I could just use the oxidation wipe and go straight to the coating? Or if the wipe doesn`t remove the yellow, can I just polish as I have before to remove the yellow and then go to coating. Here is the response:

"It is imperative that you use all the steps that are in your Cerakote® Headlight Restoration Kit. Anything outside of what is specified in the instructions can be performed at your own discretion, but I cannot guarantee the results."

As much as I would like to skip the sanding, I will probably do it as directed since if I`m going to take the time to do this, I really don`t want to have to do it again.

[Desertnate]

When I used the kit for the first time, I followed up the third sanding step with a polish from the Wolfgang kit because I didn`t realize the headlights would "clear up" when the coating was applied. From what I remember that application didn`t go very well when I applied the coating. It actually took on a strange orange peel texture and I think it clouded a bit. I actually had to go back and re-due that headlight. Since they only give you exactly enough material to do two headlights, that meant ordering a new kit since I still needed to do the other headlamp.

I also learned that you do NOT want to try and add a second layer of the coating. When I was totally finished the coating wipes were still somewhat wet with product, so I thought I`d go back and do a second layer. Fortunately, I tried this to the headlamp I`d already messed up. Trying to apply a second coat really made a mess of the headlamp. It hazed up and actually started to dissolve the original application. It was only later I found the note in the instructions to NOT attempt a second layer.

Lesson learned through the whole encounter? Follow their instructions to the letter if you want it to come our right. Don`t over think it.