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Headlight renovation WITHOUT buying "a kit" WITH PICS
- Ducklakeview
- Lifer
- Posts: 6362
- Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 4:08 pm
- Location: Merseyside
Headlight renovation WITHOUT buying "a kit" WITH PICS
Ok,
Not sure if it's been posted before, I know people have used the "kits" available on fleabay and the like, but thought I'd do mine without one..
Bagged myself a set of facelift xenons for the bargain of £200 delivered.
Upon arrival, noticed the lenses were showing the usual age related clouding, so decided to remove this before fitting them. You can do this in situ, just make sure you mask the areas around the headlight with TWO layers of wide masking tape, to prevent paint scuffs.
This is how they looked.. Photo doesn't highlight just how bad they were.
So, after washing them, I proceeded to hand sand with plenty of water, and 400 grit wet & dry. At this point, if you haven't done it before, you'll probably be thinking "oh hell, what I have I done" but don't worry.. The aim is to get the surface smooth all over and remove the hazing/cloudiness. Sand in a circular direction, NOT straight lines, or it'll be harder to remove the sanding marks at the next stage. By now, they should be looking like this;
And after a wipe down, like this; If there are still clear or excessively cloudy sections at the above stage, continue wet sanding with the 400 until the whole surface is an even dull matt like the above pic.
After that, I used a 1500 grit disc in my DA on medium speed, again wet sanded, until it looked like this;
Washed off and swapped to a 3000 grit disc, again at medium speed and wet, until after wiping, the lens looked like this;
Finally, I switched to a pad and did 3 passes each with meg's 105 cutting compound, followed by 205 polish, before finally sealing with a couple of coats of Collinite 426s, which left the headlamps looking like this;
Total time, around an hour to do both and a few pence in wet&dry/sanding discs....
Very rewarding!!
Mike
Not sure if it's been posted before, I know people have used the "kits" available on fleabay and the like, but thought I'd do mine without one..
Bagged myself a set of facelift xenons for the bargain of £200 delivered.
Upon arrival, noticed the lenses were showing the usual age related clouding, so decided to remove this before fitting them. You can do this in situ, just make sure you mask the areas around the headlight with TWO layers of wide masking tape, to prevent paint scuffs.
This is how they looked.. Photo doesn't highlight just how bad they were.
So, after washing them, I proceeded to hand sand with plenty of water, and 400 grit wet & dry. At this point, if you haven't done it before, you'll probably be thinking "oh hell, what I have I done" but don't worry.. The aim is to get the surface smooth all over and remove the hazing/cloudiness. Sand in a circular direction, NOT straight lines, or it'll be harder to remove the sanding marks at the next stage. By now, they should be looking like this;
And after a wipe down, like this; If there are still clear or excessively cloudy sections at the above stage, continue wet sanding with the 400 until the whole surface is an even dull matt like the above pic.
After that, I used a 1500 grit disc in my DA on medium speed, again wet sanded, until it looked like this;
Washed off and swapped to a 3000 grit disc, again at medium speed and wet, until after wiping, the lens looked like this;
Finally, I switched to a pad and did 3 passes each with meg's 105 cutting compound, followed by 205 polish, before finally sealing with a couple of coats of Collinite 426s, which left the headlamps looking like this;
Total time, around an hour to do both and a few pence in wet&dry/sanding discs....
Very rewarding!!
Mike
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4621
- Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:38 pm
Headlight renovation WITHOUT buying "a kit" WITH PICS
wow they look brand new!
18 Z4s owned to date.
Current: 2.5i Titan silver
Daily driver: 480bhp M140i Shadow edition.
Current: 2.5i Titan silver
Daily driver: 480bhp M140i Shadow edition.
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1650
- Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2017 4:59 pm
- Location: wirral
Headlight renovation WITHOUT buying "a kit" WITH PICS
Very good job mike look great the finish looks spot on
2004 z4 30i auto Toledo blue stubby Areo front back sideskirts and rear spoiler M/// MFSW DLV exhaust mod mma tips vanos overhaul 108s refurbed ram air scoop E46 M3 heated seats clear rear lights M/// sport black grills
- maxman
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2821
- Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:34 pm
- Location: Wrexham
Headlight renovation WITHOUT buying "a kit" WITH PICS
Should add 20mph to your top speed when it gets dark .
- Chris_D
- Lifer
- Posts: 6615
- Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2016 11:41 pm
- Location: Mostly Holland. Sometimes UK.
Headlight renovation WITHOUT buying "a kit" WITH PICS
tip top mike!
E85 3.0i roadie (03) 'Benny'. E93 320d M-Sport Cabrio (11) 'Bob'.
'Always different, always the same.' John Peel on The Fall.
'Always different, always the same.' John Peel on The Fall.
- flimper
- Lifer
- Posts: 4600
- Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:47 pm
- Location: Hampshire
Headlight renovation WITHOUT buying "a kit" WITH PICS
Looks good, hoping to do mine soon
Piano black & black extended leather. Power mirrors, tinted glass, PDC, Prof hi-fi, CD, retro-fit cruise
- Ducklakeview
- Lifer
- Posts: 6362
- Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 4:08 pm
- Location: Merseyside
- flimper
- Lifer
- Posts: 4600
- Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:47 pm
- Location: Hampshire
Headlight renovation WITHOUT buying "a kit" WITH PICS
Don't you start!
Piano black & black extended leather. Power mirrors, tinted glass, PDC, Prof hi-fi, CD, retro-fit cruise
- Swiftly
- Lifer
- Posts: 8818
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 10:43 pm
- Location: Edinburgh
Headlight renovation WITHOUT buying "a kit" WITH PICS
That's a impresive result, well done
- Marlon
- Lifer
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- Contact:
Headlight renovation WITHOUT buying "a kit" WITH PICS
Neat job Mike
Gone: 3.0si 2008 E85
911 997 Carrera S
- cj10jeeper
- Lifer
- Posts: 17846
- Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:50 am
- Location: Lichfield, England
Headlight renovation WITHOUT buying "a kit" WITH PICS
Looks great and pleasing to do
Well established method of restoring and did similar on mine. Only word of caution for others that copy is when using any machine polisher to keep it slow and moving. I've seen the result on a VX when the plastic gets too warm and smears and it's not pretty. New lights then required...
Well established method of restoring and did similar on mine. Only word of caution for others that copy is when using any machine polisher to keep it slow and moving. I've seen the result on a VX when the plastic gets too warm and smears and it's not pretty. New lights then required...
Jaguar F-Type 3.0 Supercharged V6 S, Stratus Grey, LSD, Active Exhaust, CF wheels, Performance brakes, Sports seats and mods ongoing
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills
- kammy1975
- Member
- Posts: 264
- Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 4:55 pm
- Location: West Yorkshire
Headlight renovation WITHOUT buying "a kit" WITH PICS
Great work Mike, and nice pics showing each stage clearly.
I went for the 3M kit and learnt quite quickly that using a cordless drill on the slowest setting was still too aggressive, and left some "burns" in the plastic. Ditched the drill and used good old hand power. Got a smooth finish, but it was a little rushed, so will revisit at some point, as it does make the front end stand out when the headlight lenses are gleaming!
I went for the 3M kit and learnt quite quickly that using a cordless drill on the slowest setting was still too aggressive, and left some "burns" in the plastic. Ditched the drill and used good old hand power. Got a smooth finish, but it was a little rushed, so will revisit at some point, as it does make the front end stand out when the headlight lenses are gleaming!
- cj10jeeper
- Lifer
- Posts: 17846
- Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:50 am
- Location: Lichfield, England
Headlight renovation WITHOUT buying "a kit" WITH PICS
That's pretty much the issue with drill or standard rotary polishers. They concentrate all the work effort on a single spot. Excellent for pros who do it all day, but not rest of us. Random orbital with care or hand
Jaguar F-Type 3.0 Supercharged V6 S, Stratus Grey, LSD, Active Exhaust, CF wheels, Performance brakes, Sports seats and mods ongoing
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills