headlight lenses
- Thread starter wmor51
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Ok, what if you have Lexan headlight lenses? I know they are similar to plastic, but sturdier. Do they get treated the same way?
i used my die grinder with a green scotch brite scrubbing pad, the kind of pad you use on dishes. i used wd40 as a lubricant and it take about 10 mins per headlight, after i was done they were very clear. i finished up with some low profile sandpaper, i think it was 2500 grit or so.
I don't know why the companies can't come up with a headlight lens that doesn't turn milky.
I know ... how about glass !!
When I was a teenager and needed a new headlight in the '51 Ford, it cost $1.25 and that was the WHOLE lamp, lens and all !! Those old lamps never went opaque. You can get 4 glass salad bowls for a buck at the dollar store. Maybe that company could make headlight lenses for $0.25 also.
Just a thought..
P.B.
I know ... how about glass !!
When I was a teenager and needed a new headlight in the '51 Ford, it cost $1.25 and that was the WHOLE lamp, lens and all !! Those old lamps never went opaque. You can get 4 glass salad bowls for a buck at the dollar store. Maybe that company could make headlight lenses for $0.25 also.
Just a thought..
P.B.
Lexan is just one company's house name for poly carbonate, a plastic. And yes, you can send and buff them out too.
The real crime is that the plastic lenses have been declared non-replaceable by the car manufactuers so you need to buy an entire headlight assembly if you break one. Sometimes at a price of several hundered dollars.
The crime is that the lenses can be removed and reinistalled with the right technique and tools flound at home, custom shops do it all the time.
Speaking of headlight lenses, why are the lenses on our '93 Accord with 125K miles LIKE NEW and the '98 Corolla with 100K miles getting opaque ??
What about Brasso? I've used it on my iPod screen to remove scratches.
You have to bake them slowly in your oven, there are dozens of forums/sites that show how tos...do a google search for "baked headlights" maybe add your cars model in that search for specific results.
About 7 years ago, I used Castrol Super Clean (white bottle, purple product) on a 199? Dodge Caravan with severly yellowed headlights.
Very little elbow grease required, lights looked new and no apparent damage from 2 years of this practice.
Very little elbow grease required, lights looked new and no apparent damage from 2 years of this practice.
Follow up: the oven baking was a no go for me. After about 45 mins. in the oven, slowly working my way up from 170 to 260 degrees F, the sealant was barely soft and the lens didn't budge. I chickened out going hotter for fear of melting something.
So I tried some wet sanding with fine emory cloth (all I had on hand), and it now appears that the cloudiness and micro pitting was on the outside of the lens after all. The muck is now replaced by scratches from the too coarse emory, but it does look better.
So I need to get some 800 - 2000 grit sandpaper to work the lens some more. Other than the permatex kit at an auto parts store, where might one find such grit sandpaper?
SLowe's and Home Despot around here don't have it.
So I tried some wet sanding with fine emory cloth (all I had on hand), and it now appears that the cloudiness and micro pitting was on the outside of the lens after all. The muck is now replaced by scratches from the too coarse emory, but it does look better.
So I need to get some 800 - 2000 grit sandpaper to work the lens some more. Other than the permatex kit at an auto parts store, where might one find such grit sandpaper?
You can get the super-fine grit sandpaper anywhere automotive paint and body repair supplies are sold.
Make sure you wet sand, and use an orbital sander. When you get done with the sandpaper, your lenses will still be glazed looking, but they will be very smooth. Thats when you use a good plastic polish, again using an orbital sander but with a cloth on the block instead of sandpaper. When you get done, the lens will be clear and virtually like new. Been there, done that.
Here's something most people don't realize. The original hazing comes from the protective UV coating on the lenses breaking down. What you are actually removing with the sandpaper and polish is this degraded coating. The problem once you've got the lights looking good is that the plastic will now quickly yellow and haze over from exposure to the UV rays in sunlight. There are two ways to prevent this:
(1) Clean the lens thoroughly with Prepsol or some other pre-paint cleaner and then literally paint the lenses with clear coat paint. Apply a coat, allow to dry, wet sand. Repeat. Then repeat again.
or
(2) At least once a week apply a foam type tire cleaner to the lens and rub it in thoroughly. These cleaners have UV blockers in them.
Number (1) comes the closest to a permanent sollution to the yellow lens problem. Number (2) is the easiest, and it's the one I use on my Chrysler.
Make sure you wet sand, and use an orbital sander. When you get done with the sandpaper, your lenses will still be glazed looking, but they will be very smooth. Thats when you use a good plastic polish, again using an orbital sander but with a cloth on the block instead of sandpaper. When you get done, the lens will be clear and virtually like new. Been there, done that.
Here's something most people don't realize. The original hazing comes from the protective UV coating on the lenses breaking down. What you are actually removing with the sandpaper and polish is this degraded coating. The problem once you've got the lights looking good is that the plastic will now quickly yellow and haze over from exposure to the UV rays in sunlight. There are two ways to prevent this:
(1) Clean the lens thoroughly with Prepsol or some other pre-paint cleaner and then literally paint the lenses with clear coat paint. Apply a coat, allow to dry, wet sand. Repeat. Then repeat again.
or
(2) At least once a week apply a foam type tire cleaner to the lens and rub it in thoroughly. These cleaners have UV blockers in them.
Number (1) comes the closest to a permanent sollution to the yellow lens problem. Number (2) is the easiest, and it's the one I use on my Chrysler.
I always used Pledge on bikes and visors. I bought some Plexus and is works more effectively I find. Perhaps it simply works quicker... Pledge is a lot cheaper, however. The headlights on my Dakota are pretty yellowed and dingy looking. Will clean 'em up with Plexus and see what kind of improvement that it makes. Perhaps I will have to get some of the 3M products to shine 'em up properly. We'll see!
John.
John.
Just an update on headlight lens maintenance: I may have found something that works better than the foam tire cleaner. I'm trying Mother's "Back To Black." It seems to take care of the haze just as well as the tire cleaner, but since it's a much higher viscosity fluid and is made to protect external plastic trim over an extended period between washings, it may last longer and require less frequent applications.
I'll keep you posted.
I'll keep you posted.
Are there any solutions for glass lenses? I have a vw fox with 9004 lights and while I know 9004s are terrible beyond a doubt, I can't see anything at all at night. If it's raining or the road is the slightest bit wet, the lights do absolutely nothing. Even the highbeams are worse than the lowbeams on any car I've owned. I'd make the modification and run 9007 bulbs but I was told that wouldn't help much any at all.
I may have found the best stuff for coating the lenses for UV protection and haze reduction: Armor All GEL tire protectant. I put some of this on my van headlights this morning and then took it to my local car wash this afternoon. The guys there do a good job of prep washing before the vehicle goes through the autmatic wash. They scrub the front, including the headlights, with a concentrated solution of soap and water. Even after that and the automatic wash, there was a good solid film of this tire gel on the headlights.
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