Head light polishing help requested

J

JSFM35X

Active member
So I have been pretty confident clearing headlights with an orange cutting pad on a flex Firced rotation DA and M100 or M205. Then finishing with a polishing pad and a finish polish.

The last 2 sets of headlights I have tried to clear did not come out to my satisfaction.

The lights were bad but my orange cutting pad fell apart on the second job. In all fairness the pad is old like 5 years old but it looked fine before starting out.

I own a flex DA, GH6, Rupes dueto 3”, rules 15, an PcXP and an ibird.

Can someone who is confident in clearing headlights please write me a pad, polish and hopefully suggest one of my current machines as a good process on clearing headlights.

I have been using optimum lense to coat the lights. I’m just about out what is you go to product and procedure.

The lights get better but when it’s dark and the lights are on it looks cloudy.

Thanks in advance for then headlight Perscription.
 
Headlights, like paint, will differ from brand to brand. On headlights that are just cloudy I use some old CG V32 on a Meguires microfiber cutting pad then finish up (if necessary) with some CG V36 on a Rupes yellow pad. I use the CG stuff because I have it and never want to use it on paint.

If the headlights have turned yellow then I sand first then follow up with the V32 then V36. For sanding I pick up a cheap kit off eBay that has 3 different grits, normally 800, 1200, and 2000. I use the 2000 wet with some rinseless solution.

This works for me. I bought a bunch of bottles of the CG polish many years ago and I thought about throwing it away, but it works fine on headlights. Using Megs 105 followed by 205 should work fine, but if you want to try something new try Megs d300 on a microfiber cutting pad for the first step. I would use Meguires cutting pads over other brands because they are thinner and cut better than the thicker LC microfiber pads. I use my Rupes 75 mini to repair headlights so your Duetto should work fine. If I had a rotary with a 3 inch backing plate I would use this to cut faster and save time, but the Mini will do the job. I’ve got a set that needs to be done now and I may try to substitute a 3 inch wool pad for the microfiber pad to see if it is any quicker/durable.

If you feel like searching, there are some good posts on headlight repair on the AG forum, but there is no definitive technique. Everyone uses something different just like getting paint to shine. I’ve messaged Mike Phillips asking him to do a “how to” article on headlights but never heard anything back. Good luck.
 
I personally love the McKees headlight polish and a 3-4" pad on my drill with a 3" BP. Anything that combo wont get then gets sanded with 1000, 1500, 2000 then hit again with the same pad polish combo.
 
dcjredline said:
I personally love the McKees headlight polish and a 3-4" pad on my drill with a 3" BP. Anything that combo wont get then gets sanded with 1000, 1500, 2000 then hit again with the same pad polish combo.
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You`re happy with how it works as a one-step product, i.e. good cut and good finish? Which pad do you use?

I`m using the Wolfgang kit right now which is a two-step polishing process with two different products and two different pads, but I`m starting to run low on the polishes. I`d be pretty happy to move to a one-step process if I was able to get the same results.
 
Mirka sanding discs with a rotary. Finish with cutting/heavy polish pad and a compound after working up to 4000 grit.
 
Desertnate said:
You`re happy with how it works as a one-step product, i.e. good cut and good finish? Which pad do you use?

I`m using the Wolfgang kit right now which is a two-step polishing process with two different products and two different pads, but I`m starting to run low on the polishes. I`d be pretty happy to move to a one-step process if I was able to get the same results.
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Yellow mostly, sometimes foamed wool for one step, I use very little pressure for the last one or 2 passes.


These are the average conditions I see and mostly do Toyota headlights

0011.jpg


0021.jpg


003.jpg


004.jpg


If those steps arent enough for you Im sure a follow up with polish and a lighter pad will help. These are mostly done for a small car dealer and he just wants them 80-90% so I dont get as close to 100 as I can. Customers are a little different (and more $)
 
Those look pretty good!

I`ll only be working on my own vehicles and the one needing the work these days is a Toyota (what is with their headlight covers!) which sees about 30K miles a year. I`m happy with 80~90%.
 
The correction part is easy, the protection part is the part that will eat at you and not let you sleep at night!! LOL. Good luck.
 
If they are yellowed, faded, and pitted I will just sand and reapply a new UV coating now and don`t bother polishing anymore as it`s just a temporary fix. Depending on how badly pitted they are I`d probably start with 320/500 and work my way up to 1500.
 
Desert Nate -
Hope you guys are all doing good !

How about getting those pre-cut clear bra material headlight covers?
I had those installed on my 2009 Jeep 9 years ago, when he applied the same material over the entire front end, and my headlights are still clear as heck.

This clear bra material must have UV protection or it is somehow not damaged by UV..

Oh, also, thats 39k miles of mostly highway driving between CA and Texas.. Lots of hot, hot, sunny weather, etc., in all those trips..
And the bonus is that this material prevents rocks, etc., from dinging the headlights, etc..

No more worries about when the just cleaned up headlight lens is going to go bad again,etc...
DanF
 
I wonder if auto manufacturers will ever be held accountable for producing headlights that cloud over and become safety issues? If someone has a wreck at night due to cloudy headlights I would like to see the manufacturer sued. In my town at least every other car has compromised headlights. Like Stokdgs said just putting another layer of plastic on will keep them clear for years, but the normal consumer doesn’t know this.
 
rlmccarty2000 said:
I wonder if auto manufacturers will ever be held accountable for producing headlights that cloud over and become safety issues? If someone has a wreck at night due to cloudy headlights I would like to see the manufacturer sued. In my town at least every other car has compromised headlights. Like Stokdgs said just putting another layer of plastic on will keep them clear for years, but the normal consumer doesn’t know this.
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The ones on my wifes truck (2001 GMC Sierra) are still in really good shape which I think is odd as the vehicle only gets washed once a year because it`s an on farm truck but then again maybe thats why,,lol

My 2008 Impala had yellowing ones which I buffed constantly to keep clear and my Accord headlights aren`t yellowing but the appear to doing a hazing or cracking,,I think I am just going to buy new headlights for it so I can see on those long dark drives to and from work
 
Stokdgs said:
Desert Nate -
How about getting those pre-cut clear bra material headlight covers? I had those installed on my 2009 Jeep 9 years ago, when he applied the same material over the entire front end, and my headlights are still clear as heck. This clear bra material must have UV protection or it is somehow not damaged by UV...
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I`ve thought about those, but I`m not confident in my ability to apply those covers and I`m too cheap to pay someone to do it. However, I`m not a danger to myself, bystanders, or nearby small animals when working with a cordless drill and a polish pad attachment. For a few minutes work I don`t mind polishing them out every six months.

rlmccarty2000 said:
I wonder if auto manufacturers will ever be held accountable for producing headlights that cloud over and become safety issues? If someone has a wreck at night due to cloudy headlights I would like to see the manufacturer sued. In my town at least every other car has compromised headlights. Like Stokdgs said just putting another layer of plastic on will keep them clear for years, but the normal consumer doesn’t know this.
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For those people who drive in a well lit urban area, they probably don`t know their headlights aren`t really working and wouldn`t care if they did. I find it shocking when driving in near-by rural areas and come across a very slow moving vehicle at night. Often their headlights are so hazy there is little more than a faint amber glow being projected and they can`t even see the edge of the pavement, let alone any obstruction up ahead.

I constantly wonder how some manufacturers get headlight lense durability so wrong. I`ve owned a Subaru, Mazda, and a couple Toyota`s which have all hazed/yellowed in 5~8 years. My VW at 5+ years is still crystal clear. A previously owned BMW at 8-ish years was perfectly clear too. Our Honda still looks pretty good too at 8 years. It`s not a German vs Japanese thing either as Mercedes seem to be horrible in this department, or at least their hallogen assemblies. The HID`s seem to be pretty good. I can`t speak for US or Korean cars as I have no experience with either.
 
Desert Nate -
Yeah, I see people driving around at night with dead lens material and as you said, hardly any light coming through.. It has to be dangerous and like you said, no one is really wanting to do anything about from any governmental level, etc...

Perhaps the State Inspection most of us have to get annually, will catch this and hopefully there may be a way to get on a "preferred contractor list" etc., to refer these people to, and get their lenses cleaned off and protected???

If we have any Poly-Sci people on the Forum who may work in State, etc., Government, perhaps they can follow up on this when they go to work???

Well, if these headlight lens kits are just clearbar material, all you have to do is clean lens, spray it with a weak soap water solution, position the clear bra over the lens, move it around to get it centered, squeegee off as much as possible the soap from underneath, and let it naturally dry. It will stick down really well when its dry.. Any remaining soap or water bubbles will dry and leave it all beautiful..
Just another option.. :)
Dan F
 
Stokdgs said:
Desert Nate -
Yeah, I see people driving around at night with dead lens material and as you said, hardly any light coming through.. It has to be dangerous and like you said, no one is really wanting to do anything about from any governmental level, etc...

Perhaps the State Inspection most of us have to get annually, will catch this and hopefully there may be a way to get on a "preferred contractor list" etc., to refer these people to, and get their lenses cleaned off and protected???

If we have any Poly-Sci people on the Forum who may work in State, etc., Government, perhaps they can follow up on this when they go to work???

Well, if these headlight lens kits are just clearbar material, all you have to do is clean lens, spray it with a weak soap water solution, position the clear bra over the lens, move it around to get it centered, squeegee off as much as possible the soap from underneath, and let it naturally dry. It will stick down really well when its dry.. Any remaining soap or water bubbles will dry and leave it all beautiful..
Just another option.. :)
Dan F
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Having completed the 4 day Xpel training and installing film for the last 6 months now I can say it`s definitely not that easy. Since most lenses today aren`t exactly flat, stretch is require to get them to fit and knowing where to tack and stretch is critical or you will be left with fingers that don`t want to lay down. ;)
 
Stokdgs said:
Perhaps the State Inspection most of us have to get annually, will catch this and hopefully there may be a way to get on a "preferred contractor list" etc., to refer these people to, and get their lenses cleaned off and protected???

If we have any Poly-Sci people on the Forum who may work in State, etc., Government, perhaps they can follow up on this when they go to work???
Click to expand...

I think it would take a fundamental shift in what those inspections include and the discipline of the places executing them.

Where I live in Illinois, the inspection only includes emissions, so as long as your OBD II port and ECM tests out OK you can drive on the road. Colorado in the 80`s when I lived there too. They were only looking at emissions. I think Texas used to check just the taillights, headlights, and wipers. If they lit you passed. Hawaii was supposed to be a bit more thorough, but most of the time the various garages would simply look around your car, toggle a couple random switches, and sign you off.

It was quite a shock when I lived in the UK. Those inspections were easily 30 minutes and included an instrument that looked at headlight intensity AND aim. They even looked at the amount of rust on the car and whether they felt it was structually sound...ironic for a country that built cars in the 70`s which seemed to disolve when they got wet.
 
Stokdgs said:
Desert Nate -
Yeah, I see people driving around at night with dead lens material and as you said, hardly any light coming through.. It has to be dangerous and like you said, no one is really wanting to do anything about from any governmental level, etc...

Perhaps the State Inspection most of us have to get annually, will catch this and hopefully there may be a way to get on a "preferred contractor list" etc., to refer these people to, and get their lenses cleaned off and protected???

If we have any Poly-Sci people on the Forum who may work in State, etc., Government, perhaps they can follow up on this when they go to work???
Click to expand...

You nanny-state liberals, why is this government`s job? What happened to personal responsibility? Shouldn`t people be expected/allowed to decide when their headlights need repair? Why should my tax dollars be used to inspect headlights or generate "preferred contractor lists"? Fortunately here in NJ our wonderful Governor Chris Christie did away with safety inspections for cars.
 
Desertnate said:
It was quite a shock when I lived in the UK. Those inspections were easily 30 minutes and included an instrument that looked at headlight intensity AND aim. They even looked at the amount of rust on the car and whether they felt it was structually sound...ironic for a country that built cars in the 70`s which seemed to disolve when they got wet.
Click to expand...

I understand the driver tests are quite brutal, also.
 
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