3M Headlight Restoration Leaves Small Scratches (Help!)

K

Kaeon

New member
So I used this kit on my 2005 Jeep Cherokee & my 2007 Toyota Yaris hatchback. I feel that 3M kinda messed up jumping from 800 to 3000 grit, but maybe I am wrong. I used the kit as directed and I have to say it did work well (Better on the Jeep). However I now have very small scratches left when you look close up & the lights still seem a bit hazy.



Mind you I did just figure out that my drill was only capable of 600rpm max and not the 1200 rpm that 3M recommends. So is this the best the kit does? Is my drill just too slow? Did a miss an extra step? I am trying to get answers here so I can maybe fix this issue, I am actually kinda pissed as weird as it sounds that it left these small scratches.
 
800 to 3000 is too big of a jump. The "general" rule I have seen is that you want to double the grit of your paper as you go up the ladder. So it might have been wise to complete a step with 1500 grit prior to the 3000. 3000 is super fine paper and more than likely you probably didn't remove all of the sanding marks from the 800. You used the paper wet correct?



I'm not sure on what polish is included in the 3M kit so I really can't comment on that part of your question.



Do you have a PC? That's really the best tool for finishing them off.
 
IMO the 3M kit is made more for professionals and not very newbie friendly. Yes 800 to 3000 is too big of a jump and I think they only give you the one 3000 grit pad, which most likely wears out way too fast after just one light. I would go back over them by hand with some 1500 or if you can find some 1500 pads to use with the drill, then either get another 3000 pad to finish them off with the drill or use some 2000 by hand. Then hit them again with the polish. I'd get a different drill with a higher speed for the polishing part if you don't have a PC or another machine.



I also find that something like M105 works better than the polish they give you even using the polishing pad they include.
 
ExplicitDetails said:
IMO the 3M kit is made more for professionals and not very newbie friendly. Yes 800 to 3000 is too big of a jump and I think they only give you the one 3000 grit pad, which most likely wears out way too fast after just one light. I would go back over them by hand with some 1500 or if you can find some 1500 pads to use with the drill, then either get another 3000 pad to finish them off with the drill or use some 2000 by hand. Then hit them again with the polish. I'd get a different drill with a higher speed for the polishing part if you don't have a PC or another machine.



I also find that something like M105 works better than the polish they give you even using the polishing pad they include.
Click to expand...



I don't think they sell the pads by themselves so I will most likely have to sand them down by hand. I will give that a shot & see how it goes. I am ordering a Meguiar's G110v2 here soon so maybe I will just wait to use that. What would be the best choice in pad for polishing the headlights using the G110v2?
 
I've found that if they really are cloudy, wet-sand with 1500, then M105 on MF pad via PC works about as well as any.
 
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