Headlight Resto

[zinc02gt]

Seems pretty common around here doesn't it?

I work with this guy and he wanted me to do this for him. I made $60 from it.
Products:
3M WET/DRY 400 grit sandpaper
3M WET/DRY 800 grit sandpaper
3M WET/DRY 1000 grit sandpaper
3M WET/DRY 1500 grit sandpaper
3M WET/DRY 2000 grit sandpaper
All soaked overnight
Distilled water and 2 drops of Meguiar's Gold Class for lube
Porter Cable 7428 Rotary
LC 4" Purple Foamed Wool pad at 1400 rpm
LC 4" CCS White pad at 1200 rpm
Meguiar's M105
Meguiar's M205
Poorboy's EX-P Sealant
Poorboy's Natty's Blue Paste Wax


Before:


During:




After 2000 grit:


After 1st pass with M105/PFW pad


Finished Product:

[proshine2009]

looks good ....thats alot of steps

[zinc02gt]

It seems like it, but it took me all of 1 1/2 hours from parking the car to wiping off the Natty's.

[O.C.Detailing]

Nice Zinc. I use fewer steps right now, but will be adding 800 grit to my headlight restos to speed up the process a bit since the 1000 grit doesn't remove the yellowing quite as quickly as I'd like.

[SRHTX]

I've only been using 1500 & 2000 on the lights. I have the 3M kit that I will try on the next vehicle.

[Peanut]

I would recommend getting the Diamondite Headlight Kit that Autogeek offers. This kit is extremely easy to use with only 3 easy steps and has excellent results.

[O.C.Detailing]

lol Most of the headlights I do will NOT come clear without some hardcore sanding. Not sure the headlight kit would work out well for me. Not to mention, I m MUCH prefer sanding out the defects by hand and then using my DA to get rid of the sanding scratches.

I had to add more here. Almost every set of headlights I've done have been so bad that the entire headlight lens needed to be COMPLETELY releveled in order for clarity to be restored. Using foam pads with a bit of a polish wouldn't have changed anything on them, so no, the Diamondite kit wouldn't have done anything for me, though it may be fine for VERY lightly messed up headlights, but not on headlights where the outer coating of the lens is rough and chipping off.

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by O.C.Detailing

lol Most of the headlights I do will NOT come clear without some hardcore sanding. Not sure the headlight kit would work out well for me. Not to mention, I m MUCH prefer sanding out the defects by hand and then using my DA to get rid of the sanding scratches.

I had to add more here. Almost every set of headlights I've done have been so bad that the entire headlight lens needed to be COMPLETELY releveled in order for clarity to be restored. Using foam pads with a bit of a polish wouldn't have changed anything on them, so no, the Diamondite kit wouldn't have done anything for me, though it may be fine for VERY lightly messed up headlights, but not on headlights where the outer coating of the lens is rough and chipping off.

Like Mike Phillips said "Find something you like and use it often"

[bill6639]

nice job on these lights

altimas are notorious for there headlights fogging and yellowing

i did mine maybe 6 months ago and should do em again...this time im gonna follow the steps you did hopefully with equal results

[zinc02gt]

Just make sure you take plenty of time on following the 400 grit. Cross hatch them a little bit as well. The 400 grit lieks to leave behind some marks if you don't thoroughly wetsand the area. I know this because I missed a spot in one of the corners. He didn't notice, but I did when he turned his brights on. Aggravates me, but he loves it. I guess that's all that matters.