First attempt at headlight restoration

[frosty]

A friend has an 00 Acura and the lights we're some what cloudy.

Before:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/uploads/24452/BeforeLeft.jpg

Steps:
3000 Unigrit
M#105 4" CCS Orange pad
M#205 4" CCS white pad
Flex Lighweight 3403

Wet sanded for about 3 minutes with the 3k Unigrit. Then I used the 105 two different sessions of about 50 to 70 seconds.

These headligts were so small I put compound on both headlights and alternated between each doing both at the same time to try and prevent over heating.

I then did the same with the Megs #205 one session but took my time. I probably spent 3 minutes plus. Started on setting 1 and then up to setting 1.5. I was afraid to go up to 1800 RPM because of the headlight size.

After:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/uploads/24452/AfterLeft.jpg

[BILLY_BLING]

looks great!!!

[DubinDE]

Looks great! :dblthumb2:

[SRHTX]

Nice job.

Now, I have a question for you. Were his lights some what safe to use a 3000 Unigrit? I just did a wrecker using 1500 then 2000. After i did that, I used a Meg's 105. The lights came out fine.

Just a question.

[acc1079]

Excellent work. Great turn around on them!!

[frosty]

Nice job.

Were his lights some what safe to use a 3000 Unigrit?



Thanks. I'm not sure what you're asking about were they safe to use 3000. Like I said it was my first attempt and these lights are small. We picked an inside high beam and only worked on it first in case we did something "Bad" with the understanding worse case we'd just replace it.

I chose the Unigrit after reading how it was not supposed to cut as deep as normal sandpaper and supposedly is easier to finish. I had a conversation with AG before ordering the stuff necessary to do that and there was no mention about making sure a headlight was safe. So if there is something that makes some headlights unsafe, I'm not sure what that would be.

I let me friend actually start on the right hand side and he started with 1k Unigrit and then we followed up with the 3k Unigrit. I used Menzerna SIP & CCS Orange on that side followed by Men. Super Finish and a white. I would have posted those as well but somebody forgot to take before pix of that side.

Both sides turned out about the same. On the right side, (the ones I have before and after) I actually tried just using the #105 & orange to start and it got a some of the haze out but there were just a couple of places that just wouldn't come out. So I got the 3000k grit and used the procedures above.


One thing I will add, even though pix don't tend to show them there are some fine scratches you can see if you get right up on the headlights at certain angles. I'm being nit picky here and I didn't bother with them much as again these headlights were just so small to work with and I didn't want to over do it.

We got the results we were hoping for. Hopefully I'll get to do some a lot more surface area.

SRHTX, I know that probably didn't answer your question but I tried to give as much detail as possible. If you or anyone has any info as to whether a headlight is sandpaper safe, I'd love to know about it. My thoughts are if the headlights are hazy and need something, what do you really have to lose? I think as with working with paint I'll just choose one light and work with a light polish and work up or down. Then if I'm not getting results go to the sand paper. I think I like trying the 3k unigrit first and only going to 2k or 1k if I need too.

Hopefully after experience I'll be better able to take a look at the different levels and have a better idea of where to start and save some time.

[SRHTX]

Okay. I did not make a correct statement. What I should have asked was how dull were the lights on the Acura. From the pictures shown, the lights really did not look dull. The wrecker truck I did, the drivers really could not see the roads at night. That is why I did a 1500, 2000 then buffed them with Megs 105.

If you used a 3000, then, the lights were not in bad shape what so ever vs. the lights on the wrecker.

[frosty]

Okay. I did not make a correct statement. What I should have asked was how dull were the lights on the Acura. From the pictures shown, the lights really did not look dull. The wrecker truck I did, the drivers really could not see the roads at night. That is why I did a 1500, 2000 then buffed them with Megs 105.

If you used a 3000, then, the lights were not in bad shape what so ever vs. the lights on the wrecker.

You are correct. They were hazy but weren't to the point to where they were close to being useless.

We took the car out afterwards and there was a nice improvement, especially with the bright lights. But yes they weren't terrible. (He's the only person I know with hazy headlights and I was dying to try out my toys.)

I thought I was going to get it out with just 105 & 205 but I couldn't so I went to 3000 and it worked out nice.

[cnfowler]

They turned out great. Nice job.

Colin