- Pitted & Hazed headlights restored :) -

[EndangeredBeatz]

Before:

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1166.jpg

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1168.jpg

After:

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1182.jpg

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1183.jpg

Started with a 600 grit & moved up to 2000. Going in a different direction every grit. No circles.
It took alot of elbow grease & believe it was easier being that the lights were off the car.


After 600 & 800 wet sanding; SCARY!

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1171.jpg

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1170.jpg

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1169.jpg

After the last wet sand, I went with the 3M rubbing compound, Meguiars Glaze then Meguiars Wax:

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1188.jpg

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1178.jpg

Done! :)

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1180.jpg

This is the 2nd headlight after the 1st sanding. I started with the highbeam side. The damage was noticable:

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1172.jpg

The right light is after 600, 800, 1000, 1500 & 2000 wet sanding:

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1184.jpg

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1187.jpg

Both done! :)

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1191-1.jpg

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1193.jpg

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1192.jpg

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp144/DaRealDVS1/Light%20restore/DSC_1197.jpg

[speedfreak81]

GREAT job!

[dackfighter]

I went through this recently and i know exactly how you feel when I did that first pass but i started with ... 220 grit and went up through 400 800 1500 2000 Megs UC Megs SR and Megs Wax

now i need to do this to my fogs..
have any recommendations for spherical surface sanding..

[Balthazarr]

I took my PC DA and Meg's 105 and made the passenger hl look as new as the crystal clear driver's side on a 2001 Toyota Corolla, yesterday whilst doing the exterior paint.

Just about any compound will do the same. No need to buy special kits someone dreamed up to make more money.
When the owner sends me some pics he took, I'll post them.

[Tadpole]

Bought a 3m kit from the auto parts store to do this. Would not recommend a kit from this point on.
Great job on the headlights.

[dackfighter]

Bought a 3m kit from the auto parts store to do this. Would not recommend a kit from this point on.
Great job on the headlights.

the kits are mainly directed towards removing the oxidation off of the headlights. while not effectivly removing pitting and sandblasting. you would need to sand for quite a while if you wanted to use the 3m kit to get the pitting out.

It took me a while at 220 to get below the pitting on my headlights. Even though it sanded fast there were a few that were pretty deeply imbeded. since i took my headlight covers off to work on them it would probably have gone faster if i used a rotary sander to carefully lap the pitting out..

my rant is over..

tl:dr don't buy kit for pitting

[TOGWT]

OP great job, you might want to look into UV protection. The OEM includes this on their light units, polishing will remove this coating leaving them unprotected, and will lead to yellowing

[pellinore]

Great job

[EndangeredBeatz]

Thanks guys:)




OP great job, you might want to look into UV protection. The OEM includes this on their light units, polishing will remove this coating leaving them unprotected, and will lead to yellowing

I used this:
http://www.myboatstore.com/aerospaceprotectant.asp

Hope it works out.

[Tadpole]

the kits are mainly directed towards removing the oxidation off of the headlights. while not effectivly removing pitting and sandblasting. you would need to sand for quite a while if you wanted to use the 3m kit to get the pitting out.

It took me a while at 220 to get below the pitting on my headlights. Even though it sanded fast there were a few that were pretty deeply imbeded. since i took my headlight covers off to work on them it would probably have gone faster if i used a rotary sander to carefully lap the pitting out..

my rant is over..

tl:dr don't buy kit for pitting

I focused on getting the oxidation removed more than the pitting. It left markings on the light. Will need to go back with a finer sand paper to clean mine up.

[snowtrax]

I've looked over this thread probably five times because I'm amazed at how well they came out. I'm going to attempt this with my lights. They're not quite as bad as yours were but with a good sanding they should look almost new. I polished my lights with rubbing compound and they got better but not nearly as good as yours. I hope I don't screw up!

[TC2]

Put some sealant on the headlights and they should stay clear for a very long time before they start to oxidize again.

[EndangeredBeatz]

Put some sealant on the headlights and they should stay clear for a very long time before they start to oxidize again.

Thanks.
Any recommendations?


I've looked over this thread probably five times because I'm amazed at how well they came out. I'm going to attempt this with my lights. They're not quite as bad as yours were but with a good sanding they should look almost new. I polished my lights with rubbing compound and they got better but not nearly as good as yours. I hope I don't screw up!

If you need any other advice, just let me know.
If they are not as bad as the ones I did above, you could start off with a higher grit. 800 or 1000.
Less work :)



This sounds good...:ponder

http://www.superiorcarcare.net/diamondite-plastic-protectant.html?productid=diamondite-plastic-protectant&channelid=FROOG

[snowtrax]

I did all of the sanding but I used Plastx and also tried Meguiar's Ultimate Compound but they have a lot of light scratches.

[EndangeredBeatz]

Rubbing compound has to be used right after the last grit prior to applying anything else...
Plastix should be used right before a UV sealant which is the last step.