Cleaned a co-worker's headlights

[sciphi]

One of my co-workers was complaining his 2004ish Mazda3's headlights were cloudy. Sure enough, they were pretty well opaqued. I told him I'd supply the supplies if he could get a buffing wheel for my cordless drill, since we were reviving the headlights in the parking lot at work. The supplies I had not touched for a long time, so it was no big loss to dust them off and use a little bit. Of course, he forgets. So we find a couple of clean rags and carry on by hand.

After rubbing compound, polishing compound, Plast-X, and a top coat of Collinite 476, the headlights were much clearer. Mind you, this was done by hand. If we'd had the drill supplying the motive force, they would have looked almost new. Co-worker was amazed at the difference, as he had tried an expensive "headlight repair kit" that had not touched the oxidation at all. And we had just cleaned his headlights in less than 10 minutes by hand. I told him it would likely need to be touched up in a few months, and he was fine with that.

Still amazed what a few pennies of polishes and waxes will do, even on a fairly neglected headlight.

 

[Donald]

Could you feel the damaged areas with your fingers?

If you have 2 or 3 levels of abrasive you can do it easily by hand. You are almost better doing it by hand as you can feel when you are done with that level of abrasive.

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Could you feel the damaged areas with your fingers?

If you have 2 or 3 levels of abrasive you can do it easily by hand. You are almost better doing it by hand as you can feel when you are done with that level of abrasive.


Some of them, yes. Those areas ended up looking much better, although far from perfect.

He wasn't using as much product, so his side turned out worse than mine. Then again, I've had a fair bit of practice over the years on various cars of mine.

 

[NHGUY]

Dont be surprised when they dull again in less than a year.Its impossible to renew old plastic to perfectly clear,and there will still be pot marks no matter how much sanding.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Dont be surprised when they dull again in less than a year.Its impossible to renew old plastic to perfectly clear,and there will still be pot marks no matter how much sanding.


I have but have yet to try 3M headlight sealant/protector. Will that help?

 

[LeakySeals]

A couple of months ago I talked to a retired guy that drives around restoring headlights. Watched him for a while in the parking lot. He starts with 1000 grit wet sanding by hand. Then he uses 2 different grades of buffing compound. German brand, never heard of it before. Then he finishes it off with a polish. Took him 2 hours. I'm watching the headlights he restored, still look perfect. Glad I grabbed his card, for what he charges may as well let him do it.

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Dont be surprised when they dull again in less than a year.Its impossible to renew old plastic to perfectly clear,and there will still be pot marks no matter how much sanding.


I told him that. He was okay with it. Being able to see again without replacing the headlights was a nice holiday gift for him.

 

[Vikas]

Couple years ago, I posted something similar. The nice clean lights lasted for few months before they reverted back to their original condition. I had only use M105 and wax on it though and no sandpaper. The difference on first day was dramatic though.

 

[rslifkin]

As long as they're not too bad and only clouded on the outside, I've generally had good luck with a fairly mild rubbing compound applied by hand. It does need to be re-done every few months to a year when they start to re-haze a little.

 

[Kestas]

Restoring by polishing removes the UV coating. There's nothing in anybody's bag of tricks that can fix that. They'll be dull again in a short while.

Bring back sealed glass lamps. They're patently better.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
Bring back sealed glass lamps. They're patently better.


I couldn't agree more. I can nail my F-150 with all the rocks, sand, and UV rays I could want and have factory new (better than factory new, really, using halogen sealed beams instead of conventional sealed beams) for far less than what a set of headlight assemblies costs on just about anything else.

My Audi 200 cost just under $500 to replace both sides. A couple model years earlier as the Audi 5000, it would have cost hundreds less.

 

[rslifkin]

Best mod I ever did to the Jeep was ditching the stock plastic housing lights for the ($$$$) e-codes from an export version of the same Jeep. Much better beam pattern, uses H4 bulbs (options for overwattage high beams, I run 100/55 bulbs in them) and the lenses are glass.

 

[Papa Bear]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
Restoring by polishing removes the UV coating. There's nothing in anybody's bag of tricks that can fix that. They'll be dull again in a short while.

Bring back sealed glass lamps. They're patently better.


Right on, Kestas, and bring back front and rear steel bumpers too.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

Originally Posted By: rslifkin
Best mod I ever did to the Jeep was ditching the stock plastic housing lights for the ($$$$) e-codes from an export version of the same Jeep. Much better beam pattern, uses H4 bulbs (options for overwattage high beams, I run 100/55 bulbs in them) and the lenses are glass.


Protect those glass ones with X-pel or headlight armor. Sucks when rock hits them and you see glass fly.

On my cars from new I did X-pel on the plastic versions and with 6 years on one and 10 on other (both 100K) the lenses are crystal clear. Not sure if the vinyl blocks the UV or just keeps sand/rocks from blasting coatings off. Either way it's a GREAT investment.

Some people I saw restore lights (sand/polish) then sprayed with a UV blocking gloss clear like this U-POLClear #1 available from autobody supply places. I'd still cover with the vinyl afterward.

I purchased e-code lights for my Corolla when in Aruba on vacation (glass H4 vs. plastic 9005/9006). 6 months later I watched the rock from truck ahead and prayed "hit the windshield, hit the windshield" prayer didn't work, headlight shattered! Lucked out co-worker went to Aruba 2 weeks later so gave her all info and she got replacement for me. Internet searches and calls were not helpful on replacement so I got lucky. I've been on X-pel for all lights fog/driving/headlights ever since.

 

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted By: Sequoiasoon
Protect those glass ones with X-pel or headlight armor. Sucks when rock hits them and you see glass fly.

On my cars from new I did X-pel on the plastic versions and with 6 years on one and 10 on other (both 100K) the lenses are crystal clear. Not sure if the vinyl blocks the UV or just keeps sand/rocks from blasting coatings off. Either way it's a GREAT investment.

Some people I saw restore lights (sand/polish) then sprayed with a UV blocking gloss clear like this U-POLClear #1 available from autobody supply places. I'd still cover with the vinyl afterward.

I purchased e-code lights for my Corolla when in Aruba on vacation (glass H4 vs. plastic 9005/9006). 6 months later I watched the rock from truck ahead and prayed "hit the windshield, hit the windshield" prayer didn't work, headlight shattered! Lucked out co-worker went to Aruba 2 weeks later so gave her all info and she got replacement for me. Internet searches and calls were not helpful on replacement so I got lucky. I've been on X-pel for all lights fog/driving/headlights ever since.


Good idea, I'll have to look into that. Availability of e-code housings for this thing isn't an issue, they're easy to get, but they are expensive ($250 for a pair).

 

[Smokescreen]

So the ecodes have beam patterns that work for right hand side driving?

 

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
So the ecodes have beam patterns that work for right hand side driving?


Yep. They're the ones used in Germany and other countries that drive on the right (rather than the ones used in countries that drive on the left). The pattern is great, it's kinda low on the left, steps up a little in front of the Jeep, then slants up to the right off the right edge of the road for better vision into the trees at night. Plus, they've got a pretty nice cutoff, especially for halogen reflectors with lens optics.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: rslifkin
Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
So the ecodes have beam patterns that work for right hand side driving?


Yep. They're the ones used in Germany and other countries that drive on the right (rather than the ones used in countries that drive on the left). The pattern is great, it's kinda low on the left, steps up a little in front of the Jeep, then slants up to the right off the right edge of the road for better vision into the trees at night. Plus, they've got a pretty nice cutoff, especially for halogen reflectors with lens optics.
When you take a UK car to the rest of Europe there is a "sticker" system which is applied to the lamp to avoid blinding left hand drivers. If you watch BBC Top Gear closely you will see these attached to the headl;ights when they take a right hand drive car to Europe.

 

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
When you take a UK car to the rest of Europe there is a "sticker" system which is applied to the lamp to avoid blinding left hand drivers. If you watch BBC Top Gear closely you will see these attached to the headl;ights when they take a right hand drive car to Europe.


Even better, some housings (like the ones in my Jeep), have the ability to install the bulbs in an alternate, rotated position that flattens the cutoffs for that situation. IIRC, you do have to use a screwdriver to rotate the bulb holder to the alternate position though, so it's about a 5 - 7 minute change per side.