Go Back   The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums > The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums > Technical Help Forum
Register FAQ Image Gallery Members List Calendar Mark Forums Read
Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 8th August 2019, 15:54   #11
MSS
This is my second home
 
Rover 75CDT, Jaguar XF-S 3.0V6, V'xhall Omega V6 Estate, Twintop 1.8VVT, Astra Estate and Corsa 1.2

Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 7,078
Thanks: 283
Thanked 624 Times in 440 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Cut View Post
...........

Wipe-ons are only temporary. The only way is a hard laquer coating with UV inhibitors.

TC

I agree. I the important thing is to recognise that they are temporary and act accordingly if that is the way one wishes to go.

Personally, I am not yet ready to start spraying "permanent" hard coatings onto the headlights.
MSS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th August 2019, 18:10   #12
T-Cut
This is my second home
 
Rover75 and Mreg Corsa.

Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sumweer onat mote o'dust (Sagin)
Posts: 21,751
Thanks: 341
Thanked 3,660 Times in 2,924 Posts
Default

I see the latest fad in lens reconditioning is vapour polishing using a very expensive 'fluid' and a cute spouted electric kettle. Here's an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6ptFwqq5PQ
Some of these kits cost well over £60, the special fluid being around £8 for a small bottle.
Kits on ebay, etc: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...g+kit&_sacat=0

It looks magically easy, but it doesn't recover the lens to it's original state in spite of some of the supplier's claims (China). The special fluid is aqueous acetone, which sends acetone vapour out the spout when warmed. Acetone dissolves the outer foggy surface and 'polishes' it as it dries out. Basically, it replaces the final buffing step. The lens will cloud again without UV protection.

TC

Last edited by T-Cut; 8th August 2019 at 18:17..
T-Cut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th August 2019, 20:23   #13
HarryM1BYT
This is my second home
 
HarryM1BYT's Avatar
 
75 Contemporary SE Mk II 2004 Man. Sal. CDTi 135ps, FBH on red diesel, WinCE6 DD

Join Date: May 2010
Location: Leeds
Posts: 17,273
Thanks: 2,160
Thanked 2,061 Times in 1,586 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Cut View Post
I reconditioned my lamps a couple of years ago and they looked like new. However, I didn't use a hard coat protection so they're now fogged over. I'll have to buff them up again, but this time I'll coat them with a clear/hard coat UV protectant. I've just received this today -
- from eBay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/E-TECH-Re...72.m2749.l2649

Wipe-ons are only temporary. The only way is a hard laquer coating with UV inhibitors.

TC

That's a much more sensible price (£8.49), but what still puzzles me is that I would expect all vehicles lacquers would need to be UV proof anyway?


They need to prevent the UV getting through to fade the paint they are protecting, remain perfectly clear, present a hard surface and not yellow..






__________________
Harry

How To's and items I offer for free, or just to cover the cost of my expenses...

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...40#post1764540

Fix a poor handbrake; DIY ABS diagnostic unit; Loan of the spanner needed to change the CDT belts; free OBD diagnostics +MAF; Correct Bosch MAF cheap; DVB-T install in an ex-hi-line system; DD install with a HK amp; FBH servicing.

I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.
HarryM1BYT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 8th August 2019, 21:35   #14
T-Cut
This is my second home
 
Rover75 and Mreg Corsa.

Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sumweer onat mote o'dust (Sagin)
Posts: 21,751
Thanks: 341
Thanked 3,660 Times in 2,924 Posts
Default

In the case of headlamps, 99% are now made from polycarbonate (the front lens/glass anyway). This polymer is unstable to UV so must have UV protection. Paints (the pigments in them that is) may or may not be sensitive to UV, so I'd expect the sensitive colours to have paint/laquer formulations that will protect the pigment. It may well be that all finishing laquers are UV stabilised whatever colours they cover, it would be logical. I'm sure there's lots of info on this on the Internet. Wikipedia will have it as well.


TC
T-Cut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10th August 2019, 22:20   #15
p2roverman
Gets stuck in
 
Rover 75 Connie Tourer & Connie SE Saloon & Club SE Tourer

Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Leeds
Posts: 971
Thanks: 199
Thanked 71 Times in 59 Posts
Default

It's due for a retest on Monday, I'll coat the newly polished lenses after that hust in case it fogs them
However, the reason why the nesrside beam was so far out was the bulb was not seated properly. I had to use a stick to straighten the bulb cover inside the light before the bulb would locate correctly. Pig of a job for access, fortunately my 'girlie' hands will just go through the access hole in the wing liner and past the air intake. However impossible to also see what one is doing.
Odd thing is the bulb was like it last time it was mot-d
p2roverman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11th August 2019, 18:20   #16
T-Cut
This is my second home
 
Rover75 and Mreg Corsa.

Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sumweer onat mote o'dust (Sagin)
Posts: 21,751
Thanks: 341
Thanked 3,660 Times in 2,924 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by p2roverman View Post
However, the reason why the nesrside beam was so far out was the bulb was not seated properly.

The Mk1 bulbs can be tricky to fit correctly and with everything so difficult to manipulate, it helps to know exactly how they're supposed to be positioned. This photo might be useful 'cos they will partially go in upsidedown.




TC

Last edited by T-Cut; 11th August 2019 at 18:24..
T-Cut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11th August 2019, 20:22   #17
HarryM1BYT
This is my second home
 
HarryM1BYT's Avatar
 
75 Contemporary SE Mk II 2004 Man. Sal. CDTi 135ps, FBH on red diesel, WinCE6 DD

Join Date: May 2010
Location: Leeds
Posts: 17,273
Thanks: 2,160
Thanked 2,061 Times in 1,586 Posts
Default

I'm pleased with the outcome of my test lens, so I have made a start on my MK II.


I think what I'm finding is that when I have polished the lenses up before, I have only polished up the origina coating, rather than the lens itself. The lens itself is very much harder to polish up to the clear finish I managed before, since I abraded it much more in my attempts to make sure I have got all of the coating off.



__________________
Harry

How To's and items I offer for free, or just to cover the cost of my expenses...

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...40#post1764540

Fix a poor handbrake; DIY ABS diagnostic unit; Loan of the spanner needed to change the CDT belts; free OBD diagnostics +MAF; Correct Bosch MAF cheap; DVB-T install in an ex-hi-line system; DD install with a HK amp; FBH servicing.

I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.
HarryM1BYT is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 10:14.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright © 2006-2023, The Rover 75 & MG ZT Owners Club Ltd