Headlight restoration - specifically how you sand

Ive got the gg 3" and it does work for wet sanding lights. Dont expect much paint correction (can do light tasks on high speed and orange pad), but it is still useful (3" soft brush for leather cleaning is another favorite use).
 
dfoxengr said:
Ive got the gg 3" and it does work for wet sanding lights. Dont expect much paint correction (can do light tasks on high speed and orange pad), but it is still useful (3" soft brush for leather cleaning is another favorite use).
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I bought a GG3 specifically for sanding headlights. Used it for the first time today, and I'm pretty disappointed. I knew going in that the gg3 has little power, and is not suited for paint correction, but I assumed it would handle sanding tasks. Did a set a of Hyundai lights today during a detail with this process:

Sand (with gg3 da) 1000 grit, 1500, 3000.
Polish (again with gg3) using SSR3 and 3" orange pad.
Results: unacceptable, still cloudy/hazy

So, repeated the process only adding 500 grit for the first step. Results still not good.

Tomorrow I go back (ran out of daylight today) to try again either by hand or with the drill and 3" attachments. The power drill has worked well in the past, just hoped to get better quality sanding with the gg3. Another option I guess would be swap the 3" backing plate onto my gg6 and give that a shot.
 
If you have a compressor, the 3" pneumatic DA sander from Harbor Freight is $25

It is what they used down at Meguiar's HQ for demo nights

Theirs has a Rupes inline air regulator
 
allenk4 said:
If you have a compressor, the 3" pneumatic DA sander from Harbor Freight is $25

It is what they used down at Meguiar's HQ for demo nights

Theirs has a Rupes inline air regulator
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No compressor. Not sure which way to attack these lights. Initially I even thought that there might be a defect with the Hyundai headlight lens. The gg6 should have plenty of power for sanding headlights, shouldn't it? I may try the 3" bp and attachments on the gg6. Really don't want to waste more sandpaper by "experimenting." (at least not this week lol)
 
HeffJamm said:
No compressor. Not sure which way to attack these lights. Initially I even thought that there might be a defect with the Hyundai headlight lens. The gg6 should have plenty of power for sanding headlights, shouldn't it? I may try the 3" bp and attachments on the gg6. Really don't want to waste more sandpaper by "experimenting." (at least not this week lol)
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Try the 3M refill kit and use the papers on your 3" BP and DA

$12

P500, P800, P3000

3M Headlight Lens Refill Kit – 39049
 
allenk4 said:
Try the 3M refill kit and use the papers on your 3" BP and DA

$12

P500, P800, P3000

3M Headlight Lens Refill Kit – 39049
Click to expand...

Already had a 3m kit in the shop, and bought more papers separately. Sanded with the gg6 and 3" bp... worked a little better, but took a lot of time. The few headlight restorations I've done in the past took an hour total... I spent an hour on just one lens today. The da's just don't seem to have the power needed to sand a really bad set of lights. I never had this problem when using the power drill with 3" attachment. Although, I never tried restoring lights that were this bad. Went through several sanding disks, then sanded some by hand... da 500, 800, 1000, 1500, then by hand 2000 and 3000, followed by Megs 105. The lens is now clear except for some areas around the edges where I guess I lost some nerve. Scheduled to do his wife's car in 2 weeks, same service. Have a little practicing to do. I'll take pics.

Is 2 hours to restore a set of relatively bad headlights an unusual amount of time? Or do you guys run into this regularly?

Oh yeah, and Happy New Year. :)
 
Definitely hit them with the GG6. Power was the main factor in me getting the 6" over the 3". More practical to step down to a smaller BP and dial back the power instead of struggling and wishing you had more. Hyundai lights should be soft and easy to work with. So, even with severe oxidation, I would start with 800 & 1000 on the DA and hand sand 2000 & 3000. (I would prefer to sand all by hand but that's just my preference.) Compound twice/polish once/protect. You should be good to go with that. And don't neglect those edges and corners or they'll be an eyesore.
 
What is the best way to address deep scratches from automatic car wash brushes in tight areas that have a rubber edge?

 
allenk4 said:
What is the best way to address deep scratches from automatic car wash brushes in tight areas that have a rubber edge?
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I always tape up to the edge of rubber seal. 800/400 will usually clean those up, depending on how much oxidation is there in addition to the scratches. I'm almost willing to put the mortgage that it's a Mustang in the pic because they're notorious for scratches on the side of the headlight closest to the wheel wells.
 
I think that's the problem I had with the Hyundai lens yesterday... more scratches than oxidation. I think they need to be worked with the 500 paper a little longer.

Yeah, the edges were an eyesore. I had already scheduled a re-do (again) next week. I'm going to do edges by hand and block more time for headlights in this condition in the future.

Thanks for all your feedback!
 
g35_coupe said:
I always tape up to the edge of rubber seal. 800/400 will usually clean those up, depending on how much oxidation is there in addition to the scratches. I'm almost willing to put the mortgage that it's a Mustang in the pic because they're notorious for scratches on the side of the headlight closest to the wheel wells.
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Yep, Mustang

I hand sanded these

I will not be doing that again

Turned out pretty well, not perfect


AFTER

WP_20141129_10_02_39_Pro.jpg
 
Funny, I've had zero issues using the GG3 for damp-sanding, even through headlamp clear coats with 320 and 500 grit papers. @OP: Perhaps you just need more aggressive discs to cut the clear. Usually oxidized and failing headlamp clears come off easily, intact clears are thick and tough.
 
SameGuy said:
Funny, I've had zero issues using the GG3 for damp-sanding, even through headlamp clear coats with 320 and 500 grit papers. @OP: Perhaps you just need more aggressive discs to cut the clear. Usually oxidized and failing headlamp clears come off easily, intact clears are thick and tough.
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Not giving up on the gg3, yet. More 3" sanding discs on the way. The lights had more scratches than oxidation, a new challenge for me. The car looks to have gone through 100's of machine car washes in its lifetime. I'll know to schedule more time for similar headlights in the future.
 
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