headlights are dull and foggy?

LGHT

LGHT

New member
Anyone have a good link or FYI on how to good headlights clear. Just noticed mine are pretty foggy and dull and before I buy the "wipes" I figured I`d post here for feedback first.
 
LGHT said:
Anyone have a good link or FYI on how to good headlights clear. Just noticed mine are pretty foggy and dull and before I buy the "wipes" I figured I`d post here for feedback first.
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I`m a little foggy and dull myself.
 
And one more step taken toward the polisher. lol

Seriously there are some kits on Autopia that do a pretty decent job I believe, I think most you can use a drill or a polisher. I`ve never used them, hopefully someone who has will chime in...
 
https://www.autopia-carcare.com/3m-headlight-kit.html

This 3M kit will give you like new results if you follow all the steps. All you need is a drill and some tape to protect the surrounding area. It`s best to use a double layer of tape for added paint protection. And, yes you will slip, so don`t think you can skip the tape.
Only catch to reconditioning headlights is you must protect them after or they will yellow. A sealant will work, just remember to reapply every few months. Best protection is to respary them with a 2K clear coat and then you are good for years. SprayMax has a rattle can 2K that prefect. Local auto paint supply stores should have it.
 
I actually was looking at the 3m kit based on some feedback on another forum and I have a pretty good drill that I can use. Plus they aren`t that bad and the 3m is only 10.50 so I figured why not give it a shot, but at that price point I was skeptical on if it would really work better than tooth paste.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AIZ5HY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Is the McKee pretty much the same concept, but with better cream instead of a tiny bit of rubbing compound?
 
The McKee`s system is much easier to use and comes with a protectant to keep them looking good. It`s also only one polishing step. The 3M kit would be better if the headlights were really bad. There are 6 steps to it, all of which aren`t needed. I`ve never come across any headlights that needed 100 grit to clean up. It`s rare I have to use 500. Being new to this you may find yourself doing a lot of steps you don`t need.
 
Depending on how oxidized your headlights are will point you in the right direction. Heavily oxidized headlights need to be sanded and polished to look new. Headlights that have light oxidation can be polished using a heavy compound and following up with a polish. I’ve got some old CG V32 (forgive me) that I use with a microfiber cutting pad on my Rupes mini that cuts through moderately oxidized headlights without resorting to sanding. I usually follow up with whatever excess coating I have on hand to protect the lenses. It lasts about 12 months before I have to do it again. Since I’m not sanding I don’t bother taping everything up which saves time.
 
DaveT435 said:
The McKee`s system is much easier to use and comes with a protectant to keep them looking good. It`s also only one polishing step. The 3M kit would be better if the headlights were really bad. There are 6 steps to it, all of which aren`t needed. I`ve never come across any headlights that needed 100 grit to clean up. It`s rare I have to use 500. Being new to this you may find yourself doing a lot of steps you don`t need.
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Ok I`ll get that one then. I noticed all those pads on the 3m and wondered what they are for thanks for the heads up. On a side note can I use the same pads over and over or does the kit just come with 1 pad for a car? I may end up doing a few other cars that have very light oxidation as well before they get worse.
 
I`d want something much more UV-resistant than a wax/sealant on them after serious correction, like a high-solids clearcoat. Then I`d at least use OCW after each wash if not planning on something else that`s even more resistant.

I`ve done OK with only OCW, but I`ve never worked on really bad ones either; I just replace `em if they`re still available and once a vehicle is mine such stuff isn`t an issue any more.
 
Gee "100 grit"?!? If that`s not a typo...well, gee. Wonder at what point you remove so much material that functional failure issues become a valid concern.
 
Accumulator said:
I`d want something much more UV-resistant than a wax/sealant on them after serious correction, like a high-solids clearcoat. Then I`d at least use OCW after each wash if not planning on something else that`s even more resistant.

I`ve done OK with only OCW, but I`ve never worked on really bad ones either; I just replace `em if they`re still available and once a vehicle is mine such stuff isn`t an issue any more.
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So the McKee’s 37 Headlight Protectant Spray is "ok", but I should consider something stronger like a film? I actually just planned to de-oxidize them once a year as I go.
 
LGHT- I don`t really know..just want you to get the best bang-for-buck time/effort-wise. But if you don`t mind redoing them it might not matter. Guess that`d depend on how intense the "redoing" needs to be.
 
Without seeing them, it is hard to give you the best advice..

No one should ever use 100 grit sandpaper on plastic headlights.. Unless one plans on using all the other grits after 100, It will take a looooong time to polish out those 100 grit scratches..
Wet or Dry sandpaper is in the 4000 grit now I believe and perhaps even higher...

Remember, one wants to take the least aggressive approach as much as possible to avoid adding more work than needed..
So I would be thinking about trying to knock off the oxidation with a good compound, then polish, first... It is going to take awhile..

If you have to wet sand them, be sure you tape all around the headlight to avoid hitting paint, trim, etc., with the sandpaper..
You should double - triple width tape everything and put on more than 1 layer of tape everywhere..
Use a plastic, hard, block and try to keep your sanding smooth and even pressure all over the areas..
Use a water hose set to trickle water over the work as you sand it and it will be easier to do and the sandpaper will be more efficient and last longer.
Plus, you can see immediately because you are constantly rinsing, how it is going..
Then comes the real fun - compounding out all those sanding scratches.. Try not to get the plastic too hot..
Personally, I would use a Rotary on them to help speed up the process and give you really great results.
Yes, other random orbitals can do this, but will take much longer..
Dan F
 
100 grit lol. I`d just use a wire wheel on a drill.

It`s hard to give a good recommendation because it depends how bad the headlights are. First I`d try aggressive compounding. Of course, compounds / polishes are just liquid sandpaper - so theoretically, if you have the time - you should be able to compound through most headlight damage using aggressive techniques and small pads. It`s not paint - so you don`t have to worry about burning through clear coat. Of course, if they are bad - this could take a lot of time.

I`ve never done it - but I`d think spraying any kinda clear on headlights would make them look odd and orange peeled. Of course, you could try and sand / polish that out to level it.

I`ve corrected headlights on my own vehicles that weren`t too bad using paint correction stuff. I`ve just used whatever LSP was on my paint and they stayed fine. You just have to reapply every so often.

I remember there was a thread about using Helmsman Spar Urethane as a protectant. I do some furniture restoration / wood staining. That product is an oil based polyurethane protectant with UV inhibitors that is meant for topping a wood stain on wood for outdoor use. Oil based polys will yellow over time and they are supposed to. This is not an issue on stained wood & often adds to the character of the stain - but on clear plastic or white paint it`s gonna look bad. I would just wipe them down with OCW as a protectant a few times a year and be done with it.
 
LGHT said:
So the McKee’s 37 Headlight Protectant Spray is "ok", but I should consider something stronger like a film? I actually just planned to de-oxidize them once a year as I go.
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I would use McKees headlight coating or a dedicated trim coating, such as carpro dlux or gyeon trim which are made to be applied to plastics. These will easily last a year or more before needing to be reapplied.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
 
Thanks all for the tips. I think I`ll start with just the compound / polish first since they aren`t really "that bad"... Then if that doesn`t work I`ll start off wet sanding. Since I don`t currently own a polisher or pads (yet). I may actually just put this on hold until I can get a handle on how to "wash my car" first and then work on other items like lights and seats.
 
LGHT- I strongly encourage you to still use something that (effectively) blocks the UV no matter what you do to them. Once the oxidation has started the clock is ticking, but you can slow it down to the point of insignificance if you go about it right.
 
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