Headlight Lens Polishing...

I

imported_Luster

New member
I'm about to give this a shot on my son's 2001 Grand Am. They are slightly pitted, but mostly hazed and starting to yellow.

I have a precedure in mind but I'd like some information from those who have done this with success.

I'd like to use my PC for this if possible.

What are your products and processes for this???
 
Luster said:
I'm about to give this a shot on my son's 2001 Grand Am. They are slightly pitted, but mostly hazed and starting to yellow.

I have a precedure in mind but I'd like some information from those who have done this with success.

I'd like to use my PC for this if possible.

What are your products and processes for this???
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I was at Walmart a couple days ago and I spotted a Meguiars Headlight Restoration Kit. Comes with an attachment pad for your drill, PlastX, and a free towel.

The only thing I have done with headlights is polish them by hand with PlastX so I dont have any experience with this.

But I think using your drill and the Meguiars kit would be a start.

I know some folks that have to wetsand headlights too though so i dont know.
 
CamoZ71 said:
I was at Walmart a couple days ago and I spotted a Meguiars Headlight Restoration Kit. Comes with an attachment pad for your drill, PlastX, and a free towel.

The only thing I have done with headlights is polish them by hand with PlastX so I dont have any experience with this.

But I think using your drill and the Meguiars kit would be a start.

I know some folks that have to wetsand headlights too though so i dont know.
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Well, www.properautocare.com sells three different kits for lens restoration.

The Meguiars kit, the "Black Baron" kit, and the Flitz restoration kit.

I'm just wondering which one is the best for the price and for multiple usage (I may be doing this on customer cars, if it's time and cost effective!)...
 
Bill I've done quite a few with 600 or 800, then 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000 and maybe 4000... PlastX, 106ff, and FPII have been my 'finishing polishes'
 
I can't even count the number of times I've picked that Meg's kit up and put it back down. For those that require wet sanding and for those that don't, PB's Pro Polish and PlastX have handled anything I have.

ivopivo said:
Bill I've done quite a few with 600 or 800, then 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000 and maybe 4000... PlastX, 106ff, and FPII have been my 'finishing polishes'
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All of those steps for a single set of lenses?
 
Mr. Clean said:
I can't even count the number of times I've picked that Meg's kit up and put it back down. For those that require wet sanding and for those that don't, PB's Pro Polish and PlastX have handled anything I have.



All of those steps for a single set of lenses?
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Yea, they were plastic with many scratches, some yellowing, etc. You're probably fine without all the sand paper, eliminating 800, 1500 and 4000, but that's the way I do it.
 
Actually for the absolute worst I've seen (15 y/o) 800/1500 followed by Pro Polish was all that was required. You are correct, you can make some nice turnarounds w/o using any sanding, and it really my preference.
 
I tend to treat headlights just like paint, only sand with a more aggressive step.

Try something like Meguiar's Uni-Grit 2000 until the defects are removed, the polish with a rotary and your favorite combinations. I really don't use any 'kits' and I don't have any experience with the one's we sell.
 
Mr. Clean said:
Actually for the absolute worst I've seen (15 y/o) 800/1500 followed by Pro Polish was all that was required. You are correct, you can make some nice turnarounds w/o using any sanding, and it really my preference.
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I first did this on my old car and using 800/1000/3000/polish was like polishing paint in a way... it ended up being very good looking but with a few steps in between it looked better, so that's what I do.
 
th0001 said:
I tend to treat headlights just like paint, only sand with a more aggressive step.

Try something like Meguiar's Uni-Grit 2000 until the defects are removed, the polish with a rotary and your favorite combinations. I really don't use any 'kits' and I don't have any experience with the one's we sell.
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Have you ever resprayed with CC?
 
Is there a specific company that makes CC for headlights? I just worked on wifes car and got rid of some of the hazing by using Flex/105/205 and WG sealant. Turned out pretty nice, however I'm just concerned that the haze will reappear soon. Does the CC give any UV protection?
 
RustyBumper said:
Is there a specific company that makes CC for headlights? I just worked on wifes car and got rid of some of the hazing by using Flex/105/205 and WG sealant. Turned out pretty nice, however I'm just concerned that the haze will reappear soon. Does the CC give any UV protection?
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I believe it does prevent yellowing. I have heard that they are CC'd when they are new and that the yellowing is CC failure. I have a sample light I am going to practice on this weekend. I will let ya'all know how it works. BTW the folks I have seen respray light just use clear that goes over normal auto paint. That's what I am going to use.
 
If you mean spray with a 'spray paint' clear coat, I don't know how well that will bond to the plastic. It could work, but given that the factory coating is fairly durable (and how quickly it wears away) I don't know if this would make a significant improvement or not over using a very nice sealant.

There are some companies that make coatings specifically for headlights, that claim to be much better then OEM coating. I saw a demonstration a couple years ago of a coating that requires UV light to fully cure, but they did claim at least 10 years durability.

I also know of a couple very high level detailers who will cut clear bra film and install it over the headlights (after polishing and coating) to provide even more protection.

If you are going to spray them, sand them completely smooth with about 800 grit then, mask off everything, and spray away.
 
th0001 said:
... I don't know if this would make a significant improvement or not over using a very nice sealant.
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Todd, What do you consider a good sealant to use? I used Klasse AIO/SG because of the cleaning properties and acrylic base. Could I have done better?
 
What Speed on Polisher?

My wife's 2005 Chrysler Town and Country headlights are getting that fogged look. What speed would you use on a Meguiars G110v2 for 105/205 to polish out all the defects?
 
David Dent said:
My wife's 2005 Chrysler Town and Country headlights are getting that fogged look. What speed would you use on a Meguiars G110v2 for 105/205 to polish out all the defects?
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I use a mid-range speed (3-4) and very little pressure. Heavy pressure and higher speeds tend to haze the lenses more.
 
*Flitz Ball H/L Restoration Kit*

Hello Bill/
I bought this *Flitz Ball Kit* from a guy for $16.00.I guess he used it just the 1 time,and it did what he wanted it to.I believe it's around $26.00 new.It came w/a Body-Shop-like small square Grey Scuffy Pad/The Blue Chamois Felt 5" Round Flitz Ball/Headlight Resto Cream and Instructions.It's *Washable* too...
I did the ones on my 1998/Saturn SC/2,last fall.I didn't use any sandpaper,just the scuffy pad.It did make a significant improvement compared to what they looked like before the process.
They still have some chips and whatnot in the lens.I didn't know what type of sandpaper to use,and,to be honest, I really wasn't confident enough to try using the paper/=O[ .If I do it again [Witch I probably will],I'll get that Meguiar's Uni-Grit thing that Todd recommended.
But w/your expertise,Bill,you should have no Issues w/the paper.I,myself,like the Flitz Ball,because of the durability of the Felt-like Chamois Straps.They look like they'll last much longer than the Mothers' Foam Power Ball.It's just
MOPP.Good Luck,Bill,and hopefully,you can put up some *Before & After Picz* of the Headlights.Take Care.
Best Regards/
Raymond
**PS**
I pulled the HeadLight Assemblies off the Saturn and put them in my Vise
w/the *Rubber Jaws* I got at Home Depot.The Brand is *Columbia* and
they're are Yellow in color.I forgot what I paid for them,but it wasn't much.
:clap:
It was alot easier taking them outta the car to correct them...
 
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