Headlight lens restoration

[Rocky D]

My wife took her car a 2003 Toyota Matrix to the car wash to have it detailed, and they used some kind of chemical that made the headlight lenses opaque, and grainy...I went to the dealershipand asked them to replace the lenses, and they told me it would cost $614.00 because they had to replace the entire assembly! :eek:

So my question to you guys, who know...what can I do to either replace the lenses, or polish them out? This must have happened to others, I would think.

[newbie]

My wife took her car a 2003 Toyota Matrix to the car wash to have it detailed, and they used some kind of chemical that made the headlight lenses opaque, and grainy...I went to the dealershipand asked them to replace the lenses, and they told me it would cost $614.00 because they had to replace the entire assembly! :eek:

So my question to you guys, who know...what can I do to either replace the lenses, or polish them out? This must have happened to others, I would think.

They are easy to polish out! You can try paint polish or go here...

https://www.micro-surface.com/default.cfm?page_id=1

for a complete kit. If they are not too bad use a rubbing compound followed by a swirl remover and a polish.

[txfireguy2003]

I have polished several headlights that were "fogged up" from oxidation. I use metal polishing compound from Caswell plating and their soft buffing wheels on a pneumatic die grinder for high rpm. The come out looking good as new. I will post some before and after pics when I get home to use my computer.

[Bob]

I have done some also. Started very gently with #800 wet and dry sandpaper and soapy water. After the big stuff, I changed to #1500. Worked just fine.
I would recommend doing the work without removing them. Most plastic lamp assemblies snap in and out and the old plastic breakes easily. Slip some plastic around the spaces if you want some masking.

Bob

[Zrexxer]

Mother's Mag Polish works right spiffy, with the addition of an appropriate amount of elbow grease or electric power.

Thnkin' I'd be raising sand at the carwash, though.

[Rocky D]

I have polished several headlights that were "fogged up" from oxidation. I use metal polishing compound from Caswell plating and their soft buffing wheels on a pneumatic die grinder for high rpm. The come out looking good as new. I will post some before and after pics when I get home to use my computer.

Would ya like to visit San Diego? We could prolly have some fires for ya to put out, too! :D

I have some Turtle Wax rubbing compound, do ya think that would work? I already used some Blue Coral lens polish, but I need something stronger.

[txfireguy2003]

Would ya like to visit San Diego? We could prolly have some fires for ya to put out, too! :D.

No way man, those guys WORK! Climbing up in the hills with all the trees so you can't get a truck in there, not me. I put out fires with water, not a shovel!!! Hahaha.

Any good polishing compound should work. Maybe go down to your local gunshop and see if they have some lapping compound for lapping the action of a bolt action rifle. IMO, a high RPM powersource and a loose cotton, or spiral sewen wheel are a must. You could spend countless hours scrubbing by hand otherwise, with the wheels on the die grinder, takes less than 15 minutes per side. The ultra-fine wet dry sandpaper might be a good starting point as well, depending on how bad they are oxidized, but if you can rub your finger across them and don't feel the roughness, you're probably better to start off with the compounds. Here are some pics of the last set I did. Yes I know, they are different sides of the car, but I assure you, they were both equally oxidized and both turned out the same, just that once they cleared up, it was hard to get a good picture of them with the way the light was hitting them.

[gnewby]

Rocky couple of things that are supposed to work, both require some elbow grease.

The first one is using toothpaste and elbow grease.

The second plan would be to use Mother's Mag and Aluminum Cleaner, then polish with Mother's Plastic Polish.

Sam on Two Guy's Gararage uses the toothpaste with elbow grease technique.

[SC19881]

Hi Rocky,

Sorry to hear about the headlights. Some replys were good, and I would try some of these myself.

I know that Eastwood and Griot's Garage sell polishing compounds made for plastics and also sell buffing pads (for electric buffers/polishers) for these purposes. You may want to speak to their technical dept about your specific application.

good luck,

Seth

[pegleg1]

Rocky

You do not know me from Adam but I can tell you this. I own a windshield repair (17 yrs) and headlight restoration (4yrs) bussiness.... I ave before pics and after of a lot of the bad ones I have done to help sell myself.

There is a product on line that I use that will make your lights look brand new. not sorta new but brand new....

The pics that were posted look sorta new,,,,,,,,,,, Sorry is I affend anyone... The company is called: http://www.dvelup.com You can call them and get a sample kit that will do 3 cars for about 50.00 I do not remove the lights from the car and it will take me normaly 45 - 90 min. for a car.....

Send me your pics or post on line here, and I will tell you what you need to do....

The only thing most of these guys are not tell you is you need to reseal the lights and that is what is in the kit... It is like painting your car, you need to put a sealer on. Same for you lights to keep the UV off.....

I may even be able to find a shop in your town using the dvelip kit. I am on all the windshild repair foums under gt_repair if you want to check my world out....


One guy did mention (then polish with Mother's Plastic Polish. ) That will work on lights that are what I call are catoracts, Just starting to milk over.


Email me or post on her puplic and I can help.....


Don D.


I will need all of your input in welding later down the road, This is my live that pays for you welding toys. so this is my way of helping right now.....

[pegleg1]

txfirguy2003

Are you the one doing W/S repair also? I know there is a TX. fire guy on our forums.

[Rocky D]

Rocky

You do not know me from Adam but I can tell you this. I own a windshield repair (17 yrs) and headlight restoration (4yrs) bussiness.... I ave before pics and after of a lot of the bad ones I have done to help sell myself.

There is a product on line that I use that will make your lights look brand new. not sorta new but brand new....

The pics that were posted look sorta new,,,,,,,,,,, Sorry is I affend anyone... The company is called: http://www.dvelup.com You can call them and get a sample kit that will do 3 cars for about 50.00 I do not remove the lights from the car and it will take me normaly 45 - 90 min. for a car.....

Send me your pics or post on line here, and I will tell you what you need to do....

The only thing most of these guys are not tell you is you need to reseal the lights and that is what is in the kit... It is like painting your car, you need to put a sealer on. Same for you lights to keep the UV off.....

I may even be able to find a shop in your town using the dvelip kit. I am on all the windshild repair foums under gt_repair if you want to check my world out....


One guy did mention (then polish with Mother's Plastic Polish. ) That will work on lights that are what I call are catoracts, Just starting to milk over.


Email me or post on her puplic and I can help.....


Don D.


I will need all of your input in welding later down the road, This is my live that pays for you welding toys. so this is my way of helping right now.....

Thanks for the input, Don...where in AZ are you...We are doing a dogshow in Yuma this weekend.

[pegleg1]

Rocky

I live down in Sierra Vista. one hour south of Tucson. I think they just had a dog show out here....

Look at my post again hand you can see the pics I have done.. Again I like the hard ones...

[txfireguy2003]

txfirguy2003

Are you the one doing W/S repair also? I know there is a TX. fire guy on our forums.

Nope, no windshield repair for me. But I might know the guy who does it. One of the guys I work with at the FD does windshields on his days off.

As far as the toothpaste trick, it works, sorta. Might try it on some very lightly oxidized lenses. I tried it first on a late 90's model chevy for my dad and it did help, but didn't get them clear, just slightly less white. They were pretty bad to start out with though. The superfine polishing compounds that I had left over from polishing axes and other metals worked really well. Pegleg, you're right, those particular lenses aren't the best pics, just the only pics I had available. Biggest part of the problem was the lighting, since I'm no photographer. A smaller part of the problem is that I did those for my girlfriend on short notice because she needed her car inspected and was in a hurry to get somewhere when I was done, so I just hooked up the air hose and did a 10 minute job on them, then used a UV protectant wax that said it was good for clear plastics as well as paint. That was almost 2 years ago and they still look the same as the day I did it.

[pegleg1]

Txfireguy2003

I looked him up on the w/s forums and found a name and would it be K. Payne? He has in his bio as being near Austin.

If not, no biggy

[txfireguy2003]

Nope, not the same guy. I'm in Temple, which is only about an hour North of Austin, but we are a conservative part of the state, so we try to distance ourselves from Austin as much as possible! Too many wierdos and hippies down there!!!

[Rocky D]

Rocky

I live down in Sierra Vista. one hour south of Tucson. I think they just had a dog show out here....

Look at my post again hand you can see the pics I have done.. Again I like the hard ones...
Don, I found your website...pretty impressive....is this the stuff you were talking about?
http://www.headlightsolution.net/productinfo_restore_clean_plastic_headlights_headl amps_kits.html

[pegleg1]

Rocky

I did not know I had a web site. I did post pics on here. Is that what you are talking about?

I tryed that brand you linked in, not as good. Everyone has their sorta kits out now day trying to get on the band wagon. I use DVELUP, They been around for a long time and they have proved them selves by me... Here is thir web site and the one I would recomend for you.

http://dvelup.com/ProfitShopping/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=45&osCsid=fe6920b33cb58b296b9f851a9421828b

It is a trial starter that will give you about 3 cars to do. (find a freind and try on his car first, Kidding) Go in with them and do a freind along with yours.

They use scotch padds at differant coarseneses, but if yours are really bad use wet/dry 400 , 600, and then there gry pads then the white ones. The dvd should tell you step by step. They have a compound/primmer that you rub on after all the sanding them their 2 part sealer that gets wiped on and leave it along for about 30 - 60 mins. Good as glossy new...

I have gone though 2 other kits before staying with these guys.... And you can call them and ask anything, If Sandy or Mini can not answer it they will have the teck call you..
Or drop me a line and I will talk you through it phone or web....

I try to be the best I can at what I do. and I think I am. I get 100. + to do what I do know questions. All my work is on refferals from others.....

I can send other pics from light haze jobs to the ugly ones....

Talk later.

[pegleg1]

I searched myself under my W/S user name and found a lot of posts mostly on H/L Restoring. Glad I have not affended anyone for a while. HA HA..
I am board doing W/S chips, I like doing something to were you can stand back and see what you have done. That is one reason I got into doing headlights.... I guess that is why I like building things.

I just got done building drop down walls for our horses on a 22 X 72 foot shelter that I made last year, and this year I made 8' and 12' long walls that are hinged from the top and drop down on bad days. I like tinkering with things like that.

I made all the rafter hangers from scratch and a homade safty catch for when the walls are up out of the way.. and the walls are made from 1x1 sq.tubing with metal skin to match the tack room.

I am srill waiting to tell my wife I want more toys..... I mean tools to make things faster and easyer.. I bought the Plazma cutter and the Passport this year and it paid off so far.

[Rocky D]

Rocky

I did not know I had a web site. I did post pics on here. Is that what you are talking about?
...

This one
http://wecleanheadlights.com/arizona/sierra_vista_az_headlight_restoration/index.htm

I agree..."a man is only as good as his tools" (Dunno who said that...kinda sounds like Clint Eastwood.) :D

[Bob]

Pegleg1,

Thank you for the lead to Dvelup. I ordered the mini-starter kit. For those reading the kit w/o training video was $30 + $13 to ship. They claim it does about 8 headlights. Quite interested to see how it works compared to my 'home remeady' approach.

You said you are in Serria Vista. Been a long time; I spent about a year working there on business trips over about 3 years. Lots of history, interesting geography, weather that is visually dramatic, but safe, more neat stuff within a easy drive. Good times.

Bob

[556man]

About 15 years ago I used PPG polishing compound to polish the stoplight I bought from a junkyard. I use that polishing compound polishing the car paint after painting. Works great and quick and the stoplight was like new after I did it. I'm out of that PPG but I bought a new 3M polishing compound which should be similar to PPG. You could IM me with your address if you like to try it and I'll send you a small bottle to use.

556man

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v373/556man/PolishingCompound.jpg

[pegleg1]

Rocky

How bad are the lights? Are they just milky? Most Toyota's are just milky but the olded ones(98-00) look pritty crusty.
A person can use rubbing compond but that will only take off the flakes and it will continue to flake.

It is like painting your house with flaking paint, You need to remove all the loose paint and reprime before repainting... Same thing here.

That web site is a genaric site a guy built and sells a spot on it with no compation in the same town..... I have 3 differant ones out there like that.. If I know how to do a web page I would have one my self... one I could ap pics any time I want. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Maybe I will get lucky and be able to trade it out some day.... I traded out my tax prepair last year. I love bardering..

[pegleg1]

Bob

Did you work on base or just in town?

The town is trying to grow. I do not know how long it has been but the big box stores have moved in.... Calif. and Nevada are moving in and paying top dollar for homes....
I took advantage of that and sold in town and mover out 17 miles in the country.;) Room to play and build things in my doghouse. ( I'm the dog.)
When the wife says to go to your doghouse, I willingly go........ When I was having my shed built, I would say I am building a doghouse and tell them the size, everyone asks how big is the dog, My wife tells them I am the dog....:D

[450deer]

Rocky

I did not know I had a web site. I did post pics on here. Is that what you are talking about?

I tryed that brand you linked in, not as good. Everyone has their sorta kits out now day trying to get on the band wagon. I use DVELUP, They been around for a long time and they have proved them selves by me... Here is thir web site and the one I would recomend for you.

http://dvelup.com/ProfitShopping/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=45&osCsid=fe6920b33cb58b296b9f851a9421828b

It is a trial starter that will give you about 3 cars to do. (find a freind and try on his car first, Kidding) Go in with them and do a freind along with yours.

They use scotch padds at differant coarseneses, but if yours are really bad use wet/dry 400 , 600, and then there gry pads then the white ones. The dvd should tell you step by step. They have a compound/primmer that you rub on after all the sanding them their 2 part sealer that gets wiped on and leave it along for about 30 - 60 mins. Good as glossy new...

I have gone though 2 other kits before staying with these guys.... And you can call them and ask anything, If Sandy or Mini can not answer it they will have the teck call you..
Or drop me a line and I will talk you through it phone or web....

I try to be the best I can at what I do. and I think I am. I get 100. + to do what I do know questions. All my work is on refferals from others.....

I can send other pics from light haze jobs to the ugly ones....

Talk later. Peg, your info caused me to check out my head lights; yep, they are cloudy. But I noticed some condensation inside them:eek: any way to get it out and keep it out? I took the surround off to to look for cracks, didnt see any, must be leaking at the seams or bulb seal ? Any way to dry them out and reseal? Thanks

[boykjo]

I have used liquid chloroform with a wooden swab on cut lexxan to make the edges clear. Seen this done some time ago. Might be old school stuff. I had access to liquid chloroform but not anymore. Dont know if it will work on car lenses...

[keenavv]

My wife took her car a 2003 Toyota Matrix to the car wash to have it detailed, and they used some kind of chemical that made the headlight lenses opaque, and grainy...I went to the dealershipand asked them to replace the lenses, and they told me it would cost $614.00 because they had to replace the entire assembly! :eek:

So my question to you guys, who know...what can I do to either replace the lenses, or polish them out? This must have happened to others, I would think.

TAKE IT BACK and have the place that screwed them up fix or replace them!!!!

[pegleg1]

450Deer
Ther could be a crack in the seam or on the back side were the light screws in. It may not have been tight to start with. To dry it out you can use the lights on for a while... Next time you take a run somewere turn on your lights.... You should check to see if there is a hair line crack in the seams and may be able to use silicon if you can find it.... Good luck

KEENAVV
The lights were bad before it was detailed, They tryed to help.... It should come off with dawn soap and water. or if Rocky gets the dvelp kit the yellowX will cut it in 10 sec. then continue to restore them...

Rocky
Did the bad weather kiip you from going to the dog show in Yuma?

Later All

[Rocky D]

Well the wife went, but I had a welding job I had to get out, so I'm in San Diego...she has one more show tomorrow.

[mynameisnobody]

It seems to me that a company called Eastwood Company had a polish specifically made for lenses.

eastwoodco.com

[pegleg1]

Mynameisnobody
The one Eastwood has it one that I started with but it is the shorter vertion. It does not have the sanding discs that are needed for the bad lights. The only thing the kit does not have is the sanding discs and the sealer that is needed after you remove the bad sealer. That is why I stoped using it, and went to the system I spoke of earlyer...

[Bob]

I finally got around to using the headlight kit from Dvelup. Good!
Some Observations:

The kit include some 'scuff pads' for the "sanding" part of the process. I like the soapy-wet, wet-n-dry approch better (working from about 600 to 1500 grit or higher).

The included polishing compound was good. It did polish beyond what the 1500 paper achieved. I suspect some other polishing compounds could also do that.

I was really skeptical about their final step: applying a two-part (epoxy) clear coat (included) with a special cloth (also included). It worked very well. I made some bubbles around the "alignment nubs" on this light ... they went away. "Stroke" marks also leveled.

The kit contained a spray bottle of "Yellow-X" for extra bad lights, which I have not tried yet.

Popular Mechanics had an article on this in the March 2008 issue. Less info than this thread.

More than you every wanted to know
Bob

One regret: Both lights look excellant ... but one is just somehow better when viewed some ways. Message: Do all the polishing, then wait 'till you have admired your work from many angles and many lighting conditions before putting on the clear-coat.

[Rocky D]

Where did a get the kit from? Online? After doing two headlights was there enough product left to do two more? How long did it take to do the job? I spose that would depend how bad they were in the first place, tho. Did you use power buffers?

[Bob]

RockyD,

Here is the link http://www.dvelup.com/
Kit says it does 6 headlights, I think it could do 8-10 lights with care.
Mixed the clear coat per directions and that resulted in about 2X what was needed.
I spent about 1 hr per light, all by hand.
The final clear coat was touchably cured in about 20 min. in direct sun.

Bob

[Rocky D]

RockyD,

Here is the link http://www.dvelup.com/
Kit says it does 6 headlights, I think it could do 8-10 lights with care.
Mixed the clear coat per directions and that resulted in about 2X what was needed.
I spent about 1 hr per light, all by hand.
The final clear coat was touchably cured in about 20 min. in direct sun.

Bob
I'm seriously thinking about the $400 kit...did you get the video? If so, what is your take on using the power tools they sell? Think it would cut down on the time, or make it easier to damage the lens if ya don't do it just right?
If pegleg is around I'd like to ask him what the going rate for doing it would be.

[arcdawg]

I recently did the lights on my passat with meguires plastic polish. Used blue painters tape to mask everything else off so there would be less to clean up. I used a damp *no scratch* scotchbrite pad and went to town. While its not a permanant fix it was under 10.00 and lasted about 3 months.

good enough for me -

[Bob]

RockyD,

I only got the $30 starter kit ... either no longer offered or the price went up.
I did not buy the video, else I'd offer to lend it to you. Paper instructions in the starter kit were not that bad.

My vote would be to spend most of the $400 on more general purpose tools that could do low rpm sand/polish with disks cut from general purpose wet/dry paper, polish bonnets, and polish compounds. I'd think the general purpose stuff would be less expensive and renewable from multiple sources.

I was very impressed with the two part clear coat, and have not seen anything similar. If I need more, dvelup will be my first choice as a source.

I have, but have not used, the "yellow-x" spray chemical in the sample kit. Suspect it's unique product to cut the discoloration off headlights or the old coatings. I'm guessing a selective "paint remover" to remove factory clear coat without hurting the plastic?

Having played with this process, I'm spotting lots of cars out there that need it.

Bob

Ps. If you have not already, get the high number wet and dry paper at PEP boys and try the manual methods. Worst that can happen is the light will look way better, but it won't outlast the life of the car.