Bored early this morning and my Dad was saying he couldn't see well at night and even worse in the rain, so I decided to clean up his headlights. I had left over stuff from when I did a couple other headlights so why not.

Before: They were a lot more yellow/hazy in person...



After:





Missed a couple spots on the bottom

Materials:

-1000 and 1500 grit wet/dry sand paper
-3M Perfect It II Rubbing Compound
-Your choice in Polishing compound
-Your choice in Wax
-Microfiber towel
-Buffer (not really needed)

1. Clean headlight with soap/water, dry
2. Have a constant running water source (hose)
3. Get 1000 grit sand paper. I started with 1000 becuase the headlights were just hazy not scratched up.
4. Put the hose over the headlight and start wet sanding with the 1000 grit. Go from left to right/ right to left, DO NOT CHANGE DIRECTIONS ( ex: up and down)
5. Clean the headlight
6. Repeat steps 2-4 but use 1500 grit this time.
7. Clean/dry headlight well.
8. Get your buffer/towel and follow the directions on the 3M bottle.
9. Polish the headlight.
10. Wax the headlight.

*Note: Headlight will look hazy after each grit but will come out after buffing.*

I think that's it.


Modified by DFW at 4:42 PM 10/22/2006

 

Did you need to take them apart?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Newk &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Did you need to take them apart?</TD></TR></TABLE>

No, I did them on the car. It was just the outside so no need to pry them open.

 

I'll have a quick write up in a second for all those people PM'ing me since there's a few others already.

 

thats dope, did you just like buff them out or something?

 

im interested in the diy write up

what a sweet son you are

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ekx4 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">thats dope, did you just like buff them out or something?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Added a quick write up

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by WOMENZ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">im interested in the diy write up

what a sweet son you are</TD></TR></TABLE>

I know

 

No one like them lol

 

nice job

 

does this work on glass headlights?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DFW &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">No one like them lol</TD></TR></TABLE>

maybe because its a 4Runner...lol.

 

looks alot better

 

nice write-up, I need to do this to my car.

 

What is that, a Saab 9000 or a Toyota Tacoma lol

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sandiegan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What is that, a Saab 9000 or a Toyota Tacoma lol</TD></TR></TABLE>

Tacoma haha.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DeadEnd9009 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">does this work on glass headlights? </TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't think so...I've only done it on plastic.

 

Yeah you just sanded all the uv protection off..the plastic will turn yellow again within a month or two..you have to clearcoat after you wetsand..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by StylishDOHC &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah you just sanded all the uv protection off..the plastic will turn yellow again within a month or two..you have to clearcoat after you wetsand.. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I've done it on a few other cars that aren't garaged. Just wax it every time you wash the car.

What do you suggest, spray wheel clear coat on there?

 

How about some plastic head lights... when they turn yellowish, you think it would work?????

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Flipnotize21 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How about some plastic head lights... when they turn yellowish, you think it would work????? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Read the post...these are/were yellowish, just didn't show up on camera.

 

I did this stuff on my jdm itr lights a while back, turned out great

It was quite stained from inside too (dunno how or why) but I cracked them open and did it inside as well and it looked great now!!

 

niceee work!

 

Looks great...nice write up

 

Thanks

 

yeah i did this to my old civic headlights.. and my new type r headlights just so they look better! good write up btw!!