Headlight Lens Cleaning
- Thread starter Fla02LS
- Start date
greatness
Active LVC Member
3M 39008 HEADLIGHT LENS RESTORATION SYSTEM is the best i ever used
Youll need to do some wetsanding and use a plastic cleaner like plastix.
I cant tell you exactly what grit since i havent done it before but plastix alone will help remove some minor haze and discoloration.
I cant tell you exactly what grit since i havent done it before but plastix alone will help remove some minor haze and discoloration.
FASTLLS
Dedicated LVC Member
I remember people posting good things about this.. Also another one but the name is slipping my mind..
This kit includes the sanding discs and polish.. You use a drill..
rwurst918
Well-Known LVC Member
I have taken this from a post that i had responded to asking about headlight haze.
I have had multiple success stories and no failures with this process. It takes time, but is far better than these junk kits they are trying to sell. What you are going to need is 800 grit sandpaper, 1,000 grit sandpaper, 2,000 grit sandpaper, a polisher that fits on a grinder, and plastic polish for a wheel buffer (it looks like a crayon). Take the headlamp assembly off of the car and clean thoroughly. Wet sand by hand with the 800 grit until the headlight's roughness has gone away (about an hour). Then move on to the 1,000 grit and wet sand it until it is smooth and does not catch anything on your skin when you move your hand across it (about 30 to 45 minutes). If anything catches, wet sand again with the 800 grit. If needed, sand again with the 1,000 grit. Then wet sand with the 2,000 grit until it feels as smooth as a baby's ass (about 1 hour). Careful attention must be adhered to to make sure you do not burn the plastic and waste time sanding more or ruining your headlight. Attach the polisher to the grinder. Make sure the grinder is secured. Turn on the angle grinder. Apply the polish to the buffer until it seems as if it has covered the contact point of the polisher. Take the headlamp assembly and starting from the left to the right (or vice versa) press the headlamp lens against the polisher until you get the results you want. Make sure you keep moving the headlamp assembly at all times or you may burn the headlamp lens. Make sure that the polish is always coated on the polisher. When you believe that you have a clear lens, wipe off the excess polish on the headlamp lens. Repeat this step over until you have achieved the desired results. This does make a mess but will show that doing it this way will save you from buying new headlamps and last about 5 years (My fathers 2000 camaro headlamp lenses just started to fog up again after I did this exact process to them in 2005. I will be doing this process to my 04 LS also. It took me about an average of 4 hours for each headlamp to be done correctly. The same can be done for the fog lights.
I have had multiple success stories and no failures with this process. It takes time, but is far better than these junk kits they are trying to sell. What you are going to need is 800 grit sandpaper, 1,000 grit sandpaper, 2,000 grit sandpaper, a polisher that fits on a grinder, and plastic polish for a wheel buffer (it looks like a crayon). Take the headlamp assembly off of the car and clean thoroughly. Wet sand by hand with the 800 grit until the headlight's roughness has gone away (about an hour). Then move on to the 1,000 grit and wet sand it until it is smooth and does not catch anything on your skin when you move your hand across it (about 30 to 45 minutes). If anything catches, wet sand again with the 800 grit. If needed, sand again with the 1,000 grit. Then wet sand with the 2,000 grit until it feels as smooth as a baby's ass (about 1 hour). Careful attention must be adhered to to make sure you do not burn the plastic and waste time sanding more or ruining your headlight. Attach the polisher to the grinder. Make sure the grinder is secured. Turn on the angle grinder. Apply the polish to the buffer until it seems as if it has covered the contact point of the polisher. Take the headlamp assembly and starting from the left to the right (or vice versa) press the headlamp lens against the polisher until you get the results you want. Make sure you keep moving the headlamp assembly at all times or you may burn the headlamp lens. Make sure that the polish is always coated on the polisher. When you believe that you have a clear lens, wipe off the excess polish on the headlamp lens. Repeat this step over until you have achieved the desired results. This does make a mess but will show that doing it this way will save you from buying new headlamps and last about 5 years (My fathers 2000 camaro headlamp lenses just started to fog up again after I did this exact process to them in 2005. I will be doing this process to my 04 LS also. It took me about an average of 4 hours for each headlamp to be done correctly. The same can be done for the fog lights.
not to hijack the thread here but I want to wet sand and buff mine as well, BUT I have moisture in both of them. I know one color adhesive on the lens can be heated in the oven and pulled apart the other has to be cut, which one is which again? I also plan on tinting the big old amber lens while I am in there. But is it best to clean the outside first then do the inside or the other way around you think. I wish there was something in the tech articles about this....Oh by the way I plan on using some of this http://www.lamin-x.com/Automotive-Products-s/47.htm after with the UV protection to help keep this from happening
FASTLLS
Dedicated LVC Member
Grey can be baked
FASTLLS
Dedicated LVC Member
FASTLLS
Dedicated LVC Member
scjmc
Dedicated LVC Member
My lenses had tiny cracks in them and were taking on water through the lense cracks. I wet sanded mine and left them looking real hazy. I think my final sanding was with 1200. I left them like this because I hit them with clear coat next. They look very good now, and I have applied clear to the fog lights before. The CC sticks well if you prep the surface right, and when applied the clear makes the lights look new (even though they look hazy before CC). It also sealed my lenses and I am no longer getting water in them. I think that the more common water problem is due to the housing seal and not the lenses themselves.
FASTLLS
Dedicated LVC Member
Yea, I wouldn't mind seeing some pics of that
scjmc
Dedicated LVC Member
Ill get some pics up. I have done the fogs twice because of road damage. They came out nice both times. More recently I did the entire headlight lenses.
FASTLLS
Dedicated LVC Member
Acrespo1986
LVC Member
wet sand and buff best way besides re clearing
scjmc
Dedicated LVC Member
+1
Thats why I leave them rough before I spray. I will get pics up, but it was dark before and after work today.....
i've had really good luck with just wetsanding starting at 400 (i know its a rough grit but you gotta get in there..) work my way up 800, 1000, 1200, 200 for the final, then rubbing compound on a buffer, finish with polishing compound and then wax them.
they come out damn near new.
they come out damn near new.
scjmc
Dedicated LVC Member
Today was the first day that I got a chance to take pics of the clear coat method. I don't have any before shots, but you guys know what they get looking like. Maybe even a little worse down here in Florida.
The first pics were taken ready for clear after I wet sanded. The after shots are them installed on the car again. I used NAPA valu line clear with medium hardner. Sorry about image quality, these were taken with my phone.
The first pics were taken ready for clear after I wet sanded. The after shots are them installed on the car again. I used NAPA valu line clear with medium hardner. Sorry about image quality, these were taken with my phone.
