Polished Cloudy Headlight Lenses (With Photos)

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Originally Posted By: JLawrence08648
I did mine a few years ago, bought the sandpaper at Home Depot and used a uv clear plastic spray paint. It came out great but it didn't last but 2 years. Going to do it again using the special applied uv coating from aap or az.


Just to be sure, you applied a UV sealant and it only lasted 2 years ? Have to wonder how long before re-polishing them would have been needed if you hadn't ! What's confusing is it takes what seems like 5+ years for this haze to develop from when a vehicle is new but once it has, even after polishing it returns so quickly.

I did call one of the manufacturers of the polish (I have Nulens and it may have been that I called) and asked about a UV coating. They recommended simply applying WAX vs spraying the headlights with a coating.
 
I'll add some advice, which my son-in-law gave to me, about doing this job: As you're sanding, the lens will get milky and/or cloudy and you might think you've RUINED the headlight. Don't worry and keep sanding, changing grit, and so on. As I was doing this, my neighbor was over talking and watching and he was thinking the same thing but I remembered what I was told and also mentioned it to him. As I continued, got to the polishing or buffing step, he would step back and look and kept repeating how great it was starting to look.
 
Originally Posted By: WhizkidTN
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Originally Posted By: WhizkidTN
https://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?52309-Headlight-Protectant


Is this stuff sort've a spray wax?


The first one is a paste (like a wax), the newest is some sort of spray on (must mask off area I'm guessing).


It's a small 4 ounce can of clear coat. Yes, you have to mask off very carefully. I applied it last June and it looks so-so at best. I was hoping for better durability than that. I'd rather apply a headlight sealant every few months or get a bet clear coat for it.

Trav has recommended this clear for lights as far as rattle cans go. Which contains enough product to do about 10 lights.

U-POL
 
Just did our '09 Mazda 5 with the Meguiar kit. I'm happy with the results, but don't know yet how often this will need to be done. I don't have before-and-after photos of the same lens, but they were both about the same:

Driver's Side (Before):


Passenger Side (After):


The kit came with:
- a flexible sandpaper holder with Velcro hooks
- one 1000-grit sandpaper disc with Velcro fuzz
- one 3000-grit sandpaper disc with Velcro fuzz
- a buffing pad (to be used with a drill)
- a bottle of fine cutting polish
- a bottle of UV protectant

There seems to be enough left that I could do a couple more pairs of lenses.
 
Originally Posted By: Number_35
Just did our '09 Mazda 5 with the Meguiar kit. I'm happy with the results, but don't know yet how often this will need to be done. I don't have before-and-after photos of the same lens, but they were both about the same:

Quite the transformation.
 
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Originally Posted By: WhizkidTN
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Originally Posted By: WhizkidTN
https://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?52309-Headlight-Protectant


Is this stuff sort've a spray wax?


The first one is a paste (like a wax), the newest is some sort of spray on (must mask off area I'm guessing).


It's a small 4 ounce can of clear coat. Yes, you have to mask off very carefully. I applied it last June and it looks so-so at best. I was hoping for better durability than that. I'd rather apply a headlight sealant every few months or get a bet clear coat for it.

Trav has recommended this clear for lights as far as rattle cans go. Which contains enough product to do about 10 lights.

U-POL


The U Pol is very good and will last for years, you just have to put a couple of thin coats on and not try to use it like a regular paint rattle can.
It will look mottled when first sprayed but settles down glass smooth in a few min, people see this and try to load it on thicker and get runs.

You really don't need any sort of kit, they really are a total waste of money, a Foam backed Trizact disc with water in various grits on a DA sander depending on how bad the lights are but always final with 3000, 3M compound finish and buff with a small rotary or DA with make any light like new.

A wipe down with IPA and U Pol or 2K clear (the best option if available) will keep them like this for years. Nason makes a good 2K medium solids fast dry clear in quarts that is clear as distilled water and does a great job if you have the spray equipment.
For the ultimate factory new finish put 3 coats of clear on (the last one is sacrificial) sand it with the 3000 Trizact, buff with compound (3M #1)and ultra fine compound #3.

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-Trizact-Hookit-Foam-Abrasive-Disc-443SA/?N=5002385+3293223566&rt=rud

https://www.johnsonautobodysupply.com/Axalta-Nason-Spot-Panel-Urethane-Clearcoat-(Quart).html
 
Another option for protection is C.Quartz DLUX from auto geek.net. Which is a coating for wheels and trim. Not cheap but does last per a detailer on here from CA.
 
Nice work. Gotta love 3M's stuff. I'd suggest a couple of coats of UV protect. Use that stuff Trav recommends in his thread. I think it's under 'electrical' now. That will protect your three hour investment.
 
Once the 3M kit is used, it's not necessary to use it again, unless you allow your lenses to get as bad as they were when you first used the kit. My lenses were so cloudy I could barely see through them, but the 3M kit cleared them up very nicely. Now I just go over them by hand about every 3 months or so using Mequiars 105. I wouldn't bother putting a clear coat on them as that too goes bad, then you'll have to use the kit again, taping everything off and the whole 9 yards in order to clear them up again. It's much easier just going over them about every 3 months by hand with the 105 to keep them looking nice...
 
Originally Posted By: grampi
Once the 3M kit is used, it's not necessary to use it again, unless you allow your lenses to get as bad as they were when you first used the kit. My lenses were so cloudy I could barely see through them, but the 3M kit cleared them up very nicely. Now I just go over them by hand about every 3 months or so using Mequiars 105. I wouldn't bother putting a clear coat on them as that too goes bad, then you'll have to use the kit again, taping everything off and the whole 9 yards in order to clear them up again. It's much easier just going over them about every 3 months by hand with the 105 to keep them looking nice...


Can Meguiars 105 be used if the lenses are sealed with Meguiars spray-on lens sealer? I recently applied the sealer to my Ody (6 yrs old with near perfect lenses), but would like to avoid taping/masking every time. The hand rubbed application sure would be convenient! I just don't want to remove part of the sealer and have lines across the lenses, requiring full sanding/buffing.
 
I had same issue. I used some "polishing" compound,a slightly damped sponge and a heavy cloth to buff. Took around 20 mins per lens and they are like new. I would like to know of something to apply to the lens to help prevent it from happening again.
 
Originally Posted By: Lubener
I had same issue. I used some "polishing" compound,a slightly damped sponge and a heavy cloth to buff. Took around 20 mins per lens and they are like new. I would like to know of something to apply to the lens to help prevent it from happening again.


Maybe a spray wax?
 
Originally Posted By: Lubener
I had same issue. I used some "polishing" compound,a slightly damped sponge and a heavy cloth to buff. Took around 20 mins per lens and they are like new. I would like to know of something to apply to the lens to help prevent it from happening again.

I use Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid sealant wax - adds a layer of protection and UV as well. I also use my Chemical Guys spray wax after every time I wash the car to add some more protection, including UV as provided by their product(s).

Both those products are very easy on, easy off...and leave no residue.
 
Originally Posted By: RyanY
Originally Posted By: grampi
Once the 3M kit is used, it's not necessary to use it again, unless you allow your lenses to get as bad as they were when you first used the kit. My lenses were so cloudy I could barely see through them, but the 3M kit cleared them up very nicely. Now I just go over them by hand about every 3 months or so using Mequiars 105. I wouldn't bother putting a clear coat on them as that too goes bad, then you'll have to use the kit again, taping everything off and the whole 9 yards in order to clear them up again. It's much easier just going over them about every 3 months by hand with the 105 to keep them looking nice...


Can Meguiars 105 be used if the lenses are sealed with Meguiars spray-on lens sealer? I recently applied the sealer to my Ody (6 yrs old with near perfect lenses), but would like to avoid taping/masking every time. The hand rubbed application sure would be convenient! I just don't want to remove part of the sealer and have lines across the lenses, requiring full sanding/buffing.


Good question. I've never used the lens sealer. I also don't like having to tape off around the lenses every time either, which is why I don't apply any sealer. If I use the 105 by hand every 3 or 4 months, then no taping is required...
 
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