3M headlight lense restoration

[Soundguy]

I'm posting this here as good headlamps are a good part of towing..

I had slight yellowing or frosting of the plastic lamp covers on . well.. most of our vehicles. I decided to try the 18$ system 3m sells.. grabbed the kit at walmart.. a guy on the isle saw me pick it up.. said he used it.. works good.. but told me to go ahead and pick up a 6$ bottle of their 3m rubbing compound ont he shelf under it, as the lil 1oz packet they give you in the kit is about good for 2 small car lamps.. aor 1 big truck lamp

got home.. figured what the heck.. read the directions.. did the prep, cleaning and masking tabpe to protect all the other surfaces. used my 450 as the test case.

WOW.. works great... dern near almost crystal clear. now my 350 and 450 have good lamps. plan on doing the wifes yukon as well.. heck.. might even do the old beater dodge before i sell it..

worth the incestment if yo have frosted lenses.. and DO get the lil extra bottle of compound.. a variable speed 3/8 chuck drill is what you need. takes a good bit of swirling.. so i don't reccomend a battery powered on.. use a corded one.

and DO use 2 layers of tape as the instructions suggest.. not just a single layer.

soundguy

 

[peterc38]

Thanks, I have been curious about how effective those kits are.

Now if they could make something to take the pits out of the glass in my windshield too that would be great!

 

[clemsonfor]

I have used the One on sale for like $9 from Harbor Freight! It worked way better than i could imagine, turning my 1990 rangers yellowish cloudy lenses crystal clear. But they are the textured on the inside type not the flat clear plastic on new vehicles. So this weekend used another package on the wifes 2001 Toyota Highlander that had been restored i think by carmax about 2.5 yrs ago when purchased, but was hazing at the sidees and middles. I did it and it is 95% better but can still se a tat of the pitting i guess that causes the cloudyness? But you have to look close at first glance they looked brand new!!

I say that cause yesterday my wife was hit by someone on the front right and busted my newly restored Lense busting it as well as everything else! I guess i get at least one new on now, so i will see how they will look compared to the 10 yr old restored one. Im gonna try to get a matched pair though!

 

[deerefan]

I'm posting this here as good headlamps are a good part of towing..

I had slight yellowing or frosting of the plastic lamp covers on . well.. most of our vehicles. I decided to try the 18$ system 3m sells.. grabbed the kit at walmart.. a guy on the isle saw me pick it up.. said he used it.. works good.. but told me to go ahead and pick up a 6$ bottle of their 3m rubbing compound ont he shelf under it, as the lil 1oz packet they give you in the kit is about good for 2 small car lamps.. aor 1 big truck lamp

got home.. figured what the heck.. read the directions.. did the prep, cleaning and masking tabpe to protect all the other surfaces. used my 450 as the test case.

WOW.. works great... dern near almost crystal clear. now my 350 and 450 have good lamps. plan on doing the wifes yukon as well.. heck.. might even do the old beater dodge before i sell it..

worth the incestment if yo have frosted lenses.. and DO get the lil extra bottle of compound.. a variable speed 3/8 chuck drill is what you need. takes a good bit of swirling.. so i don't reccomend a battery powered on.. use a corded one.

and DO use 2 layers of tape as the instructions suggest.. not just a single layer.

soundguy

I had the same results with my 97 F150. Typically, it needs to be redone every 6 months or so. Mine are due again.

 

[k0ua]

Thanks, I was wondering about those too. You see so many things advertised on TV, and at least half of them are scams, its kinda hard to know which ones work and which ones don't without someone trying them..Thanks again

James K0UA

 

[schmism]

you can use 1500 grit sandpaper to get out deeper pitting. you should have a smoooth frosty lense after the sandpaper.... then buff it out with the buffer.

I need to do the ones on my bmw again.

but my ford van and toyota truck both have glass lenses :thumbsup:

 

[clemsonfor]

I had the same results with my 97 F150. Typically, it needs to be redone every 6 months or so. Mine are due again.

I used a HF kit like i said. I too used a corded 3/8 drill. Had 1 scuffing pad per lense, really was foam mounted to like 1000grit sand paper or something. You wet sand them then use a foam applicator with a rubbing typ compound in the drill to polish them up.

Anyway i did my ranger at least a year ago if not more and i think it still looks good! Maybe not as the second i finished but i cant tell that there is a bit of haze returning yet. They may not be as bright as i see them overtime and cannnot tell they are dulling but i honetly cant tell. The package i got is sold at HF. Its made by like CCP chemical company here in the USA! I think HF also sells a 3M KIT BUT cant remember. The one i got is routinly on sale or has a coupon availible and can always be had with these for under $10. Its a onetime use kit, not sure about the 3m?

 

[PoorPlowboy]

One small trick that will keep you from having to redo so soon is 3 coats of a good hard wax like pure carnauba. It will help prevent sand and bug blasting pits.

 

[CowboyRon]

I'm posting this here as good headlamps are a good part of towing..

I had slight yellowing or frosting of the plastic lamp covers on . well.. most of our vehicles. I decided to try the 18$ system 3m sells.. grabbed the kit at walmart.. a guy on the isle saw me pick it up.. said he used it.. works good.. but told me to go ahead and pick up a 6$ bottle of their 3m rubbing compound ont he shelf under it, as the lil 1oz packet they give you in the kit is about good for 2 small car lamps.. aor 1 big truck lamp

got home.. figured what the heck.. read the directions.. did the prep, cleaning and masking tabpe to protect all the other surfaces. used my 450 as the test case.

WOW.. works great... dern near almost crystal clear. now my 350 and 450 have good lamps. plan on doing the wifes yukon as well.. heck.. might even do the old beater dodge before i sell it..

worth the incestment if yo have frosted lenses.. and DO get the lil extra bottle of compound.. a variable speed 3/8 chuck drill is what you need. takes a good bit of swirling.. so i don't reccomend a battery powered on.. use a corded one.

and DO use 2 layers of tape as the instructions suggest.. not just a single layer.

soundguy

I bought the kit at pep boys that comes with the sand paper. It does work great. Your next step should be to get an HID kit, man are they bright on a dark country road.

 

[Soundguy]

i didn't know HF had a kit.. should shopepd around.

I had another idea as well.

when ;ooking, I saw two types of kits.

1 type was just a clear 'coating' you applied with a sponge tip applicatior.., the other was the sand and buff type.

i wonder if you did the sand and buff, thensealed it with the other type if it would last longer?

happy right now.. my two trucks have clear lamps not frosted...


soudnguy