restoring headlights

[Dr.Honda]

My '04 has headlights that have seen 100 K miles of sandblasting in it's previous life in CA. What's the best way to restore the headlight lenses from all the pitting? (windsheild is pretty bad too)
Thanks!

 

[gdae]

Are the bubbles made of plastic or glass? If plastic, let me know and I have an excellent suggestion. If glass, none of my attempts to fix glass have worked, though there might be pros out there.

 

[Erik B]

Are the bubbles made of plastic or glass? If plastic, let me know and I have an excellent suggestion. If glass, none of my attempts to fix glass have worked, though there might be pros out there.

What do you suggest for plastic? Im intrested for another car :redface:

 

[apkarian100]

I'd start wetsanding the plastic lenses with some low grit sand paper and then work your way up to higher grit paper. So start with 600 or 1000 grit wetsand paper, sanding till the big defects are out. Then repeat the process with 1500 grit and finally 2000 grit. Then go get some Meguiars Plastic-X with an applicator pad and buff out the micro-fine scratches from the 2000 grit.

 

[TiiiteNsx]

3M also has a plastic cleaner made for headlights which works extremely well. it's very similar to the meguiar's plastic-x. i've used both and its amazing how quickly either product can restore a heavily oxidized headlight. just apply and w/ a little elbow grease the headlight comes out crystal clear.

 

[Moses]

a lot of auto part stores carry headlight restoration kits.

 

[Dr.Honda]

thanks guys, I'll give it a try this w/e. I think the headlight lenses are plastic on the '02+, anyone know for sure?

 

[gdae]

What do you suggest for plastic? Im intrested for another car :redface:

Plastic is no problem. Sometimes the plexiglass (or whatever it is) gets a bleary haze; I've fixed this on vehicles such as Honda Accords and various Nissans.

Here's what you do: Go to the Woodcrafters web site and buy this kit:
http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?ProductID=142940&FamilyID=4014

Micromesh is meant for more than wood. They actually use this stuff to restore optical clarity on the plexiglas cockpit bubbles on fighter aircraft. You get a foam block and cloth-backed "sandpaper" in just the grits to step all the way from rough to smooth. The last "grits" are so fine it just feels like vinyl seat material in your hand; and when you start, you feel that surely you're messing things up. But you work through the grits, using water as lube, and when you're done, voila! The lights are perfect.
You can put a shine on any other hard surface with this stuff.

 

[NSXclear]

Before you start sanding down your headlights, always try the least aggressive method first. Trying using just Meguiars Plastic X first.

Stay away from any headlight restore kit or sand paper for now.

I have found that after sanding down your headlights, and buffing them out with polish and Plastic X, your headlights begin to haze. It ends up being worst than when you first started. I think the top layer pastic might have a coating and UV protectant.

 

[gdae]

Before you start sanding down your headlights, always try the least aggressive method first. Trying using just Meguiars Plastic X first.

Stay away from any headlight restore kit or sand paper for now.

I have found that after sanding down your headlights, and buffing them out with polish and Plastic X, your headlights begin to haze. It ends up being worst than when you first started. I think the top layer pastic might have a coating and UV protectant.

+1. Good rule of thumb: least aggressive methods first. Micromesh only after it is certain that your top layer is shot and the other compounds won’t work. And practice on the Accord, first.

 

[Mobius_Entwine]

Toothpaste works on plastic headlamp lenses.