How do I polish / clean my headlight?

[Mar]

I got a new headlight after an accident and realized just how dirty and hazy my old one is. I took it off and felt the inside of the lens to make sure it's on the outside and it is so how would I clean that? I can feel the surface is rough and likely pitted from road debris, is there a fine grit sandpaper I can run over it? Polisher?

[Quiet10]

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Headlights

[project240]

1000 - 1500 - 2000 grit sandpaper using polish as a lubricant

[KRyn]

Try This Here!

[Modelexis]

you can buy a kit from Canadian tire or Part source.
Absolute best method.

[BokCh0y]

Originally posted by Modelexis


you can buy a kit from Canadian tire or Part source.
Absolute best method.

Easy to do, i've done it to my headlights and they come out much better than doing it by hand.

Just make sure you tape the fuck outta everything surrounding the headlight, this ensures you don't sand down your trim.

[Kona9]

I used white Crest toothpaste and some elbow grease. You would be surprised. It has to have a little grit to it. Not all toothpastes will work.

[CanmoreOrLess]

I got a kit from Cdn Tire, taped off three layers, the paint/chrome areas and fired up the drill. All nice, smooth and clean in 10 minutes. I must see twenty cars a day that could use this process. So easy.

[Modelexis]

Originally posted by Kona9
I used white Crest toothpaste and some elbow grease. You would be surprised. It has to have a little grit to it. Not all toothpastes will work.

'Grit' is only half of the equation when you're dealing with a wet sand and polish.

If you have a really good cutting compound, some modern ones don't even have a 'grit' to them.

The other half and the more important half of the equation is heat/friction combined with a soft pad (wool or foam) moving at a constant speed and in a controlled movement.

Without the heat/friction it is almost impossible to get a swirl free finish that has removed all sanding marks and free of holograms and marring.

[needsawhip]

crest 3d white tooth paste, $3.50 or you can pay some shop $99 that will use something like crest without the minty smell. my 2 cents

[sneek]

Wetsand and polish it out!

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?threadid=222557

[J-hop]

Another vote for the 3M kit, definitely a time saver, I used to do the whole wetsanding bit and spend tons of time only to get no better results than the 3M kit.

I also bought a bottle of PlastX and refinish them with that ever couple of months.

[Mar]

I got the kit from Part Source across from Alberta Wheel Repair for $30 and it worked great. Thanks!

[CorollaXRS]

http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product_detail.do?q=4800

Use Meguiars, they work like a pro.

[Modelexis]

Originally posted by CorollaXRS
http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product_detail.do?q=4800

Use Meguiars, they work like a pro.

I might buy this kit for the wool polishing pad, but compared to the 3m kit it's missing some major pieces to do the job properly.

If your headlights are only a few years old and still in good shape, just a bit cloudy the meguiars kit would work fine, but if you have deep scratches, nicks, scuffs, and deep oxidization you might clear up some of the color but all the scratches and scuffs will remain because the only way to remove them is to sand.

The 3M kit comes with a bunch of sanding discs that allow you to really take a 20 year old headlight and make it look showroom.

The meguiars pad appears to be higher quality and longer lasting, but if you take 30 year old headlights and do one with each kit, the 3M kit will win.

The Meguiars kit is a headlight polishing kit for simple minded people who ruin anything they touch and cannot follow directions.
The 3M kit is for people who know a thing or two about detailing and want to get a professional detail level revival of their headlights.

[Heru-Farukon]

3M kit > megs

[ex1z7]

The 3M kit above is the tits.


to


Ended up doing grey bezels and a projector + hid retrofit (MH1 + XB35's + 35w morimoto ballasts, panamera shrouds...)

[AutoObsessed]

We carry a headlight kit from Diamonite, it works very well. If the headlights are heavily pitted from rocks then a wet sand would be required to remove the pits.

http://www.autoobsessed.com/shop/dia...es-p-1091.html

[Modelexis]

Originally posted by AutoObsessed
We carry a headlight kit from Diamonite, it works very well. If the headlights are heavily pitted from rocks then a wet sand would be required to remove the pits.

http://www.autoobsessed.com/shop/dia...es-p-1091.html

Not even just pits, if you have any significant oxidization to the plastic you will need to wet sand.

Who in their right mind would pay you 63$ and not get any sanding discs in the kit when they can buy a 3M proven kit for $29.99?

[AutoObsessed]

Originally posted by Modelexis


Not even just pits, if you have any significant oxidization to the plastic you will need to wet sand.

Who in their right mind would pay you 63$ and not get any sanding discs in the kit when they can buy a 3M proven kit for $29.99?

If you are not familar with the kit or used it before then it is pretty hard to comment on price and whether it will work or not. If wet sand paper is needed then you can buy some at a auto body supply for less than a buck a sheet. In our experience this kit works well in a lot of cases unless heavily pitted. Here is a link to a F360 that required wet sanding as the owner wanted them near perfect as replacement headlights were several thousands of dollars. F360 Specialy Detail

We only specialize in premium products and carry some of the best available on the planet. We also not only sell but use the products in our Detailing Studio, visit our sponsored section for a look at some of the work we do. The products and work speak for themself.