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Headlamp lense
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4017
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 8:27 pm
- Location: Stourbridge
Headlamp lense
Noticed today close up how battered and grazed inside the headlamp lenses are.
One for a long time looked like someone placed their gritty shoe on one lense and dragged it down, leaving deep scratches..
Saw these, ordered a pair and give them a try.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353536481337
Be an opportunity to evict a few spider and try improve the angel eyes.
Not sure if the originals have glass coated on the plastic.
Only few years ago i learnt about glass coated plastic.
One for a long time looked like someone placed their gritty shoe on one lense and dragged it down, leaving deep scratches..
Saw these, ordered a pair and give them a try.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353536481337
Be an opportunity to evict a few spider and try improve the angel eyes.
Not sure if the originals have glass coated on the plastic.
Only few years ago i learnt about glass coated plastic.
- B21
- Lifer
- Posts: 5331
- Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2021 7:15 pm
- Location: In my Banana Yellow Space Shuttle...somewhere over Southern Caledonia
Headlamp lense
When you say inside…I’m lost as to how the inside of the headlight lens gets scratched?
Can you explain pls?
Also I thought the lens unit was one piece? Hence is this a cut and shut job?
Can you explain pls?
Also I thought the lens unit was one piece? Hence is this a cut and shut job?
We choose to go to on with this endeavour at this time and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard..
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- Senior Member
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Headlamp lense
Vidi, vici, veni
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4017
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 8:27 pm
- Location: Stourbridge
Headlamp lense
The minor grazing is on the inside. Looks like fine brittle fractures.
Can be seen as a blurring of headlight beam on glass.
Typical of acrylic, doesn't age well. But has better clarity then polycarbonate, although poly is lest brittle.
Also being open to moisture, 12 years worth of bits of dust and spider legs.
Also some scuffing on right lamp.
Looks like someone rested a shoe on the lamp to tie a shoe lace, then dragged foot down.
The outer glass is relatively smooth with a few chips.
Can be seen as a blurring of headlight beam on glass.
Typical of acrylic, doesn't age well. But has better clarity then polycarbonate, although poly is lest brittle.
Also being open to moisture, 12 years worth of bits of dust and spider legs.
Also some scuffing on right lamp.
Looks like someone rested a shoe on the lamp to tie a shoe lace, then dragged foot down.
The outer glass is relatively smooth with a few chips.
Last edited by flybobbie on Tue Oct 12, 2021 11:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4017
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 8:27 pm
- Location: Stourbridge
Headlamp lense
Yes i think someone in the past on forum, or somewhere removed lense with heat gun applied to soften the glue holding lense in.
Would be interested if someone had that link.
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4017
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 8:27 pm
- Location: Stourbridge
Headlamp lense
Might have a play around with these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254587768837
And these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254587768837
To improve the angel eyes and perhaps light the non lighting inner lamps.
Always thought it was mean of BMW not to light the inners.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254587768837
And these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254587768837
To improve the angel eyes and perhaps light the non lighting inner lamps.
Always thought it was mean of BMW not to light the inners.
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4017
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 8:27 pm
- Location: Stourbridge
Headlamp lense
Good video to get at lamps, not sure if bumper really needs to come all off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmy6KSvaw0E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmy6KSvaw0E
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4017
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 8:27 pm
- Location: Stourbridge
Headlamp lense
Someone done BMW similar lense;
https://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthr ... ?t=1539936
Looks like bit of a chore.
Like like butyl strip required to restick.
https://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthr ... ?t=1539936
Looks like bit of a chore.
Like like butyl strip required to restick.
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- Lifer
- Posts: 3066
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- Location: Somerset
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- Senior Member
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Headlamp lense
You can remove the front lens by applying heat to it either with a hot air gun or better in an oven. That will loosen the adhesive enabling you to separate the lens from the housing. Make sure to apply a good sealant when putting the new lens back. You can replace the existing Angel Eyes with aftermarket ones, those in your link are CCFL, LED ones will be better more brighter but beware that they don't last anywhere near as long as the factory ones do and in a 3 to 5 years (or less if you are unlucky) you maybe opening the lamps back up again.
2009 sdrive30i auto Sapphire Black / Coral Red
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- Senior Member
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4017
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 8:27 pm
- Location: Stourbridge
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4017
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 8:27 pm
- Location: Stourbridge
Headlamp lense
Ok...but in reality the part i am talking about isn't a lens or lenses.
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- Lifer
- Posts: 4017
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 8:27 pm
- Location: Stourbridge
Headlamp lense
I think there is a vent hole at the bottom, i would cover that in brass mesh to stop future spiders.
We had to do the same with the yellow call boxes at road crossings. The holes in the bottom for buzzers, etc became an entrance for all sorts of bugs to crawl and live inside.
We had to do the same with the yellow call boxes at road crossings. The holes in the bottom for buzzers, etc became an entrance for all sorts of bugs to crawl and live inside.