GTPAUL
07-20-2008, 10:02 PM
If your headlights are yellowed, pitted, faded, oxidized and so forth follow these steps to restore them to a safe driving condition.
*Caution: Use this method on plastic lenses only, and tape off areas around the lenses to prevent paint scratches.
Products required:
600grit (if severely faded/pitted)
800grit
1000grit
1500grit
2000grit
Paint Compound
Paint Polish
Wax
Begin by:
Fill up bucket with water for wetting the sandpaper.
Use the 600-800 grit sandpaper without water to get the majority of the defect removed. Completely the entire lens until you remove the UV coating and defects. Follow up by wetting the 1000grit sandpaper and working your round on the lens with the 1000 grit to make the previous sanding scratches smaller. Follow up with dry 1500 grit - same process as above. Follow with the wet 2000 grit to finish the sanding process - same as above.
Now, you will need to remove the 2000 grit sandpaper. In order to do so you will need a heavy compound and minimum a dual action buffer(i.e porter cable). Put a couple dots of compound on the pad and begin compounding the headlight lens until compound breaks down. Make sure you have removed the majority of the sanding scratch before proceeding onto the next step.
Once the compounding is complete, follow up with a polish(either by hand or machine for best results) to restore the gloss lost in the sanding/compounding stages. Finish with a coat of durable wax. It is important to wax your headlights frequently otherwise they will return to the yellow, faded finish that they were before you completed this.
Before:
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/GTPAUL/Details007.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/GTPAUL/Details008.jpg\
After:
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/GTPAUL/Details010.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/GTPAUL/Details011.jpg
*Caution: Use this method on plastic lenses only, and tape off areas around the lenses to prevent paint scratches.
Products required:
600grit (if severely faded/pitted)
800grit
1000grit
1500grit
2000grit
Paint Compound
Paint Polish
Wax
Begin by:
Fill up bucket with water for wetting the sandpaper.
Use the 600-800 grit sandpaper without water to get the majority of the defect removed. Completely the entire lens until you remove the UV coating and defects. Follow up by wetting the 1000grit sandpaper and working your round on the lens with the 1000 grit to make the previous sanding scratches smaller. Follow up with dry 1500 grit - same process as above. Follow with the wet 2000 grit to finish the sanding process - same as above.
Now, you will need to remove the 2000 grit sandpaper. In order to do so you will need a heavy compound and minimum a dual action buffer(i.e porter cable). Put a couple dots of compound on the pad and begin compounding the headlight lens until compound breaks down. Make sure you have removed the majority of the sanding scratch before proceeding onto the next step.
Once the compounding is complete, follow up with a polish(either by hand or machine for best results) to restore the gloss lost in the sanding/compounding stages. Finish with a coat of durable wax. It is important to wax your headlights frequently otherwise they will return to the yellow, faded finish that they were before you completed this.
Before:
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/GTPAUL/Details007.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/GTPAUL/Details008.jpg\
After:
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/GTPAUL/Details010.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/GTPAUL/Details011.jpg