headlight cleaning ?

[natedogco2007]

Hello all... I think that i may have found a perfect cure to the nasty yellow headlights that plague our explorers. Everyone has seen those cleaning kits to fix their lights and clear them up, but most don't work. I work at a local parts store and i had a customer that is a good friend and may have just stumbled onto the best thing since sliced bread. The day before i had tried to clean my headlights with a kit that worked well on my 91 and still worked on my 97 but they weren't as clean as i wanted them. Well my friend was refinishing a table in his garage, near his 88 thunderbird sc and happened to have a lil overspray land on his headlights and noticed that they cleared right up on those spots, so he got a lil curious and masked off the surrounding area and sprayed the headlights with some clear minwax fast drying polyurathane (sp?) in a can. they seemed to cloud up at first but then they cleared right up and looked better than new. He came into the store to get something and parked near the front door and i noticed his headlights and inquired about them. he told me what he did so i took the can outta his car and tried it on my clean headlights and sure enough the spots i couldn't clean cleared right up. I would recommend that you do use some sand paper technique first then use the polyurathane. They seem to look good as new. as far as how long this lasts i am not sure but i don't see why it wouldn't last for a long time. Minwax was informed of this and the secretary went crazy when she found that this worked on her taurus. try it. if it doesn't work you are out like 6 bux and if it works you saved 80 some bux on a set of clears. maybe this should be on the list of useful links?????????

 

[sethpdx]

Yea! Im going to try that out this weekend! btw what is the sandpaper techneque?

 

[brandon916]

minwax? where can i get it and whats it used for?

 

[Zulu95]

Yea! Im going to try that out this weekend! btw what is the sandpaper techneque?

I removed deep pitting from a set of BMW X5 headlights using wet 800/1000/1500 grit wet/dry paper then rubbing compound followed by clearcoat polishing compound.
Looked almost new!

 

[churd69]

make sure you get the minwax for outdoor applications, also it will probably start flaking soon, weather and the heat from the headlights, I would like to see some pics when you finish and pics in a few weeks/mths.

-Rich

 

[rgoers]

I have used Kit Scratch Out with very good success on several cars. You can get it at Wal-Mart for a few bucks, and it works as well as the kit I bought that was made for headlights which cost 10x as much! I rub it on with a cloth, then go at it with my electric buffer. Lights come out smooth and clear!

Who was the idiot who decided to use PLASTIC for headlight covers instead of glass anyway...???

 

[natedogco2007]

i used a wet sanding technique with 400/ 800/ 1000/ 1500 grit. worked really well. also advance sells a kit that's like 13 bux and has a polishing compound too but i only used the polyurathane.

 

[Abom]

What everyone needs to use is a product called "Plastic X", made by Meguiars. It's designed to polish clear plastics, including removing fogging, sun damage, scratches, etc. I've used it on everything from headlights to my cheap-o wrist watch, and it works like nothing else.

 

[gijoecam]

I've tried the lacquer... it only lasted until the first couple of stone chips started it cracking, then it peeled right off in big chunks.

3-M makes some good plastic cleaner and polish too.

Before:

Half and Half:

Half and half... WOW what a difference!

After close-up:

-Joe

 

[David in NC]

Isn't the minwax kind of like clear coating the car's finish? Why wouldn't a good polyurethane clear coat put a good protective finish on the lens that would least a long time?

 

[gijoecam]

It is, but polyeurethane clear coat is pretty brittle stuff by itself. It doesn't actually bond with the plastic very well (in my experience) and flakes off pretty easily. All it takes is one decent stone chip. The polycarbonate lens alone doesn't let the polyeurethane penetrate and bond very well at all. If you used some plastic etching solvents and special primers, that might work, but it'd probably be pretty pricey. I'd rather put a little elbow grease into it and clean the oxidation off it with the 3-M stuff. The pics speak for themselves. Those lenses stayed clean for the next two years I had it and the year and a half after that while my little brother drove it.

-Joe

 

[Bakari]

What is the name of the 3M cleaner & where can I get it?? sure would save on buying new headlamps! thx

 

[gijoecam]

Not sure who carries it in your area... I bought mine at Murrays Discount Auto Store, a regional chain in the upper midwest (based in MI). It's 3M Professional Formula Plastic Cleaner, and underneath it it says, For Clear or Colored Plastics. Part # 051131, and the number under that says 39017. It's a black 8oz bottle, and you can see it sitting on the hood in the third pic....

-Joe

 

[Bakari]

Thanks gijoecam.....i tried the KIT Scratch Out...it worked..I don't have an electric buffer but I saw a noticable difference with just hand buffing...I am going to look for the 3M product next time I go in to the big city..which is 85 miles lol

 

[sethpdx]

Thanks gijoecam.....i tried the KIT Scratch Out...it worked..I don't have an electric buffer but I saw a noticable difference with just hand buffing...I am going to look for the 3M product next time I go in to the big city..which is 85 miles lol

85 miles?? Man its a damn good thing you have internet

 

[RocketFoot]

I've used Meg's PlastiX with great success on my 91 Taurus lights. I found sample packs at Autozone for $.99! It took the yellowing and fogging out and removed most of the scratches in the lens. I did leave a wax coating, but I think it will need to be applied maybe twice a year to keep it clear.

 

[Bakari]

Aint that the truth!! I can't wait to get moved to THE big city...Being from Cali orginally I do miss the convience & cement lol