Brand New Ford Headlamp Assemblies - to coat or not to coat

[Setec Astronomy]

This is what Tas is referencing here, they are clear polycarbonate headlight covers that provide impact and UV protection. They don't impede vision or tint the light output. They are made by the OEM and commonly supplied as a dealer fitted accessory for pretty much every vehicle on the market.

Two things--I only looked at the Amarok one, I see there is mounting hardware--how do those attach? And it says "acrylic", are they not polycarbonate?

 

[Tasmania]

Two things--I only looked at the Amarok one, I see there is mounting hardware--how do those attach? And it says "acrylic", are they not polycarbonate?

To the headlight itself, these are for the current new model that has LED hi/low and fog lights depending on spec level.

The one's on a 2016 model come with no metal hardware and clip on clip off.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

To the headlight itself, these are for the current new model that has LED hi/low and fog lights depending on spec level.

The one's on a 2016 model come with no metal hardware and clip on clip off.

I'm just trying to understand where those brackets go, do they attach to some existing points on the vehicle, and then the covers attach to the brackets?

 

[evo77]

Got a link?

www.ecfr.gov

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 > Section S6.2.3 Headlamp obstructions >

S6.2.3.1
When activated in the steady burning state, headlamps (excluding headlamps mounted on motorcycles) must not have any styling ornament or other feature, such as a translucent cover or grill, in front of the lens

 

[samen]

I just replace the headlamp assemblies on my F150, Genuine Ford, straight from a Ford Dealer in my area. I kept up my old assemblies for a long time, polishing them out once a year or more, but they got to the point where I couldn't help them anymore, they were pretty shot, inside and out. The truck is a 2010 and they were the originals, and this daily driver and hauler has spent its entire life outdoors in every weather condition. The new units are very sharp to say the least, and really help clean up the old truck.

But here's my question: Is it better to just leave them as is, since they probably already have a coating on them from the factory, or should I go ahead and put some kind of coating on these brand new units ?

Obviously I would not use a headlight polish, since polishes are designed to remove a layer of oxidation, and polishing brand new units would degrade brand new lenses plastic unnecessarily. So, is there anything I could apply to this brand new plastic that would not degrade it in any way ? Maybe a pure coating without any polishing ingredients, or any kind of petroleum based ingredient that might react negatively with the plastic ?

So far I've thought of Renaissance Wax, or maybe Meguiars Keep Clear Headlight Coating, though I've never used that Meguiars product.

Or is the factory coating good enough for some good length of time, and nothing I could put on it would help it.

What do you guys think.

A layer of Meguiar's Keep Clear can't hurt. It states on the can that it can be applied to new/non-polished headlights in order to maintain clarity.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

A layer of Meguiar's Keep Clear can't hurt. It states on the can that it can be applied to new/non-polished headlights in order to maintain clarity.

It's hard to argue against putting some sort of coating on; it can't hurt (presuming you do a good job applying), even if it may not help very much. I can say I put a layer of Opti-Lens on my new headlights, even though I have found it to be useless on headlights that I have sanded the coating off of.

 

[Big DaveBig Dave is verified member.]

I'm just trying to understand where those brackets go, do they attach to some existing points on the vehicle, and then the covers attach to the brackets?

I tried to find a video of the installation without any luck, no online instructions either. But I did find this picture of one already installed, I think it's like you said, the brackets fit into existing gaps, probably not very securely, but once you screw the cover on, that's what makes them secure. The ones that came on the FJ were similar, once I removed the cover, some of the brackets just fell out. I took mine off within a week because they make cleaning the headlights a real PITA.

 

[Tasmania]

I tried to find a video of the installation without any luck, no online instructions either. But I did find this picture of one already installed, I think it's like you said, the brackets fit into existing gaps, probably not very securely, but once you screw the cover on, that's what makes them secure. The ones that came on the FJ were similar, once I removed the cover, some of the brackets just fell out. I took mine off within a week because they make cleaning the headlights a real PITA.
View attachment 138578

The metal brackets can scratch the surface, My brother has that type on his Toyota Rav 4 and are a PITA indeed to remove.

 

[Tasmania]

www.ecfr.gov

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 > Section S6.2.3 Headlamp obstructions >

S6.2.3.1
When activated in the steady burning state, headlamps (excluding headlamps mounted on motorcycles) must not have any styling ornament or other feature, such as a translucent cover or grill, in front of the lens

I think that law is a little odd considering some US states and there mod law's or lack of, but fair enough.

 

[Big DaveBig Dave is verified member.]

The metal brackets can scratch the surface, My brother has that type on his Toyota Rav 4 and are a PITA indeed to remove.

And that's another reason I don't like them. The original owner of the FJ fitted a bonnet protector, but didn't use the clips that go on the edges, you know the type, they usually come with clear plastic tape to protect the paint, but still manage to get dirt under the edges and look crap. I'm glad he didn't fit them.

 

[The Guz]

PPF them. The clarity of PPF lasts a long time.

 

[Tasmania]

And that's another reason I don't like them. The original owner of the FJ fitted a bonnet protector, but didn't use the clips that go on the edges, you know the type, they usually come with clear plastic tape to protect the paint, but still manage to get dirt under the edges and look crap. I'm glad he didn't fit them.

Yeah i had to really hunt for some 2004 Genuine Toyota one's they come with a clear strip for each bracket, plus the hardware can rust and run marks on a crystal clear headlight look shit.

 

[DFB]

www.ecfr.gov

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 > Section S6.2.3 Headlamp obstructions >

S6.2.3.1
When activated in the steady burning state, headlamps (excluding headlamps mounted on motorcycles) must not have any styling ornament or other feature, such as a translucent cover or grill, in front of the lens

Pretty silly regulation in the guise of road safety, which is in complete contrast to wearing seat belts being OPTIONAL in the US.

 

[Tasmania]

Pretty silly regulation in the guise of road safety, which is in complete contrast to wearing seat belts being OPTIONAL in the US.

I could have a good rant about US road legal law's BUT will remain slinent.

 

[Eldorado2k]

A layer of Meguiar's Keep Clear can't hurt. It states on the can that it can be applied to new/non-polished headlights in order to maintain clarity.

Yea but how are you supposed to remove it in a year once it starts to degrade?

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Pretty silly regulation in the guise of road safety, which is in complete contrast to wearing seat belts being OPTIONAL in the US.

That's not correct, 35 of 50 states have primary enforcement (you can be stopped for) for seatbelt use, while 14 have secondary. Only 1 state does not have seat belt laws for adults; that state's motto is "live free or die".

Seat Belt Use

Seat belt use in the U.S. has increased steadily over time, but each year thousands of unbuckled adults are still killed in motor vehicle crashes.

www.ghsa.org

 

[evo77]

Pretty silly regulation in the guise of road safety,

It only sounds silly if you don't understand optics and how light transmittance works with certain plastic materials in both new and aged conditions.

Headlamps are safety equipment. They are regulated devices that must meet specific electrical, mechanical, photometric, durability, and environmental requirements. These lamps are self-certified by the manufacturer to comply with applicable regulations.

When you place anything over the headlamp lens that impedes light transmission, you reduce the light output. As a result, the headlamp, which has already been photometrically tested to be in compliance, may no longer meet the required light intensity at specific angles. The ultimate goal is to prevent a significant reduction in light output that would render the beam pattern non-compliant. In other words, the minimum light levels at certain angles must still be achieved, and the maximum allowable output at other angles must not be exceeded. This can only be done in a certified lighting laboratory.

Clear plastic covers can compromise the lamp's safety performance. Even when brand new, these covers can block a significant amount of light. Over time, as the cover ages and deteriorates, it can also cause beam distortion, leading to increased glare and backscatter. Additionally these covers may lack the specialized surface treatments and protective coatings against UV exposure and abrasion that headlamp lenses require.

OEM headlamps must comply with the physical testing procedures outlined in FMVSS 108, including the Abrasion Test (S14.6.1), Chemical Resistance Test (S14.6.2), and the Plastic Optical Material Test (S14.4.2). There is a registry for optical-grade plastics and hard coatings known as the AMECA List of Acceptable Plastics, which OEMs adhere to.

Despite following these regulatory protocols, it is apparent that many factory hard coatings on today’s headlamps are not as durable as they arguably should be. Now, imagine how untreated and untested clear plastic covers would hold up under the same conditions. This is why clear covers are prohibited by law.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

evo, you seem to be, to put it mildly, well-versed in this topic. Do you work in the industry?

 

[evo77]

evo, you seem to be, to put it mildly, well-versed in this topic. Do you work in the industry?

Vehicle lighting is a passion of mine alongside car detailing. Its not my day job but on the side I do light testing for research purposes as well as provide services to certain lighting manufacturers and industry lighting experts looking for photometric data on lamps and light sources.

 

[Big DaveBig Dave is verified member.]

Have any headlights ever been recalled due to the yellowing and loss of light transmission? Surely some of the really bad models, mainly small hatchbacks from my observations over here, have reached the level of a genuine safety issue. They're not just bad for the people driving them, they're really bad for other drivers as well, the way they spray light in every direction, especially because they sometimes fit brighter bulbs to make up for loss of light transmission, and even worse when they fit super bright LED bulbs because they don't hit the reflectors the way filament bulbs do.