DIY Headlight Wet Sanding and Polishing
- Thread starter JGvtec
- Start date
tork_sd89
Baywatch
How long should you spend sanding? I did this today and my headlights still have a yellow tint to them :\ They're super clear tho! Since I don't have a drill I used my buffer and lots of rubbin,g compound and that got them really clear after the sanding. Do i just need new headlights? lol I don't really have any before pics but this was after.
Prozon
Kris
They really don't look bad to me, but I don't have a third gen to compare to. Maybe just sand them longer until all the yellow is gone. The kit I used is a five step process.
1.) Clean.
2.) Sand with yellow pad. (It's like 800 grit or something.)
3.) Sand with next pad. (It's way up, I can't remember what.)
4.) Wet sand.
5.) Buff.
1.) Clean.
2.) Sand with yellow pad. (It's like 800 grit or something.)
3.) Sand with next pad. (It's way up, I can't remember what.)
4.) Wet sand.
5.) Buff.
tork_sd89
Baywatch
I think I'll try dry sanding tomorrow
Haxto
New Member
I just did mine recently. Some of you can get by with a polishing compound only, some not. All damage isn't equal! If you have serious scratched it will require wet sanding. I got a kit at a pet supply store used for plastic aquariums. It has like 10 grades from 1500 to 24,000! and its feels like rubber not paper. I only used like 3 grades but hit w/500 first. Go one way! Left n rght until all scratches are gone. Wash w/soapy water. Next grade, go up n down, this allows you to see as you remove the scratches from the 500, make SURE to wash that grade away w/soapy,continue to next grade until satisfied. Then polish, my little kit came with a pol creme. At any time during the process as ur sanding you see scratches just stop. The finer paper isnt gonna take um out. Go back to what you started with or one grade corser to get it out.
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'99 Teg Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Accel.speed
basically, i like fast!
I just want to say that this shit wont last for more than 2 months, 1 month usually. I restored headlights for a over a year at a used car dealership.
Car wax works better than headlight "wax" FYI.
By sanding the headlight you are taking the clear off of It, or what's left of it. So you put the wax on it, but that only lasts so long. I have to keep going back to resand some headlights to make them look new again.
What you need to do it CLEAR COAT your headlights. That will make them shiny again for years ahead. I have yet to try some clear coats since UV exposure will ruin lots of them. Just trying to find the right product.
Car wax works better than headlight "wax" FYI.
By sanding the headlight you are taking the clear off of It, or what's left of it. So you put the wax on it, but that only lasts so long. I have to keep going back to resand some headlights to make them look new again.
What you need to do it CLEAR COAT your headlights. That will make them shiny again for years ahead. I have yet to try some clear coats since UV exposure will ruin lots of them. Just trying to find the right product.
96LSteg
Jemel
so are you saying that it would be best to use the same clear thats used on cars just find one with protection against yellowing due to UV exposure?
LoweredDC4
Jimmy
You're better off buying new headlights. Polishing them will make it look almost new for a month or two , then you'll have to polish then again and again.
96LSteg
Jemel
I think the auto body clear doesnt sound like a bad idea. you would just have to find a quality clear coat
treeafodo
Austin
Exactly, it's way too much for new headlights. Mine is $1,500 for the set.
LoweredDC4
Jimmy
Your only other option is polishing it. If you put an automotive clear coat on it, your light out put will be diminished.