Headlight Restoration-new UV sealant idea

[Kurt_s]

I am really interested in this thread as your headlight work looks awesome.

I tried the Meguires restoring system and it somewhat cleared the headlights, but I will need to do a wet sand job.

One friend told me to try One Grand Omega Glaze and a MF towel to clear head and tail lights, but I don't think that it would handle the heavy damage that the original pics showed.

I was told to stay away from the current headlight sealants and only consistently use a wax or plastic polish once the headlights were cleared. He said to use a QD to keep them up between waxing.

I hope you have the long term solution as I would love to take this challenge off my list of to dos.

[dragster]

SEM products make a uv clear that comes in a rattle can that works well.
I am testing it out right know to see how it holds up. Will be adding this service in the spring if it works out.

[sparkie]

Originally Posted by dragster

SEM products make a uv clear that comes in a rattle can that works well.
I am testing it out right know to see how it holds up. Will be adding this service in the spring if it works out.

Keep us updated....

[ArmstrongDetailing]

Originally Posted by emaxxman

What I would concerned with is the urethane yellowing. While they have some UV inhibitors, varnishes in general are very susceptible to yellowing from the sun.

I've been researching to find the best headlight sealant and one of the people I talked to pointed this out.


As he was giving me his sales pitch, he also pointed out that what he uses is permanent but is cured by UV exposure making it different than any other coating. He swears by it being superior to anything else. I have samples on the way and I will post up my thoughts after some testing.

When I say cured by UV rays, I mean it does not even harden at all until it is exposed to UV.

[HotRod]

Originally Posted by armstrongdetail

I've been researching to find the best headlight sealant and one of the people I talked to pointed this out.


As he was giving me his sales pitch, he also pointed out that what he uses is permanent but is cured by UV exposure making it different than any other coating. He swears by it being superior to anything else. I have samples on the way and I will post up my thoughts after some testing.

When I say cured by UV rays, I mean it does not even harden at all until it is exposed to UV.

Nothing is permanent. UV rays destroy and degrade everything over time. It sounds like the salesman is pretty confident in his product. If it works let us know the process, the difficulty, and price. The urethane will fail, and the product you spoke of will eventually fail. Can it be sanded off if you make a mistake? The urethane can be sanded off once its cured, or if you goof up before its cured it can be wiped off with mineral spirits. One thing for sure is, the urethane is cheaper than any headlight coating. One can for $10 can treat hundreds of lights. If the coating you are trying does not cure until it is under UV rays sounds very similar to windshield repair resin. When I am making a windshield repair you keep it shaded until the repair is done, then the sun or UV light cures and hardens it. I am not saying the headlight coating is resin, but if it is, some resins yellow over time.
Also, I was told by an individual, that this spar urethane is exactly or an equivalent to what some light companies are using as "special coating". I cannot guarantee that rumor is true, but I figured it was worth mentioning.

[ArmstrongDetailing]

Originally Posted by HotRod

Nothing is permanent. UV rays destroy and degrade everything over time.

I say permanent to differentiate it from a sealant that needs to be re-applied like a paint sealant.

As far as being sandable, yes it is but the good thing about it is you can wipe it off if you made a mistake as long as your not exposing it to UV it doesn't harden.

[HotRod]

Originally Posted by ArmstrongDetailing

I say permanent to differentiate it from a sealant that needs to be re-applied like a paint sealant.

As far as being sandable, yes it is but the good thing about it is you can wipe it off if you made a mistake as long as your not exposing it to UV it doesn't harden.

Ok, I see, it does sound like it would work well. Can you cure it with a UV light, or just direct sunlight? In windshield repair, we use small UV lights to cure the repair when sunlight is not available. If it works out, create a longevity thread for the sealant. Since it was made for lights, it probably will outlast the urethane. This thread is still ongoing with my longevity tests, and I think it will hit 9 months soon. It should last a year, and i have been told it will last over 2 years. I am not affiliated with any spar urethane companies, I am just learning this method and experimenting with it. It easily fits my current budget. For a product that was made just for wood, it seems to be working for plastic when mixed and applied correctly. If it turns out to be a dissappointment, I will then search for an alternative, so your opinions on your sealant is important.

[WindyCity]

Hey Hotrod my trial of the spar urethane has been holding up as well. One light is urethane and one light is a headlight sealer/sample from my supplier. They look the same and it had been 7-8 months now and they have been pounded with alot of winter road salt. Definitely lasted longer than Wolfgang headlight sealant kit that i used previously. Also I have not put anything over the urethane like wax or re coat the urethane or anything like that......

[feslope]

Originally Posted by dragster

SEM products make a uv clear that comes in a rattle can that works well.
I am testing it out right know to see how it holds up. Will be adding this service in the spring if it works out.

What did you use for a uv source to cure it? How long did it take to cure? I have a couple of cans of the Sem Sealant and it looks to me like it requires a pretty high power source of UV. At $31.00 a can I really don't want to waste any of it.

[HotRod]

Originally Posted by BackdraftDJP

Hey Hotrod my trial of the spar urethane has been holding up as well. One light is urethane and one light is a headlight sealer/sample from my supplier. They look the same and it had been 7-8 months now and they have been pounded with alot of winter road salt. Definitely lasted longer than Wolfgang headlight sealant kit that i used previously. Also I have not put anything over the urethane like wax or re coat the urethane or anything like that......

Thats awesome! Keep us updated. The urethane is pretty affordable compared to other UV sealers, It would be amazing if it lasts just as long as the pricey sealant, but I dont think that will happen.