Over the years I have shown many auto owners how to restore headlamps by using just the Acrylic-Werks Polish and not utilizing a sanding process. This can only be accomplished if the headlamps do not have a failing clearcoat. The way to identify the difference between types of damage is:
1. If you run your hand over the lamp and feel an uneven surface, it is peeling or it may have turned a milky white and the surface feels rough to the touch, then this headlamp will probably require sanding.
2. If your lamp has a slightly yellow to gold, cloudy or grayish surface and is somewhat smooth to the touch then this headlamp could be restored by polishing only. Have a couple of these videos on YouTube where I restored the headlamps on a Nissan Maxima and Volvo 240DL. The restoration is fairly quick.
I have wanted to film an actual headlamp restoration process that required sanding (video links below)for quite a while, fortunately the owner of this Mercedes was open to a free restoration since he had no desire to pay for the OEM replacement lamps. Crazy expensive. This is the short version and the "Real Time" video is 20 min and available on YouTube. To do this job, I used the following products and process:
1. Used the 3M Headlamp Sanding Kit. It has blown my mind how many people told me that they bought this kit and stated that it had not worked for them. So I tried it and if your not apprehensive about the process you can get great results. It's alarming how many people sand headlamps that do not need to be sanded.
2. Mask around the lamp with painters tape. Make sure you lay down it down 2 times, in case your drill skips. You may also want to tape any exposed paint near the lamps.
3. Wipe the lamps down with a damp cloth.
4. You will start with the "Gold" 500 Grit sand paper. This is a dry sanding process. Sand evenly without adding too much pressure. As you do this, you will easily see the old clearcoat. Continue until all the clearcoat is gone and the lamps look frosted. Do not panic when you see the abrasions. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth, inspect and repeat if needed, then go to the next step.
5. Pull the 500 and attach the "White" 800 Grit sand paper. This is also a dry sanding process. The key to this step is to remove any abrasions the 500 Grit left behind. Do this until the light frosting color is uniform. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth, inspect and repeat if needed, then go to the next step.
6. Pull the 800 and attach the "Gray" 3000 Grit sand paper pad. This is the wet sanding process. Mist the lamp and pad with water. Do this until the lamp becomes mostly clear and ALL abrasions have been removed. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth, inspect and repeat if needed, then go to the next step.
7. Pull the 3000 and attach the "Orange" Waffle Polishing Pad. This is where I change the process (I have used the 3M Polish provided in the kit in the past but found that the lamps faded again, far to soon. IMO this can only be due to the abrasives in the polish - After finishing the lamp with a 3000 Grit wet sand it is almost perfect, so why hit it with another abrasive, which will create new swirl marks in the finished lamp and allow it to oxidize much quicker) and add the Acrylic-Werks Polish (which is non-abrasive) to the orange pad and mist the lamp with water. Do this process until the lamp is clear. Do not buff dry at this point!
8. Put a little Acrylic-Werks Polish on a damp washcloth and wipe the lamp.
9. Pull the tape and follow Step 8 and include black rubber, plastic and paint around lamp, then buff the surfaces dry. Lamps should stay in this condition for 1 year and only require the Acrylic-Werks Polish in the future to maintain. No More Sanding!
I sincerely hope this helps anyone who desires to restore their headlamps themselves.
YouTube - Mercedes Headlamps Restoration-Short Version
YouTube - Mercedes Headlamp Restoration Real Time
1. If you run your hand over the lamp and feel an uneven surface, it is peeling or it may have turned a milky white and the surface feels rough to the touch, then this headlamp will probably require sanding.
2. If your lamp has a slightly yellow to gold, cloudy or grayish surface and is somewhat smooth to the touch then this headlamp could be restored by polishing only. Have a couple of these videos on YouTube where I restored the headlamps on a Nissan Maxima and Volvo 240DL. The restoration is fairly quick.
I have wanted to film an actual headlamp restoration process that required sanding (video links below)for quite a while, fortunately the owner of this Mercedes was open to a free restoration since he had no desire to pay for the OEM replacement lamps. Crazy expensive. This is the short version and the "Real Time" video is 20 min and available on YouTube. To do this job, I used the following products and process:
1. Used the 3M Headlamp Sanding Kit. It has blown my mind how many people told me that they bought this kit and stated that it had not worked for them. So I tried it and if your not apprehensive about the process you can get great results. It's alarming how many people sand headlamps that do not need to be sanded.
2. Mask around the lamp with painters tape. Make sure you lay down it down 2 times, in case your drill skips. You may also want to tape any exposed paint near the lamps.
3. Wipe the lamps down with a damp cloth.
4. You will start with the "Gold" 500 Grit sand paper. This is a dry sanding process. Sand evenly without adding too much pressure. As you do this, you will easily see the old clearcoat. Continue until all the clearcoat is gone and the lamps look frosted. Do not panic when you see the abrasions. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth, inspect and repeat if needed, then go to the next step.
5. Pull the 500 and attach the "White" 800 Grit sand paper. This is also a dry sanding process. The key to this step is to remove any abrasions the 500 Grit left behind. Do this until the light frosting color is uniform. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth, inspect and repeat if needed, then go to the next step.
6. Pull the 800 and attach the "Gray" 3000 Grit sand paper pad. This is the wet sanding process. Mist the lamp and pad with water. Do this until the lamp becomes mostly clear and ALL abrasions have been removed. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth, inspect and repeat if needed, then go to the next step.
7. Pull the 3000 and attach the "Orange" Waffle Polishing Pad. This is where I change the process (I have used the 3M Polish provided in the kit in the past but found that the lamps faded again, far to soon. IMO this can only be due to the abrasives in the polish - After finishing the lamp with a 3000 Grit wet sand it is almost perfect, so why hit it with another abrasive, which will create new swirl marks in the finished lamp and allow it to oxidize much quicker) and add the Acrylic-Werks Polish (which is non-abrasive) to the orange pad and mist the lamp with water. Do this process until the lamp is clear. Do not buff dry at this point!
8. Put a little Acrylic-Werks Polish on a damp washcloth and wipe the lamp.
9. Pull the tape and follow Step 8 and include black rubber, plastic and paint around lamp, then buff the surfaces dry. Lamps should stay in this condition for 1 year and only require the Acrylic-Werks Polish in the future to maintain. No More Sanding!
I sincerely hope this helps anyone who desires to restore their headlamps themselves.
YouTube - Mercedes Headlamps Restoration-Short Version
YouTube - Mercedes Headlamp Restoration Real Time
