Critique my headlight restoration...

[Eldorado2k]

Hey guys, I’m posting this to hopefully get some tips on what I could’ve done different. Or maybe my expectations were too high? I dunno, check it out.

This is the test subject. Toyota Tacoma, not sure what year but contrary to how it looks it’s not that old. Headlights are extremely hazed.

Ok so 1st I tried out McKee’s AIO Headlight Restoring Polish w/3” Yellow LC Flat Foam Cutting Pad on speed 6. This is the result.

So obviously that wasn’t gonna cut it, so I began the sanding process using the 3M Headlight Restoring Kit.

1st up was 500 Grit. The kit says to dry sand during this step, but I decided to wet sand instead using Megs D144 as the wetting agent. I used my HFDA with the 3” sanding disc for most of the headlight, and then sanded by hand with the supplied hand applicator for the round edges of the light.

Here’s what it looked like after 500 Grit Wetsand.

Here’s after 800 Grit Wetsand.

Here’s after 1000 Grit Wetsand.

Here’s after 3000 Grit Wetsand.

And finally polished out the sanding marks using the same pad & product that I previously mentioned. This is the final result.

Another pic of the final result.

I was expecting better results than that... There’s still a bit of cloudiness in the headlight and it’s just not crystal clear like I was hoping it’d be. IMO it’s just slightly better than the AIO polish by itself...

So what do you guys think? Were my expectations to high? Are Toyota headlights known to be a PITA? Is that Yellow LC foam pad known to suck? Should I have dry sanded for 500 and 800 grit like the kit suggested? Let me know what you think.

 

[rlmccarty2000]

It does look a little cloudy. I’m not sure why they don’t look better. Your process sounds good. Maybe dry sanding would have gotten better results. They still look way better than they previously did. When you coat them they will shine a bit more.

 

[Eldorado2k]

It does look a little cloudy. I’m not sure why they don’t look better. Your process sounds good. Maybe dry sanding would have gotten better results. They still look way better than they previously did. When you coat them they will shine a bit more.

I haven’t coated them yet because I’m debating doing the whole process over again. Thanks for the insight, I hadn’t thought about the lsp possibly improving the look.

FYI this vehicle belongs to my neighbor and he let me use it as a guinea pig so the final results aren’t critical, this is mainly just a test subject.

 

[sudsmobile]

Typically when they're still cloudy, they needed to be sanded more. Also, you said you polished with a yellow LC? Isn't that the heavy cut? I like to compound with a cutting pad and finish with a light polishing pad. Here's the last Toyota I did.

 

[sudsmobile]

Overall, it looks pretty good though.

 

[Eldorado2k]

Typically when they're still cloudy, they needed to be sanded more. Also, you said you polished with a yellow LC? Isn't that the heavy cut? I like to compound with a cutting pad and finish with a light polishing pad. Here's the last Toyota I did.

Yea the Yellow is considered a heavy cut foam pad. It was my 1st time using it. It was a brand new pad and I had been wondering how it would do but I had to try it sometime... I usually use a Gray Thinpro and I believe that’s considered heavy cut as well, but it delivers great results.

I think you’re right though, I feel like I should’ve dry sanded like it said.

 

[UncleDavy]

When you guys talk about a coating what type of coating are you thinking of? Something like CQuartz DLUX?

 

[SWETM]

I have not done this my self but have read and looked at alot of headlight restorations on a domestic forum. When you have that kind neglected headlight you have been working on. It's recommended to sanding through the oem coating layer. And you would be noticeing when the sanding residue gets a lighter and clearer color. You are know down to the headlights plastic and the old oem clearcoat is off. Then you start to go with sanding with a finer grit till you either wants to apply a headlight coating or paint it with a new headlight primer and clearcoat. When the oem coating is to damage it's an yellow color on it and does not clear up. The downside is that if not resprayed with a new headlight primer and clearcoat you have to always have a protection that is not degrading to not have any uv protection left. The one headlight primer and clearcoat I have seen used alot is from Spray Max and think it's available in the US know. The 1k primer is needed so the 2k clearcoat is bonding stronger to the kind of plastic used in headlights. When you do this the 2k clearcoat is only going to be able to be used in that time. You activate the spray bottle when you are going to paint with it. And there is 2 components that blends in the spray can. A hardener and clearcoat which is the 2k part. I would have some headlights ready to spray and maybe 4 headlights it can be sprayed on. And would buy 2 cans if it don't covers they you have ready to do. Some skip the primer but in a year or two it's starts to flake clearcoat. And with the primer clearcoat combo you can have it last for a long time if you protect them with headlight coating after it has cured and outgasing. It's like a new oem clearcoat you get when sprayed with this. And the best is to take the headlights off when doing this. But can of coarse be sprayed when on the car if you are masking it thoroughly so you don't get any overspray from it on the vehicals. This way you can be doing it for a higher price too. And get a yearly maintance with a headlight coating to keep the headlights and the other protections up to a high quality standard.

When you see it starts to oxidize on the inside of the headlights it's not much you can do. It takes often a longer time till that happens. And if it happens compound and polish them as long as the owner decides to replace them. I would also start with a compound or headlight polish to be able to evaluate the condition on the inside of the headlights and go from there.

If you want to get a little deeper into headlight restorations. I would learn to apply a headlight ppf film and apply after a restoration.

 

[Finick]

Maybe needed more sanding. The couple times I’ve used OTC headlight kits I’ve been mostly pleased.

That was the most recent ones I’ve done. You can see they’re clearly not sanded down perfectly, but I see that car super often so if the megs OTC coating (the gooey one, not the aerosol) starts having issues I’ll just polish them again. I only sanded those with 1500, some 1000 probably would’ve done better but I just didn’t have any on hand.

Is it possible some of the cloudiness is coming from inside the headlight? I know I’ve heard some people say they encounter headlights where the inside is worn, so they don’t ever look brand spankin’ new.


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[Eldorado2k]

Maybe needed more sanding. The couple times I’ve used OTC headlight kits I’ve been mostly pleased.

That was the most recent ones I’ve done. You can see they’re clearly not sanded down perfectly, but I see that car super often so if the megs OTC coating (the gooey one, not the aerosol) starts having issues I’ll just polish them again. I only sanded those with 1500, some 1000 probably would’ve done better but I just didn’t have any on hand.

Is it possible some of the cloudiness is coming from inside the headlight? I know I’ve heard some people say they encounter headlights where the inside is worn, so they don’t ever look brand spankin’ new.


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See now that looks feakin good!
I’m pretty sure it’s not on the inside.

 

[Eldorado2k]

@SWETM. I’m just going to use the McKee’s Headlight Coating.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Hey Eldo, as was mentioned, a yellow cutting pad is kind of coarse for a final polishing step...I mean you wouldn't use that on paint as a final step. When I sand headlights (and I like to finish with 5000 grit) I use a soft pad and a fine polish for the final step, if I stop at 3000 grit I would use something more like a medium polish on an orange pad, then go to the soft pad and finer polish.

 

[PearTree]

I would try a softer finishing pad with a finishing polish. The last picture of the headlight is what most of my headlights look like after the compounding stage with the haze left. After using a finishing pad and polish my haze goes away and looks crystal clear.

If that doesn't work, then you will need to go back and sand again. Most likely if this is the case dull oxidized plastic material is still left on the headlight and needs to be removed for a better finish.

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[WaxMaster1]

No critique here, I may have dry sanded with 500 as recommended. With the last touch (adding lubricity) turning into wet sanding......maybe not enough initial cut was achieved. I'm reaching, but that's the only variable I can think of.

 

[RippyD]

Big improvement. As other have said, you may try more sanding with finer grit and then polish down with a finishing polish. However, I have one headlight that either has deeper clouding or is cloudy on the inside as I just can't get it perfectly clear. I just live with it.

 

[JustJesus]

I did the headlights (one of them, the rep from 3D did the other) on my Toyota Yaris years ago. They looked more in line with the "before" that Suds posted, not as bad as what you posted, Eldo.

Wet sanded, then polished with wool pad on a rotary, and I *think* another polish. They came out good. No protection and that lasted a bit over a year. I'll have to search for my notes on the process, though.

The finished look is shown below. They are bad once again and I have the Meguiar's headlight kit that I plan to use on it once I have a moment to do it. I'll be sure to take photos and do a write-up.

 

[TTQ B4U]

My usual approach on ones that are bad like that is 800-1000 grit dry. I then move to 2000 grit and 3000 grit wet. Really work to get the oxidation off as once you get through that all the way, all that will be left is polishing. I have a couple orange hexlogic pads that are older which I retire to plastics like headlights. I start off with a compound then polish and usually have really good success. The only catch I've found that is disappointing is on some lights they are cloudy on the inside which hurts from getting that brand new look.

 

[HateSwirls]

Headlights are weird to me.

Sometimes we get a pair of headlights that are horrible and come out looking new and other times not so bad lamps that come out just okay.

I don't promote headlight restoration at my shop for that simple reason.
Weird

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[Setec Astronomy]

Wow, there's another MIA member...how's it going, HateSwirls??

 

[HateSwirls]

Wow, there's another MIA member...how's it going, HateSwirls??

Everything good here.

Hope all is well for you.

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