Headlight Lens Restorer Report

[Snagglefoot]

Cleaned up headlight from 2010 Silverado using 800,1200, and 2000 grit rotary sander, and then polishing compound.

 

[Thebigm]

I tried the Turtle Wax Headlight Lens Restorer Kit (about $21) and I must say TW had their chemist's working overtime.

It is a multistep process with a 'clarifier' that uses aluminum oxide as the very mild abrasive as the first step.

Then a lubricant is used with two pads and four sides to remove the oxidation with each pad having two sides for subsequent steps. Then there is a sealer system for the last step.

My lenses were very oxidized and I must say it removed 75-80% of the oxidation and clarified the headlamps considerably. Plan on about 2 hours minimum of intense 'elbow'' grease.

The driver's side headlamp had the worst oxidation, but the interesting thing was that most oxidation on both lenses were located at the upper 1/4 quadrant of the lens.

Use a clay cleaner; can be found in most supermarkets and definitely online. It works wonders and very easy to use

 

[jjf729]

I just used the Cerakote kit on my 2009 CR-V. I’m pretty impressed with the results!

 

[ryanschillinger]

I tried the meguiars ultimate kit on my parents Accord about 9 months ago. It looked great and advertised 18+ months of durability but when I came to visit the other day I noticed portions have already failed, leaving dull spots of bare sanded plastic. I followed the directions and was happy but not so much now. I’m not there to take photos of them right now but on my cars I usually wet sand and spray a 2k clear. That lasts for many years. Or just hit them with a polisher. I keep a cheap HF rotary with a 3” backing plate for headlights and other small stuff. Just did my Camry and it looks good for now. Used meguiars 105 and finished with griots 3 in 1 as a sealant. Next time I’ll probably remove them and clear them.

 

[nthach]

Sylvania kit, hands down. I had used the Cerakote kit, and while very nice results, the lights got ****ted up again after about a year. I got the cheaper Sylvania kit with steps 1 and 3 only - the activator and the UV sealant only. I had my own wet sand paper. I also used more grades in between the ones that they provide/recommend in the full kit (2x price). My CR-V headlights came out better than new IMO. I keep them protected with some Adam's CS3 regularly.

Yea, I redid my headlights with the Cerakote stuff and they’re starting to haze again. I might go back to sylvania.

 

[martinq]

Yea, I redid my headlights with the Cerakote stuff and they’re starting to haze again. I might go back to sylvania.

Let us know how it goes, I am about to try the Cerakote after a polish.

 

[BMW Dom]

Yea, I redid my headlights with the Cerakote stuff and they’re starting to haze again. I might go back to sylvania.

i did mine with Sylvania - they became less clear after a year and a half for me

 

[Peteco]

With Cerakote I had to start with a courser grit than they supply, and gradually get finer. It took a long time to get it cleaned up. It looked great. But now 2 years later it is not as clear, though still much better than before. So I will use their guarantee and get new material and redo it. They have already sent refinishing pads when the first attempt failed when just using their sandpaper

 

[Marcozi]

I used multiple sand papers and then different compound/polish with my Porter Cable polisher I use for the cars. Used a smaller pad. When done I masked off and sprayed with UV resistant clearcoat.

One thing if you have a good clean newer lights or ones you fixed, Headlight protection film helps a lot as it adds UV protection but mostly keeps what you have from getting destroyed by the sand/rock chips that adds to it.

These are original, never garaged on a 230k+ '08 CRV. The headlight film was getting ugly and was glued on hard. PITA getting the glue off.
No before but the foggy is after wet sand.
View attachment 244619View attachment 244620
View attachment 244621View attachment 244622

And reference. 13 year old Sonata, 220k, sitting for many months not washed (engine went). I put the film on when it was new. The hazy you see is actually the small pits in the film from sand/rocks. Never garaged. they did get waxed when I did the car with whatever I was using.
View attachment 244627

Yup! UV is what caused the polycarbonate to haze over.

 

[Fried Chicken]

Headlight restoration is the bane of my existence; I've done it something like 10 times and (even now going through the process), still cannot achieve good results.

From what my failures have gleaned thus far: A successful headlight restoration requires 4 parts to work successfully: 1. removal of the existing clearcoat, 2. successful removal of all underlying scratches in the plastic, 3. clean polish across the entire surface, 4. successful application of an appropriate clearcoat.

This gets into the realm of quite advanced finishing, and this is why almost every "kit" is useless garbage. They're trying to include an entire restoration shop in 1 small cheap box.

Right now I can only provide recommendations for steps1, 2 and maybe 4.
For step 1, use a random orbital sander with a relatively aggressive grit (like 220, or even lower) to remove the old clearcoat. The lower you go, the more work you will have for step 2.
For step 2, use wet sandpaper with water to step up the grits all the way to 5000. i.e. 220, 320, 400, 600, 1000, 1500, 2500, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000. Wipe off with a shop towel, rag, or anything else, the dust between each step.
For step 4, I use eastwood's Exo-Armour, a siloxane based 2-part clearcoat. It seems currently unavailable, who knows why. Probably works too well so the government banned it.

I miss the old headlight regulations, because all of this **** is ********.

 

[JimPghPA]

I used Turtle. Wax kit 2 years ago. Pretty good results but I had to mask, and each side took a few hours. They need it again now.

 

[ryanschillinger]

Headlight restoration is the bane of my existence; I've done it something like 10 times and (even now going through the process), still cannot achieve good results.

From what my failures have gleaned thus far: A successful headlight restoration requires 4 parts to work successfully: 1. removal of the existing clearcoat, 2. successful removal of all underlying scratches in the plastic, 3. clean polish across the entire surface, 4. successful application of an appropriate clearcoat.

This gets into the realm of quite advanced finishing, and this is why almost every "kit" is useless garbage. They're trying to include an entire restoration shop in 1 small cheap box.

Right now I can only provide recommendations for steps1, 2 and maybe 4.
For step 1, use a random orbital sander with a relatively aggressive grit (like 220, or even lower) to remove the old clearcoat. The lower you go, the more work you will have for step 2.
For step 2, use wet sandpaper with water to step up the grits all the way to 5000. i.e. 220, 320, 400, 600, 1000, 1500, 2500, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000. Wipe off with a shop towel, rag, or anything else, the dust between each step.
For step 4, I use eastwood's Exo-Armour, a siloxane based 2-part clearcoat. It seems currently unavailable, who knows why. Probably works too well so the government banned it.

I miss the old headlight regulations, because all of this **** is ********.

No need to polish before clearcoat. It should have some tooth to bond. Wet sand up to 600 or so, no finer than 1000.

 

[RooflessVW]

The

Headlight restoration is the bane of my existence; I've done it something like 10 times and (even now going through the process), still cannot achieve good results.

From what my failures have gleaned thus far: A successful headlight restoration requires 4 parts to work successfully: 1. removal of the existing clearcoat, 2. successful removal of all underlying scratches in the plastic, 3. clean polish across the entire surface, 4. successful application of an appropriate clearcoat.

This gets into the realm of quite advanced finishing, and this is why almost every "kit" is useless garbage. They're trying to include an entire restoration shop in 1 small cheap box.

Right now I can only provide recommendations for steps1, 2 and maybe 4.
For step 1, use a random orbital sander with a relatively aggressive grit (like 220, or even lower) to remove the old clearcoat. The lower you go, the more work you will have for step 2.
For step 2, use wet sandpaper with water to step up the grits all the way to 5000. i.e. 220, 320, 400, 600, 1000, 1500, 2500, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000. Wipe off with a shop towel, rag, or anything else, the dust between each step.
For step 4, I use eastwood's Exo-Armour, a siloxane based 2-part clearcoat. It seems currently unavailable, who knows why. Probably works too well so the government banned it.

I miss the old headlight regulations, because all of this **** is ********.

Man you're doing way too much.

The kits are made to be easy to use for the average person.

All you need is sandpaper up to 1k and a can of 2k clear.

 

[Fried Chicken]

No need to polish before clearcoat. It should have some tooth to bond. Wet sand up to 600 or so, no finer than 1000.

That depends on the clear you use, but you are right. Some formulations need a rougher surface to bond, others don't... I think. I haven't succeeded in this ****.

The

Man you're doing way too much.

The kits are made to be easy to use for the average person.

All you need is sandpaper up to 1k and a can of 2k clear.

Yeah but that 2k clear lasts ****all.