How much can i wet sand ?

[Gcleov]

Seems to me its a stupid question but i have to ask ... how much can i wet sand back please a paid of headlight before causing damage ?? how much material can i remove fro the surface ??

[FUNX650]

•If/When you're going to sand polycarbonate lenses...
-You only have to (totally) remove the UV-resistant
OEM Coating--/which is only ~1mil thick.


•But, IMO:
-That's really just the beginning, and least
important, segment of this project.

-Replacing the (OEM) Coating, with one that
is also UV-resistant and durable: is where the
rubber meets the road!


Bob

[Setec Astronomy]

There's plenty of substrate for you to sand.

[VincenzaV]

Stop when you hit the bulbs...

[GSKR]

There's plenty of substrate for you to sand.

headlights are not like paint,they can take a lot of correction abuse.

[Mike Phillips]

headlights are not like paint,they can take a lot of correction abuse.

That's accurate. Sand till you have removed all the yellowing and haze and then compound and polish till the lens is clear.

If there "was" an OEM coating, sand till ALL of the coating has been sanded off and then compound and polish till the lens is clear.


Optimum makes a headlight coating to seal the lens after polishing.


Optimum Opti-Lens Permanent Headlight Coating, headlight coatings protectants


At my class last weekend I show machine sanding with Mirka Abralon starting at 500 grit and working up to #3000 grit, then compounding with a rotary buffer, then polishing with any DA polisher and then sealing with Optimum Headlight Coating.

[LSNAutoDetailing]

Recently a customer had yellow fogged headlights.
In lieu of sanding them, I decided to grab an orange 4" LC CCS spot buff pad, XP (on #6 setting) and some Megs 105. They cleared up 100%, all fogging and yellow was gone. Then I put a sealant on them.

That was 3 months ago and the customer is still raving about them and how he can see at night now.

Have you considered trying that before sanding?

[Legacykid]

Recently a customer had yellow fogged headlights.
In lieu of sanding them, I decided to grab an orange 4" LC CCS spot buff pad, XP (on #6 setting) and some Megs 105. They cleared up 100%, all fogging and yellow was gone. Then I put a sealant on them.

That was 3 months ago and the customer is still raving about them and how he can see at night now.

Have you considered trying that before sanding?

+1

As the saying goes least aggressive first. Sometimes a little 105 is all you need.

[craigdt]

Recently a customer had yellow fogged headlights.
In lieu of sanding them, I decided to grab an orange 4" LC CCS spot buff pad, XP (on #6 setting) and some Megs 105. They cleared up 100%, all fogging and yellow was gone. Then I put a sealant on them.

That was 3 months ago and the customer is still raving about them and how he can see at night now.

Have you considered trying that before sanding?

This is basically my go to combo for headlights.
Wail away on it with 4" Orange pad, M105 and speed 6. You'd be suprised how good it will turn out.

I have also wetsanded, and I don't think the minor difference in results was worth the effort let in most cases

[VincenzaV]

To those that have used polish (any compound over 3000 grit equivalent) then sealed with spar, be careful. I tried this originally and then when compounding the same car months later, noticed the sealant I used (SafetyClear, which I think is "spar" by the way it smells) PEELED RIGHT OFF when using 3M Blue tape to protect the restored finish from my rotary Flex buffer. It was about two months old.

It makes sense, since any paint or clear coat needs some bite to hold into the surface. Painters (not successful ones anyhow) do not polish the base coat, and then spray a clear on top of that (Most use single stage base/clear today anyhow, but that's not the point)

P.S. I do this a part time business so take my advice or leave it, no skin off my back.