Headlight Restoration Fail, Please Help!!

[Torguy]

So I did some sanding on my 2003 Rav4 with 3M 400 Grit Wet/Dry and then finished off with 1000 Grit. I then proceeded to buff it by hand with some compound.

(I did wet the sandpaper pretty often)

Anyways, so now I have a haze that wont go away! I tried to sand quite a few times by hand, and the haze just refused to go away.


Can someone please tell me how to fix this, I do have a Porter Cable 7424XP and a Yellow Lake Country buffing pad along with Meguiar's Ultimate Compound which I was planning on trying tomorrow.


Thanks!

 

[hernandez.art13]

1000 grit is as fine as you went?

Try following the 1000, with 1500 and then 3000.

What size pad and backing plate are you using?

 

[Torguy]

1000 grit is as fine as you went?

Try following the 1000, with 1500 and then 3000.

What size pad and backing plate are you using?

I have 1000, but not 1500 or 3000.

I have a 5.5" Yellow Cutting Pad, and 5" Backing Plate.

 

[hernandez.art13]

I think your best option would be to get some 1500 and 3000 grit sand paper and sand the headlights even finer.

To cut the 3000 sanding marks I really like using a microfiber pad when using a porter cable and not going any bigger than 5". I like the 3" setup when doing headlights.

Haven't tried cutting 3000 sanding marks with a yellow foam pad, so can't comment on that.

 

[Romad]

1000 is hard to cut unless it's a softer lens and some heavy duty equipment is used. I have had luck on some lights with 1000 grit, Flex 3401, Meguiar's Xtra Cut Microfiber Disc, and M100.

Cutting it out by hand or yellow pad and UC would be a tedious if not almost impossible task. Best bet would be to follow the above advice. You could also use the spar urethane trick on 1500 and it will clear the lens but there are drawbacks to that method to go along with the advantages.

The yellow pad should work pretty well but may leave some swirling with UC on 3000 grit. You may be able to take that out by hand with a MF towel and some UC working it lighter each pass.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AG Online

 

[hernandez.art13]

^ Before

^ Sanded to 3000 grit

^ 3" wool pad (3" wool pads work great too)

^Polishin on a polishing pad

^ Seal in your work

Hope that helps some.

 

[expdetailing]

Try your finer grit papers followed by your pc/yellow pad/Meg's U.C. This will work. Use a high speed 5-6 with slow movements, and tilt the pad to use an edge if you need more cut.
Removing 1000 grit or 1500 by hand would require you to be an Olympic athlete.

 

[Torguy]

Try your finer grit papers followed by your pc/yellow pad/Meg's U.C. This will work. Use a high speed 5-6 with slow movements, and tilt the pad to use an edge if you need more cut.
Removing 1000 grit or 1500 by hand would require you to be an Olympic athlete.

Lolzz, Olympic Athlete....Thanks man! I will try this tomorrow.

Cheers..

 

[Torguy]

Thanks so much for the help so far! I will try and see what happens

Cheers!

 

[hernandez.art13]

NP and keep us updated.