Scratched Headlight polishing (Plastic type)

[pgarner]

Ok something that has bothered me since i got the car is that it looks like someone had tried cleaning the headlights with a brick at some point in its past life

So decided today enough was enough and i would have a go at cleaning them up if it went belly up then at least its still light enough at the time to get a set from the scrappy.

tools used

As in the Photo
Medium cut polish, sealant wax, Finish polish, APC @ 10% solution, DA polisher, grades of wet and dry paper 400 - for the really bad starches then 1500, 2000 and 2500, polishing pads - White/ Grey finishing, Green polishing, orange compounding


rather than take the bumper off i just taped around the headlights with some masking tape

soaked the headlight and the wet& dry paper with APC then started to wet sand the light

kept checking every so often to feel how bad the scrathes felt

headlight after 1500 grit paper used

same again with the 2000 then the 2500.

headlight after 2500 grit paper used

As i had nothing more coarse than the 2500 i had to break out the DA earlier than i would really have liked - i was worried about the heat generated on the plastic.

Started up with the Med cut polish on a compounding pad, then same polish on the polishing pad before moving onto the finishing pad with finishing polish.
However getting hit with a compounding pad in the face isnt very nice

a little too much speed near the edge meant that the pad went from around 5000 OPM to nothing by catching the edge.

quick wash and wipe down with the APC dried off and sealed

finished one

plastic polish might have been a better idea as there is still some very faint scratches there but they both look a hundred times better.


as with all guides this is simply a guide and myself, nor torquecars, do not accept responsibility for any damages caused by following the above

 

[obi_waynne]

You're a brave man. Nice job though, it looks like it came up really well.

I bet you were worried after the initial wet and dry sanding stage.

 

[Loz]

Great job, it's come up beautifully.

 

[HDi fun]

Looks very good indeed.


Strangely I stumbled upon something on youtube a few days ago which was exactly this.

Anyone know a way to get the outer protective polycarbonate lenses off my car? They could do with a good clean inside.

 

[pgarner]

You're a brave man. Nice job though, it looks like it came up really well.

I bet you were worried after the initial wet and dry sanding stage.

wasnt too bad as i had came across another guide for an instrument panel which looked the same after the wet sand. it was more the mmm ive no 600 grit left off well ill give it a go with 400 1st. there were no photos taken of that as it was near enough white looking.
the worrying point was the machine polishing, due to the 3" pads the heat build up is alot more

Cheers Loz

Hdi i never even thought about checking youtube for it. as for your headlights most are now glued together. short while in the oven should soften the seal enough to prise them apart

 

[turbonutter69]

Looks great now buddy.

 

[HDi fun]

wasnt too bad as i had came across another guide for an instrument panel which looked the same after the wet sand. it was more the mmm ive no 600 grit left off well ill give it a go with 400 1st. there were no photos taken of that as it was near enough white looking.
the worrying point was the machine polishing, due to the 3" pads the heat build up is alot more

Cheers Loz

Hdi i never even thought about checking youtube for it. as for your headlights most are now glued together. short while in the oven should soften the seal enough to prise them apart

It's not the lamp enclosures I want to clean. It's polycarbonate outers which are a bit dirty.