Headlight lens restoration

black bart

black bart

New member
I was reading on another forum about headlight yellowing and it seems like this is more of a problem with later model imports.
Their must be a difference in the quality of the plastic because my DD is a Ford Explorer and it is 18 years old and until recently I had done nothing to the lens.

A few weeks ago I used Meguiars Plastx with a small Mothers power ball and polished them and they do look like new but they did not really need anything anyway.

I read about sanding and using a clear stuff to fill the scratches and other drastic measures to restore the lens but have never had to resort to such measures.
Anyone here have this problem and how did you correct it.

I had never put anything on my lens before but after the polishing I applied DG-105 sealant on them.
 
It really isn't about import or domestic, but rather the type of plastic used.

Check out any Dodge Neon or early Chrysler 300, or a late Fox bodied Mustang (1993) or Tempo/Topaz, and you'll see lenses so oxidized it's a wonder any light gets through.

Softer polycarbonate, great for resisting breakage, just seems to oxidize quicker than a harder plastic.

Regular polishing with a plastic polish can prolong restoration of headlights and make for safer driving.
 
I don't know what causes them to yellow, but they aren't too bad to clear up anyway. Here is a set on a '00 Integra that I cleaned up with the Diamondite lens cleaning kit.

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Here in NW FL its a big problem, some guys charge 75-100 per set. even the local discount retailer started restoring them. I use a kit from bright light great kit come with everything in a small box.
 
Like forrest said there are different materials that have been used in the making of various lights on todays cars. Some have a UV coating and some don't. Some use a plastic film type coating . After helping friends do a few sets along with some motorcycle wind screens , I have had to treat some different then others . Some only need compounding where as sanding was required on others. Paul S
 
This is a friends 01 Hyunda sante Fe, the lenses were real cloudy and he was talking about getting new ones. I asked him to let me give it a whirl before he spent all that money. I did these lights with my Makita rotary and various cyclo 4" pads

this was my process:

3M super duty compound Cyclo 4" cutting pad (yellow) 900 rpm. about 3 minutes of slow overlapping passes

Poorboy's SSR 2.5 Cyclo 4" medium cutting pad (orange) 1500 rpm. about 3 minutes of slow overlapping passes

Poorbouy's PWS Cyclo 4" light cutting polish pad (green) 1500 rpm about 5 minutes of slow overlapping passes

No sand paper was used on these lights.

Before

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after

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tuscarora dave said:
This is a friends 01 Hyunda sante Fe, the lenses were real cloudy and he was talking about getting new ones. I asked him to let me give it a whirl before he spent all that money. I did these lights with my Makita rotary and various cyclo 4" pads

this was my process:

3M super duty compound Cyclo 4" cutting pad (yellow) 900 rpm. about 3 minutes of slow overlapping passes

Poorboy's SSR 2.5 Cyclo 4" medium cutting pad (orange) 1500 rpm. about 3 minutes of slow overlapping passes

Poorbouy's PWS Cyclo 4" light cutting polish pad (green) 1500 rpm about 5 minutes of slow overlapping passes

No sand paper was used on these lights.

Before

069.jpg


after

003-5.jpg
Click to expand...

looks great Dave :yay
 
black bart said:
This proves that we don't need to spend 20 bucks for those kits just use the products that we already have sitting on the selves
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I haven't touched my bottle of Past-X since the first time I used it. While Plast-X does work to an extent it is a waste of time for me when like you said, I can just use what I already have. I believe the kits are a good thing for Johnnie the lawyer to play with in his driveway on a saturday using his cordless drill.

I can't tell you how many of my customers have bought the kits, used as directed and then payed me to get the results using my paint correction products and process
 
tuscarora dave said:
I haven't touched my bottle of Past-X since the first time I used it. While Plast-X does work to an extent it is a waste of time for me when like you said, I can just use what I already have. I believe the kits are a good thing for Johnnie the lawyer to play with in his driveway on a saturday using his cordless drill.

I can't tell you how many of my customers have bought the kits, used as directed and then payed me to get the results using my paint correction products and process
Click to expand...
I just bought a new Makita 9227 bet I could melt the lens with that thing if I tried. :crazy2:
 
black bart said:
I just bought a new Makita 9227 bet I could melt the lens with that thing if I tried. :crazy2:[/QUO

I had one time set my Makita a little too fast and applied a little too much pressure and whammo I turned it into a wet sanding job. It really doesn't take much to melt one.
Click to expand...
 
tuscarora dave said:
black bart said:
I just bought a new Makita 9227 bet I could melt the lens with that thing if I tried. :crazy2:[/QUO

I had one time set my Makita a little too fast and applied a little too much pressure and whammo I turned it into a wet sanding job. It really doesn't take much to melt one.
Click to expand...
I only do my own cars and a few weeks ago I did the lens for the first time on my 18 year old Explorer.

They still looked good but after some polishing with a mothers power ball I did make them look better.
Never had this problem with the old seal beam when they burnt out you replaced them so I think they should go back to them that way people who won't repair anything would not be driving around with foggy headlights
Click to expand...
 
Any FL detailer can tell you... clearing up headlight lenses is a cinch. The hard part is keeping them from clouding up again (like in three or four months.)

Does anyone have experience with an effective treatment to reseal the lenses? It's easy with the family cars... simply seal with any polymer LSP you happen to be using, and reapply every couple of weeks. But I can't bring myself to charge $60+ knowing that the job won't last.

I've thought about trying a couple of different methods.

- You've probably all read the Helmsman Spar Varnish/Mineral Spirits recipe floating around the forums.

- A company (two chemists, a guy and his dad) had a booth at MobileTechExpo this year... sorry I forget the name right now. They were selling a treatment in a spray can for $150. Said it would do ~ ten cars.

- Dvelup, also represented at MTE.

- I have tried Rustoleum Clear on a beater's lights. It actually works better than you would expect, but not ready for prime time.

Does anyone have any comments on these products/methods? BTW, I've tried three different kits, well known brands. They clean lenses very well... just can't seem to find anything long-lasting to seal the lens.
 
The spar urethane is a very good sealant in my opinion. Someone told me its basically the same thing Dvelup sells at a high price. Not sure if thats true or not. But you cannot argue with results.
These lights were done about 6 months ago and they still look very good. There are no visible signs of the urethane breaking down at all.
Before restoration and sealant applied:
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After restoration and sealant applied: Pics dont do it justice, looks much better in person
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There are many skeptics of this method, but use whatever you want. Get a pair of junk headlights and try this method. It adds gloss and looks very good if applied correctly, and it does take practice and patience. The people that are against this method are normally the ones that cannot learn how and give up saying it does not work.
I am the one who started the thread on auto geek, but I am not the inventor of this method.
 
Any up-dated info or pictures on the coating ? Have not coated any after sanding and compounding and I'm impressed with your results so far.I don't know how I missed your original post on AG. Paul S
 
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