headlight lens restoring? who's done it?

Ok, So I have to buy new bulbs for the lights, which I know are not going to last as long as the factory ones have but thats another story,.... Back to the topic,..

I and am thinking of trying one of those restore kits fo the headlight lenses. Do they work, is it easy to make the lens worse? which kit did you use if you've done it? I can get one at Harbor Freight for about 18 bucks, or at Advance Auto for a bit more. Just wondering what experiance other have had with this.

I bought a 3m set from my old work for about 15 bucks. It did work quite well considering how terrible they were. I've spent far to many nights on the beach with the salt water blowing on them so any improvement was a step in the right direction.

Be sure you really tape the heck out of your bumper though. I wasn't as careful as I should have been and there is now a little white were there should be gray. Not really noticeable, but I know it's there.

I used the one from advance, for i think around 20-25 bucks. It works really well, but you are never gonna make them look brand new.

Well I ended up getting the Meguiars one from Advance Auto for 24.99, I will follow up with how it works. . . .

This one,.....
http://meguiarsdirect.com/zoom.asp?edpZ=135894

Ok, used it today, quick, simple, and worked pretty darn good, with the exception of the inside of the lens.
Plus, lots left over for using on other lights, or repeat use, I figured it was going to be a one time use item. Not bad.

Used Meguiar's PlastX and the small mother's foam power ball. Worked great. Removing the headlight covers wasn't too bad.

You knuckle heads.






Just use toothpaste like everyone else has done for the past umpteen decades. (Not gel, paste...)

I guess you mean something like Crest with the green and blue specs.

I would like to clean my headlight lenses. Would you mind explaining a good procedure to accomplish this with some toothpaste. What applicator should be used..... a sponge...etc.? Should up and down motions be used.... or circular motions?

Inquiring minds want to know.

LOL

Yeah...wet a soft rag, squirt some paste on it, and gently rub it in a circular motion at one spot to see it clear/get the feel for it.

You want it wet, so the teeny abrasives in the toothpaste gently grind off the oxidized surface plastic.

Toothpaste is designed like a very fine wet sanding agent, to polish your teeth, w/o removing too much enamel, etc.


Once you get a feel for it in one spot, move over to another, going as large as you feel you can control.

Its pretty easy really.

And I thought NYMM was gone...

How ya been? Haven't seen your right-wing conservatist BS on here for some time.

No, wait. This should be in the Where's all the original club members? thread...

-G

Thanks alot TJ. I'll give that a try.

I have been noticing that when I look at my headlight lenses from different angles, that they seem fairly yellowish. I wasn't sure about whether cleaning would be a fix or just looking for new headlight lenses.

Thanks for the info.






I have been very well Thank You. It's very nice of you to ask.

I have also noticed that I have not seen any of your left-wing socialist type BS on the board either.

But, then again, I have also noticed that you continue to post on the board. Yet I have not interrupted a single thread to mention your particular political persuasion.

That is the difference between a conservative and a left wing socialist.

A parking lot security guard on Tijuana Mexico said "Boss, while you do your shopping, we have this headlight restoration service; Its only 100 pesos (8.5 dollars) and your headlights will look just fine" and I thought "hmmm how good can it possibly look? I mean, these plastics are 9 years old, but oh well, lets have it done". OMG how wrong I was; He did a fantaastic job. I am sooo happy with my new headlights.

I used crest pro-health on mine today...not only looks good, but the front of my truck smells great.

The lens covers on my wife's car were really cloudy looking. You could not even see the bulbs behind the lens. I used a little bit of rubbing compound (DuPont liquid for clear coat finishes - $2.39 a bottle a few years ago) and it cleaned the lens right up. Pretty close to new, not much elbow grease required, and it was something I had lying around the house anyway.

k_enn

I'm with k_enn on this one. I had some rubbing compound and polish in the bottom drawer of the tool box. Added a little water to the rubbing compound and finished off with polishing. Not only did the lenses clean up real well, they shed water/dirt etc. much easier.

Try this for a cheap..i mean very cheap clean..spray Deep Woods Off bug spray on a towel and wipe on the fogged lens.
I was told this and tried it and it WORKED ! !

Be sure you really tape the heck out of your bumper though.


__________________
There're a lot of information about that tatooed on my ass, hope you can get something what you need.

I used the Harbor Freight one on one of my vehicles. Worked well but next time I am using Colgate for that minty fresh smell.

What kind of toothpaste?