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View Full Version : [DIY] Headlight Restoration: Remove Light Surface Scratches, Hazyness etc.



neo_phase
10-04-2009, 03:25 PM
Disclaimer: The following is provided as a GUIDE ONLY, and neither myself nor Ozhonda take any responsibility for the outcomes of someone else doing the following. You follow these steps at your own risk!

Hi all, learnt heaps from this DIY section and thought I'll share some DIY myself :cool:

Note that this will help clearing out the hazyness and only light surface scratches. It will not help with cracks or damage to the inside of the headlights.

Aim: Restore your old, clooudy or hazy headlights to its glorious days!
Required: 1 Bottle Meguiar's PlastX, 2 Microfibre Cloths (or 1 large piece), 1 Tea Towel for Drying, 1 Bucket, 1x 1000 grit sandpaper, 1x 1500 grit sandpaper, 1x 2000 grit sandpaper, 1 sponge/cup and lotsa water!

http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv308/neo_phase/P1020091.jpg
Where to buy:
Meguiar's PlastX - Autobarn for $19.99 - $22.99
Microfibre Cloths - Anywhere really!
Sandpaper - Magnetmart, Bunnings, Autoshops

Step 1: Tear all sandpapers into smaller pieces and soak them in your bucket of water for 5 - 10 minutes.

Step 2: Clean your headlights to remove debris, residue etc.

Step 3: Use a masking tape or PVC tape to cover off the surrounding area of your headlights so you don't accidentally sand onto your glossy paintjob. Trust me, it gets slippery.

Step 4: Once that's done, you can start sanding your headlight from the lower grit sandpaper - in 1 direction. You have to keep dipping the sandpaper back into the bucket of water, and use the sponge/cup to wet your headlight as you sand from 1 area to another. TIP: You have to sand with some passion. Don't worry if the headlight begins to look cloudy.

Step 5: Continue sanding your way up the grits, always start of with 1 direction, covering the whole headlight before you go the opposite way and vice versa. REMINDER: Keep the water flowing on your headlight so that it stays wet!

Step 6: Once you're done sanding the headlight it should be less cloudy as you have finished off with a higher grit sandpaper. Now use your tea towel to dry the headlight.

Step 7: Now the fun part. Put some PlastX onto your MF cloth (20cent size). Start working your PlastX onto your headlight on a circular motion, with force. Continue adding PlastX onto your MF as you work across the headlight. TIP: It's important to apply some real force onto this as I was doing it the pansy way in my first go and it didn't work at all. Just don't put ALL your strength onto it and crack your headlight yo! :eek:

Step 8: Once you're done with the PlastX you can use the other part of the MF cloth to wipe it off and leave to dry. It's that simple!

BEFORE
http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv308/neo_phase/P1010767.jpg
http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv308/neo_phase/P1010766.jpg

AFTER
http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv308/neo_phase/headlights-01.jpg
http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv308/neo_phase/headlights-02.jpg

Additional Tips
If it doesn't work on the first go, you can repeat steps 4 (with only the 2000 grit sandpaper to save time) through to 8. Just remember that you have to sand and apply the PlastX with some force behind it so it eats through the plastic. :cool:

Hope you guys will find this useful somewhere down the line, as I was really impressed with the results myself! :thumbsup:

MikeyG
12-04-2009, 03:35 AM
wow JUST WOW!!! +1 rep ima do this my headlights are abit hazzy :(

na-118
13-04-2009, 04:24 PM
just use ATF, mothers plastic polish isnt that great as well but atp will be good i always use it, other then then good writeup

Riviera
13-04-2009, 06:27 PM
very nice :thumbsup::thumbsup:

beeza
13-04-2009, 07:18 PM
WOW!! That's insane!!

Seriously impressed.I thought once your headlights were old and fadded,it's all over!

Thanks for sharing mate :)

neo_phase
13-04-2009, 07:23 PM
Cheers guys. I thought so too myself. Thought it would be inevitable for me to swap my headlights out for some EK9 goodness but now that it's back to its glory days, I'll hold on to the money for now :p

beeza
13-04-2009, 07:28 PM
Absolutely! And I'm sure you have done the same for other's too!

eternityz
13-04-2009, 07:31 PM
i tried this, first go iwas really impressed, must clearer than before :thumbsup:

neo_phase
13-04-2009, 07:51 PM
i tried this, first go iwas really impressed, must clearer than before :thumbsup:

awesome. :thumbsup: any pictures?

BabyZilla
15-04-2009, 11:04 AM
wow man, thats awesome! turned out really nice!

EK1.6LCIV
15-04-2009, 11:20 AM
awesome thread :D

Gio
16-04-2009, 09:15 AM
Well done man!! Great diy. Just to let others know u can also use a cut and polish on the lights as well.

Came up great!

EK1.6LCIV
16-04-2009, 09:50 AM
pics Chris :D

Zelka
19-04-2009, 01:44 AM
Hey guys, you can also try toothpaste as a cheap yet effective alternative to this. I would post some pics, but problems is that i have no before pics :(

Anyway toothpaste work very well.

na-118
19-04-2009, 09:40 PM
i rekon the easiest way is using ATF

beeza
20-04-2009, 12:21 PM
Well nothing will suprise me now!

kraiye
20-04-2009, 03:09 PM
i rekon the easiest way is using ATF

Auto Trans Fluid??? U serious?

EG52NV
20-04-2009, 04:27 PM
Auto Trans Fluid??? U serious?

that's what I was wondering too.. hmm automatic transmission fluid isn't abrasive is it?

Zelka
21-04-2009, 03:19 AM
ATF??? Wait you guys know that ATF is around 80W90
it is about as abrasive as the word "please".
Isnt oil supposed to be the OPPOSITE of abrasive?

Fr3aKi3
21-04-2009, 08:16 PM
For those who are really fussy you can add in another step too. Polish using Autosol Metal polish then finish up with PlastX. Autosol is more abrasive than the PlastX so it clears up sanding marks fairly well.

kraiye
21-04-2009, 08:41 PM
wish i'd known that a few hours ago ;)

did mine but kind of rushed the plastx because the aeroguard was wearing off. lol
still looks bloody great though, cant wait to see it in the daylight.


pics in a sec...

kraiye
21-04-2009, 08:46 PM
As u can see it was pretty bad. i started with a light sand with 1200 grit and that got rid of the haze easily. then 1500, then 2000.
you could probably start with 1500.

BEFORE:
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/5278/before01smlr.jpg


AFTER:
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/2425/after01smlw.jpg

oh yeah... +1 from me :)

neo_phase
23-04-2009, 07:22 AM
Awesome job kraiye! :thumbsup:

dahondr98
27-04-2009, 11:18 PM
On my car, which I’ve owned since I bought it new in 98, I watched the headlight clarity get worse and worse. There are a few tips on other Civic forums from around the world, which were handy. I used cutting compound, as used for paintwork renovation, on mine. The product was by Re-po, and is called Water Rubbing Compound. It improved them so they look near new – they are nice and clear now.:thumbsup: It certainly stopped the mechanics at the local Honda dealer from putting notes in the service receipts, saying the headlights required cleaning up!:eek:

na-118
27-04-2009, 11:22 PM
yep atf try it if you dont believe me i use it,

power_of_dreams
27-04-2009, 11:35 PM
good writeup.
I beleive scratchx does a similiar job without the need for the sanding.