Headlight UVA Help Please
- Thread starter Fishing
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Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
The only thing I`ve used is Optimum Opti-Lens. For a headlight where you`ve sanded off the factory coating, I find Opti-Lens to be pretty useless and that the headlights will be yellowed in about 6 months and will need to be polished to restore that "new" look.
Fishing
Member
@Setec Astronomy - I am thinking the 3M will probably be similar in results. If not then I will try the Optimum. Thank you for the help/response.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Honestly I don`t think the Optimum is worth the trouble, just repolish every 6 months or so, I don`t think it really did anything. I have used it on new headlights for some added protection, but of course there is no way to gauge if it`s actually helping. I did put some on one of my cars where the factory coating is starting to fail at the top, and it did seem to slow it down...but I`m not really sure because I try not to look at them because it`s too depressing, LOL.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Just FWIW, and I bet that`s not much, I`ve simply never had this issue in my life. Never. FWIW#2, to keep that going, I use OCW (known for UV resistance) as a drying aid at every wash, at least on exterior lenses. But I`m not parking outside in Phoenix or somesuch either!
Fishing
Member
@setec astronomy- I may end up doing the every 6 nth ting also,,,,but im going to give the 3M a try
@Accumulator - I have done about 6 cars some very bad and some just starting, happy that you haven`t had to experience this
hope it stays that way for you. I will look into the OCW, thnx for letting me know about it.
@Accumulator - I have done about 6 cars some very bad and some just starting, happy that you haven`t had to experience this
hope it stays that way for you. I will look into the OCW, thnx for letting me know about it.Desertnate
Active member
I`ve had pretty good luck with the Griots Severe Headlight Restoration Kit. They claim to use Cerakote`s coating which is "permanent".
I don`t know about the permanent part, but I`m at the 8 month point and the car I applied it to is still looking good with no new yellowing or hazing of the lenses. I tried the Wolfgang headlight sealant prior to this on another car and it only lasted around 4~5 months, so I`m pretty happy already.
I don`t know about the permanent part, but I`m at the 8 month point and the car I applied it to is still looking good with no new yellowing or hazing of the lenses. I tried the Wolfgang headlight sealant prior to this on another car and it only lasted around 4~5 months, so I`m pretty happy already.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Are those cars garaged or outside 24/7? I don`t see where Griot`s says their stuff is Cerakote, but it certainly is in the same format. Also their claim that it`s the only ceramic is pretty bogus seeing as how Cerakote says right on the box "ceramic" and certainly Opti-Lens, which is based on Opti-Coat, is ceramic...along with how many other products like DLux, etc.
Fishing
Member
@Desertnate - I like Griots products,,,I have the 3M on order so Im going to give it a try,,,if it doesn`t work the I will look into the Griots for sure. Thank you.
Desertnate
Active member
Both of the vehicles I mentioned with headlight restoration sit out 24/7. The latest one with the Griots kit is my youngest daughter`s car which lives in a dorm/apartment parking lot with no covering or shelter from the elements. It also rarely gets washed.
The Cerakote logo is printed on the packets inside the Griots kits for both the prep wipe and the actual coating. If you enlarge the picture of the kit at the Griots website you can see the Cerakote logo on the bottom left corner of the packets. I seem to remember it somewhere on the box too. The Griots website used to reference Cerakote being the source of the coating, but it doesn`t any more. However I did find this link. News Details | Cerakote
As for the other claims? Marketing will be marketing, whether it`s well informed or not. The good part is the kit actually works well.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Thanks Nate, I might have to give that (the Cerakote) a shot, price is certainly right.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Desertnate, I got a Cerakote kit, read the instructions, then watched the Griot`s video. The video was a little less specific about this, but the Cerakote instructions tell you to sand and leave the headlight hazy before the coating.
When I have used Opti-Lens, I have always sanded/polished to perfect clarity before coating. The "leave it hazy" (from 3000 grit sanding) is more like the pro UV cure systems, or when people spray 2K clear (seems to be Barry Theal did a video about that, 100 or so years ago).
I don`t know if I`m actually asking a question here or not, the headlights that I was going to use the Cerakote on are smooth and clear (from previous polishing), but yellowed. I was just going to polish them to remove the yellowing and apply the Cerakote. Now I`m not sure if I should do that, or if I should just use the oxidation removal wipes, then go straight to the coating, or whether I have to sand also. Maybe as an experiment I will just use the wipes and if they look good go right to the coating. I guess I am just thinking out loud/asking if the coating needs the "tooth" of the sanded surface.
As an aside, from watching the Griot`s vid, they only give you one oxidation removal wipe per headlight, while the Cerakote kit has 4 per.
When I have used Opti-Lens, I have always sanded/polished to perfect clarity before coating. The "leave it hazy" (from 3000 grit sanding) is more like the pro UV cure systems, or when people spray 2K clear (seems to be Barry Theal did a video about that, 100 or so years ago).
I don`t know if I`m actually asking a question here or not, the headlights that I was going to use the Cerakote on are smooth and clear (from previous polishing), but yellowed. I was just going to polish them to remove the yellowing and apply the Cerakote. Now I`m not sure if I should do that, or if I should just use the oxidation removal wipes, then go straight to the coating, or whether I have to sand also. Maybe as an experiment I will just use the wipes and if they look good go right to the coating. I guess I am just thinking out loud/asking if the coating needs the "tooth" of the sanded surface.
As an aside, from watching the Griot`s vid, they only give you one oxidation removal wipe per headlight, while the Cerakote kit has 4 per.
MisterSnoop
Member
The Griot`s moderate headlight restoration kit is just oxidation wipes and protective wipes. That`s what I have on hand that I`ll be using on my girlfriend`s car. Griot`s does have to buy them from cerakote and make money themselves so it isn`t as good of a deal. On the plus side though, if they ever needed to be redone down the road, Griot`s would probably send another kit. Not sure if cerakote would do the same.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Thanks! However I searched on it the first thing I found was a Griot`s vid with the sanding. Later I re-read the Cerakote instructions and they mentioned a video so I`ll have to look for that and see if Griot`s has another one for that other kit. Thanks again.
Edit: It looks like Griot`s doesn`t make that "moderate" kit anymore, and the only video of theirs I found other than for the "severe" kit is for an older system with a spray can. I watched the Cerakote video and they only have two sanding steps instead of three (2000 and 3000 grit); I guess the extra oxidation wipes replace the 1000 grit; maybe Griot`s feels their customer base is more adept at removing sanding scratches. I may have to reach out to Cerakote and see what they say about skipping the sanding.
MisterSnoop
Member
Here`s the instructions for the moderate kit. Maybe most people bought the severe kit so they just discontinued the moderate kit. I would have bought the severe kit but my girlfriend didn`t want me to sand them.
Desertnate
Active member
How hazy are your headlights? Are they just yellowed?
In the severe kit the process goes like this: oxidation removal -> wet sand aggressive -> wet sand medium - > wet sand light -> coating.
On my daughter`s car, the lenses were both hazy and yellowed. The oxidation remover was pretty amazing in the level of yellowing it removed. From what I remember it actually took most, if not all of it out, but they were still hazy/cloudy. Only the sanding and the coating was able to make the lights clear again.
In the severe kit the process goes like this: oxidation removal -> wet sand aggressive -> wet sand medium - > wet sand light -> coating.
On my daughter`s car, the lenses were both hazy and yellowed. The oxidation remover was pretty amazing in the level of yellowing it removed. From what I remember it actually took most, if not all of it out, but they were still hazy/cloudy. Only the sanding and the coating was able to make the lights clear again.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
If you`re responding to me, as I noted, the headlights have been previously sanded to remove the failed factory coating, and periodically polished to remove the yellowing. So they are (optically) clear, just yellowy. If I use just the oxidation wipes and the yellow is removed, I guess I`m comporting with the Griot`s "moderate" kit protocol, but I`m just not sure if the coating really needs the tooth from the 3000 grit paper (which is perhaps why Griot`s doesn`t sell that kit anymore).
Desertnate
Active member
I was responding to MisterSnoop who was right above my comment...probably should have quoted him to eliminate the confusion.
I do find it interesting they sell a kit with no sandpaper at all. I was under the impression you had to scuff the surface a little bit in order for the coating to adhere to the plastic. I guess not.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
If you`re referring to that Griot`s kit, I don`t see that they sell that anymore. Cerakote sells a package that only has the coating wipes (20). I sent them an email; I`m not holding my breath for an answer.
EDIT: Well, I did get an answer. I asked that since my headlights had previously been sanded to remove the factory coating and were clear but yellowed, if I could just use the oxidation wipe and go straight to the coating? Or if the wipe doesn`t remove the yellow, can I just polish as I have before to remove the yellow and then go to coating. Here is the response:
"It is imperative that you use all the steps that are in your Cerakote® Headlight Restoration Kit. Anything outside of what is specified in the instructions can be performed at your own discretion, but I cannot guarantee the results."
As much as I would like to skip the sanding, I will probably do it as directed since if I`m going to take the time to do this, I really don`t want to have to do it again.
Desertnate
Active member
When I used the kit for the first time, I followed up the third sanding step with a polish from the Wolfgang kit because I didn`t realize the headlights would "clear up" when the coating was applied. From what I remember that application didn`t go very well when I applied the coating. It actually took on a strange orange peel texture and I think it clouded a bit. I actually had to go back and re-due that headlight. Since they only give you exactly enough material to do two headlights, that meant ordering a new kit since I still needed to do the other headlamp.
I also learned that you do NOT want to try and add a second layer of the coating. When I was totally finished the coating wipes were still somewhat wet with product, so I thought I`d go back and do a second layer. Fortunately, I tried this to the headlamp I`d already messed up. Trying to apply a second coat really made a mess of the headlamp. It hazed up and actually started to dissolve the original application. It was only later I found the note in the instructions to NOT attempt a second layer.
Lesson learned through the whole encounter? Follow their instructions to the letter if you want it to come our right. Don`t over think it.
I also learned that you do NOT want to try and add a second layer of the coating. When I was totally finished the coating wipes were still somewhat wet with product, so I thought I`d go back and do a second layer. Fortunately, I tried this to the headlamp I`d already messed up. Trying to apply a second coat really made a mess of the headlamp. It hazed up and actually started to dissolve the original application. It was only later I found the note in the instructions to NOT attempt a second layer.
Lesson learned through the whole encounter? Follow their instructions to the letter if you want it to come our right. Don`t over think it.