Headlamp Lense Repair - involving Mirka sanding

Our Corolla's headlamps again have the common fading and yellowing issue, and I was waiting for a chance to try the Mirka Abralon 3" sanding discs, 1000 & 2000 grit.

Process:
- wetsand each headlamp with a 1000 grit disc via UDM - speeds 3-5/6
- wetsand each headlamp with a 2000 grit disc via UDM - speeds 3-5/6

- compounded each lamp via Makita rotary, a 3.5" PFW pad, and M105 (original formula)
- final polish each lamp via Makita rotary, a 3.5" Uber Green pad, and M205
- as time and daylight were running out, a quick spritz of Aquawax to hold onto the freshness until I have a chance in the near future to try a "custom" sealant.

*NOTES*
- the quality of the Mirka discs is very good. I was able to only use one disc of each grit for both lamps.
- I used one of my Kwazar bottles that I picked up during my recent trip to Poland, it was very handy having the double spray action to help keep sanding smoothly :thumbup:
- Once the job was complete, the lamps did indeed look brand new again.

I took a couple quick pictures during the process.

 

How quickly does this start re-appearing and what can be done to prevent it? I have a 2004 Dodge Ram and am starting to see signs of this...

 

It's a double-edge sword when it comes to polishing headlights as you're making them clear again, but removing the UV protection. They can fade back rather quickly, I've seen some within a year. IF you use a sealant or wax on them, they'll last a long time. Duragloss 105 on headlights FTW.

 

+1.

I just heard a funny story this morning. Wel,, maybe not funny, but it is true.

One of my acquaintances has a Chevy Avalanche, whose headlights were getting rather tired looking. Instead of fixing them, they went to the dealership, test drove an Avalanche of the same year, and swapped the headlights from one to the other

 

Headlight Protection

With the average cost of replacement head lamps and fog lamps spiralling to nearly $300, it is nice to know that there is a product available to protect your car against the perils of the open road. Our Light Protection Products are made from a proprietary, scratch-resistant, urethane material coupled with the strongest optically clear adhesive available

Protect your expensive headlamps, before it's too late. LampGard™ uses a tough 40 mil thick, double-polished urethane material that is optically clear and applies (peel & stick) directly to the surface. This product has built-in ultraviolet inhibitors that help prevent the material from drying, hardening or discolouring. Custom die-cut to fit your specific vehicle for a precise, perfect fit, it comes with easy-to-follow instructions and applies to headlamps, fog lamps, turn indicators and parking lights (when applicable) to protect them from scratching, cracking and pitting. LampGard™

 

lamin-x is a similar product.

Lamin-x Protective Films - Protect with Style

 

The reason it appears is due to the original, OE coating that is on the lamps, starts to fail. There are various adhesive films that can be appplied and as recently mentioned, etc...

If you keep some wax/sealant on it, this is a huge plus. Hard part sometimes is to maintain consistent application of the wax/sealant to protect the lense. I plan on trying a mineral spirits/urethane "sealant" when I get a chance.

 

Thanks for the input. My lights aren't bad enough where I want to start polishing them yet, so it sounds like I'll do some preventative maintenance and apply some Duragloss 105 on there for now.

 

Don't be afraid to polish them... sanding maybe not. Depending on how bad they are... try a compound with an orange LC pad or simlar to see if it will clear up your lenses. Treat the lenses just like paint.

 

did you sand by hand?

 

I've always sanded them by hand.

 

No, I used my UDM (DA machine).

 

Looks great! How much did you pay per disc? I'm curious about the price comparison between the discs and the sheets.

 

I purchased them by the box... Box of 20. Online.

 

Great work Chris. We have a kit at work that includes a clear I will try and get some. I like fk1000p on headlights

 

I took these pictures with my cell phone during the headlamp resto. These photos show a better contrast comparing the before and after.

 

Here are a few pictures of the headlamp refinish I performed a few days ago on a '00 Ford Taurus that I detailed earlier this year. The owner had previously secured a pair of "Centennial" headlamps that came on certain 2003 model year Taurus's. The owner had previously attempted to refresh the lights, but they still looked tired and had some minor yellowing and loss of clarity.

*Same process of stated on the prior headlamp refinish, although worth noting, the plastic on these lenses was harder and they expired the sanding discs at a faster rate than on the Corolla resto.

Enjoy!