Headlight UVA Help Please

[Fishing]

Hello All, I seem to be doing a few headlights lately and have been looking for wipe on UVA protection. I am going to give this 3M product a try. Has anyone had any good results with any wipe on type of protection products ?
Thank you for your time/help.

[Setec Astronomy]

The only thing I`ve used is Optimum Opti-Lens. For a headlight where you`ve sanded off the factory coating, I find Opti-Lens to be pretty useless and that the headlights will be yellowed in about 6 months and will need to be polished to restore that "new" look.

[Fishing]

@Setec Astronomy - I am thinking the 3M will probably be similar in results. If not then I will try the Optimum. Thank you for the help/response.

[Setec Astronomy]

Honestly I don`t think the Optimum is worth the trouble, just repolish every 6 months or so, I don`t think it really did anything. I have used it on new headlights for some added protection, but of course there is no way to gauge if it`s actually helping. I did put some on one of my cars where the factory coating is starting to fail at the top, and it did seem to slow it down...but I`m not really sure because I try not to look at them because it`s too depressing, LOL.

[Accumulator]

Just FWIW, and I bet that`s not much, I`ve simply never had this issue in my life. Never. FWIW#2, to keep that going, I use OCW (known for UV resistance) as a drying aid at every wash, at least on exterior lenses. But I`m not parking outside in Phoenix or somesuch either!

[Fishing]

@setec astronomy- I may end up doing the every 6 nth ting also,,,,but im going to give the 3M a try
@Accumulator - I have done about 6 cars some very bad and some just starting, happy that you haven`t had to experience this hope it stays that way for you. I will look into the OCW, thnx for letting me know about it.

[Desertnate]

I`ve had pretty good luck with the Griots Severe Headlight Restoration Kit. They claim to use Cerakote`s coating which is "permanent".

I don`t know about the permanent part, but I`m at the 8 month point and the car I applied it to is still looking good with no new yellowing or hazing of the lenses. I tried the Wolfgang headlight sealant prior to this on another car and it only lasted around 4~5 months, so I`m pretty happy already.

[Setec Astronomy]

I`ve had pretty good luck with the Griots Severe Headlight Restoration Kit. They claim to use Cerakote`s coating which is "permanent".

I don`t know about the permanent part, but I`m at the 8 month point and the car I applied it to is still looking good with no new yellowing or hazing of the lenses. I tried the Wolfgang headlight sealant prior to this on another car and it only lasted around 4~5 months, so I`m pretty happy already.

Are those cars garaged or outside 24/7? I don`t see where Griot`s says their stuff is Cerakote, but it certainly is in the same format. Also their claim that it`s the only ceramic is pretty bogus seeing as how Cerakote says right on the box "ceramic" and certainly Opti-Lens, which is based on Opti-Coat, is ceramic...along with how many other products like DLux, etc.

[Fishing]

@Desertnate - I like Griots products,,,I have the 3M on order so Im going to give it a try,,,if it doesn`t work the I will look into the Griots for sure. Thank you.

[Desertnate]

Are those cars garaged or outside 24/7? I don`t see where Griot`s says their stuff is Cerakote, but it certainly is in the same format. Also their claim that it`s the only ceramic is pretty bogus seeing as how Cerakote says right on the box "ceramic" and certainly Opti-Lens, which is based on Opti-Coat, is ceramic...along with how many other products like DLux, etc.

Both of the vehicles I mentioned with headlight restoration sit out 24/7. The latest one with the Griots kit is my youngest daughter`s car which lives in a dorm/apartment parking lot with no covering or shelter from the elements. It also rarely gets washed.

The Cerakote logo is printed on the packets inside the Griots kits for both the prep wipe and the actual coating. If you enlarge the picture of the kit at the Griots website you can see the Cerakote logo on the bottom left corner of the packets. I seem to remember it somewhere on the box too. The Griots website used to reference Cerakote being the source of the coating, but it doesn`t any more. However I did find this link. News Details | Cerakote

As for the other claims? Marketing will be marketing, whether it`s well informed or not. The good part is the kit actually works well.

[Setec Astronomy]

Thanks Nate, I might have to give that (the Cerakote) a shot, price is certainly right.

[Setec Astronomy]

Desertnate, I got a Cerakote kit, read the instructions, then watched the Griot`s video. The video was a little less specific about this, but the Cerakote instructions tell you to sand and leave the headlight hazy before the coating.

When I have used Opti-Lens, I have always sanded/polished to perfect clarity before coating. The "leave it hazy" (from 3000 grit sanding) is more like the pro UV cure systems, or when people spray 2K clear (seems to be Barry Theal did a video about that, 100 or so years ago).

I don`t know if I`m actually asking a question here or not, the headlights that I was going to use the Cerakote on are smooth and clear (from previous polishing), but yellowed. I was just going to polish them to remove the yellowing and apply the Cerakote. Now I`m not sure if I should do that, or if I should just use the oxidation removal wipes, then go straight to the coating, or whether I have to sand also. Maybe as an experiment I will just use the wipes and if they look good go right to the coating. I guess I am just thinking out loud/asking if the coating needs the "tooth" of the sanded surface.

As an aside, from watching the Griot`s vid, they only give you one oxidation removal wipe per headlight, while the Cerakote kit has 4 per.

[MisterSnoop]

I don`t know if I`m actually asking a question here or not, the headlights that I was going to use the Cerakote on are smooth and clear (from previous polishing), but yellowed. I was just going to polish them to remove the yellowing and apply the Cerakote. Now I`m not sure if I should do that, or if I should just use the oxidation removal wipes, then go straight to the coating, or whether I have to sand also. Maybe as an experiment I will just use the wipes and if they look good go right to the coating. I guess I am just thinking out loud/asking if the coating needs the "tooth" of the sanded surface.

As an aside, from watching the Griot`s vid, they only give you one oxidation removal wipe per headlight, while the Cerakote kit has 4 per.

The Griot`s moderate headlight restoration kit is just oxidation wipes and protective wipes. That`s what I have on hand that I`ll be using on my girlfriend`s car. Griot`s does have to buy them from cerakote and make money themselves so it isn`t as good of a deal. On the plus side though, if they ever needed to be redone down the road, Griot`s would probably send another kit. Not sure if cerakote would do the same.

[Setec Astronomy]

The Griot`s moderate headlight restoration kit is just oxidation wipes and protective wipes.

Thanks! However I searched on it the first thing I found was a Griot`s vid with the sanding. Later I re-read the Cerakote instructions and they mentioned a video so I`ll have to look for that and see if Griot`s has another one for that other kit. Thanks again.

Edit: It looks like Griot`s doesn`t make that "moderate" kit anymore, and the only video of theirs I found other than for the "severe" kit is for an older system with a spray can. I watched the Cerakote video and they only have two sanding steps instead of three (2000 and 3000 grit); I guess the extra oxidation wipes replace the 1000 grit; maybe Griot`s feels their customer base is more adept at removing sanding scratches. I may have to reach out to Cerakote and see what they say about skipping the sanding.

[MisterSnoop]

Here`s the instructions for the moderate kit. Maybe most people bought the severe kit so they just discontinued the moderate kit. I would have bought the severe kit but my girlfriend didn`t want me to sand them.