Headlight Restoration Kit for 2000 and up Chev Trucks

[Snagglefoot]

I'm looking for a headlight restoration kit or a good home-made remedy for restoring the plastic headlights on my 2008 Chev truck. The front of it is like a flat polycarbonate cover that really isn't part of the light fixtures themselves but is a part of the assembly and is not removable separately. I used the kit (in the photos) and it not leave good results. Too many swirl marks were left. I used the sanding disks, starting with an 1200, then 1800, then 2000 and then the polish on a foam disk. I'm thinking the cover is too soft to use a 1200. Any recommendations? Thanks.

 

[gathermewool]

More polish, more elbow-grease.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Originally Posted by gathermewool
More polish, more elbow-grease.

 

[97prizm]

The meguiars kit at Walmart worked fairly well on my sisters Cavalier

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted by 97prizm
The meguiars kit at Walmart worked fairly well on my sisters Cavalier
Meguiar's kit worked well here too:

 

[14Accent]

You need to cut deeper. I do 500, 800, 1000, and 3000. Then buff with a medium cut polish and move to a fine cut. The results directly relate to the beginning product. Some headlights just don't come back well.

 

[Dave9]

Kit or home remedy, you will not have swirl marks unless you are using a motorized tool and either applying too much pressure or leaving it in one spot too long. If what you are using is compatible with water, you might try using more water too.

Although it takes more time, it is easier to get a good result doing it by hand. Unless the lens originally looked CRUSTY yellow, and definitely not at this point, you do not need to start as coarse as 800 grit or lower. Those are only to remove the crusty yellow layer and even then, on a power tool may be too abrasive.

It's definitely not too soft to use 1200 grit in Canada at this time of year. Modest low temperatures should leave it hard enough as long as the removal rate does not create much heat itself. Just go slower so you build up less heat and more evenly refinish. Spend less time with the more abrasive compounds or discs and more with the finer ones. Move around a lot.

The home remedy is start out with rubbing compound or 1000 grit (or lower if crusty yellow as above) wet/dry sandpaper, then switch to higher grit wet paper, then switch to plastic polish or brasso/etc metal polish, then either toothpaste or a "polish" wax or sealant, but not a spray on paint/clearcoat type sealant which will just create a mess and need completely stripped off later. Whatever you use, the final coat should be a hand applied wax or sealant. Touch up with more polish wax/sealant or toothpaste plus that at each vehicle detailing session, or once a year if you can avoid parking with the lenses in direct sunlight.

The home remedy costs as much or more if you don't have most of the supplies because you end up buying more than needed to do a couple vehicles. It costs far less in the long run because you have more than enough to do a couple vehicles and supplies to do other things too... sandpaper, wax, etc, is versatile stuff, useful for far more than headlights.

 

[Nick1994]

Those kits suck.

I'd take it to a body shop and have them sand them down and spray some real clear coat on them, not that rattle can stuff.

 

[garlicbreadman]

Originally Posted by Nick1994
Those kits suck.

I'd take it to a body shop and have them sand them down and spray some real clear coat on them, not that rattle can stuff.


Have you used them before? Because a lot of work amazing when done correctly especially the 3m kit that requires a drill. The point of these kits is to restore headlights for an affordable price. Unless you take it to a bodyshop, most shops will use a similar kit followed by a rattle can.

I recommend putting on a clear bra on top of headlight restoration. Much more durable and will last up to a decade.

 

[Env1ous]

The kits work good but you have to put some work into them if you want good results. I have had good results on my old rx-8 and Mazda 3.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Magic Eraser and then some spray wax.

Please bring back glass headlights!!