Headlight Lense Restoration - Here's What I Used

Discussion in 'Show and Shine' started by Totoland, Mar 6, 2008.

  1. Totoland

    Totoland Virgin Detailer

    This BMW 530i was a trade-in for a newer vehicle and has 86,000 miles (highway use). The headlight lenses were in bad shape...tons of pitting.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    So, I started with 2000 grit wetsanding and that cleared one of the lenses up "ok" but not to my standard.

    Next, I broke out some 600 grit and went to town. Man, what a difference! The heavier grit grabbed the polycarbonate lense and really smoothed it out.

    On to what to use product/pad wise. I started with an orange 6.5" cutting pad and Diamondite glass restorer but it too was just doing "ok".

    My final working combo was: 600 grit wetsanding, then 2000 grit wetsanding, then a 3" wool pad on an air rotary with compound. I used 3M Extra Cut as well as Meguiar's 105 and they both finished up the lenses.

    This shot shows 1 lense sanded and one finished

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    You can see the small white wool pad in the center between the lights

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    On to the body....

    Toto
     
  2. my04lincoln

    my04lincoln Two Bucket System Washer

    Nice work as usual.
     
  3. Calogero

    Calogero Two Bucket System Washer

    any closeups of the after shots?
     
  4. Tonya

    Tonya Welcome to Detailing

    WOW Toto thanks for sharing! Looks great! :thumb:
     
  5. detailersdomain

    detailersdomain Administrator

    great work!
     
  6. richy

    richy Guest

    I have yet to try that.
     
  7. LanceM

    LanceM DB Forum Supporter

    good work. I did the same to my old car. But buffed by hand.

    really dumb lol
     
  8. P1et

    P1et Official DB Moderator

    Man, what a difference!!!
     
  9. Shuskan3

    Shuskan3 Birth of a Detailer

    Which side was the before and which side was the after?




    Only kidding Toto.... Excellent work as always!
     
  10. O4COBRA

    O4COBRA Birth of a Detailer

    Nice. I'm trying to learn how to do headlight restoration myself. I need to get some 600 grit I guess.
     
  11. klumzypinoy

    klumzypinoy Nuba Guru

    Those were some bad headlights, they look way better now
     
  12. MTK Kommander

    MTK Kommander Any Rag Vehicle Washer

    i do those at work sometimes for customers when im changing their oil.. i always do 600, 1000, and 1500.. then with a 3" wool pad on a small air powered high speed rotary i polish them out with like some megs cleaner wax.. usually i will do the last step twice.. the only headlights that have beat me so far are audi a4.. 600 grit wasnt touching them.. so i gave up..
     
  13. Totoland

    Totoland Virgin Detailer

    I'll take a few closeups of the finished lights today and post them tonight.

    Toto
     
  14. devast8

    devast8 New Member

    What brand is that 3inch wool? Never saw a wool pad that small!
     
  15. Totoland

    Totoland Virgin Detailer

    I "think" it came from the Snap-On rep. I'll ask the dealer today. We have an air rotary and random orbit with small backing plates.

    Toto
     
  16. Totoland

    Totoland Virgin Detailer

    Here ya go!

    [​IMG]

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    By the way, the wool 3" pads are 3M...the backing plate for the air rotary is Snap-On

    Toto
     
  17. ggk

    ggk Jedi Nuba

  18. Totoland

    Totoland Virgin Detailer

  19. ggk

    ggk Jedi Nuba

    cg has a kit that is compound wool,polishing wool, polishing pad, glaze pad all 3.5" with a bp for 25 bucks
    i dont know how good it is.

    that place i posted for the 3m pad has alright prices i can get them cheaper through shop discount but that place is pretty cheap.


    if you are looking at wool i like the yellow polishing wool from 3m
    my only prob is it is 9in but the dual sided one you dont need a bp which is cool(a little harder to change pads but no real need to change often!)
     

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