headlight lens issue

[surfahjammer]

I have an 01 Frontier Crew Cab. Does anyone know how to bring back the clearness in the headlight lenses. They used to be crystal clear. Washing it does'nt help much.
Thanks Peeps

[brutusvk]

Get some headlight restorer creme. It doesn't bring them back to perfect but pretty close.

[EB_05_NISMO]

You can check the links in this post:
Headlight lens protection

Also check this thread out:
how to clean bad plastic headlamp housing

[cctmobiledetail]

Originally Posted by surfahjammer

I have an 01 Frontier Crew Cab. Does anyone know how to bring back the clearness in the headlight lenses. They used to be crystal clear. Washing it does'nt help much.
Thanks Peeps

I do this as an addon to full details for clients. This will restore your dull , yellowed out plastic headlights to original luster.

Supplies needed:

* Fine Machine Oil
* Sand Paper ( 400 - 3,000 grit )
* Heavy Duty Rubbing Compound
* Medium Duty Rubbing Compound
* cello sponge
* 1" wide foam paint brush ( one for each headlight )
* 1 - quart clear paint

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvv

First start off by applying machine oil to lense to be restored, as you keep the lense saturated with machine oil , start to sand side to side (only , not up and down ) with the 400 grit sand paper, making sure to keep the area wet with oil while sanding and wiped off periodically to see results. This first sanding step is to remove the old yellow "dead" plastic material off the lense.
One your sure all the dead material is gone,by reapplying the machine oil to see results ( you must keep reapplying, because the oil drys very quiclkly). next move to 800 - 1000 grit Sand Paper and repeat the above process, remembering to keep the lense wet with machine oil as you continue to sand horizontally back and forth. Once sure, the 400 grit sanding marks are gone using the 800 to 1000 grit, keep repeating the process with 1500 grit , then on to 2000 and all the way to at least 2500 or at the most 3000 grit sand paper. Once plastic appears clear with another coat of machine oil after 2500 - 3000 grit sanding session, wipe the excess oil off the lense. Move on to using a heavy duty rubbing compound ( 3M Super Cut ). Buff to a medium high speed for sevarl minutes until 2500 - 3,000 grit sanding marks disappear. wipe the lens with a clean dry oil free rag, next move on to medium Compound and repeat the compounding process. Once lens is completely free of scratches from sanding and compounding, move on to the protection phase. Use your 1" foam brush and your quart of clear ( you can opt to spray the clear from a can ., but mask the entire hood , etc. off first ) "paint the lenses with one coat of clear and let dry 30 minutes, then repeat second coat and your done !

This is easy to do and I charge $100 - $200 to do it per set of headlights.

Hope this helps !

[Fingers]

theres a kit you can buy at like pepboys, or a similiar place.

[cctmobiledetail]

Originally Posted by Fingers

theres a kit you can buy at like pepboys, or a similiar place.

The kits at autoparts stores are normally $40 - $75

Sand paper - 1 sheet of each grit, machine oil or WD 40 and a quart of sealer are around $10, any kind of rubbing compound will work most can be had for less than $10 .....so for $20 you can get the same or better results getting the same stuff that's in the kits for a whole lot less than buying a kit.

[BLKFRONTIER]

I do this for all my friends and if you have a buffer I promise they will look brand new. Buy some Meguiars PlastX and apply it with a rag then take the buffer to it and buff it all off. Then finish up with the same process with wax and they should sparkle like new.

[Frontismo88]

3M makes a plastic polish that works wonders with the plastic fronts of newer headlights...

You can find it at any auto parts place...I thinks its like 3 dollars...But then if you have the rough sandy feeling on your lights when you touch them, then that will have to be rubbed of with sand paper....Use a combination of softer grade sand paper and that 3M polish and your headlights should be crystal clear in no time...

Just don't rub to hard with that sand paper, you only want the surface crap scraped off, you dont want to make it to where you need a new headlamp...Good luck to ya!

[cctmobiledetail]

Originally Posted by Frontismo88

3M makes a plastic polish that works wonders with the plastic fronts of newer headlights...

You can find it at any auto parts place...I thinks its like 3 dollars...But then if you have the rough sandy feeling on your lights when you touch them, then that will have to be rubbed of with sand paper....Use a combination of softer grade sand paper and that 3M polish and your headlights should be crystal clear in no time...

Just don't rub to hard with that sand paper, you only want the surface crap scraped off, you dont want to make it to where you need a new headlamp...Good luck to ya!

Thats why you sand with oil. it allows the paper to work the way it's supposed to ( Wet Sand Paper ) and allow less matetrial to come off in a smoother fashion.

When you buy a kit from the auto parts store it comes with sand paper, machine oil and clear coat and a foam brush.

the above two guys who spoke about the plastic polish and a buffer are correct, however if you have considerably worse yellowed out headlights with "Dead" plastic on the lens , YOU MUST SAND, to get the dead material off, then use lighter and lighter grit strentghths , then seal with the clear coat, other wise you'll be buffing your lights over and over and over until you'll have to buy new ones. So Make sure you seal your work, with a clear coat !

[Spike36ff]

I just received my latest Popular Mechanics magazine today and they did a write up on how to polish lenses with sand paper