headlight cleaning

[T16]

Its all about the UV.

I had perfect headlights one year, 4 weeks in the Balkans with sun every day, they clouded up faster than the dole queue forms in Easterhouse Post office.

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by T16

The solution has been shown time and again. You need to re-spray the headlights with UV resistant clear lacquer just as they came out of the factory. There is no other solution which works as well as restoring them to how they were at manufacture..

That was a potential solution I suggested long ago, but with no real idea what the clear lacquer might do to the polycarbonate lenses - and not willing to risk my lenses.



I think it calls for some experiment. May I suggest if someone has an old headlamp lens, polish it up to a good clear finish, then spray half of it with clear lacquer, then just leave it outside in the sun and weather for a few weeks.



I don't have a lens to carry out such an experiment with, but if someone might care to supply me with one - I have what is needed to polish it up, the lacquer and plenty of space outside to leave it undisturbed.

[T16]

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

That was a potential solution I suggested long ago, but with no real idea what the clear lacquer might do to the polycarbonate lenses - and not willing to risk my lenses.



I think it calls for some experiment. May I suggest if someone has an old headlamp lens, polish it up to a good clear finish, then spray half of it with clear lacquer, then just leave it outside in the sun and weather for a few weeks.



I don't have a lens to carry out such an experiment with, but if someone might care to supply me with one - I have what is needed to polish it up, the lacquer and plenty of space outside to leave it undisturbed.

Omg...!

Clear lacquer is what protects them from the factory. I cant repeat this again!

With no clear lacquer you are left with soft, exposed, polycarbonate which is so soft you can simply brush it with your fingernail and it scratches.

How many times do I need to say it!! No experimentation is required, it is THE only way to restore them to factory fresh.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SPRAY-MAX-H.../dp/B01NA9K7N6

You need a 2K Clear UV resistant spray, ideally with a primer as detailed in the German Spray max kit.

Most body shops will use normal 2k Clear lacquer, which has UV resistance anyway of course.

[macafee2]

Originally Posted by T16

Omg...!

Clear lacquer is what protects them from the factory. I cant repeat this again!

With no clear lacquer you are left with soft, exposed, polycarbonate which is so soft you can simply brush it with your fingernail and it scratches.

How many times do I need to say it!! No experimentation is required, it is THE only way to restore them to factory fresh.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SPRAY-MAX-H.../dp/B01NA9K7N6

You need a 2K Clear UV resistant spray, ideally with a primer as detailed in the German Spray max kit.

Most body shops will use normal 2k Clear lacquer, which has UV resistance anyway of course.

out of stock on amazon but ebay has it.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPRAY-MAX...4AAOSw-s5dOHDF

is this kit all that is needed once polished?

macafee2

[T16]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMw_jtD5OMo


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0msGcb1Mbjg


THe only thing I would say is buy two kits, and practice on rubbish halogen headlights out of a scrappy. Once you become a SprayMax Spraymaster, you are good to go. Also its better if you dont live in Scotland and spray at 4DegC, better results of course when warmer.

The beauty of a nice layer of clear, is no matter what you ***k up on it, you can polish back to a glass smooth finish. Even the factory finish if you looked carefully has very slight undulation/faint orange peel, it was hard to spot, but it was there.

The only other alternative is to take them to a body shop, and be relieved of about £200 for the job. Considering you cant buy new Xenons, you could argue whether it is worth it or not.

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by T16

Omg...!

Clear lacquer is what protects them from the factory. I cant repeat this again!.

Thanks, but I am seeing lots of complaints of damage due to trying various ways to protect them, including using lacquer, even lacquer supposedly safe on polycarbonate. So I'm looking to do a bit of research of my own.

[trikey]

Originally Posted by T16

polycarbonate which is so soft you can simply brush it with your fingernail and it scratches.

There must be something wrong, you should not be able to scratch polycarbonate with your fingernail! 6mm Polycarbonate is bulletproof that's why they make riot shields out of it?!?

[T16]

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

Thanks, but I am seeing lots of complaints of damage due to trying various ways to protect them, including using lacquer, even lacquer supposedly safe on polycarbonate. So I'm looking to do a bit of research of my own.

The only way is to replicate the factory finish. I cannot add any more really. Anything else is a waste of time as the plastic will need constant care.

On you go though.

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

I don't have a lens to carry out such an experiment with, but if someone might care to supply me with one - I have what is needed to polish it up, the lacquer and plenty of space outside to leave it undisturbed.

Dave (Stocktake) kindly dropped off a MKI headlight lens only, in terrible condition for me to play about with.


Nice car BTW Dave was it a MKIIIS (Overdrive and gear stick on the tunnel)? If so one of only 40 made.



Attempt 1.. I wet sanded one of the lenses light, enough to to get it to a clear result, fine polished it, then sprayed it up with some clear lacquer I already had in stock. It immediately went opaque and showed several cracks in the lacquer. So I left it to harden up outside and see if it improved any which it didn't.



Attempt 2.. I attacked it again, this time with 100 grit, gradually swapping to 2000, then polished it up with T-Cut, then sprayed it again. This time it ended up clear, but with just two small areas of the lacquer appearing to 'crack'.



My theory is that in Attempt 1, I hadn't sanded off all of the original lacquer coating, or there was still something incompatible on the lens which reacted with my lacquer. Attempt 2 was much a much more thorough sanding down.



I would suggest avoiding the use of a drill entirely for the sanding down stage at least - they tend to leave difficult to remove deep swirls.



I was aiming for a perfect finish, just good enough for the purposes of a test of the lacquer finish and whether it might be compatible with the polycarbonate and last long enough to be worth while. It just now a matter of testing the 'last long enough'. It is outside in full sun..

[T16]

Why would anyone waste their time when the German Spraymax kit has been proven to work with no issues for a reasonable cost, and designed specifically for the job.