Best Method for restoring "hazy" Headlamps?

[red73mustang]

So I have some badly hazed over head lamps on both my cars and was wondering what the most effective "long term" solution for restoring them is.

The methods that I know about are (with mostly poor results) are as follows:

Brake fluid, Toothpaste, Fine grit sand paper, Plastic scratch remover, those fancy polishing kits from "Mothers" and my personal favorite, buying those new Chinese reproduction Headlamp assemblies from Amazon or FleaBay.

Suggestions (or warnings) welcome.

Merry Christmas, Chet

 

[EDS01SS]

I can usually get away with just using a medium rubbing compound,wool bonnet and a buffer. all depends on how bad of condition the plastic lens really is.

 

[low51fan]

I thought they were all kind of hokey but I had a use for something and setteled for trying the Mothers. I did my wifes car and it turned out so well our friend asked if I would do hers. Her car was very yellow to the point she could hardly see at night. The Mothers took all that away and made them look new again. This was a year ago and they still look like new.
Not sure of others but this one went above what I expected.

 

[Bigplum]

I had great results from a 3M headlight kit , really surprised just how good , bit messy and you need a drill that you can control preferably with a side handle ,
Does not take long either .

 

[mech-tech]

I gad good results with rubbing compound and a buffer, followed by a coat of wax...but they dont look as clear as the class lens on the running lights

 

[Aquaticbob]

Get the sylvania kit. It's cheap, and extremely simple to use. My buddies and I used it on my truck, made the headlights like new. I had a friend who went to junkyards and got old headlights, restored them, and sold them for double using this kit on the seriously bad lights. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00429NKWK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[indyokie]

I have a 90 Mustang GT, thing sits outside 24/7, and I bought it well used. I read all the things about how / where / why. In the end - after drinking a few beers, thought what the heck do I have to lose. I took my DA polisher - went to it with compound, polish and a clear wax. I can't say it would work on everyone elses lens, but on an old Ford, I can't believe it did what it did, and a year later - still looks great. Best of luck

For your long term - Everything I've every had in plastic I've used PLEXUS in a can ( most of the time it's for motorcycle windshields, and at motorcycle dealers ) I never have had anything dull out - they stuff expensive, and takes care to use, but I've had people ask me how other cars headlights and tailights look so good many years later. That stuff rocks. well worth the $$$, as it only takes a little to cover all my headlights and trim and tailights.

 

[70C-10]

My head lights are pitted. I can buff the yellow haze off but the pitting affects beam output. Anyone have any luck shooting clear coat on & polishing out to fill in the pits? I'm too cheap to buy new since its a high milage car.

 

[EDS01SS]

don't put clear coat on them. doesn't hold up well at all

 

[Rico.]

Buy some glass ones and be done with it.

Could some explain to me why most headlight's in America are made of plastic,
I have never seen a plastic one in England. I'm not even sure it would be legal.

 

[HellaFab]

My head lights are pitted. I can buff the yellow haze off but the pitting affects beam output. Anyone have any luck shooting clear coat on & polishing out to fill in the pits? I'm too cheap to buy new since its a high milage car.

That's what I do.

Remove headlight assembly, sand with 120 grit on a DA sander, up through 300 grit on the DA and then wax and grease remover, tack cloth and fresh 2k clear out a good automotive spray gun.

Tip #1. don't use a **** Harbor freight spray gun... overspray and finish *****.
Tip #2. You NEED 2k automotive clear, any other clear (jam clear) will yellow and ****.


Here is a Honda plastic housing I finished this way. (its dry, btw)

 

[zoomieport]

A good, hot, "heat gun" (not the wife's blow dryer, lol)...
Merry Christmas.

 

[zkling]

I'm really glad this thread came up, been needing to do this to a few things. Has anyone or does any one recommend Meguiar's PlastX?

Buy some glass ones and be done with it.

Could some explain to me why most headlight's in America are made of plastic,
I have never seen a plastic one in England. I'm not even sure it would be legal.

I'm going to say easier to manufacture, lighter weight, easier to transport and safer during a collision.

 

[jjjrmx5]

I'm really glad this thread came up, been needing to do this to a few things. Has anyone or does any one recommend Meguiar's PlastX?



I'm going to say easier to manufacture, lighter weight, easier to transport and safer during a collision.

3M .

Then find a dealer out by you that deals in "clear-bra"or Laminex and do a clear film on them. Just buy the scraps and fit your own to a pattern. I do it all the time.

Done.

I'll post up the write-up how-to or PM ya.
I have to do a neighbor's Mazda3 if the weather gets warm in Jan.

 

[GoodEnough]

Tip #2. You NEED 2k automotive clear, any other clear (jam clear) will yellow and ****.

Will this work?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0043B7UQY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[HellaFab]

@goodenough I tried one of those and it didn't work well.

You break the seal in it and the 2 parts mix.... They didn't mix well for me and the finish looked like it had spiderweb in it.

Use a gun with a 2k clear and mix it with a stick in a paint measuring cup

 

[Cyclones6]

This is the process I have used with BADLY fogged lights.
1. Wash headlight
2. WET sand lightly with 2000 grit sandpaper (it will look worse after this step)
3. Go to town with rubbing compound until all of the scratches are out and its clear. This is A LOT of work, but it turns out
4. Apply a coat of Meguiar's headlight protectant and do this after each time you wash your car
5. Buff it until its crystal clear

 

[70C-10]

Thanks for the tips Hella Fab

 

[HellaFab]

This is the process I have used with BADLY fogged lights.
1. Wash headlight
2. WET sand lightly with 2000 grit sandpaper (it will look worse after this step)
3. Go to town with rubbing compound until all of the scratches are out and its clear. This is A LOT of work, but it turns out
4. Apply a coat of Meguiar's headlight protectant and do this after each time you wash your car
5. Buff it until its crystal clear

Issue with these methods and protectants is that you have to apply frequently.

By wetsanding you have removed the haze that was the factory clear coat.

 

[SMKS]

I had pretty good luck with a 3M headlight kit on some really hazy headlights. I bought it at Advance Auto for under $20. They actually looked worse in person than in the pics. They look really good now.

I did wet sand with some 400 grit I had before going up to the 500 grit that is the first step in the kit.

I also picked up some headlight protectant at O'Reilly Auto to help prevent future yellowing.

 

[Cyclones6]

Issue with these methods and protectants is that you have to apply frequently.

By wetsanding you have removed the haze that was the factory clear coat.

This is true, but it is really not that hard to apply some protectant once in a while when youre washing your car anyway. Takes 2 minutes and I have had NO fogging since using it.

 

[HellaFab]

Totally.

Im just not the person who likes to spend 2 minutes every week doing something when I can spend an hour of down time doing something that will save me the 2 minutes when I need them - with the same outcome.



Different strokes.

 

[Red_Bull]

ive seen transmission fluid work on a set

 

[SMKS]

Totally.

Im just not the person who likes to spend 2 minutes every week doing something when I can spend an hour of down time doing something that will save me the 2 minutes when I need them - with the same outcome.



Different strokes.

Claiming it needs to be applied every week is an exaggeration.

 

[BearCuda]

I have a professional kit that I bought that is the same as the one we have at work. I charge $40 per car. A quick fix if you're careful though is to pour a line of brake fluid on a clean rag and wipe it across the lense ONLY once. Make sure your lense is clean and dry first. You can usually do a lense in two swipes-- one for bottom half and one for top. If you do more than one pass, it'll usually look like ****.
I've done this on several and they looked decent for awhile afterwards. Be sure and quickly clean off, WELL, any brake fluid that gets on any painted surfaces though as it will quickly eat into the paint.

 

[sberry]

If its possible I replace them, done once in the life of the car.

 

[Bigplum]

Buy some glass ones and be done with it.

Could some explain to me why most headlight's in America are made of plastic,
I have never seen a plastic one in England. I'm not even sure it would be legal.

Loads of UK cars have plastic headlights , I doubt there is much glass left.
Probably the only cars left with glass are land rover defenders ,
Next time your out have a look at : passats , golfs , polos, Astras, fiestas, bmws, focuses , Clios, Mercs, infact anything with a large curved clear headlight ,I'd put money on it that's its plastic

 

[e30bradley]

3m's headlight resto kit works great. all you have to do is wetsand them w various grits and then buff them with compound. To keep the good longer use headlight sealant.

 

[GSteg]

Get Optimum Opti-lens and be done with it. Clean your headlights real well, apply opti-lens, and the yellowing shouldn't come back. Unlike a clear coat spray, this was meant to be used on plastic lens. It has UV blockers to prevent yellowing and it applies thin/clear.

$60 is a lot to swallow for some people, but for me it was worth it. I have many cars at home that sit outside in the sun and none of them have yellowed ever since (applied back in April). I too prefer not to spend my weekends polishing headlights. One syringe will last many cars.

http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-opti-lens-headlight-coating.html

 

[babyjimmy]

If your frugal like me, use toothpaste.

 

[Outlawmws]

OK I've not seen this one mentioned and it worked well for me on two cars with heavily hazed headlights:

McGuire's plastic cleaner followed by McGuire's plastic polish.

Did it remove the factory haze? Probably, but that is what is fogging up to begin with so there you go... Cheap and quick to apply/perform and I use the stuff all the time anyway, so its on the shelf...

 

[hotsam]

I use Menzerna FG400 with a Griots DA polisher. Takes about a minute and looks new.

 

[BK13]

I used Arm & Hammer baking powder on mine, just make a thin paste and polish the **** out of them.

 

[rhuff86]

My head lights are pitted. I can buff the yellow haze off but the pitting affects beam output. Anyone have any luck shooting clear coat on & polishing out to fill in the pits? I'm too cheap to buy new since its a high milage car.

A local body shop here does this we work with him closely and he does a lot of lights for us. Its not just clear coat he has added something(it makes it blue) that keeps the clear coat from ever cracking or flaking. He can use a very little and it looks pretty much clear. He can use more and make them a nice blue. He even did this one for someone and then we ended up with the car on our lot. He put flames into it. http://media.discoverstuff.com/img/listings/pf/pfeiferautosales/listing_pic_655859_1381775142.jpeg

 

[Jeeper]

I used this process with good results.

http://www.gpona.com/forums/do-it-y...?sid=d9decd3e624b6798c8cd8cd061127bae&start=0

 

[Danglerb]

UV protectant always needs to be the final step.

I've gotten "ok" results using Stoner Invisiglass.
Good results with various glass and plastic polishes, so far just hand applications.

I see no good reason to attack with more than about the mildest polish as a first attempt.

 

[Tinner]

The 3M kit works really well, if you follow the instructions and apply a wax or sealant once or twice a year they will stay clear for years. You can accomplish the same thing with generic abrasives, but the 3M kit is a good way for first timers.