Luckily the headlights in my 01 4Runner are glass. But I’ve had to do a couple restorations myself it’s a long process but if done correctly it can last a long time.
I remember the time when headlights were made out of glass. 20 years later they still looked brand new, no work needed. Great video, many helpful tips!
Thank you appreciate you watching.. You should check this video out it's along the lines of what you're speaking of I think you would enjoy it...th-cam.com/video/LcMFr0mpp-4/w-d-xo.html
You're so good. It's so difficult to pay someone to do an honest job. I prefer to pay specialists but lately I feel like if I actually want it done right, teaching myself on YT and doing it myself is the only way.
A lot of cases it is like that.. it's hard to find good work nowadays if you find somebody you should definitely keep them.... Small individual people and large mass businesses are just trying to someone get over on people...
The method I used was similar to what you did. I got up to a 2000 grit (part of the Sylvania kit I used), each lens took about 45 minutes of sanding and prep. Now it's still good over 2 years later. I think the key is to take your time don't rush any step and really do each step as thoroughly as possible.
I went the dollar store bought a box of baking Soda and a bottle of white vinager . Mixed them 50/50. Boom voila problem solved. Don’t believe me go spend four dollars and spend twenty minutes. Job done.
I can go to the refrigerator and put sour cream on the headlight and buff it off I will look good for a minute but it's going to be nothing compared to what is going on full true headlight restoration I'm sure you know that...
I followed your procedure to the letter today on a 2006 Pontiac Vibe. When I was finished I said wow these lights look brand new. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and posting this video.
I worked for an OEM headlight manufacturer about 20 years ago. After we molded the PC clear lens we then sent it to a company that would coat the lens in a proprietary manner I think we called it "hard coat". Some lens had small runs on them when they came back to us. This coating blocked the UV and prevented the degradation you are dealing with. If you don't have some type of UV protection after your treatment it will, as you say, come back quicker and quicker.
they cover it with UV lacquer for. .well..UV protection 🤣 It actually is a plymer that hardens with UV light. Used in UV printing used in many manufacturers for printing various stuff. Lige for instance printing texture on ceramic tiles on floors... Those are UV hardening paints, lacquers
As an industrial chemist who worled for Stanley making polycarbonate headlights and specializing in thr coatings to prevent degradation from UV, I can tell you most of the information in this video is complete nonsense.
@@NoMoreBsPlease I kept thinking he didn't really know what polishing means, and perhaps got it mixed up with waxing or something. He was saying not to polish while he was polishing - wtf? Of course you need to clean off any residue at the end. Probably glass cleaner, isopropyl alcohol, etc will work just fine. And something to coat it afterward to help protect against the UV that causes the problem at the end. I think I used something from 3M made for headlights last time I did it.
This is pretty much the way I did my headlights, except I did one more step you missed. I did the 1500 grit before the final 3500 then buffed it. I also wet sanded every step by hand, except for the buffing process of course. Either way the point is if you're not getting past that top oxidation and down to the actual lens, then buffing alone is a waste of time... I learned this the hard way.
@@PatTheBat what I kinda thought too. I actually started out with P1200 but the lenses were old and it wasn't doing the job like I wanted without taking too long. Didn't wanna spend an entire day on headlights... Lol
Really should watch a couple of my videos.. especially my portfolio reels 1 and 2.. my quality is definitely second to none.. for many reason dry sanding is one of them.. Thanks for watching
I buffed my headlights this summer but they seem to be just as yellow as they were before I did it. Some yellowness did come out but it looks like there's still some on the headlight. I used the turtle wax headlight restoration kit you can get for 8 dollars which came with two sand papers. I did it by hand and it's still not enough :(. It seems so simple to do yet I cannot get it right and it just frustrates me.
Completely agree that it takes time to properly restore your headlights. The Sylvania kit works great, but you have to put in 15-20 minutes per headlight if you follow their directions. Mine lasted almost 5 years before I had to do it again.
I used to work in a big box retailer lube shop and headlight restores was one extra thing we would do with a 3m 4 step sanding kit (2 dry sands, one wet, and one liquid buff) I had a high rate of customers who would recommend me as the tech to do restores as while I would take around an hour or so to get the job done I made sure those lenses where as close to brand new looking as they could get. Biggest thing was educating people on how the "wipe" polishes didn't work or didn't work for long and how sanding was the only lasting way to keep old headlights clear
Everything I recommend is in my Bio..the stuff that I use every day. I do not recommend anything that is not made for headlights unless NOTHING else exists that is specifically for headlights...there is no reason too...the only time you go outside of the box is when it doesn't exist...then you you use common sense and research and development..trial and error..
No...not just any polish will do.. It must specifically be used for headlights and or plastic...and even in that realm there are good and bad....what I use is by far the best...I can tell you that from experience..you can use a bunch of things but to come out like my finished product will be different and difficult if not following the same steps .. Should watch more of my videos...I mentioned this a lot... Also all polishes are created for different uses...this is a really special type use being that it is dealing with a clear substance that has special functions..
It's false..... Respectfully common sense... Can't really explain it all now it's actually explained in some videos I think my latest video or latest three videos explains it pretty well... But common Sense suggest there's a difference.. what do you think the difference would be spraying one that's foggy that you can't see through and it turning clear or spring one that's crystal clear and it becoming more clear....
Yeah... False clear... Just because it turns clear doesn't mean it's working properly as I said earlier... Also on the last three or four videos I mentioned it as well should check them out it'll explain better than I can on text. It's a very bad to do this in many ways.. and you only get half the headlight function compared to when you do do it. . don't forget it's not just about visible clarity that you can see with your eye that's about the way the headlight is designed to work pushing out light....
@@jefftate01 generally that's how long headlight restoration last can last longer if you have aftercare or take care of your headlights in a good way.. having videos about that coming up.. The headlights of my vehicle were done over 3 years ago and look brand new... Have a video about why do headlights go bad check that out and you'll see tips on how to keep them from going bad...
Was doing the same yesterday on a 2001 Ford Ranger Edge with original clear light covers. It's a work truck for me and nothing else. I used Mother's NuLens mainly for the polishing head and polish. Clean up with 90% rubbing alcohol. Cheap low tack green tape to mask. Sprayed lens with Meguirs Headlight Coating. I've done this every couple of years with different products for 15 years. Works for me. Would not spray a perfectly new headlight cover, better for an older vehicle's headlight covers. Solid video and grear job.
I used the 3M kit and it was a bit more expensive and it worked very well on my wifes car. I had never done this before, and I watched Farm guy comparison, and then followed the directions. Worked quite well!! I was amazed. The cause was not as described in this video. The cause was simply age and living on a dirt road and a very very buggy area (acids). Anyway, good video. Thanks.
Only 2 things wrong with glass headlights; 1. You could buy aftermarket ones super cheap, and install them easily, completely leaving car dealers out of the transaction 2. They are beyond rugged and scratch-proof. (Ditto for hood springs vs. pneumatic struts. Springs last forever, struts only last a few years.)
Depends; some aftermarket headlights for different makes are inferior to OEM ones when it comes to durability, and turn yellow faster than the OEM headlights. You can have the old OEM headlights made in USA that lasts for decades, and then most of the cheap aftermarket ones are made in China fog up and fail to seal out moisture in a few years.
@@1marcelfilms Never had one 'BREAk" but I have had them get weak enough that I built and carried a kickstand until I could get the time to replace them. Car was '87 beemer, back in year 2000. Hood springs work forever, survive until the car goes to the crusher. THAT is why they have been replaced with gas struts. Ditto for glass headlights that you could buy for around $6 apiece.
I'm 66+ Thank you Sir! I have a 2005 F-150 XLT. Great truck in almost perfect shape. Low miles considering its almost 20 yrs old. But my headlights are worse that the Tundra you just finished. I have the power tools at my disposal so I will rewatch and get them done, once we are put of winter here in Northern Michigan. Thank you so much.
Always let the abrasive do the work. If you have to use force, the abrasive is no longer sharp or of the wrong type... or you're trying to rush the job. I do this job with 3" and 5"pneumatic orbital sanders, and pads up to 15,000 grit made for plastic. I don't use a plastic polish but I do use a UV-protectant sealer, That's an absolute must!
Yes, the uv sealant or clear coat is the only way to make the finish last for a long time. sometimes I have just used a foam pad and compound to shine them up, but they will always go dull after a couple of months. Whatever UV coating they have used at the factory has gone. Sometime this os obvious, as you can see the film breaking up.
I used the $20 3M headlight restoration kit on my wife's Uncle's 2008 Mercury Milan last year. His headlights were just a little bit worse than the headlights on this Toyota. They were never polished, just weathered/sun beaten. When I was done they were like new again. Now, a year and a half later they still look like the day I restored them. The clear coating they provide is holding up just fine. Best $20 he ever spent.
Based on my experience, you advice is spot-on. I used a 3M kit to do essentially what you show in your video. There was a learning curve. Patience is important: My first lens took about two hours. The results have been great. My biggest surprise was how yellow the first removed material was. I've done multiple cars now (for family).The first car's headlights were cleaned up two years ago and still look great. The only down-side of the 3M kit was it did not have a UV-blocking final coat. I had to purchase that separately (Yes. The UV protective coat was distinctly labeled for headlights). My biggest struggle was getting the swirls removed (patience, keep the drill moving, keep the pressure light). I tried a sanding block, but gave it up quickly because it would not conform to the compound curves of the headlight and only provided a line or point contact. I do wish that I had had a hand holder for the sanding discs, one like you used in the video (gotta find me one of those).
Yes that is the main reason I've Incorporated the step with the hand sander it helps level out until the micro swirls left behind by the p800 and some occasions it really just deletes them.. it's a must step but most headlights... That with the extra high power 700 RPM polisher make an extreme difference... Thank you for watching...😎🙏🏽
Yes . He's awesome he's one of my favorites on TH-cam.... What's that being said yeah you can do it without devices you can cut a football field with a push rotating old school lawn mower might take you 15 hours and I might look decent for what you working with... But it would never compare to a team of people on sit down lawn mowers that did it in 1 hour... If that makes sense... But you can definitely do it without any kind of tools or whatever if you are skilled enough it can come out pretty good..
@@theheadlightrestorationpro I love that you aren’t bashing him! My comment was more for the OP, but for some reason it didn’t tag him. It’s definitely why I found your channel. I don’t want to do it by hand when I can use a machine 🫠 Just wasn’t sure on pressure/technique etc. love the content! Glad I found your channel from the “recommended view”
Keep watching my videos there's a bunch of videos that specifically stayed on pressure and how much pressure to use more in depth but basically you just want to finesse you want to use very little pressure it's more finesse than strength..😎💯❤️
Great video. It's not that folks are polishing headlights to screw others, it's that they just don't know the science of what happened and how to properly repair it. Your video is a great teaching tool!! Thanks for taking the time to make it. BTW Project Farm did a great review of headlight repair products. That is good information too!
If you have a new car, I’ve found that if you wax the headlights once a month, they’ll never turn cloudy. I had an Escape for 13 years, and the headlights were crystal clear.
@@curlyhairdudeify I’ve never used the ceramic stuff. I used Meguire’s liquid wax, but any good wax would work, My car was always garaged every night too.
Mineá Renault Kangoo,15 yrs old, always parked outside in southern France. Only ever waxed the headlights,and they are fine...some Kangoos I see on parkings etc. are fully dull.
When I was working for a shop in Charlotte, NC this was the same step process we did. It was a big kits that was in a carrying case. Only difference was we had two different pneumatic drills…one being a stubby type drill for the sand papers, and the other a polisher type drill that had two different type foam pads for the head. Headlights turned out perfect (if done correctly) every time.
Cool man.. yeah I know 3M sells this $500 headlight restoring tool kit that uses air pressure.. super high tech it's nice but out of my price range..lol
I used a 3M kit about 2 years ago and both my headlights still look good. Your method is obviously superior to what I did. When I do it again, I will definitely will be doing what you are doing.
Yeah that is one of my favorite kids one of the best ones.. I'm a total three of Fanboy just because it's honest it makes sense that it's literally a fact it's is better.. yeah she tried out and it's easy to just watch me as you do it and just follow the steps and how I do it.. Thanks for watching got some new content dropping soon stay tuned..
I do everything you do, but with two extra steps. I'll also wet sand with P500 and P800 after I dry sand with each. I feel I get a much smoother surface because I'm cutting into the material just a little bit more. I personally have found the Mother's Headlight Polish and Meguiar's sealant seem to provide the best results, in my experience.
You going to watch out for excessive sanding you don't want to do more than you need too. Thanks for watching plenty of ways to do it.. out of my experience of being a headlight Restoration company , also being a restoration specialist ,and high end detail shop. This is what I have learned to be the best through tons of experimentation and well over a thousand headlights done... Appreciate you watching probably should check out some more of my videos..😁
It's an amazing difference.. I struggled for months if not my first year trying to find an adequate product to match my stride for perfection and this is what I came up with... And I've tried about 75% of what's out there on the market literally... This product hands down it's just so much nicer than every way... Glad your results came out good... 💪🏽 Happy more videos out and plenty more to come just dropped one actually right now...
Did the same process 4 years ago but stopped sanding at 800 and used a good aerosol 2k clear. Still look perfect and it sits outside. Not sure if it’s because I used a quality product but 🤷🏽♂️
Thanks for sharing keeping it real. I’ve done them all in hopes of “easy” fixes = dumb, wasted efforts and monies. THIS IS THE WAY GUYS, excellent share here, spot on, what’s covered here is perfect, pay attention, every sentence is golden!
every sentence is golden ? when he says he's not removing headlight matter but "just the polish"... what polish ? he's removing the oxidized clear coat, polish isn't something that sticks to the headlight... and basically you need to wet sand by hand for this job.
@arthsvic6828 spoken like somebody who knows nothing about..lol Normally you'd be correct but this headlight is so old and oxidized there is zero headlight clear coat left on the headlight especially because of the repetitive polishing.... If you know what oxidation does it degrades something until it disappears pretty much evaporates... Before you get on here you discussing something you don't know or understand you might want to educate yourself a little bit..... And I should look at my channel or read the bio and understand that I am a professional at this while you are just some guy making up sentences about stuff you don't know about....(and and wet sanding is for novices and beginners as it is training wheels and the weakest form of headlight restoration... It has one place and a proper headlight restoration and that is at the middle to end of the process..) Now I know you've done three lights in your past.. but if you watch this channel you will be actually educated about have my restoration and headlights.... Appreciate you watching but you probably should watch more....💯
This is pretty much how I used to do headlights. But I compound and polish after I wet sand. I like the Maguire's headlight protectant but I started using ceramic coating which I think I like a little better.
I work at a body shop, this is pretty much the process I showed my boss compared to how they did it by just polishing the piss outta it lol. I wet sand by hand though, depending how bad the light is I'll start with 800 if really bad, finish with 2000 and use a metal polish to polish the lights. Works wonders. My boss liked it so much only I get to do them now.... Hurray!!
Should have negotiated a kickback on each set you do. They respect you more when you fight for your real value..they cuss and grumble but would do the same things. That’s how they became, “The boss” or owners.
@@toekneesee7113 nah, his father owned it and it fell into his lap basically lol. But I agree with what you said, wouldn't have been a bad idea 🤔 to late now been years lol
I ran a body shop for a while as well, we would actually sand the off the headlights 400-600 Then mask them off and clear them when we did the other repairs. I’ve seen lights that were done five and six years ago, they still look great
That method is certainly good for restoration of headlights when the headlights have been caked with cleaning substances previously. However, I have replaced a couple sets of headlights when the headlight plastic had tiny fissures within the plastic. Those fissures were not on the surface and could be seen when sunlight was shining on the headlights. Fortunately, those headlights were not so expensive. One set was $110 in 2014 on a 2002 car; the other was $150 in 2010 on a 1998 car. Both replacements were done with 30 minutes per car.
I have polish a LOT headlights using 2K clear coat and all looks amazing 3-4 years now.. Dont be fooled with the "specific" headlights products. A good 2K clear coat under the right temperatures can made miracles with no need to waste money on "well know brands".. Dont get me wrong , i dont mean maguiars are crap. I love all their products but for me a good 2K clear coat works best. Keep on with the great vids..Cheers !
To each his own but I run a business and my number one priority is to keep the vehicle on the road as long as I can, well that's damaging it while doing it or it happening in the long run from something I used.... 2K clear ACTUALLY DAMAGES HEADLIGHTS in the long run and it happens rather quick in the terms of the lives of the vehicles... Wondering if you've ever tried to take it off.. It's a nightmare anywhere in a high risk of damaging the light or the areas around the light from excessive sending which is needed because it's heavily scratch resistant.. it's not about big names it's about what tool is made for what purpose you don't use foam board in place of drywall, You don't replace your car is gasoline with alcohol (most cars)... You use what is prescribed for the certain function using turns out the best way.. in my opinion from all the lights I've done and from actually trying to use 2K clear it is the worst thing you can put on a headlight... I actually used to try to use it, until I try to start removing it from other people putting it on that'll stop you...lol It might last a little longer but that's not necessarily a good thing because the light starts going bad underneath the clear coat because it clear coat is dead it's just strong I've seen this quite a bit... Bonds too hard to the life as well starts causing spider cracking warping and pitting after a while when mixed with sunlight and weathering.. also in certain vehicles it's too hard it starts causing crowning and pitting from debris impacting freeway mileage... I've literally done over a thousand headlights well over at this point... And have run into this issue a couple times a month trying to remove this stuff.. But like I said to each his own if that's what you like to use I guess go fo it.. I consciously can't use this and run a business.. I mean if you're working on your own vehicle or you don't care to each his own...(actually have a video on this topic if you look through my content) Thanks for watching.
I am a mobile bumper painter of over 20 years for dealerships and do headlights when I have the opportunity and always clearcoat and looks amazing this guys method is is great as well
It very well could.. the orange pill problem is very problematic as well as the cure time so many things can happen with the cure time and most have that restoration is performed in a non-controlled environment.. and the need to go over it once it cures it's really problematic you need something to set and forget.. But good thinking it could be better in certain climates..
I just subscribed.... A fine job sir... I say this because this is the exact same way I have been doing headlights as a side hustle for over 10 years... I haven't done thousands, but I have done hundreds and hundreds.... I have been told that folks did their headlights with anything from wd40, toothpaste, bug spray (ugh) baking soda, etc. The ONLY way to get this done right is to sand.... I start with 3m 500 and work up to 3000 grit. I'll usually start with 500,,, then 800... 1000... 3000 then buff.... Over the years I have tried different grits give or take and have had great results.... Cheers to you sir... I am looking forward to watching all videos... I get discouraged trying to tell folks that this the best way to do this... Many have jumped on the bandwagon and are now giving the job away, thus lowering my price. Costco, B.J's and the like are doing it also and causing more aggravation for me and others that spend quality time and passion to get these lights looking brand new. I normally do not use a clearcoat due to masking and prepping as I do most of my jobs outdoors... I am hoping to find a perfect clearcoat to use... I will try to find and introduce your clearcoat method shortly... Thanks for one of the best videos I have ever seen on TH-cam... Oh, I will be ordering the yellow sanding block... Looks like a great tool to have in the arsenal....
This is a very old video I have over 100 streaming at this point.. check out the most recent one because even though this video is popular light would only become so good due to a lot of damage see the ones that don't have it .. th-cam.com/video/o622VZRW2cg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=8zWRi6weJHcsxIbC
I've used the Glassy-lite kit to restore my headlights, but they don't make it anymore. That kit came with 2000 grit, and 3000 grit sand cloth, as well as a polish and sealer. You used the 2000 grit sand cloth first, along with a garden hose to constantly spray a light mist on the headlight as you were sanding it. You sanded it in a left to right pattern. Once the headlight was clear, you used the 3000 grit sand cloth and garden hose, and sanded in a top to bottom pattern, to sand out any scratches that the 2000 grit may have left behind. You then dried the headlight, then used the polish to polish it. Once the polish was dry, you wiped it off. You then applied the sealer, which came in a small bottle. The headlights look great when I was finished. Seeing how well the Meguires kit worked, I'll be using that next time.
If you use a headlight protection wax in the first place you can prevent the clouding . We went 13 years on my wife's last car and the headlights still looked like new. Her car was parked outside every week day. You have to clear coat them no what ever you use or the clouding will come right back.
@@yactabay The store brand that I used is no longer available, but I now use 'Wolfgang Plastik sealant' (Plastic with a K) I hear that Meguira's 'Keep clear headlight coating' is good as well.
I started doing this about 20 years ago. Along with painting a vehicle if the headlights needed it I would re-clear coat them. Prep with 800 grit, warm water with a drop or two of dishwashing liquid. When properly prepped plastic adhesion promoter is not needed. But I started adding it and noticed the clear lasted much longer. Over a decade on my Mazda and the headlights still look brand new.
@@BadRonald1 Wasn't really a preference, just kind of ended up with them. It's a big set, user friendly hardware and they sound good. I've had a few Pearl, and a couple of Tama sets. I have a lot of Paiste. I like their quick cut and dry, low sustain. I'm sure you know, a lot of drums is all about the tuning. I had CB 700s when I was a teenager spent hours tuning them and they actually sounded great.
Thank you I try to make it easy to understand as much as possible and yet give everything that people need to know about real true headlight restoration... Really appreciate you watching and taking time to notice...👍🏽💯💪🏽
Talking is how you educate if I did the opposite what would people learn how would they understand..lol Imagine going to a classroom with a teacher just sat there quiet with the books open... Counterproductive
Thanks for sharing your expertise, both in the video and the comments. The big sham is the restoration need created by the manufacturers and their inadequate plastics. I restore the one piece glass headlights on my 94 E250 by washing and replace at 10-15 years when they start getting noticeably dimmer.
I remember when the clear plastic portion of the headlight assembly of a car/truck was made out of glass (I guess I am old as dirt). I cannot believe that car manufacturers switched out the glass with plastic. Of course plastic will fade, cloud, discolor, craze, etc. over time. This is what the real problem is. Car manufacturers found a way to up their profit, by switching out the glass lens of the headlight assembly with cheap plastic (Lexan/acrylic) material. Now we owners of these plastic crap-boxes have another early failure point on our vehicles... cloudy headlights. Giving rise to a whole new industry, to try to undo the sunlight damage caused over years of sunlight exposure. If the headlight assemblies were still made out of glass, like they used to be, we would not be even talking about this issue. Big industry sticks it to the hard working consumer again... Surprise... Fred
Great video. I’ve only got about 50 or so headlights under my belt and I never used the buffing or polishing methods. When lights are clouded I go straight to wet sanding. 500, 1000, 2000, 3000 grit. After a good cleaning I apply a clear coat. Off the shelf rust oleum lasts between 2-5 years and 2k clear is 3-6 but it takes some work to get it off if I have to do it again but nothing terrible. I also like 3m products.
No orange peel with this product whatsoever.. have never had with this product.. this product is so silky and smooth you set it and forget it really ultra even seal like a shell... Zero orange peel no chunks no tips no spots nothing, that's literally one of the only ones that have absolutely no orange peel... And the crust surface of it dries about 30 seconds and 80° heat are above, any colder than 70° about 60sec..
I tried it today, worked really really good. I found out spraying water on lens while sanding works even better than dry sanding. My 9 year old Denali headlights now look brand new. Totally worth the $80 or so on materials and some elbow grease, it was well worth it. First headlight took a while, I was really babying it. But once I figured out the process on the first one, second one was ready for polish and 2K headlight spray in 15 min. You could barely see inside headlight. It was really bad. I will do my other truck’s headlights tomorrow and also my 1999 Chevy Suburban tail lights. Headlights on Suburban have been replaced with glass lenses. Super stoked!
@davemoss7537 I have no idea what you're talking about who in the right mind would use a metal polish on plastic? This is headlight polish designed for headlights... This ideology is the equivalence of using olive oil instead of motor oil in your vehicle makes no sense when there's thousands of options out there specifically designed by scientists for your vehicle.... I use headlight polish..... Professional experience and common Sense the way they look like this....💯 Meaning the other headlights on this channel cuz they probably look like this because what happens is they get that gray fog after using this product too much that you speak of this is what the person of this video probably was having done his headlights before he ran into me (see the great tent that's permanent on these headlights). Check out my other videos 140 of them streaming well over 400 examples of finished product polishing headlights with something not meant for headlights will never ever look like this no matter what anybody says my proof is streaming for the world to see...
Who in the right mind would use a metal polish on plastic? This is headlight polish designed for headlights... This ideology is the equivalence of using olive oil instead of motor oil in your vehicle makes no sense when there's thousands of options out there specifically designed by scientists for your vehicle.... I use headlight polish.....
@@theheadlightrestorationpro why did you post to patrickkerner :Lol... good for you...I'm sure the results look amazing as a real headlight restoration. I missed your sarcasm.Didb't know what LOL meant because of my age.
Never used it... Interesting in the side effects when it comes off.. I've had to do a couple removals, and a couple customers have called me after they removed and it pills off all the clear coat.. don't know if they were this specific brand but same concept... Interesting though
having played this game, polishing does not last, it will be cloudy within a year, just buy new headlights, the problem is that they are made out of plastic and not of glass like back in the day, the headlights on my 1954 Chevy Truck are still clear, imagine that
The problem with glass lights is that the lenses break when a rock hits it. When theirs a hole in the lens then dirt and gunk gets in there and so have to replace anyways. Sand, polish, ppf and ceramic coating is the way to go. Not polish only.
Plastics deteriorate because they lose oils. Plastics are petroleum products. Restore the oils and restore the product. Buff it out with Rain X-treme Clean and a paper towel, wipe off with plenty of water, then apply furniture oil like teak oil or boiled linseed oil. Bet after removing the haze and applying the oil you don't end up back here. You're fucking welcome, motherfuckers
I paid someone to "restore" my headlights and they did a poor job, buff and polish. They weren't even clear afterwards. A couple of years later the lights only got worse. I went to a shop that was recommended to me and showed the guy my head lights. He did a true restoration like you and my headlights look fantastic, brand new.
Yes you really got to be careful in this business especially if you don't know what they're supposed to do a lot of these guys even people commenting on here polishing is enough and that's all they need and it's like they really know better that is a terrible job to be having somebody pay for it it's not even a marketable professional product that you can consciously sell somebody... Sorry to hear about your experience and two thumbs up to the guy who actually did a headlight restoration on your headlights... Between those experience and these videos you'll definitely know what to expect because these problems probably will never go away.. Thanks for watching have plenty other videos up and plenty more to come...👍🏼😁💯
@@theheadlightrestorationpro Yeah I've told others about the first shop, so that's bad advertising. After Stinkys, yeah that's the shop name, restored my lights I took a picture and shared it. Good advertising.
Glad this video came up randomly in my feed… I’ve been thinking about doing headlight restoration as a side project but quality is an absolute must for me. After watching this video, I’m confident that I can gain the knowledge that will enable me to produce high quality results. Subscribed! Thanks!
Awesome man you definitely can do it there's over 130 videos now streaming on this channel you should watch a couple more before you do your headlight restoration.. also this one came out great but other videos have much better results to check them out...
Really nice, great attention to detail. Wonderful teaching methods... I've put off doing the headlights on my 2012 jeep because I thought that the quick fix kits seemed sketchy. Now I've got some work ahead of me...
Awesome man.. you definitely can do it and achieve high quality.. you can also use what I use to the best of your ability and watch my videos while you're doing it as a step by step... They'll come out amazing.. (also everything I use for the most part is linked to the bio/so you can get exactly or at least know exactly what I use) Appreciate you watching stay tuned I have a couple actual step by step tutorials that will break down exactly what to do coming up..
Always use a interface pad between the sanding disc and the velcro pad. Reason is. One it smooths of around any radius on you're light safely so you don't square off the corners. Secondly it reduces heat build up which you don't want at all.
Good for you..😁😊👍🏽 Do this method they can look like this and stay like this for quite some time.. th-cam.com/video/jPR7MtONbHQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=wwhu817i0Iwnbwr9
I've always used 3M's pads and disks when I was doing resto's on headlights when I was a tech - had amazing results. I do agree those Maxima headlights are a PITA as well, resto on headlights takes a smooth touch and you can't just brute force it or else you will burn the lens.
Excellent work and beautiful result. A recommendation if you're open to feedback is to back the camera away when you're done with one headlight to be able to see and compare both headlights side by side, or since you're good with editing, instead of flashing before and after pics, do a split screen with before on the left and after on the right. I think the video would end better that way and delivers more of that 'wow' effect. Either way, I'd definitely hire ya if I were in your area. 👍
Good idea I actually have a couple videos ending like this just try to keep it mixing up solid suggestion though for sure.. Please like and subscribe and check out a couple other videos I just posted one last night... This one here very informative and actually has that ending format as well.. Check it out⬇️⬇️ th-cam.com/video/LcMFr0mpp-4/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for backing up what I believe is the best way to restore plastic headlights. Been meaning to do mine and based on your video this is my choice. Probably the biggest and best difference I’ve noticed is you go slow with your sanding. Helps prevent the dreaded heat monster that ruins things permanently. Cheers.
Very educational video and top notch job! I have a couple of questions though. -Why do you polish the headlight first and then apply the clear coat (without cleaning the headlight with alcohol first, for example)? -Why don't you apply the clear coat at an earlier sanding stage? Thanks for your time and your help!
Basically that would be incorrect when you see a headlight that is done and the factory which will be in one of these videos that I will link you to.. the headlight is Crystal Clear smooth surface then clear coated because it is clear coated with a special UV clear coat that designed to adhere to Headlights like most if not all UV clear codes that are designed for headlights function... People have been steered wrong because back in the day there was nothing else to use on a headlight except for clear coat or other clear substances that weren't technically made for headlights that were made to bond to other things like wood, metal and paint, not plastic polycarbonate surfaces... Some people still do it but this is incorrect and causes a lot of damage and problems with the headlight and problems with the functioning of the headlight far as the output of the actual light.. polishing the headlights makes the headlight work at peak performance factory spec or over.. when people are doing it the way you are thinking they're far below and they're losing in some cases 50 yards of light..... Also you should never use alcohol on a headlight and do your best to stay away from ammonia which is why I use ammonia free glass cleaner... You want to stay away from STRIPPERS.... A quick background headlights are actually made from oil.... And what does stripping with alcohol do? Removes oils... When polishing like this you're not only leveling out the surface of the headlight which creates the clarity you're embedding The beneficial oils back into the headlight which provide Crystal Clear clarity and perfect functioning... If you keep watching this channel you'll start to realize that these other methods are full of shit I don't know what they're doing and they think just because of headlight is clear that it's good to go... But check out these video for sure and you'll see a lot more in depth.... th-cam.com/video/LC4ZBu02JZg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=16h_L6nrGwwiPja7
@@theheadlightrestorationpro thanks for getting into trouble answering my questions. I understand that the first sanding is very important, so how do I know that I have sanded far enough to remove previous coats and damaged material? Thanks again!
If you watch a couple of my videos you'll see how far you should go or how deep you need to go it's stated a couple different times and different videos first one that comes to mind is this one I believe.. th-cam.com/video/9DfP_dqw1mU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=h1vuGAiJUV4UCb1R
Terrific video...through explanations and solid technique. I will follow these steps to restore the headlights on a 2005 Lincoln Continental Signature series I inherited from my Uncle (17yrs 98,000 miles). I'll post my comments after I complete this process. Thanks again!
Plastic headlamps are a total scam because when they get affected by heavy uv rays it forces you to buy new ones that cost hundreds and hundred of $$$. I’d even go as far to call it a conspiracy. It wasn’t that long ago when lenses were actually glass. I think the change came sometime in the 90’s as my 90 VW had glass lenses. So the big auto companies only offer cheapo plastic to save a buck and later inevitably forcing car owners to buy new oem or aftermarket headlamps. I’ve seen nice later model Porsches with lenses becoming cloudy. I’ve foolishly used many products that only offered temporary relief. Great video!
I'm surprised they don't sell aftermarket headlights with a glass outer surface. I'm sure some people would be happy to pay extra for them. The automakers will talk about how plastic saves weight and resists shattering, but plenty of people would rather live with the the extra weight than put up with the maintenance hassle of plastic.
@pcno2832 some people would like to be shot in the head too but doing that isn't typically offered because most don't .. 😂😂😂 What I mean is you don't really understand the concept of modern-day headlights.. Google TEXTILE STRENGTH/TENSILE STRENGTH and an old clue you in a little bit about why the main reason is that they do it..(polycarbonate is 250 times stronger than the last) Also check out this video.. th-cam.com/video/LcMFr0mpp-4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=xQ_eFMqSJHK1wzKy
Just wondering how much money on average does someone like yourself charge to do this? Also I’m going to continue on my own steps at a time. After you spray with clear coat, should you apply wax or something to protect the coating? Great video!
Far as how much it cost it doesn't matter what I charge also it's always changing just many factors in what to charge... What type of vehicle, you're making model etc etc.... But I tell you this much you need to figure out what people charge in your area cuz what somebody would be charging in San Francisco California would not be what somebody would charge in Alabama the pricing structure of everything is different from town to town city to city and state to state.... In reference just look at the realty cost of either one of those places I mentioned you have one place that has houses the size of one bedroom apartment with 1.2 million and you have the other place where you can buy a mansion for $400,000... The pricing structure would be extremely different and these two places for any service ... (The livable wage is different)... If you want to know more about what the charging your area you have to put in the work and look around.. you also have to gauge what you're doing with this guy which is doing some kind of super headlight restoration versus what you're doing.. or this guy who's been doing how the restoration for 10 years and his business versus what you're doing.. you cannot charge the same because nobody will come to you why would they.... You got to think of these things for yourself so nothing I could actually help you with but give you these words of advice... Far as waxing or anything check out this video what you need is aftercare..th-cam.com/video/kIur4XxYjDk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=oU_dKIe46fs5u3Bx
@@theheadlightrestorationpro Thanks I’ll check out the video! I’m well aware of different prices in different parts of the country. I just know it costs about $200.00 to replace which I don’t plan on doing. Thanks for the advice!
If you like this video you should check out some of the other ones there's over 140 now streaming on this channel this is an older video some of the new stuff is really awesome... Thanks for watching
This is the correct way of doing headlights after that I just used spray wax and wax over it and it's been 7 years and it still looks good. I live in Florida and my truck stays out in the sun all day. Every 2 months spray wax,then wax on the lenses you never have a problem takes 5 minutes.
You will ... When it comes time to take it off again you'll see all the damage it caused in general and then you'll see all the damage it's going to cause trying to take it off and how difficult extremely difficult is to remove in comparison.. lot of people don't know because the frequencies is not there their ...(don't do enough headlights/the need to remove it) the need to remove it is not there ...they do one maybe a couple cars and that's it.. so once again when it's time for you to start removing whatever you did because IT WILL GO BAD and you're up close seeing all the damage to the left behind if you can get it off YOU'LL SEE... Thanks for watching please follow like and subscribe.. a lot more stuff coming up.
Very nice. The fibers of the finesse it pad serve to dissipate the heat which is why they are superior for removing the 3k grit scratches compared to a foam pad which gets very hot very fast, which instead of cutting the surface, it melts it. The quickest way is with an edge buffer- a canton flannel wheel with a dry compound like gw16 made for plastics. I restore polyester piano finishes and this was a joy to watch. Maybe I should get into a side line of work 🤔 Best, JE
He is saying that it’s pointless to JUST polish alone without adding a final protectant No different from polishing paint and then leaving it bare = pointless You should work on your listening skills as this was stated in the video… Imagine what other areas in life you may be leaving yourself open to misunderstanding because of a lack of listening
I've sanded and buffed my previous car's headlights so many times I know you're right. Sanding up to 3000+ grit alone is probably better than using any product not made for headlights. Once I tried UV plastic clear coat on them, it just went downhill and then I resorted to Magic Blue every month. The worst is that you need your headlights most in winter and using polish in freezing weather is not a good idea. Just checked out Maguire's headlight coating and will start preventative maintenance with it next time I'm at the auto parts store. It's only sold in kit here but for 5$ difference, I'll be ready if needed and can throw away 3 old boxes of turd restoration kits. Will do that just now actually...
I always just replace the whole light bucket on any used vehicle I get, nothing compares to how a new set looks and amazon often has great prices because they are knock-offs, and in most cases that is fine. it's one of the few cases when a fake is perfectly usable. I get the set of 2 for under $100 usually. and do the pigtails and bulbs too while you're in there. replacing them transforms the front of the car and makes it look new again.
Sounds like a lot of work... And I have no idea what vehicle you can purchase even two headlights aftermarket which are the worst in the world on..$100 is pretty cheap but hey if you know how to put them in... You should check out my video on why to buy OEM and why to restore your OEM instead of buying aftermarket lights that will break down faster than the headlight restoration..
Can't do that with my honda crz cuz u can either buy them used or brand new. Used is still $200 per headlight for some in good shape and Brand New will cost $400 per headlight
Exactly.. so the headlights you probably have in there are OEM is there worth $400 to have those service even if they're not OEM it's going to be such a good thing for a hundred bucks and some change or something for those lights.. have a restoration is the most beneficial thing for headlights if it didn't exist at such a high quality which is scarce but I'm trying to change that it would be crazy to have to replace your headlights every 5 years... Thanks for watching I got some interesting content coming up soon..
Since both of my vehicles have been brand spankin' new, a 2015 Kia K900 and a 2020 Telluride, all I have EVER done is spray them with Turtle Hybrid Solutions Ceramic when I'm doing the vehicle. The stuff sprays on with a very fine mist per panel (they even tell you to use it sparingly) and the wipe the panel down with a micofiber cloth. It dries practically immediately. The lights still look like the car just left the showroom, and the K900 is going on ten years soon! Perfect paint AND light lenses too!
i have a 2009 Camry… headlights started to look opaque about 4 years ago. For $129 I purchased two OEM units, my mechanic installed both for $20. Still looking crystal clear.
Just found your channel and wow so informative! Curious your thoughts on dry sanding vs wet? I watched a few videos where the guys wet sanded and wasn’t sure if one was better than the other? Thank you for your videos!
Old enough to remember when this sort of thing was unnecessary. Headlights were made of glass which never oxidized, and could be cleaned with Windex or ammonia water. When they burned out--off to the parts store!
Old sealed-beams were great, but the manufacturers all went with projector type headlights because they fade a lot like sealed-beams but take something insane like 20 years to burn out as it's basically an arc lamp. So you always have headlights that "work". To some extent. Mine after 7 years are basically as bright on high as they were stock on low. Lol. LEDs, though, have no real issues as long as they are designed from the factory. The downside is retrofit kits are actually a hazard as they throw very inconsistent patterns.
@@josephoberlander I usually see those retrofits on tweaked up Honda Civics with the ridiculously oversized $1000 rims and "grapefruit shooter" exhaust tips, as they chase each other through freeway traffic. Those pea-brains have no idea there are people called engineers who are smart enough to design headlights and bulbs to match together for an optimal light pattern, but there are plenty of other people out there who don't know it either. So why do parts stores sell them? Same reason big-box home improvement stores sell non-code compliant plumbing and electrical material. Money. Which is the same reason some parts of the plumbing and electrical code are written the way they are. Engineers are smart folks, but unfortunately, it sometimes seems not enough of them realize two things--the law of unintended consequences, and that there will always be idiots out there who can defeat their most brilliant designs. That's where the lawyers come in.
I'm mostly into older cars and Jeeps. I'll never get the mileage, speed, or performance of a vehicle made in the last decade but with all of them having glass sealed beams, I thank the Gods this is something I don't have to worry about. In addition, after having some of these vehicles for 30 years, replacement sealed beam headlamps are still around $25 a pop and they last 5 to 7 years on average. But if you are stuck with plastic lenses, it's nice to know you can greatly extend the life of them by doing this every so often.
Quick question, shoudnt the headlight be taken off the car to prevent overspray when using the UV protectant spray? I see you did some taping but overspray goes everywhere as we all know. Is it because it is safe to have that product overspray onto surrounding plastics? What about painted metal? Asking because I'm gonna restore my headlights on an old DD beater and don't wanna remove em. The caring level is at 0 but I need to see where I am going 🤣 Winter driving in Canada. You have a sub. Throw more shade onto all the 'Pros' that don't use UV protectant. Are headlights clearcoated with UV spray at the factory or is the platic UV resistant when new?
Unnecessary to remove the headlights especially with modern vehicles some vehicles can take an hour plus just to remove the headlights and an hour plus just to install them again and let alone the work... As far as overspray there's no overspray significant overspray I tape off an access of about a minimum of 3 in I usually do about 5 in away from the light the overspray of this tip on these cans of the Maguire's headlight spray coating are very fan directional which means at about 6 to 7 in away from the light when you're spraying the fan that contacts the headlight is about 2 in so I didn't give him point you can control how much overspray there is it's a very directional tip so overspray is usually a Max of 2 inches with mine it's usually about a half an inch or an inch but I tape off for 5 in to evade any overspray it's not existent in my day today applications.. and yes the headlights come factory-coated after it's injection and press molded they spray it down with a UV protectant.. they have to because they'll just go bad in a couple months without.. biggest side effect of polycarbonate one of the only.... Check this video out here and there's actually footage of headlights being put together at a factory... Thank you for watching.th-cam.com/video/tnCdU2j5Ja0/w-d-xo.html
The issue is the UV light film-overlay. It’s simply gone & the resultant exposed plastic (Without the UV light film overlay) is thus exposed to the UV light & therefore quite rapid degradation. Whatever you “do” be a toothpaste or WD-40 or even the more involved “kits” will not last not even a year much less 6 months…
I did my headlights 5 years ago and they are still looking like new, I used a plastic polish, no sanding . This guy is making it more complicated than what it is, just to make more money
you're right about you v have to sand the lights first but not about the 2k clear. I've done dozens of headlight restorations using it and it comes out h flawlessly. .. just be sure it has uv blockers in it and many do. done of these clear costs are designed for plastic so you can't say don't use them.... amazing job man. keep it up.
Well most likely those 2K clears are definitely not made for plastic I've never came across one that has said on the back that it's made for plastic see-through surfaces or transparent surfaces most of them say do not use on transparent surfaces.. I have used 2K clears and the worst one spraymax 2K clear on headlights before.. it does come out clear but they have transparency issues the lights don't escape correctly Farley diminished compared to things designed for headlights. Which is not per se My hugest issue is removing the 2K clears is terrible also in the long run they damage the headlight.. being a professional headlight restore you got to do more than just make it clear especially when something made for headlights comes out even more clear.. the number one thing is you don't want to cause damage to the headlight immediately or in the long run cuz you're liable for it... Also I have done dozens upon dozens of headlights with different 2K clears in the beginning until I learned it is not the way.. and I have removed probably hundreds of 2K clears on lights of different degrees and they are by far the most terrible things you can put on a headlight far as damage and longevity of the headlight health. . I actually own a business and do this solely to make a living and have done literally over a thousand headlights like I stop counting at a thousand a long time ago.. Thank you for watching just trying to share my experience and knowledge about the situation watch a couple more of my videos and I go more into depth about it and prove the issues....💯👍🏽 Most recent encounter with.. th-cam.com/video/k8_ljUVQfvo/w-d-xo.html
Actual most recent encounter of doing headlight restoration previously done with 2K clear..(spraymax) th-cam.com/video/F4VoNAfiGNQ/w-d-xo.html Also. th-cam.com/video/C1Y_022zMXQ/w-d-xo.html And even some more stuff on my page check it out...
I did it and I started shitting my pants once I figured out and run tests and had one or two customers that had some dysfunctions and had to remove it.. I had to do a recall literally... Had to set up over 15 appointments to remove it.. it's very costly but I could sleep at night.. A lot of negative side effects some of these companies even put on there do not use the headlights surfaces or transparent services..... It only stems from back in the day they didn't have anything else to use.. but now there's probably five dozen different products that are specifically made for headlights... Appreciate you watching got a lot more coming..💯👍🏽
Nice looking job! I use an old small tub of Turtle Wax rubbing compound that probably came out of my dads old garage. Has to be at least 30 years old! I've buffed, bought the kits, had a shop do it...then one day I just said WTF, this stuff works on all kinds of scuffs on paint, etc.. No buffing tool, no fancy cloths...rags cut from old tee shirts and elbow grease. Done in less than 15 minutes. Not nearly as like -new as the example in this video, but I'm just trying to make the headlights better and pass inspection on our 2004 Sienna...a tank we plan to get 250-300K miles out of. We're not hung up on aesthetics. The van is scratched with minor small dents and the dash is cracked...and oddly enough my wife loves her van! Ole Blue we call her and she's never failed us. We keep her well-maintained mechanically. That spray is intriguing. I'm sure it's helpful, but at $16 and the can says keeps headlight clear up to a year...I still have some of that decades old buffing compound and once a year is about how many times I need to clean the headlights! Of course thats because the van isn't driven every day and is garage kept.
it worked perfectly fine for my car (2008 acura). You just gotta make sure you do both inside and out.... The headlight looks brand new again. Been like this for over a year since I polished them. What scam?
Nice job but you draw it out so long and make it sound like you are solving a quantum physics problem. It is just sanding up through the grits, polish and then UV seal. Overkill. I bought a simply kit and did this in less time than your video.
From what I have observed: There’s a VAST difference when n opinion on what constitutes being “done” from one resto job to another What’s the big hurry? I spent 3 days JUST polishing my car prior to ceramic…. So you get out what you put in like everything
Yoo Pro I bn practicing your method and when I tell you it works man I am getting better and better, I will be getting better after I get all the tools and products you use
Really like your setup been doing headlights for a long time but never really made a business out of it been trying to come up with an efficient mobile setup.
Great video!! Good to know you're in Sac. Just curious why you only dry sand it instead of wet sanding? With my limited knowledge, I'd think wet would be better?
There's many reasons why wet sand is insufficient and dry sanding is superior.. the number one is that when you add water it acts like it lubricant reducing the ability to remove something not enhancing it, also cooling it.. which is the opposite of what you need for headlight restoration, you need a certain level of HEAT which comes from friction which affects your clarity in the outcome (if you think of something that is foggy when you melt it it comes clear like plastic, or sugar)(if you held a blowtorch up to the foggy headlight things would become clear) and you need to be able to remove the proper amount of material, you need your removing power which dry sanding gives you A LOT MORE.. also when you wet sand you cannot see or feel the depths that you need to get to , to remove all of the damaged surfaced(you need all gone, if not your clarity is low, and it will come back much faster) (Miss colored yellow oxidation) which is why a lot of wet Sanders cannot produce a certain level of clarity and their consistency is always off they might have one headlight we're it's looking really cool and the next headlight looks foggy or still a little bit yellow or gray tint the consistency is far down because they have no idea the depth they need to go to remove the damaged part of headlight on the surface, and this is also why my consistency is so high damn near at 100% ...Also wet sanding is NASTY very unclean you have a residue going everywhere all over the vehicle when people see it it LOOKS LIKE CRAP..💩 lol also let's touch bases on the heat aspect as I was telling you plastic has a certain heat or flashpoint(where the plastic turns clear from heat) when you're dealing with polishing it or sanding it, it kind of sterilizes, that makes it react different aiding in the clarity in the end result this is one of the reasons why the headlight will look white before the final step, then when you polish it ,it becomes crystal clear heat is an aspect of it , the friction of sanding and polishing..(water cools off/stops and inhibits heat and friction) some people skip this step and believe they have the same level of clarity but is not true.(huge difference). especially when it comes to NIGHT VISION.. those headlights aren't going to see as well without this step..(polishing) but yeah WET SANDING IS OBSOLETE and it takes longer, messier, that's efficient and even more...(I had a period of wet sanding). It does have its place as a fine tune step.. not as beginning step it's almost like when you cut grass you want to use the lawn mower first then the weed eater.. you can cut the whole grass with a weed eater but it's just not the best method... Harder, slower, doesn't yield the best results at all.. That's just a couple reasons I can go on and on and on but hopefully that gives you a little insight.. yes in Sac..😀 Appreciate the support please let me know if I can be of any assistance. Hopefully you subscribed continue watching I have more content coming soon..💯👍🏽
I called a couple shops that offered headlight restoration and they wanted $150 for the ~30min job. I picked up the 3M kit for $10 at Walmart and months later my ‘08 Prius’ headlights are still shiny and clear as can be.
Yeah it is possible to do yourself I just more than likely if they were going to do a professional job they could have came out even better it all depends on the level of quality that's your after... Very possible..
I just bought a new 2023 Kia Niro Hybrid and wondering if there’s anything a owner can do to keep the headlights from getting in this horrible condition in the first place over the years? Rather then waiting till your headlights are so cloudy the light can’t get thru the plastic lenses! I’m assuming there’s more a person could/should do then just washing and waxing their vehicle and lights?
Amazing question and here is the answer I recently made a video what you're talking about is aftercare... I have to go after care can definitely be used and should be used as preventative care as well... Here's the link..th-cam.com/video/kIur4XxYjDk/w-d-xo.html
Wouldn't the best kit be a ultra 3m headlight restoration kit? for those who would like to do it diy and get pretty good results aside from a slight learning curve it's pretty cheap too besides needing a drill to do it
That's what I've always used. Works great. The other systems where you just rub on some chemical and it supposedly works all suck. Those are for people that are too sketched to use a drill which I understand but ultimately you either sand and polish or the long term results suck.
Why do people want to hate? I learned a lot from this guy and he's the best and the most informative. I mirror everything he does and use all the same products. I've seen almost all his videos and his work speaks for itself.
In a bind while traveling at night, put some motor oil on a rag and give it a quick little buff (gas station squeegee wash before is recommended, allow to dry… takes a minute or two). Should last a week or so, but help you see more clearly at night. Nice band aid fix that is easy enough for our lazy society. As for the video, sanding also removes the pitted areas that trap dirt and the small holes that refract and diffuse the light.
Cost cutting by manufacturers is why we have to do this , bring back glass headlights and they will outlast the car.... 👍
Stay tuned got some interesting content coming out you would definitely be interested in... Thanks for watching.
th-cam.com/video/LcMFr0mpp-4/w-d-xo.html
Yeah my 99 Subaru has glass headlights they still look new
th-cam.com/video/LcMFr0mpp-4/w-d-xo.html
This is a great idea. Until you wreck and there’s glass everywhere
I use this method and it works well!!! That said, I miss the days when they were made from glass and didn't require restoration... EVER!
th-cam.com/video/LcMFr0mpp-4/w-d-xo.html
Check this out on that topic ☝️
Luckily the headlights in my 01 4Runner are glass. But I’ve had to do a couple restorations myself it’s a long process but if done correctly it can last a long time.
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Plastic is actually safer and allows for bigger headlight designs
Yes... Very much so
I spent a lifetime in Automotive Collision Repair. When these Headlamp Assemblies arrived on the scene we knew this would happen. Nice looking job.
Yeah it sucks I'm thankful for it but it does suck that it needs to be done....
I remember the time when headlights were made out of glass. 20 years later they still looked brand new, no work needed.
Great video, many helpful tips!
Thank you appreciate you watching..
You should check this video out it's along the lines of what you're speaking of I think you would enjoy it...th-cam.com/video/LcMFr0mpp-4/w-d-xo.html
@@theheadlightrestorationpro Thanks, watching it right now!
Happy New Year and best wishes!
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My son's car glass ,look fantastic ,horrible little plastic things
The only issue we has was the reflectors rusting.
You're so good. It's so difficult to pay someone to do an honest job. I prefer to pay specialists but lately I feel like if I actually want it done right, teaching myself on YT and doing it myself is the only way.
A lot of cases it is like that.. it's hard to find good work nowadays if you find somebody you should definitely keep them.... Small individual people and large mass businesses are just trying to someone get over on people...
@@theheadlightrestorationpro I know and i'm not cheap I'm totally willing to pay for a good job, anyways thx 😊
@@Holabella 👍🏽
Except I would hire this man to “restore” my headlights!
@StonemanRocks 😱🤓👍🏽
The method I used was similar to what you did. I got up to a 2000 grit (part of the Sylvania kit I used), each lens took about 45 minutes of sanding and prep. Now it's still good over 2 years later. I think the key is to take your time don't rush any step and really do each step as thoroughly as possible.
I went the dollar store bought a box of baking Soda and a bottle of white vinager . Mixed them 50/50. Boom voila problem solved. Don’t believe me go spend four dollars and spend twenty minutes. Job done.
Baking soda white vinegar ten minutes work and you’re done. Four dollars at the dollar store.
I can go to the refrigerator and put sour cream on the headlight and buff it off I will look good for a minute but it's going to be nothing compared to what is going on full true headlight restoration I'm sure you know that...
th-cam.com/video/x1gp9ATZTI8/w-d-xo.html
@@theheadlightrestorationpro Its like spraying WD40 on stuff it looks good for a few days and then quickly wears off.
I used Colgate toothpaste and it was pretty amazing. The added benefit is that my lights won’t get any cavities
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How about implants ?
@-First-Last on a woman I don't mind...🤔
I followed your procedure to the letter today on a 2006 Pontiac Vibe. When I was finished I said wow these lights look brand new. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and posting this video.
That is awesome!...
Impressive result from your effort. Nice to hear from someone who is takes pride in his work and is passionate about technique.
I worked for an OEM headlight manufacturer about 20 years ago. After we molded the PC clear lens we then sent it to a company that would coat the lens in a proprietary manner I think we called it "hard coat". Some lens had small runs on them when they came back to us. This coating blocked the UV and prevented the degradation you are dealing with. If you don't have some type of UV protection after your treatment it will, as you say, come back quicker and quicker.
🙏🏽💯yes.. thank you for watching .. really appreciate it..
2k clear
Yes! Thank you! Its amazing how many people fall for the restoration scam!
@StonemanRocks all the time..
they cover it with UV lacquer for.
.well..UV protection 🤣 It actually is a plymer that hardens with UV light. Used in UV printing used in many manufacturers for printing various stuff. Lige for instance printing texture on ceramic tiles on floors... Those are UV hardening paints, lacquers
As an industrial chemist who worled for Stanley making polycarbonate headlights and specializing in thr coatings to prevent degradation from UV, I can tell you most of the information in this video is complete nonsense.
Ought to use Glass instead of that Poly BS
But he said he was a pro. He is sanding a lot of the plastic off.
@@BillWilson-kd2jp A polishing romoves a thin layer of oxidation and rough plastic. The video maker is talking a lot of bullshit, that's for sure!
What do you advise then ? I'm curious. Everyone has its own way and I don't know what to believe anymore.
@@NoMoreBsPlease I kept thinking he didn't really know what polishing means, and perhaps got it mixed up with waxing or something. He was saying not to polish while he was polishing - wtf?
Of course you need to clean off any residue at the end. Probably glass cleaner, isopropyl alcohol, etc will work just fine. And something to coat it afterward to help protect against the UV that causes the problem at the end. I think I used something from 3M made for headlights last time I did it.
This is pretty much the way I did my headlights, except I did one more step you missed. I did the 1500 grit before the final 3500 then buffed it. I also wet sanded every step by hand, except for the buffing process of course. Either way the point is if you're not getting past that top oxidation and down to the actual lens, then buffing alone is a waste of time... I learned this the hard way.
@@PatTheBat the P500 is aggressive if the lens really doesn't need it yes. When I did mine I started out with P800 but it needed it.
@@garyr7027 P800 is the roughest I would go.
@@PatTheBat what I kinda thought too. I actually started out with P1200 but the lenses were old and it wasn't doing the job like I wanted without taking too long. Didn't wanna spend an entire day on headlights... Lol
Really should watch a couple of my videos.. especially my portfolio reels 1 and 2.. my quality is definitely second to none.. for many reason dry sanding is one of them..
Thanks for watching
I buffed my headlights this summer but they seem to be just as yellow as they were before I did it. Some yellowness did come out but it looks like there's still some on the headlight. I used the turtle wax headlight restoration kit you can get for 8 dollars which came with two sand papers. I did it by hand and it's still not enough :(. It seems so simple to do yet I cannot get it right and it just frustrates me.
Completely agree that it takes time to properly restore your headlights. The Sylvania kit works great, but you have to put in 15-20 minutes per headlight if you follow their directions. Mine lasted almost 5 years before I had to do it again.
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I just used the Sylvania kit on my headlights. I bought their kit because it came with the UV protectant/sealant. So far they look great.
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@@theheadlightrestorationpro I watched Project Farm do a video on a bunch of headlight restoration kits. The Sylvania kit was on he recommended.
It's an awesome kit...👍🏼
This is one of the MAIN reasons we need to go back to Glass Headlights!
A lot of problems with that though..
th-cam.com/video/LcMFr0mpp-4/w-d-xo.html
Are you a member of the give us our glass headlights back association?
I used to work in a big box retailer lube shop and headlight restores was one extra thing we would do with a 3m 4 step sanding kit (2 dry sands, one wet, and one liquid buff) I had a high rate of customers who would recommend me as the tech to do restores as while I would take around an hour or so to get the job done I made sure those lenses where as close to brand new looking as they could get. Biggest thing was educating people on how the "wipe" polishes didn't work or didn't work for long and how sanding was the only lasting way to keep old headlights clear
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Everything I recommend is in my Bio..the stuff that I use every day. I do not recommend anything that is not made for headlights unless NOTHING else exists that is specifically for headlights...there is no reason too...the only time you go outside of the box is when it doesn't exist...then you you use common sense and research and development..trial and error..
No...not just any polish will do..
It must specifically be used for headlights and or plastic...and even in that realm there are good and bad....what I use is by far the best...I can tell you that from experience..you can use a bunch of things but to come out like my finished product will be different and difficult if not following the same steps ..
Should watch more of my videos...I mentioned this a lot...
Also all polishes are created for different uses...this is a really special type use being that it is dealing with a clear substance that has special functions..
It's false..... Respectfully common sense... Can't really explain it all now it's actually explained in some videos I think my latest video or latest three videos explains it pretty well... But common Sense suggest there's a difference.. what do you think the difference would be spraying one that's foggy that you can't see through and it turning clear or spring one that's crystal clear and it becoming more clear....
Yeah... False clear... Just because it turns clear doesn't mean it's working properly as I said earlier... Also on the last three or four videos I mentioned it as well should check them out it'll explain better than I can on text. It's a very bad to do this in many ways.. and you only get half the headlight function compared to when you do do it. . don't forget it's not just about visible clarity that you can see with your eye that's about the way the headlight is designed to work pushing out light....
I used the Sylvania kit and it worked awesome and has stayed crystal clear for the last two years so far in Arizona weather.
Awesome...that's one of the best kits out...💯
same here. mine was two years old and just starting to fog again so I just reapplied and they look great.
@@jefftate01 generally that's how long headlight restoration last can last longer if you have aftercare or take care of your headlights in a good way.. having videos about that coming up..
The headlights of my vehicle were done over 3 years ago and look brand new...
Have a video about why do headlights go bad check that out and you'll see tips on how to keep them from going bad...
nice to hear. I used the Sylvania coating but did the rest with my own stuff.
Was doing the same yesterday on a 2001 Ford Ranger Edge with original clear light covers. It's a work truck for me and nothing else. I used Mother's NuLens mainly for the polishing head and polish. Clean up with 90% rubbing alcohol. Cheap low tack green tape to mask. Sprayed lens with Meguirs Headlight Coating. I've done this every couple of years with different products for 15 years. Works for me. Would not spray a perfectly new headlight cover, better for an older vehicle's headlight covers. Solid video and grear job.
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I used the 3M kit and it was a bit more expensive and it worked very well on my wifes car. I had never done this before, and I watched Farm guy comparison, and then followed the directions. Worked quite well!! I was amazed. The cause was not as described in this video. The cause was simply age and living on a dirt road and a very very buggy area (acids). Anyway, good video. Thanks.
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Only 2 things wrong with glass headlights;
1. You could buy aftermarket ones super cheap, and install them easily, completely leaving car dealers out of the transaction
2. They are beyond rugged and scratch-proof.
(Ditto for hood springs vs. pneumatic struts. Springs last forever, struts only last a few years.)
Depends; some aftermarket headlights for different makes are inferior to OEM ones when it comes to durability, and turn yellow faster than the OEM headlights.
You can have the old OEM headlights made in USA that lasts for decades, and then most of the cheap aftermarket ones are made in China fog up and fail to seal out moisture in a few years.
How the hell do you break a strut in only a few years?
Mine are 25 years old and only now are they starting to get weak.
@@1marcelfilms Never had one 'BREAk" but I have had them get weak enough that I built and carried a kickstand until I could get the time to replace them. Car was '87 beemer, back in year 2000. Hood springs work forever, survive until the car goes to the crusher. THAT is why they have been replaced with gas struts. Ditto for glass headlights that you could buy for around $6 apiece.
Although better than plastic, glass does scratch
I'm 66+ Thank you Sir! I have a 2005 F-150 XLT. Great truck in almost perfect shape. Low miles considering its almost 20 yrs old. But my headlights are worse that the Tundra you just finished. I have the power tools at my disposal so I will rewatch and get them done, once we are put of winter here in Northern Michigan. Thank you so much.
Awesome man good luck if you run into any issues just go ahead and feel free to watch this channel there's over 130 videos now streaming....👍🏽
Always let the abrasive do the work. If you have to use force, the abrasive is no longer sharp or of the wrong type... or you're trying to rush the job. I do this job with 3" and 5"pneumatic orbital sanders, and pads up to 15,000 grit made for plastic. I don't use a plastic polish but I do use a UV-protectant sealer, That's an absolute must!
Yes, the uv sealant or clear coat is the only way to make the finish last for a long time.
sometimes I have just used a foam pad and compound to shine them up, but they will always go dull after a couple of months.
Whatever UV coating they have used at the factory has gone. Sometime this os obvious, as you can see the film breaking up.
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I used the $20 3M headlight restoration kit on my wife's Uncle's 2008 Mercury Milan last year. His headlights were just a little bit worse than the headlights on this Toyota. They were never polished, just weathered/sun beaten. When I was done they were like new again. Now, a year and a half later they still look like the day I restored them. The clear coating they provide is holding up just fine. Best $20 he ever spent.
Yes that's one of the best kids 3M is more Superior in every way and 99% of their products in my opinion..
Great informative video. So many out there swear by polishing or waxing only to have it come back. I will try this on both my trucks.
Awesome you should watch a couple more of my videos check out my page make sure to subscribe over 100 videos running right now..
Based on my experience, you advice is spot-on.
I used a 3M kit to do essentially what you show in your video. There was a learning curve. Patience is important: My first lens took about two hours. The results have been great. My biggest surprise was how yellow the first removed material was. I've done multiple cars now (for family).The first car's headlights were cleaned up two years ago and still look great. The only down-side of the 3M kit was it did not have a UV-blocking final coat. I had to purchase that separately (Yes. The UV protective coat was distinctly labeled for headlights). My biggest struggle was getting the swirls removed (patience, keep the drill moving, keep the pressure light). I tried a sanding block, but gave it up quickly because it would not conform to the compound curves of the headlight and only provided a line or point contact. I do wish that I had had a hand holder for the sanding discs, one like you used in the video (gotta find me one of those).
Yes that is the main reason I've Incorporated the step with the hand sander it helps level out until the micro swirls left behind by the p800 and some occasions it really just deletes them.. it's a must step but most headlights... That with the extra high power 700 RPM polisher make an extreme difference...
Thank you for watching...😎🙏🏽
You ever watch the video by ChrisFix? He shows you how to do it without a device
Yes . He's awesome he's one of my favorites on TH-cam.... What's that being said yeah you can do it without devices you can cut a football field with a push rotating old school lawn mower might take you 15 hours and I might look decent for what you working with... But it would never compare to a team of people on sit down lawn mowers that did it in 1 hour... If that makes sense...
But you can definitely do it without any kind of tools or whatever if you are skilled enough it can come out pretty good..
@@theheadlightrestorationpro I love that you aren’t bashing him! My comment was more for the OP, but for some reason it didn’t tag him. It’s definitely why I found your channel. I don’t want to do it by hand when I can use a machine 🫠 Just wasn’t sure on pressure/technique etc. love the content! Glad I found your channel from the “recommended view”
Keep watching my videos there's a bunch of videos that specifically stayed on pressure and how much pressure to use more in depth but basically you just want to finesse you want to use very little pressure it's more finesse than strength..😎💯❤️
Great video. It's not that folks are polishing headlights to screw others, it's that they just don't know the science of what happened and how to properly repair it. Your video is a great teaching tool!! Thanks for taking the time to make it.
BTW Project Farm did a great review of headlight repair products. That is good information too!
If you have a new car, I’ve found that if you wax the headlights once a month, they’ll never turn cloudy. I had an Escape for 13 years, and the headlights were crystal clear.
What type of wax? Is the new ceramic coat better?
@@curlyhairdudeify I’ve never used the ceramic stuff. I used Meguire’s liquid wax, but any good wax would work, My car was always garaged every night too.
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Mineá Renault Kangoo,15 yrs old, always parked outside in southern France.
Only ever waxed the headlights,and they are fine...some Kangoos I see on parkings etc. are fully dull.
@patverum9051 waxing is the best thing you can do for prevention..
Another example of how older cars are better. Glass was the best product for headlights!
Ow really...th-cam.com/video/LcMFr0mpp-4/w-d-xo.html
When I was working for a shop in Charlotte, NC this was the same step process we did. It was a big kits that was in a carrying case. Only difference was we had two different pneumatic drills…one being a stubby type drill for the sand papers, and the other a polisher type drill that had two different type foam pads for the head. Headlights turned out perfect (if done correctly) every time.
Cool man.. yeah I know 3M sells this $500 headlight restoring tool kit that uses air pressure.. super high tech it's nice but out of my price range..lol
I used a 3M kit about 2 years ago and both my headlights still look good.
Your method is obviously superior to what I did. When I do it again, I will definitely will be doing what you are doing.
Yeah that is one of my favorite kids one of the best ones.. I'm a total three of Fanboy just because it's honest it makes sense that it's literally a fact it's is better.. yeah she tried out and it's easy to just watch me as you do it and just follow the steps and how I do it..
Thanks for watching got some new content dropping soon stay tuned..
I do everything you do, but with two extra steps. I'll also wet sand with P500 and P800 after I dry sand with each. I feel I get a much smoother surface because I'm cutting into the material just a little bit more. I personally have found the Mother's Headlight Polish and Meguiar's sealant seem to provide the best results, in my experience.
You going to watch out for excessive sanding you don't want to do more than you need too. Thanks for watching plenty of ways to do it.. out of my experience of being a headlight Restoration company , also being a restoration specialist ,and high end detail shop. This is what I have learned to be the best through tons of experimentation and well over a thousand headlights done...
Appreciate you watching probably should check out some more of my videos..😁
Watched your video and did my 07 Tundra today. It turned out great! I love the UV headlight spray. So much better than other products I've tried.
It's an amazing difference.. I struggled for months if not my first year trying to find an adequate product to match my stride for perfection and this is what I came up with... And I've tried about 75% of what's out there on the market literally... This product hands down it's just so much nicer than every way...
Glad your results came out good...
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Happy more videos out and plenty more to come just dropped one actually right now...
Did the same process 4 years ago but stopped sanding at 800 and used a good aerosol 2k clear. Still look perfect and it sits outside. Not sure if it’s because I used a quality product but 🤷🏽♂️
Cool
Thanks for sharing keeping it real. I’ve done them all in hopes of “easy” fixes = dumb, wasted efforts and monies.
THIS IS THE WAY GUYS, excellent share here, spot on, what’s covered here is perfect, pay attention, every sentence is golden!
Wow... Awesome man I appreciate it..
Many more videos up and many more to come. Stay tuned..
Appreciate your viewing..👍🏼🤓💯
every sentence is golden ? when he says he's not removing headlight matter but "just the polish"... what polish ? he's removing the oxidized clear coat, polish isn't something that sticks to the headlight... and basically you need to wet sand by hand for this job.
@arthsvic6828 spoken like somebody who knows nothing about..lol
Normally you'd be correct but this headlight is so old and oxidized there is zero headlight clear coat left on the headlight especially because of the repetitive polishing.... If you know what oxidation does it degrades something until it disappears pretty much evaporates... Before you get on here you discussing something you don't know or understand you might want to educate yourself a little bit..... And I should look at my channel or read the bio and understand that I am a professional at this while you are just some guy making up sentences about stuff you don't know about....(and and wet sanding is for novices and beginners as it is training wheels and the weakest form of headlight restoration... It has one place and a proper headlight restoration and that is at the middle to end of the process..)
Now I know you've done three lights in your past.. but if you watch this channel you will be actually educated about have my restoration and headlights....
Appreciate you watching but you probably should watch more....💯
This is pretty much how I used to do headlights. But I compound and polish after I wet sand. I like the Maguire's headlight protectant but I started using ceramic coating which I think I like a little better.
I work at a body shop, this is pretty much the process I showed my boss compared to how they did it by just polishing the piss outta it lol. I wet sand by hand though, depending how bad the light is I'll start with 800 if really bad, finish with 2000 and use a metal polish to polish the lights. Works wonders. My boss liked it so much only I get to do them now.... Hurray!!
👍🏼 awesome...
Should have negotiated a kickback on each set you do. They respect you more when you fight for your real value..they cuss and grumble but would do the same things. That’s how they became, “The boss” or owners.
@@toekneesee7113 nah, his father owned it and it fell into his lap basically lol. But I agree with what you said, wouldn't have been a bad idea 🤔 to late now been years lol
Yes... very true...
I ran a body shop for a while as well, we would actually sand the off the headlights 400-600 Then mask them off and clear them when we did the other repairs. I’ve seen lights that were done five and six years ago, they still look great
20 minute video for this is crazy
yup, blablabla...
Hey chat gpt, can you make this script as drawn out as possible
Ramble ramble
yap!yap!yap!yap!@
I skipped lots
That method is certainly good for restoration of headlights when the headlights have been caked with cleaning substances previously. However, I have replaced a couple sets of headlights when the headlight plastic had tiny fissures within the plastic. Those fissures were not on the surface and could be seen when sunlight was shining on the headlights. Fortunately, those headlights were not so expensive. One set was $110 in 2014 on a 2002 car; the other was $150 in 2010 on a 1998 car. Both replacements were done with 30 minutes per car.
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th-cam.com/video/WXUWWF47Kys/w-d-xo.htmlsi=ntUGrrEmlExS9_Wy
I have polish a LOT headlights using 2K clear coat and all looks amazing 3-4 years now.. Dont be fooled with the "specific" headlights products. A good 2K clear coat under the right temperatures can made miracles with no need to waste money on "well know brands".. Dont get me wrong , i dont mean maguiars are crap. I love all their products but for me a good 2K clear coat works best. Keep on with the great vids..Cheers !
To each his own but I run a business and my number one priority is to keep the vehicle on the road as long as I can, well that's damaging it while doing it or it happening in the long run from something I used.... 2K clear ACTUALLY DAMAGES HEADLIGHTS in the long run and it happens rather quick in the terms of the lives of the vehicles...
Wondering if you've ever tried to take it off..
It's a nightmare anywhere in a high risk of damaging the light or the areas around the light from excessive sending which is needed because it's heavily scratch resistant.. it's not about big names it's about what tool is made for what purpose you don't use foam board in place of drywall,
You don't replace your car is gasoline with alcohol (most cars)... You use what is prescribed for the certain function using turns out the best way.. in my opinion from all the lights I've done and from actually trying to use 2K clear it is the worst thing you can put on a headlight...
I actually used to try to use it, until I try to start removing it from other people putting it on that'll stop you...lol
It might last a little longer but that's not necessarily a good thing because the light starts going bad underneath the clear coat because it clear coat is dead it's just strong I've seen this quite a bit... Bonds too hard to the life as well starts causing spider cracking warping and pitting after a while when mixed with sunlight and weathering.. also in certain vehicles it's too hard it starts causing crowning and pitting from debris impacting freeway mileage...
I've literally done over a thousand headlights well over at this point...
And have run into this issue a couple times a month trying to remove this stuff..
But like I said to each his own if that's what you like to use I guess go fo it..
I consciously can't use this and run a business.. I mean if you're working on your own vehicle or you don't care to each his own...(actually have a video on this topic if you look through my content)
Thanks for watching.
I am a mobile bumper painter of over 20 years for dealerships and do headlights when I have the opportunity and always clearcoat and looks amazing this guys method is is great as well
@@TheJoepeanut awesome... Appreciate the support. got more stuff coming soon..
Hope you subscribe as well.. thank you for watching.
Does this difference of opinion come down to geography? Like, 2k is gonna suck in AZ, TX, FL, etc but will be awesome in like Mass, NY, WA, etc?
It very well could.. the orange pill problem is very problematic as well as the cure time so many things can happen with the cure time and most have that restoration is performed in a non-controlled environment.. and the need to go over it once it cures it's really problematic you need something to set and forget..
But good thinking it could be better in certain climates..
I just subscribed.... A fine job sir... I say this because this is the exact same way I have been doing headlights as a side hustle for over 10 years... I haven't done thousands, but I have done hundreds and hundreds.... I have been told that folks did their headlights with anything from wd40, toothpaste, bug spray (ugh) baking soda, etc.
The ONLY way to get this done right is to sand.... I start with 3m 500 and work up to 3000 grit. I'll usually start with 500,,, then 800... 1000... 3000 then buff....
Over the years I have tried different grits give or take and have had great results.... Cheers to you sir... I am looking forward to watching all videos...
I get discouraged trying to tell folks that this the best way to do this... Many have jumped on the bandwagon and are now giving the job away, thus lowering my price.
Costco, B.J's and the like are doing it also and causing more aggravation for me and others that spend quality time and passion to get these lights looking brand new.
I normally do not use a clearcoat due to masking and prepping as I do most of my jobs outdoors... I am hoping to find a perfect clearcoat to use... I will try to find and introduce your clearcoat method shortly... Thanks for one of the best videos I have ever seen on TH-cam... Oh, I will be ordering the yellow sanding block... Looks like a great tool to have in the arsenal....
This is a very old video I have over 100 streaming at this point.. check out the most recent one because even though this video is popular light would only become so good due to a lot of damage see the ones that don't have it ..
th-cam.com/video/o622VZRW2cg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=8zWRi6weJHcsxIbC
I've used the Glassy-lite kit to restore my headlights, but they don't make it anymore. That kit came with 2000 grit, and 3000 grit sand cloth, as well as a polish and sealer. You used the 2000 grit sand cloth first, along with a garden hose to constantly spray a light mist on the headlight as you were sanding it. You sanded it in a left to right pattern. Once the headlight was clear, you used the 3000 grit sand cloth and garden hose, and sanded in a top to bottom pattern, to sand out any scratches that the 2000 grit may have left behind. You then dried the headlight, then used the polish to polish it. Once the polish was dry, you wiped it off. You then applied the sealer, which came in a small bottle. The headlights look great when I was finished. Seeing how well the Meguires kit worked, I'll be using that next time.
Good luck 🤞🏽
If you use a headlight protection wax in the first place you can prevent the clouding . We went 13 years on my wife's last car and the headlights still looked like new. Her car was parked outside every week day.
You have to clear coat them no what ever you use or the clouding will come right back.
Please name the product you used.
Which one..?
@@yactabay He has listed them above.
@@theheadlightrestorationpro I use WOlfgang Plastik Sealant. I hear that Meguiar's 'Keep clear Headlight coating' is good as well.
@@yactabay The store brand that I used is no longer available, but I now use 'Wolfgang Plastik sealant' (Plastic with a K) I hear that Meguira's 'Keep clear headlight coating' is good as well.
I started doing this about 20 years ago. Along with painting a vehicle if the headlights needed it I would re-clear coat them. Prep with 800 grit, warm water with a drop or two of dishwashing liquid. When properly prepped plastic adhesion promoter is not needed. But I started adding it and noticed the clear lasted much longer. Over a decade on my Mazda and the headlights still look brand new.
Yes ~ the end result all comes down to proper and thorough preparation!
Never played Mapex. What do you like about them ? Im a Ludwig / Paiste man But starting to get into Meinl more.
@@BadRonald1
Wasn't really a preference, just kind of ended up with them. It's a big set, user friendly hardware and they sound good. I've had a few Pearl, and a couple of Tama sets. I have a lot of Paiste. I like their quick cut and dry, low sustain. I'm sure you know, a lot of drums is all about the tuning. I had CB 700s when I was a teenager spent hours tuning them and they actually sounded great.
Awesome.. welcome to The Future..💯
Your videos are perfect. Easy to understand.. you have a great talent.
Thank you I try to make it easy to understand as much as possible and yet give everything that people need to know about real true headlight restoration...
Really appreciate you watching and taking time to notice...👍🏽💯💪🏽
Brother...the list you included of your supplies was second to none, GREAT JOB!!!!
Great result, I've used a 3M product the exact same way, but you do love to talk!!!!
Talking is how you educate if I did the opposite what would people learn how would they understand..lol
Imagine going to a classroom with a teacher just sat there quiet with the books open... Counterproductive
Thanks for sharing your expertise, both in the video and the comments.
The big sham is the restoration need created by the manufacturers and their inadequate plastics. I restore the one piece glass headlights on my 94 E250 by washing and replace at 10-15 years when they start getting noticeably dimmer.
True .. awesome.. thanks for watching play more stuff coming up.
Agreed 💯
What are you replacing? On my Honda I have to replace the entire headlight assembly at $500 or so because you cannot only replace the plastic "shell".
Exactly that's why I have that restoration has beneficial.. no need to replace the whole light..
I remember when the clear plastic portion of the headlight assembly of a car/truck was made out of glass (I guess I am old as dirt). I cannot believe that car manufacturers switched out the glass with plastic. Of course plastic will fade, cloud, discolor, craze, etc. over time. This is what the real problem is. Car manufacturers found a way to up their profit, by switching out the glass lens of the headlight assembly with cheap plastic (Lexan/acrylic) material. Now we owners of these plastic crap-boxes have another early failure point on our vehicles... cloudy headlights. Giving rise to a whole new industry, to try to undo the sunlight damage caused over years of sunlight exposure. If the headlight assemblies were still made out of glass, like they used to be, we would not be even talking about this issue. Big industry sticks it to the hard working consumer again... Surprise... Fred
Good work. Do the same with all my vehicles and family. Kids Corolla lasted about 3 years in the desert SW before the fade was really evident.
Awesome....👍🏽
Great video. I’ve only got about 50 or so headlights under my belt and I never used the buffing or polishing methods. When lights are clouded I go straight to wet sanding. 500, 1000, 2000, 3000 grit. After a good cleaning I apply a clear coat. Off the shelf rust oleum lasts between 2-5 years and 2k clear is 3-6 but it takes some work to get it off if I have to do it again but nothing terrible. I also like 3m products.
How do you deal with orange peel from the clear coat afterwards ? I've tried my best but it always comes up ...
No orange peel with this product whatsoever.. have never had with this product.. this product is so silky and smooth you set it and forget it really ultra even seal like a shell... Zero orange peel no chunks no tips no spots nothing, that's literally one of the only ones that have absolutely no orange peel... And the crust surface of it dries about 30 seconds and 80° heat are above, any colder than 70° about 60sec..
@@theheadlightrestorationpro *peel
Lol ..talk text .. thanks 👍🏼
I sand and clear coat as well. Durable and long lasting.
Restoring headlights is so fun. I need to get my one of those sandpaper drill attachment
I tried it today, worked really really good. I found out spraying water on lens while sanding works even better than dry sanding. My 9 year old Denali headlights now look brand new. Totally worth the $80 or so on materials and some elbow grease, it was well worth it. First headlight took a while, I was really babying it. But once I figured out the process on the first one, second one was ready for polish and 2K headlight spray in 15 min. You could barely see inside headlight. It was really bad. I will do my other truck’s headlights tomorrow and also my 1999 Chevy Suburban tail lights. Headlights on Suburban have been replaced with glass lenses. Super stoked!
Just did my headlights using Mothers mag & crome polish. Fantastic results! Even if I need to apply every 6 months, it was so easy!
Lol... good for you...I'm sure the results look amazing as a real headlight restoration..😁
I can only find mothers mag and aluminum polish. where did you get the mag and chrome? thanks
@davemoss7537 I have no idea what you're talking about who in the right mind would use a metal polish on plastic?
This is headlight polish designed for headlights... This ideology is the equivalence of using olive oil instead of motor oil in your vehicle makes no sense when there's thousands of options out there specifically designed by scientists for your vehicle....
I use headlight polish.....
Professional experience and common Sense the way they look like this....💯
Meaning the other headlights on this channel cuz they probably look like this because what happens is they get that gray fog after using this product too much that you speak of this is what the person of this video probably was having done his headlights before he ran into me (see the great tent that's permanent on these headlights). Check out my other videos 140 of them streaming well over 400 examples of finished product polishing headlights with something not meant for headlights will never ever look like this no matter what anybody says my proof is streaming for the world to see...
Who in the right mind would use a metal polish on plastic?
This is headlight polish designed for headlights... This ideology is the equivalence of using olive oil instead of motor oil in your vehicle makes no sense when there's thousands of options out there specifically designed by scientists for your vehicle....
I use headlight polish.....
@@theheadlightrestorationpro why did you post to patrickkerner :Lol... good for you...I'm sure the results look amazing as a real headlight restoration. I missed your sarcasm.Didb't know what LOL meant because of my age.
When I bought my new car I installed Xpel clear film headlight protectors.
So far I am extremely satisfied with the Xpel product.
Never used it... Interesting in the side effects when it comes off.. I've had to do a couple removals, and a couple customers have called me after they removed and it pills off all the clear coat.. don't know if they were this specific brand but same concept... Interesting though
I've used Xpel on 3 of my cars now including the headlights. No problems at all.
@@dontcare563 so you've had to remove it....😁
@@theheadlightrestorationpro No not yet.
Make sure you put a multi-year rated ceramic coating on ppf. That way the ppf won’t fade for a long long time
having played this game, polishing does not last, it will be cloudy within a year, just buy new headlights, the problem is that they are made out of plastic and not of glass like back in the day, the headlights on my 1954 Chevy Truck are still clear, imagine that
The problem with glass lights is that the lenses break when a rock hits it. When theirs a hole in the lens then dirt and gunk gets in there and so have to replace anyways.
Sand, polish, ppf and ceramic coating is the way to go. Not polish only.
Plastics deteriorate because they lose oils. Plastics are petroleum products. Restore the oils and restore the product. Buff it out with Rain X-treme Clean and a paper towel, wipe off with plenty of water, then apply furniture oil like teak oil or boiled linseed oil. Bet after removing the haze and applying the oil you don't end up back here.
You're fucking welcome, motherfuckers
@@chrissemsch8781 What the fuck do you drive that you have a glass headlight
@@ragnaroksangel and how many weeks / months before you have to do it again?
@@Good-Enuff-Garage so far on my wife’s car, sons car and about 50 other customers cars I’m at 5 years.
I paid someone to "restore" my headlights and they did a poor job, buff and polish. They weren't even clear afterwards.
A couple of years later the lights only got worse. I went to a shop that was recommended to me and showed the guy my head lights. He did a true restoration like you and my headlights look fantastic, brand new.
Yes you really got to be careful in this business especially if you don't know what they're supposed to do a lot of these guys even people commenting on here polishing is enough and that's all they need and it's like they really know better that is a terrible job to be having somebody pay for it it's not even a marketable professional product that you can consciously sell somebody...
Sorry to hear about your experience and two thumbs up to the guy who actually did a headlight restoration on your headlights...
Between those experience and these videos you'll definitely know what to expect because these problems probably will never go away..
Thanks for watching have plenty other videos up and plenty more to come...👍🏼😁💯
@@theheadlightrestorationpro Yeah I've told others about the first shop, so that's bad advertising.
After Stinkys, yeah that's the shop name, restored my lights I took a picture and shared it. Good advertising.
Glad this video came up randomly in my feed… I’ve been thinking about doing headlight restoration as a side project but quality is an absolute must for me. After watching this video, I’m confident that I can gain the knowledge that will enable me to produce high quality results.
Subscribed!
Thanks!
Awesome man you definitely can do it there's over 130 videos now streaming on this channel you should watch a couple more before you do your headlight restoration.. also this one came out great but other videos have much better results to check them out...
Amen. A lot of my customers are DIY'ers or have had their detailers polish out the lens.
Yes .it is problematic and just impacts the issue making it worse and come right back even quicker...
Thanks for watching..
I appreciate it..💯👍🏽
Really nice, great attention to detail. Wonderful teaching methods... I've put off doing the headlights on my 2012 jeep because I thought that the quick fix kits seemed sketchy. Now I've got some work ahead of me...
Awesome man.. you definitely can do it and achieve high quality.. you can also use what I use to the best of your ability and watch my videos while you're doing it as a step by step... They'll come out amazing.. (also everything I use for the most part is linked to the bio/so you can get exactly or at least know exactly what I use)
Appreciate you watching stay tuned I have a couple actual step by step tutorials that will break down exactly what to do coming up..
Always use a interface pad between the sanding disc and the velcro pad. Reason is. One it smooths of around any radius on you're light safely so you don't square off the corners. Secondly it reduces heat build up which you don't want at all.
👍🏼
I bought a headlight cleaning product at Wal-Mart and it made my headlights clean and clear and they look great.
Good for you..😁😊👍🏽
Do this method they can look like this and stay like this for quite some time..
th-cam.com/video/jPR7MtONbHQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=wwhu817i0Iwnbwr9
My mistake for asking for everyone to know. Very helpful video
Thank you
👍🏽
I've always used 3M's pads and disks when I was doing resto's on headlights when I was a tech - had amazing results. I do agree those Maxima headlights are a PITA as well, resto on headlights takes a smooth touch and you can't just brute force it or else you will burn the lens.
Yes Sr......🦾💯
Excellent work and beautiful result.
A recommendation if you're open to feedback is to back the camera away when you're done with one headlight to be able to see and compare both headlights side by side, or since you're good with editing, instead of flashing before and after pics, do a split screen with before on the left and after on the right.
I think the video would end better that way and delivers more of that 'wow' effect.
Either way, I'd definitely hire ya if I were in your area. 👍
Good idea I actually have a couple videos ending like this just try to keep it mixing up solid suggestion though for sure..
Please like and subscribe and check out a couple other videos I just posted one last night... This one here very informative and actually has that ending format as well..
Check it out⬇️⬇️
th-cam.com/video/LcMFr0mpp-4/w-d-xo.html
Yeah good on you
Thank you for watching. Just dropped a new one.th-cam.com/video/le1LyD93Ydo/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for backing up what I believe is the best way to restore plastic headlights. Been meaning to do mine and based on your video this is my choice. Probably the biggest and best difference I’ve noticed is you go slow with your sanding. Helps prevent the dreaded heat monster that ruins things permanently. Cheers.
@stevelaferney3579 👍🏽
Wow. And you surprised me with the amount of spray protection you applied at the end. Great job!
Yes laying down a heavy coat is a must it helps it last longer and adds protection in many ways...
Very educational video and top notch job!
I have a couple of questions though.
-Why do you polish the headlight first and then apply the clear coat (without cleaning the headlight with alcohol first, for example)?
-Why don't you apply the clear coat at an earlier sanding stage?
Thanks for your time and your help!
Basically that would be incorrect when you see a headlight that is done and the factory which will be in one of these videos that I will link you to.. the headlight is Crystal Clear smooth surface then clear coated because it is clear coated with a special UV clear coat that designed to adhere to Headlights like most if not all UV clear codes that are designed for headlights function...
People have been steered wrong because back in the day there was nothing else to use on a headlight except for clear coat or other clear substances that weren't technically made for headlights that were made to bond to other things like wood, metal and paint, not plastic polycarbonate surfaces... Some people still do it but this is incorrect and causes a lot of damage and problems with the headlight and problems with the functioning of the headlight far as the output of the actual light.. polishing the headlights makes the headlight work at peak performance factory spec or over.. when people are doing it the way you are thinking they're far below and they're losing in some cases 50 yards of light.....
Also you should never use alcohol on a headlight and do your best to stay away from ammonia which is why I use ammonia free glass cleaner...
You want to stay away from STRIPPERS.... A quick background headlights are actually made from oil....
And what does stripping with alcohol do? Removes oils...
When polishing like this you're not only leveling out the surface of the headlight which creates the clarity you're embedding The beneficial oils back into the headlight which provide Crystal Clear clarity and perfect functioning... If you keep watching this channel you'll start to realize that these other methods are full of shit I don't know what they're doing and they think just because of headlight is clear that it's good to go...
But check out these video for sure and you'll see a lot more in depth....
th-cam.com/video/LC4ZBu02JZg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=16h_L6nrGwwiPja7
@@theheadlightrestorationpro thanks for getting into trouble answering my questions. I understand that the first sanding is very important, so how do I know that I have sanded far enough to remove previous coats and damaged material? Thanks again!
If you watch a couple of my videos you'll see how far you should go or how deep you need to go it's stated a couple different times and different videos first one that comes to mind is this one I believe..
th-cam.com/video/9DfP_dqw1mU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=h1vuGAiJUV4UCb1R
Terrific video...through explanations and solid technique. I will follow these steps to restore the headlights on a 2005 Lincoln Continental Signature series I inherited from my Uncle (17yrs 98,000 miles). I'll post my comments after I complete this process. Thanks again!
Awesome....you got it for sure .
Don't forget you can literally watch the videos while you do it ... 👍🏽☺️😎
I used the Sylvania Headlight Restoration Essentials kit several years ago and it's holding up well.
That's how headlight restoration last
I like their kit as well.
That's about how long headlight restoration last..
Plastic headlamps are a total scam because when they get affected by heavy uv rays it forces you to buy new ones that cost hundreds and hundred of $$$.
I’d even go as far to call it a conspiracy.
It wasn’t that long ago when lenses were actually glass.
I think the change came sometime in the 90’s as my 90 VW had glass lenses.
So the big auto companies only offer cheapo plastic to save a buck and later inevitably forcing car owners to buy new oem or aftermarket headlamps.
I’ve seen nice later model Porsches with lenses becoming cloudy.
I’ve foolishly used many products that only offered temporary relief.
Great video!
👍🏽
I'm surprised they don't sell aftermarket headlights with a glass outer surface. I'm sure some people would be happy to pay extra for them. The automakers will talk about how plastic saves weight and resists shattering, but plenty of people would rather live with the the extra weight than put up with the maintenance hassle of plastic.
@pcno2832 some people would like to be shot in the head too but doing that isn't typically offered because most don't
.. 😂😂😂
What I mean is you don't really understand the concept of modern-day headlights.. Google TEXTILE STRENGTH/TENSILE STRENGTH and an old clue you in a little bit about why the main reason is that they do it..(polycarbonate is 250 times stronger than the last)
Also check out this video..
th-cam.com/video/LcMFr0mpp-4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=xQ_eFMqSJHK1wzKy
Just wondering how much money on average does someone like yourself charge to do this? Also I’m going to continue on my own steps at a time. After you spray with clear coat, should you apply wax or something to protect the coating? Great video!
Far as how much it cost it doesn't matter what I charge also it's always changing just many factors in what to charge... What type of vehicle, you're making model etc etc....
But I tell you this much you need to figure out what people charge in your area cuz what somebody would be charging in San Francisco California would not be what somebody would charge in Alabama the pricing structure of everything is different from town to town city to city and state to state.... In reference just look at the realty cost of either one of those places I mentioned you have one place that has houses the size of one bedroom apartment with 1.2 million and you have the other place where you can buy a mansion for $400,000... The pricing structure would be extremely different and these two places for any service ... (The livable wage is different)...
If you want to know more about what the charging your area you have to put in the work and look around.. you also have to gauge what you're doing with this guy which is doing some kind of super headlight restoration versus what you're doing.. or this guy who's been doing how the restoration for 10 years and his business versus what you're doing.. you cannot charge the same because nobody will come to you why would they.... You got to think of these things for yourself so nothing I could actually help you with but give you these words of advice... Far as waxing or anything check out this video what you need is aftercare..th-cam.com/video/kIur4XxYjDk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=oU_dKIe46fs5u3Bx
@@theheadlightrestorationpro Thanks I’ll check out the video! I’m well aware of different prices in different parts of the country. I just know it costs about $200.00 to replace which I don’t plan on doing. Thanks for the advice!
Man! I like this video. I liked how it was demonstrated with clear and reasonable instructions. Thanks!
If you like this video you should check out some of the other ones there's over 140 now streaming on this channel this is an older video some of the new stuff is really awesome...
Thanks for watching
This is the correct way of doing headlights after that I just used spray wax and wax over it and it's been 7 years and it still looks good. I live in Florida and my truck stays out in the sun all day. Every 2 months spray wax,then wax on the lenses you never have a problem takes 5 minutes.
th-cam.com/video/kIur4XxYjDk/w-d-xo.html
Used T-cut on my well faded headlights. Needed to use a fair bit of elbow grease, but worked a treat.
👍🏽
I usually use the same sanding method and then two coats of good quality ultra high solids 2K laquer, never had an issue.
You will ... When it comes time to take it off again you'll see all the damage it caused in general and then you'll see all the damage it's going to cause trying to take it off and how difficult extremely difficult is to remove in comparison.. lot of people don't know because the frequencies is not there their ...(don't do enough headlights/the need to remove it) the need to remove it is not there ...they do one maybe a couple cars and that's it.. so once again when it's time for you to start removing whatever you did because IT WILL GO BAD and you're up close seeing all the damage to the left behind if you can get it off YOU'LL SEE...
Thanks for watching please follow like and subscribe.. a lot more stuff coming up.
Very nice. The fibers of the finesse it pad serve to dissipate the heat which is why they are superior for removing the 3k grit scratches compared to a foam pad which gets very hot very fast, which instead of cutting the surface, it melts it. The quickest way is with an edge buffer- a canton flannel wheel with a dry compound like gw16 made for plastics.
I restore polyester piano finishes and this was a joy to watch. Maybe I should get into a side line of work 🤔
Best,
JE
Awesome man.. thank you very much for watching plenty more videos out.. and plenty more to come soon..
I sprayed mine with clear coat and it improved them 95%. Less expensive than trying to polish out the dried out plastic lens.
Polishing headlights is a scam. (Proceeds to polish headlights.) 🤔🧐😅
He is saying that it’s pointless to JUST polish alone without adding a final protectant
No different from polishing paint and then leaving it bare = pointless
You should work on your listening skills as this was stated in the video…
Imagine what other areas in life you may be leaving yourself open to misunderstanding because of a lack of listening
I've sanded and buffed my previous car's headlights so many times I know you're right.
Sanding up to 3000+ grit alone is probably better than using any product not made for headlights. Once I tried UV plastic clear coat on them, it just went downhill and then I resorted to Magic Blue every month. The worst is that you need your headlights most in winter and using polish in freezing weather is not a good idea.
Just checked out Maguire's headlight coating and will start preventative maintenance with it next time I'm at the auto parts store. It's only sold in kit here but for 5$ difference, I'll be ready if needed and can throw away 3 old boxes of turd restoration kits. Will do that just now actually...
👍🏽 awesome..
I always just replace the whole light bucket on any used vehicle I get, nothing compares to how a new set looks and amazon often has great prices because they are knock-offs, and in most cases that is fine. it's one of the few cases when a fake is perfectly usable. I get the set of 2 for under $100 usually. and do the pigtails and bulbs too while you're in there. replacing them transforms the front of the car and makes it look new again.
Sounds like a lot of work... And I have no idea what vehicle you can purchase even two headlights aftermarket which are the worst in the world on..$100 is pretty cheap but hey if you know how to put them in... You should check out my video on why to buy OEM and why to restore your OEM instead of buying aftermarket lights that will break down faster than the headlight restoration..
th-cam.com/video/VSNEhD2obQc/w-d-xo.html
Landfill plastic laziness.
Can't do that with my honda crz cuz u can either buy them used or brand new. Used is still $200 per headlight for some in good shape and Brand New will cost $400 per headlight
Exactly.. so the headlights you probably have in there are OEM is there worth $400 to have those service even if they're not OEM it's going to be such a good thing for a hundred bucks and some change or something for those lights.. have a restoration is the most beneficial thing for headlights if it didn't exist at such a high quality which is scarce but I'm trying to change that it would be crazy to have to replace your headlights every 5 years...
Thanks for watching I got some interesting content coming up soon..
Since both of my vehicles have been brand spankin' new, a 2015 Kia K900 and a 2020 Telluride, all I have EVER done is spray them with Turtle Hybrid Solutions Ceramic when I'm doing the vehicle. The stuff sprays on with a very fine mist per panel (they even tell you to use it sparingly) and the wipe the panel down with a micofiber cloth. It dries practically immediately. The lights still look like the car just left the showroom, and the K900 is going on ten years soon! Perfect paint AND light lenses too!
th-cam.com/video/kIur4XxYjDk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=WSEPaCf_xKl3CeeZ
i have a 2009 Camry… headlights started to look opaque about 4 years ago. For $129 I purchased two OEM units, my mechanic installed both for $20. Still looking crystal clear.
says polishing is a sham scam, then proceeds to POLISH the head light LOL
Yeah after sanding
Ppl trick ppl into saying polishing is restoration when its not
Just found your channel and wow so informative! Curious your thoughts on dry sanding vs wet? I watched a few videos where the guys wet sanded and wasn’t sure if one was better than the other? Thank you for your videos!
Keep watching...got a couple videos here that speak about this .
Dry sanding is 👑 wet sanding does have small place.
Old enough to remember when this sort of thing was unnecessary. Headlights were made of glass which never oxidized, and could be cleaned with Windex or ammonia water. When they burned out--off to the parts store!
Old sealed-beams were great, but the manufacturers all went with projector type headlights because they fade a lot like sealed-beams but take something insane like 20 years to burn out as it's basically an arc lamp. So you always have headlights that "work". To some extent. Mine after 7 years are basically as bright on high as they were stock on low. Lol. LEDs, though, have no real issues as long as they are designed from the factory. The downside is retrofit kits are actually a hazard as they throw very inconsistent patterns.
@@josephoberlander I usually see those retrofits on tweaked up Honda Civics with the ridiculously oversized $1000 rims and "grapefruit shooter" exhaust tips, as they chase each other through freeway traffic. Those pea-brains have no idea there are people called engineers who are smart enough to design headlights and bulbs to match together for an optimal light pattern, but there are plenty of other people out there who don't know it either. So why do parts stores sell them? Same reason big-box home improvement stores sell non-code compliant plumbing and electrical material. Money. Which is the same reason some parts of the plumbing and electrical code are written the way they are. Engineers are smart folks, but unfortunately, it sometimes seems not enough of them realize two things--the law of unintended consequences, and that there will always be idiots out there who can defeat their most brilliant designs. That's where the lawyers come in.
th-cam.com/video/VSNEhD2obQc/w-d-xo.html
I'm mostly into older cars and Jeeps. I'll never get the mileage, speed, or performance of a vehicle made in the last decade but with all of them having glass sealed beams, I thank the Gods this is something I don't have to worry about. In addition, after having some of these vehicles for 30 years, replacement sealed beam headlamps are still around $25 a pop and they last 5 to 7 years on average. But if you are stuck with plastic lenses, it's nice to know you can greatly extend the life of them by doing this every so often.
Patience pays everytime. Great work.
Yes it does ...thank you...
You should see my latest video....
th-cam.com/video/jPR7MtONbHQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=2S-YBlhB8yND_nvG
Quick question, shoudnt the headlight be taken off the car to prevent overspray when using the UV protectant spray? I see you did some taping but overspray goes everywhere as we all know.
Is it because it is safe to have that product overspray onto surrounding plastics? What about painted metal?
Asking because I'm gonna restore my headlights on an old DD beater and don't wanna remove em. The caring level is at 0 but I need to see where I am going 🤣 Winter driving in Canada.
You have a sub. Throw more shade onto all the 'Pros' that don't use UV protectant. Are headlights clearcoated with UV spray at the factory or is the platic UV resistant when new?
Unnecessary to remove the headlights especially with modern vehicles some vehicles can take an hour plus just to remove the headlights and an hour plus just to install them again and let alone the work... As far as overspray there's no overspray significant overspray I tape off an access of about a minimum of 3 in I usually do about 5 in away from the light the overspray of this tip on these cans of the Maguire's headlight spray coating are very fan directional which means at about 6 to 7 in away from the light when you're spraying the fan that contacts the headlight is about 2 in so I didn't give him point you can control how much overspray there is it's a very directional tip so overspray is usually a Max of 2 inches with mine it's usually about a half an inch or an inch but I tape off for 5 in to evade any overspray it's not existent in my day today applications.. and yes the headlights come factory-coated after it's injection and press molded they spray it down with a UV protectant.. they have to because they'll just go bad in a couple months without.. biggest side effect of polycarbonate one of the only.... Check this video out here and there's actually footage of headlights being put together at a factory...
Thank you for watching.th-cam.com/video/tnCdU2j5Ja0/w-d-xo.html
The issue is the UV light film-overlay.
It’s simply gone & the resultant exposed plastic (Without the UV light film overlay) is thus exposed to the UV light & therefore quite rapid degradation.
Whatever you “do” be a toothpaste or WD-40 or even the more involved “kits” will not last not even a year much less 6 months…
Exactly right
I did my headlights 5 years ago and they are still looking like new, I used a plastic polish, no sanding . This guy is making it more complicated than what it is, just to make more money
Brand?
Parked in the sun all day?
This guy took a 5 minute video and turned it into a long winded video
you're right about you v have to sand the lights first but not about the 2k clear. I've done dozens of headlight restorations using it and it comes out h flawlessly. .. just be sure it has uv blockers in it and many do. done of these clear costs are designed for plastic so you can't say don't use them.... amazing job man. keep it up.
Well most likely those 2K clears are definitely not made for plastic I've never came across one that has said on the back that it's made for plastic see-through surfaces or transparent surfaces most of them say do not use on transparent surfaces.. I have used 2K clears and the worst one spraymax 2K clear on headlights before.. it does come out clear but they have transparency issues the lights don't escape correctly Farley diminished compared to things designed for headlights. Which is not per se My hugest issue is removing the 2K clears is terrible also in the long run they damage the headlight.. being a professional headlight restore you got to do more than just make it clear especially when something made for headlights comes out even more clear.. the number one thing is you don't want to cause damage to the headlight immediately or in the long run cuz you're liable for it... Also I have done dozens upon dozens of headlights with different 2K clears in the beginning until I learned it is not the way.. and I have removed probably hundreds of 2K clears on lights of different degrees and they are by far the most terrible things you can put on a headlight far as damage and longevity of the headlight health. . I actually own a business and do this solely to make a living and have done literally over a thousand headlights like I stop counting at a thousand a long time ago..
Thank you for watching just trying to share my experience and knowledge about the situation watch a couple more of my videos and I go more into depth about it and prove the issues....💯👍🏽
Most recent encounter with..
th-cam.com/video/k8_ljUVQfvo/w-d-xo.html
Actual most recent encounter of doing headlight restoration previously done with 2K clear..(spraymax) th-cam.com/video/F4VoNAfiGNQ/w-d-xo.html
Also.
th-cam.com/video/C1Y_022zMXQ/w-d-xo.html
And even some more stuff on my page check it out...
@The Headlight Restoration Pro wow. guess all those lights I did well eventually be jacked up. 😔 also not using 2k for plastic no more 😆 😂 🤣
I did it and I started shitting my pants once I figured out and run tests and had one or two customers that had some dysfunctions and had to remove it.. I had to do a recall literally... Had to set up over 15 appointments to remove it.. it's very costly but I could sleep at night..
A lot of negative side effects some of these companies even put on there do not use the headlights surfaces or transparent services..... It only stems from back in the day they didn't have anything else to use.. but now there's probably five dozen different products that are specifically made for headlights...
Appreciate you watching got a lot more coming..💯👍🏽
Nice looking job!
I use an old small tub of Turtle Wax rubbing compound that probably came out of my dads old garage. Has to be at least 30 years old! I've buffed, bought the kits, had a shop do it...then one day I just said WTF, this stuff works on all kinds of scuffs on paint, etc.. No buffing tool, no fancy cloths...rags cut from old tee shirts and elbow grease. Done in less than 15 minutes.
Not nearly as like -new as the example in this video, but I'm just trying to make the headlights better and pass inspection on our 2004 Sienna...a tank we plan to get 250-300K miles out of. We're not hung up on aesthetics. The van is scratched with minor small dents and the dash is cracked...and oddly enough my wife loves her van! Ole Blue we call her and she's never failed us. We keep her well-maintained mechanically.
That spray is intriguing. I'm sure it's helpful, but at $16 and the can says keeps headlight clear up to a year...I still have some of that decades old buffing compound and once a year is about how many times I need to clean the headlights! Of course thats because the van isn't driven every day and is garage kept.
it worked perfectly fine for my car (2008 acura). You just gotta make sure you do both inside and out.... The headlight looks brand new again. Been like this for over a year since I polished them. What scam?
Awesome
Nice job but you draw it out so long and make it sound like you are solving a quantum physics problem. It is just sanding up through the grits, polish and then UV seal. Overkill. I bought a simply kit and did this in less time than your video.
From what I have observed:
There’s a VAST difference when n opinion on what constitutes being “done” from one resto job to another
What’s the big hurry?
I spent 3 days JUST polishing my car prior to ceramic…. So you get out what you put in like everything
Awesome as always!!
Ahhhh... Thank you man... appreciate it...👍🏽
Thanks for watching...💯
Yoo Pro I bn practicing your method and when I tell you it works man I am getting better and better, I will be getting better after I get all the tools and products you use
Hell yeah man... I'm really glad to hear that it is working for you..💪🏽
Keep up the good work...💯
Really like your setup been doing headlights for a long time but never really made a business out of it been trying to come up with an efficient mobile setup.
Well stay tuned ... A lot of information on that coming up soon...
Great video!! Good to know you're in Sac. Just curious why you only dry sand it instead of wet sanding? With my limited knowledge, I'd think wet would be better?
There's many reasons why wet sand is insufficient and dry sanding is superior.. the number one is that when you add water it acts like it lubricant reducing the ability to remove something not enhancing it, also cooling it.. which is the opposite of what you need for headlight restoration, you need a certain level of HEAT which comes from friction which affects your clarity in the outcome (if you think of something that is foggy when you melt it it comes clear like plastic, or sugar)(if you held a blowtorch up to the foggy headlight things would become clear) and you need to be able to remove the proper amount of material, you need your removing power which dry sanding gives you A LOT MORE.. also when you wet sand you cannot see or feel the depths that you need to get to , to remove all of the damaged surfaced(you need all gone, if not your clarity is low, and it will come back much faster) (Miss colored yellow oxidation) which is why a lot of wet Sanders cannot produce a certain level of clarity and their consistency is always off they might have one headlight we're it's looking really cool and the next headlight looks foggy or still a little bit yellow or gray tint the consistency is far down because they have no idea the depth they need to go to remove the damaged part of headlight on the surface, and this is also why my consistency is so high damn near at 100% ...Also wet sanding is NASTY very unclean you have a residue going everywhere all over the vehicle when people see it it LOOKS LIKE CRAP..💩 lol also let's touch bases on the heat aspect as I was telling you plastic has a certain heat or flashpoint(where the plastic turns clear from heat) when you're dealing with polishing it or sanding it, it kind of sterilizes, that makes it react different aiding in the clarity in the end result this is one of the reasons why the headlight will look white before the final step, then when you polish it ,it becomes crystal clear heat is an aspect of it , the friction of sanding and polishing..(water cools off/stops and inhibits heat and friction) some people skip this step and believe they have the same level of clarity but is not true.(huge difference). especially when it comes to NIGHT VISION.. those headlights aren't going to see as well without this step..(polishing) but yeah WET SANDING IS OBSOLETE and it takes longer, messier, that's efficient and even more...(I had a period of wet sanding). It does have its place as a fine tune step.. not as beginning step it's almost like when you cut grass you want to use the lawn mower first then the weed eater.. you can cut the whole grass with a weed eater but it's just not the best method... Harder, slower, doesn't yield the best results at all..
That's just a couple reasons I can go on and on and on but hopefully that gives you a little insight.. yes in Sac..😀
Appreciate the support please let me know if I can be of any assistance.
Hopefully you subscribed continue watching I have more content coming soon..💯👍🏽
@@theheadlightrestorationpro Awesome, thanks for all the info!!
My mom needs one of her headlights done, so we'll probably be giving you a call!
Looking forward to it 👍🏽💯
@@theheadlightrestorationpro o
I called a couple shops that offered headlight restoration and they wanted $150 for the ~30min job. I picked up the 3M kit for $10 at Walmart and months later my ‘08 Prius’ headlights are still shiny and clear as can be.
Yeah it is possible to do yourself I just more than likely if they were going to do a professional job they could have came out even better it all depends on the level of quality that's your after... Very possible..
I just bought a new 2023 Kia Niro Hybrid and wondering if there’s anything a owner can do to keep the headlights from getting in this horrible condition in the first place over the years? Rather then waiting till your headlights are so cloudy the light can’t get thru the plastic lenses! I’m assuming there’s more a person could/should do then just washing and waxing their vehicle and lights?
Amazing question and here is the answer I recently made a video what you're talking about is aftercare...
I have to go after care can definitely be used and should be used as preventative care as well...
Here's the link..th-cam.com/video/kIur4XxYjDk/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/kIur4XxYjDk/w-d-xo.html
Wouldn't the best kit be a ultra 3m headlight restoration kit? for those who would like to do it diy and get pretty good results aside from a slight learning curve it's pretty cheap too besides needing a drill to do it
That's what I've always used. Works great. The other systems where you just rub on some chemical and it supposedly works all suck. Those are for people that are too sketched to use a drill which I understand but ultimately you either sand and polish or the long term results suck.
One of the best if not the best...will be starting reviews again shortly..
Nice job! I tried the 3M light restoration kit on my girls Xterra and that's worked good so far. Been a lil over a year 🤞
Awesome 👍🏽😎
Why do people want to hate? I learned a lot from this guy and he's the best and the most informative. I mirror everything he does and use all the same products. I've seen almost all his videos and his work speaks for itself.
In a bind while traveling at night, put some motor oil on a rag and give it a quick little buff (gas station squeegee wash before is recommended, allow to dry… takes a minute or two). Should last a week or so, but help you see more clearly at night. Nice band aid fix that is easy enough for our lazy society.
As for the video, sanding also removes the pitted areas that trap dirt and the small holes that refract and diffuse the light.
Hey you get it.. lot of people don't know that...