How To Restore Headlights The Correct Way
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 20 сен 2024
- Learn how the professionals restore hazy headlights - using basic tools.
Products used (RDC Products have been substituted to similar products that I highly recommend)
1. Glass Cleaner - amzn.to/2loPIho
2. 2-3 Microfiber Towels - amzn.to/2xQRhaA
3. Painters Tape (3M) - amzn.to/2xQRhaA
4. Plastic Polish - amzn.to/2jV9OPK
5. Wax/Sealant - amzn.to/2lj9pqF
6. 1500 Grit Wet Sandpaper (3M) - amzn.to/2lpJQo5
7. 2000 Grit Wet Sandpaper (3M) - amzn.to/2lpJQo5
8. 3000 Grit Wet Sandpaper (3M) - amzn.to/2lpJQo5
9. Spray bottle with water
10. 2 Microfiber Applicators
11(Optional). 3 inch Orange pad & rotary polisher/drill
I've observed many methods of removing uv clouded yellow hazed headlights with expensive solutions etc. Your wet sanding and removal of yellow film is simple and only requires elbow grease and sandpaper followed by polishing agent is the most thorough method. What was your final polishing solution? I missed that.
i felt that rest break at 1:42 lmao
I just followed your instructions and got outstanding results without tools. I did use your technique as the first steps, then i used meguiars two step restoration kit to finish and seal.
I saw you avoiding the bottom left corner. I know that it looked clear, but buddy, you gotta sand the whole entire headlight to get a uniform polish. Other than that, I think the 3000 grit sandpaper really gives the best results when trying to do this. Very informative video my friend.
yea i don't get why he missed like the bottom 20% of the headlight, why not do all of it so the entire surface is uniform
@@bludika Because its probably not a running car and it doesn't matter. He used it for the video only
@@JayTomasetti Never the less he should have done it properly or not at all!! There are many utube streams that do it the right way!! Don't make excuses for shoddy instructions and work!!🤪
I don't know enough to agree that your method is the "correct" way, but it's certainly the most comprehensive and thorough that I've seen.
I do 1500 then 1000 wet sanding and then polish it and comes out like new
You need to watch "The headlight restoration pro" And learn how a professional expert works!!! In real time!!! A true master!!!
Looks clean from the start.
First and foremost I want to say this works I just did it to my car and it's beautiful they don't look brand new but they look brand used LOL thanks for the hack
i followed your directions and i found a 3m kit that has all the various grit sandpaper and polishing head for my drill $18 came out fantastic, thank you
murray L how do they look now? Honestly
Nice stuff man. Thanks for showing 1500 grit and 2000 grit sand paper I used 600 to get rid of some group/glue on my headlight. Will go over again with your method to even out.
Thanks for the best video with the non pro equipment. Your comments were very clear. And your results were great. I would only finish with a UV coating . After a car wash or rain, the wax would wear off . Many thanks.
Opti-seal is a great option
You can buy a sealant specifically for headlights that will last much longer than just slapping some wax on them. How long does wax stay on your paint? A lot of work for short term results. 3M and Meguiars makes it, as well as many others. There is a spray that works very well.
Always a critic.
Amazingly beautiful!
While using the Carnuba wax is a good idea, perhaps finding something with UV protection would also help to keep this from happening again?
303 aerospace protectant
Too bad that light bulb 💡 didn't turn on in his head
Great vid thanks for the minimal talk
Thank you very much for taking your time and providing us to the point info with a crispy clear voice . and please ignore some of the comments, they should behave. I will try your instructions , will let you know. and again dont pay attention to some deplorable.
Excellent. The best video on this subject on all of RUclips, and without begging for a like and subscribe.
Wow! Looks fantastic. Looked like a lot of elbow grease. How much time did you spend sanding?
Less than six minutes and 58 seconds.
That headlight just needed a good gritty compound and just a Polish but I get that you wanted to show us the correct process🙂
Good gritty compound? Can we not use sand paper?
@@TheBlooRayChannel I only wet sand when necessary. Like when the yellowing is layers beneath
Wow.....I didn't know this was thing!!! I'm 100% gonna do this! Thank you! 😁
Followed this and worked to a T. If you want a longer-term solution the right way, this is it.
Ross Pinson You need to finish by adding a uv protection clear coat.
Where can I get elbow grease?
Worker in a grocery store and had a cashier come ask me for just that. Seems she was mopping and the store director told her to. "Put some elbow grease into it!" Any more questions on why girls as a group make less money?
BlueCS2 they're playing with you, you can actually get it at auto zone just go in and let them know I sent you for a buy 1 get 1 promo;) it's called elbow grease by Chris fix
No where in America.
J Whiskey.. I really hope you are speaking for yourself. As I am surrounded by hard working Americans that arn't part of the average almost worthless millennial generation, and I also live outside of the average leftist run big city too.
Any store that sells horn fluid
I used "Magui... Headlight Restoration Kit" today on my Florida baked BMW with great success. Done in an hour.
Andre Laviolette
Andre Laviolette
Thanks for this. I was astonished how much better the headlight looked after using the rotary buffer. Great video and tutorial.
Great video. One thing I learned you have to be a little patient with the 2000 and 3000 grit sandpaper takes a little bit a time.
How long would it take?
@@dannhall6948 about 10 -15 mins each. Like any good job you cannot rush it.
I usually finish off with some clear coat last alot longer
I was thinking the same thing. Clear does last so much longer.
Then it orange peels
Which clear recommends to get?
What kind of clear code do you use because when I use the spray bottle I mean can it started to crack on me and I was in the garage
At the end to really seal it use a clear coat spray for years of protection
No don’t use clear coat, it messes up the light output and it peels over time.
Random Guy ceramic coat would be a much better option
@@RandomGuy-ej9gr not if you use 2K clear and Prep it right
Thanks that was very helpful.
Some of these critics need to get a day job.
Or any job.
You need to spray the end product with a UV protected lacquer to stop the headlights from doing the same thing in the future.
Yes, you can absolutely do that. We do that on our customers cars after restoring their headlights.
Any opinions on the wax method? I suppose you would have to ensure it constantly has wax on it. So its tough to know when there is no wax left, correct?
why not just hit it with clear after the 3k sandpaper and hit it with some 3k UV resistant clear...then polish that when its dry?
Your final step just seems like it'll just wear off in a short time.
or wax
@Darren Bridle what kind? Where do you buy it?
Thought you need to put a UV protective coating on it or it will yellow up again.
You do. Ask me how I know haha 😂
Sherwin Williams Auto Paint sells a $25 clear coat spray can that works very well. There is a button on the bottom that mixes the 2 parts together.
Search online for a clear headlight wrap. Comes in a roll you cut out, will protect for like 10 years and you just peel off and put another on
Smooth Outro
For it to properly last longer, it is best to wetsand up to 1000grit, then use a UV Resistant Clear coat(2k clear if you dont have a spray gun), and then wetsand with high grit and polish if you have any orange peel. If done right, you likely won't need to wetsand again or polish.
Good point! 2k clear works best in my experience so it's worth having a gun and a compressor. I tried some spray cans with clear and some of them have a strong solvent that the plastic reacts to it, not very bad but it does. With 2k clear never had that problem and neither got fog not even for a moment.
I tried the UV resistant clear coat method about 3-4 years ago but trust me, it’ll also turn yellow. Except this time it was worse because I had to sand through all the clearcoat to get rid of all the yellow, basically back to the plastic lens and back to square one. Now I just polish and re-ad meguiars headlight UV coating once a year and call it a year lol
@@emiloiu 2k is probably the worst thing to put on headlights, As it buggers up headlights permanently 😂
So, after you clearcoat. Do you use polish or wax ? Or both ?
Is there a particular reason you avoided sanding the entire headlight? Ik the bottom doesn’t look that bad but wouldn’t you want the entire surface to be the same level of smooth?
Yes I noticed that too, he barely touched the bottom of the headlight !
Demonstration purposes
@@user-qz1sb8ln1x Bad demonstration purposes...
Yeah he should have scuffed the whole headlight with 1500 and then progressed. this will give a very even shine instead of a half ass head light restore.
@@user-qz1sb8ln1x if that's a demonstration then I'm a scientist
Thank you!
I don't know how you got so many dislikes. That is the best looking lens I have seen yet after being restored by a multi step method as you used. Great video.
because he doesn't show the products used in the video- just listed.
The headlights where good to go anyway!! There was No real oxidation or flacking old clearcoat no yellowing just a small amounts of clouding, Hardly an example of how to restore a badly damaged headlight!!!👎
high speed buffer on less than med speed with compound, works better and then put good polish when finish, i have done hundreds of lights, everyone was pleased
Elbow grease, sold at AutoZone. The same aisle as blinker fluid.
@socal rocks speak for yourself pusst
And don't forget the propwash....
If you're working on a aircraft ! 😮
If my headlight was that clear to start with - well, I wouldn't have bothered cleaning it!
Gooey Tarballs..... IKR
cuz ur lazy AF
burn !!!! lol
@@RawbAtLivedotca
Exactly!
Also the rear area on the headlight still looks hazy!
They should show a video that displays the close up clarity on the plastic lens.
Just get it done never takes us as long at the body shop don't be afraid of a mess up for it can be sorted
Screw the pot shots. This is a good technique. To NiftySquares: The key element many of these videos overlook is the difference between yellowing and headlights neglected to the point that they look like sandblasted halogen capsule lamps (light bulbs). An “outside frost” if you will. Nifty asks a good question. When the assembly is frosted it is like a fine sandpaper itself. A microscope will prove this but don’t go out and buy one. This must be sanded down and removed until you get down to smooth, un-pitted plastic. At the worst you may be removing 2~5 thousandths of an inch of material (0.002~0.005”). For reference the thickness of a standard 20 lb. printer paper is 0.005”. The factory plastic is at least 0.060” (1/16”) thick or better. So in the typical worst case one would remove 1/12 of the original factory material. The sanded lens won’t crack like an eggshell. When headlights get this old and have been beaten by the elements, especially UV light, and lathered in WD40 and clear coat and maybe a shot or two of Jack Daniels, the biggest concern is crazing or minute fractures caused by the plasticizers being leached out of the plastic. Always follow on with rubbing/polishing/toothpaste compounds as you have been convinced by countless YT videos. The final coat is your call. I use Meguiar’s Cleaner wax once or twice a year. This way, in a few years, I don’t have to sand off some solvent based clear coat that has chemically etched itself into the lens. This is on a 2002 Toyota Sienna with 220,000 miles. I’ve polished the headlights twice and am going to do it again soon (a pre-emptive attack) because there is just the beginning of etching at the top edge. This way I use little or no sandpaper and do the real work with 5” dia. Chemical Boys Hex polishing pads on a Porter Cable orbital sander since I’m not going to buy an automotive polisher just to use it for 30 minutes every 5 years. Reach out and see the road and hazards ahead.
Tip for next time; show a close-up of the products used at least a brief moment so it is clear what steps to take.
he did and it was breif he clearly used 3m and its all in the description
under "show more" up top there is a drop down box with all the products. Their videos are to be kept at a minimum thats why I guess he doesn't take time to show. Believe me their are folks who want to promote a product and they will take the time to show you!
Note to self ignore breeders.
Wow! Looks Awesome!
I just did it this weekend, just with sandpapers (200, 400, 800, 1000) with water and glossy transparent lacquer spray at the end.
Unfortunately I completely disagree, your process is fine if you want to keep buffing it out every other month so before you put wax on it stop right there your process is perfect to that point . I own a body shop and the best and permanent way is to clear coat the head light. The plastic has been exposed to sunlight and the headlights are not protected with a UV coat therefore you must clear them with a UV Non Yellowing Clear Coat.
So put a clear on first then wax, or wax and then clear coat?
well oy!
@@JP-tk5vi you don't put clear on top of wax.
Make a video !!
Or ceramic coat, oh shit this comments 6 years old wtf 😂
I know this sounds stupid, but I’m always fascinated by how sanding and scuffing leads to clean finish.
its all about fooling the human eyeball my friend, not a very hard feat at all!
Very nice video on how to restore headlight clear lens in an economical way. I'd used the Turtlewax head light restoration on my car's headlight last time but it turns yellow again after 3+ years, so it is time to redo it again. I did not do it this way because the oxidation just started and it only affects a smaller area on the top of the headlight, I did not want to sand down the entire lens. I just start the cutting compound and finish off with the polish compound by hand. This time the affected area is about 1/2 of the lens, I sand it down with 3000 grit paper instead, followed by polishing with McGuire's 105 cutting compound and then 205 polishing compound. You can use 3M versions of the same thing but I preferred McGuire's (no, I am not endorsing anyone.) I reseal the headlights with the sealant from the Turtlewax kit that I have. I'd be really carefully with applying the pressure on the lens using the rotary pad.
You are extremely lucky it lasted that long!! You must doing something right!!
No UV resistant clear coat?
I think you did an excellent job...👌
Nice method, not much expensive and good for DIY.
Hello, nice to meet you
I saw the video.
I'm looking from Japan.
I'm making a video to polish the same headlights.
It was very helpful.
Best video I've seen..thanks for sharing.should you ever start with 600 grit?? Some videos are doing so, just wondering why?? Thanks again.
Yes you can even start with 400 if the headlights are that bad
Nice job!
QUESTION PLEASE......WHAT
ARE THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE BASE MODEL
AND ENTHUSIAST MODEL.?
THANKS 👍😁
i hear, the wet sanding ( which gritt?) is not necessary, just use rubbing compound, and not wet polish? thanks
You have to basically “remove the dead plastic”. A lot of times after few weeks-months , the headlights will go right back to their faded state
Awesome 😎 Thanks
Walking through a typical parking lot I see a lot worse yellowed hazy headlight covers than the one you used, some so bad you can barely see through them. They need to stop using plastic and go back to glass.
I just did this and it worked pretty well. As well as the $100 professional job? No, but better than the costs for the pro materials ($30-$80) or the kit at the store ($10-$15) and all for a $.99 tube of Aim toothpaste. I'll take it. They're not 100% better but they're at least 75% better. Give this guy some props!
Thank you so much for information it really works
Thank you very much
Great video easy way to Splayingand tutorial video 👍👍
How long will this polish/sealant last on the headlights? Will this need to be reapplied every year or so?
The thing is . The turtle wax headlamp kit is cheaper and it comes with all the different sandpaper grits . $18 cdn . And it comes with the compound and sealer . I do use my spinning foam pad too.
Everyone has an opinion, but no one has done any real testing. Clear coat paint is said to crack or go bad and a bad idea as clear is for metal painted surfaces and not clear plastic. Others say the only way to fix is to sand with multiple grits of sand paper. Yet others claim simple solutions from bug spray to tooth paste to baking soda and WD-40. Someone should get like 20 headlights (all aged the same with the same hazing) and restore each in a particular way and then allow them to sit in the sunlight for 6 months to see which method A.) Did the best job restoring B.) held up the best. THEN I will believe a particular method works.
broderp No one is gonna do that for you bud.
I did it just for you go with pb&j.
It's already been done not 6 months but one year!! The best long term test ever!!
How well does it last?
Imagine paying for this man
For the price of all that sandpaper, polishing pads, waxes, and so forth I actually realized new headlights were actually about the same price for my eclipse.
lazy
Tf...
The correct way is ANY way that gets the job done with no damage to the headlight. You don't have to sand every headlight to do the job right. I'm betting those headlights could have been just as bright with some MOTHERS Mag wheel cleaner.
Does sanding it down thin out the plastic? Would that make the plastic more susceptible to cracking?
The key element many of these videos overlook is the difference between yellowing and headlights neglected to the point that they look like a sandblasted halogen capsule lamps (light bulbs). Nifty asks a good question. When the assembly is frosted it is like a fine sandpaper itself. A microscope will prove this but don’t go out and buy one. This must be sanded down and removed until you get down to smooth, un-pitted plastic. At the worst you may be removing 2~5 thousandths of an inch of material (0.002~0.005”). For reference the thickness of a standard 20 lb. printer paper is 0.005”. The factory plastic is at least 0.060” (1/16”) thick or better. So in the typical worst case one would remove 1/12 of the original factory material. The sanded lens won’t crack like an eggshell. When headlights get this old and have been beaten by the elements, especially UV light, and lathered in WD40 and clear coat and maybe a shot of Jack, the biggest concern is crazing or minute fractures caused by the plasticizers being leached out of the plastic. Always follow on with rubbing/polishing/toothpaste compounds as you have been convinced by countless YT videos. The final coat is your call. I use Meguiar’s Cleaner wax once or twice a year. This way, in 3 years, I don’t have to sand off some solvent based clear coat that has chemically etched itself into the lens. This is on a 2002 Toyota Sienna with 220,000 miles. I’ve polished the headlights twice and am going to do it again soon (a pre-emotive attack) because there is just the beginning of etching at the top edge. This way I use little or no sandpaper and do the real work with 5” dia. Chemical Boys Hex polishing pads on a Porter Cable orbital sander since I’m not going to buy an automotive polisher just to use it for 30 minutes every 5 years. Reach out and see the road and hazards ahead.
Brilliant, great video.
Good job
So that royal detail club shield replaces the uv protection from the clear you just sand of and the acrylic it's not exposed no more ?
Very good video
That is the best job well done. I have a question could you tell what kind of wax you use please?
its all above
I had a headlight oxidation service provide. There seems to be small white specks on my hood and bumper that did not go away after washing. Is there a remedy to remove cast off spray on my hood from the chemicals used in the oxidation process? It’s ruining my paint job!!
I used Macquires headlight restoration. Worked great for $18.
Is sanding the "whole" headlight to make it uniform in the next video? Just wondering because your lights will haze unevenly. Asking for a friend.
It's not an interstellar telescope reflector. It doesn't have to be perfect. If you have to resort to elbow grease your car is not worth the trouble. Nobody will care.
nice job
I started with 1000 and then polished them up and still see scratches. should I go back to 600 or lower grit and then to 1000 and 2000 etc?
Thanks for sharing..
thank you for sharing.
could i ceramic coat it after polishing it or will it not stay on?
The wax sealant is no longer a product on amazon. Do you have a different one that you'd use?
The comments here are literally so stupid.. Apparently EVERYONE is an expert but they still youtube ow to restore headlights, if ya'll are such experts why dont you guys make a video
Still tubing because this needs to be done every second month now the uv coating has been removed.
So we don't need to watch another video. Like Darren bridle wrote. You need to spray a laquer
Not every headlight is the same, you can follow different technique's but i the end its all about what YOU expect in the result you want from doing it. My thinking is, do it right the #1 time or don't do it at all, but be carefull doing it. God thank youtube tutorials as they learn us much new skills over time.
@@brettheath3182 2k clear coats won't fade. $20 a can but easily worth it imo
thanks, good job.
I think on curved areas you should use foam block
Would be easier if the automakers went back to glass headlights.
David Hartwell
Want the long list why it won't happen?
@@hitran1913
#1 plastic capsules bring profit back into company instead of giving it to Sylvania, et al
@@m4rvinmartian yup, profits. thats all america cares about.
Welcome to capitalism my friend
Or just leave china and never look back
how hard you have to push the drill down ? because I have some small battery powered one but it stalls on me . I'm afraid to burn the motor
Thanks ima try it
The best and right way its sanding with dualacition machine , with the 1500, 2500, 3000.and rubbing with wool pad fore rubbing , foam pad and rubbing , foam pad and Polishing , if you have uv protect paint
ceramic coating works good too
Using a can of 2k clear paint is the best method of permanently sealing those headlight lens.
Yes. I polished my headlights in a similar way as described in the video. Turned yellow even with the polish. Now I am preparing to re-sand and apply 2K clear coat.
Wrong the best way to permanently damage your headlights is useing 2k😂
Beautiful nice job will done
May I ask how long can this shine last after this treatment?
List of products please
do you use new sandpaper for each headlight or the same pad for both?
k New.
What if u dont have a drill to do the polish stage, can u do it by hand?
You can also put the light on for final check to see if your wet sanding marks are gone
I tried the 3m kit for the drill and it took out the yellowing but left a lot of scratches. Any help?
The headlight needs to be coated with some form of UV clear coat or it will yellow up in a week or two. Wipe New does actually work and lasts about a year. Also Rustoleum 2X Clear which has UV inhibitors lasts a few years if regularly waxed. I am sure there are other products. Doing all that sanding is a waste of time if you are going to just use wax, polish, or a paint sealer on it. Professionals know that.
What’s a good kid??
How can i tell if i have to polish the inside of my headlight or outside? I have a 350z and those headlights are known for fogging. when wet they look like new but there are very few spots still there in the upper corner
Awesome