headlight restoration

[screwstonjay713]

Today my shipment just arrived!!! it is the 3m headlight restoration kit that i had been hearing so many good things about so i decided to try it out before going out and getting new headlights. it was only $23 after tax and shipping so why not give it a shot. Tomorrow morning if the weather holds up im going to try it out and post before and after pics for you all to see.

and if anyone here has ever tried it how did it come out?

[crash93ssei]

I have heard decent things about it, but it all depends on how bad your lights are. If they are really bad, the kit will make them look better, but they will still be hazy and will quickly yellow again. If that happens, you will have to get more aggressive.

I am sure you can save them no matter how bad they are as long as they are not cracked or broken. Don't go out and buy new ones, we can help you make them look new for a fraction of the price

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

If the kit doesn't come with a sealant, go to Wal-Mart and get some Future (the label says "XXX with Future") floor polish. It's really an acrylic sealant. This will both fill in the imperfections in the surface and protect your hard work from yellowing for a few months.

[screwstonjay713]

ok the job is done and i have to say, im not impressed there is some improvement but definitely not worth the time... the kit didnt come with enough sanding pads and the right light still has small sanding scratches... i guess i will just go with my original plan and buy new ones and just black out this set (pics below note: its hard to see the defects from the pic but from the naked eye its very clear)


Before



After

[LeSabreUltra]

Don't give up on those, if you had them here I could have them looking like brand new in 30 minutes.

Lots of very wet sanding is critical, as is liberal use of the polish and sealant. I dunno much about the 3M kit, but the Crystal View kit I got from Wal-Mart yielded excellent results on even the worst of headlights.

My first attempt at making my headlights clear didn't work out very well either. Save your money and go buy the $20 CV kit from Wal-Mart.
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[harofreak00]

more work required, dont give up on those.

http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... er#p158135

[screwstonjay713]

maybe i will give it another shot yours look great..... okay i'll stop being lazy im going to get some sandpaper lol

[screwstonjay713]

wow im glad i didnt give up i used harofreak technique and they are looking good! i just need to buff them a little more so im kicking back until my drill recharges

[harofreak00]

good to hear. are you using the 3M pads and polish?

corded drills work best in this situation, unlimited power

[screwstonjay713]

yes i used the same 3m pad that came with the kit just cleaned it off... quick question when you were sanding did you wetsand each time or only with the 400 grit? mine still arent quite where i want them to be so im going to try again tomorrow morning

[harofreak00]

You need to wetsand with progressively finer paper. It depends on how bad the finish is on what paper you start with. 400 worked great for the headlights for me. You need to use progressively finer paper, start with 400, then 800, then 1000, then 1500, then 2000, ALL wetsand. After you are done sanding, THEN polish.

[*B2*]

Yep, Haro has it. I treat headlights just like paint except I start out a bit more aggressive. I start with 800 on the headlights and work to 2500 then polish with high end paint polishes. I wouldn't touch paint with 800 grit wet, but some plastic headlights require it. Be patient with the sanding and get out all of the scratches from the previous grit. They can be restored to nearly 100%.

[screwstonjay713]

ok thanks, the auto parts store i went to only had up to 1500 grit in stock so im going to get more tomorrow and try again. thanks alot guys hopefully this will do it

[harofreak00]

Any body shop will have what you need, just tell them you only need about 1/4 of a sheet. I got mine for free at my local body shop.

[screwstonjay713]

here's the final product i am highly impressed! I picked up 2000grit paper from autozone as well as some 3m rubbing compound to go along with the meguiars plastX. it took a lot of buffing to get the shine i just hope it lasts. i still ended up spending about $100 on all the sandpaper, the drill, the intial 3m kit and the rubbing polish but that is $150 less than i would have spent on new headlights

[harofreak00]

The passenger headlight needs to be adjusted in quite a bit.

Looks great!

Before:


After:

[crash93ssei]

Very nice!

Next time you wax your car, put some on the headlights as well. This will help them stay nice. Also, avoid tailgating as the car in front of you throws sand and pebbles all over the front of your car, sandblasting the headlights and that will haze them quickly.

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

Very nice!
Also, avoid tailgating as the car in front of you throws sand and pebbles all over the front of your car, sandblasting the headlights and that will haze them quickly.
Next time you wax your car, put some on the headlights as well. This will help them stay nice.

Another excellent reason not to tailgate!

Ditto on the wax.