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Used the 3M Heavy Duty Headlight Restoration kit. Worked great. Took a lot longer than I would have thought, but results are pretty good. Not too sure how well the wax included in the box will actually hold up to prevent future yellowing. Does anybody have a recommendation for a good spray-on clear coat with UV protection?
Driver's side still looks a little dull in the after pic, but I think that is how the light is catching it.
The 3M one has sand paper from 800? 1000? and 2000? then polishing compound. It kind of takes a leap of faith to go scuffing those expensive lenses. but it does come out nice and takes all the stone chips and such off as well.
Personally, I've used paint sealants(Klasse and Ultima PPP) a couple times a year with good results. The above example is more permanent for if you do not want to hassle with sealing the lights every few months.
Why did you bother taping the body off? As easy is to R&R the lights, just pop them out and save the hassle and worry.
I used one of the 3M kits over the summer and it only covered one light. Things happened and I never got to the other light. It looked really stupid for awhile, but now you can't tell which one was cleaned. I'd say that if your car lives outside like ours does, count on this being a yearly chore.
It seemed easier to leave the lights in as they were more readily held in place. I don't really have any workbench space, and nothing I could have rigged up to hold them steady while going at them with the sanding discs.
I had a feeling it would be a yearly chore, but I also worry about the amount of material that comes off with each time. Granted, now that they are cleaned up after ~13 years of grime and yellowing, I probably won't have to sand as much each time. But at some point, I'd think those lenses would get pretty thin.
Originally Posted by gnat
Why did you bother taping the body off? As easy is to R&R the lights, just pop them out and save the hassle and worry.
I used one of the 3M kits over the summer and it only covered one light. Things happened and I never got to the other light. It looked really stupid for awhile, but now you can't tell which one was cleaned. I'd say that if your car lives outside like ours does, count on this being a yearly chore.
I didn't look at the Sylvania kit, but I like that it comes with a clear coat. It also looks like it relies on hand-sanding, which would be a nightmare. I can't imagine the amount of work it would have taken to sand by hand vs. using the power drill and sanding disc method.
The sylvania kit works great. The only way to clean the lenses is with progressive wet sanding 800-2500 grits. It took me less than 15 minutes to sand, doesn't take much time at all.
The sealant works great. Use 2 coats, wait a day between coats. It has enough sealant for 2-3 sets of lights.
You can also use minnwax glossy spar urethane, thinned 1/2 with mineral spirits.
02-23-2015, 01:25 PM
Reconditioned my lights this weekend
