Cloudy Plastic Headlights

[GaryKD]

Hi Everyone,
My plastic headlight lenses were showing the effects of 6 years of on the road. There are many products that advertise the ability to remove the hazing, etc. I purchased Mothers Power Ball Headlight Restoration All In One Kit.

This is to pass on that the product works as advertised (actually better than advertised). The headlight lenses are now just like when they were new. It is really remarkable.

[Clifftall]

I've used the Mothers mag wheel polish with a rag and got great results on my cars plastic light lens.

[mavric65]

I myself am a automotive painter by trade and have figured a way to make lenses look new and not have to rebuff all the time and this is common on all plastic headlights..... After buffing they will look good but they will haze again and again so what i do and have done on my own vehicles including my old coach is to sand the lights with 400 grit sandpaper then 600 grit paper and the clean with a good wax and grease remover then clear them with automotive urethane clear that is catalyzed like shops use on cars and the lights will look like brand new and stay that way... hope this helps some out with this problem

[Tincup]

Mine are starting to haze over and I'm going to try Mothers.

What bugs me is that with all of the technology we have, the achievements we've made in science, and manufacturing, is that they even fog up to start with. Why can't they make a plastic lens that doesn't haze over?

[62Morgan]

It's a known fact that "Plastic" and sunlight don't work well together. It will degrade from exposure. Aside from some ever-lasing protective "coating".... Either you go to an all glass lens or get Star Trek's Scotty to whip up some of that transparent aluminum substance.[R.I.P. James Doohan]

[Brigadoon]

Gary,

Did you do both sides of the lens?

[Midniteoyl]

Its usually only the outsides that haze up.. from the suns UV, and fine dirt/bugs while traveling...

[Hudsoner]

The yellowing is caused by yellowing of the anti scratch coating on the lenses.
One can polish this coating of, but the lens material will scratch faster after this. 3M has a pretty good kit for doing this. I did it for my Jeep and it looks great again.

[Barrier2]

I have polished them with the 3M kit two times and they did fog up again after a short time as Hudsoner said.
I have decided to replace the lens, on my 2001 Dynasty it is a BMW E39 model. I have the new ones but the weather is holding me up.
Robert

[Brigadoon]

mavric54,

"clear them with automotive urethane clear that is catalyzed like shops use on cars "

Is this something that I can get in a spray can?

Thanks.

[BarbRN]

I am going to try Novus three step scratch remover. It goes from coarse to finest. We have it in stock for our motorcycle helmet care and it works well.

[mavric65]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brigadoon mavric54, "clear them with automotive urethane clear that is catalyzed like shops use on cars " Is this something that I can get in a spray can? Thanks.

That is a negative!!!! anything in a spray can is non catalyzed because if it was it would get hard in the can. A 2 part component clear you have to mix and put in a paint gun and spray and then a chemical cross linking process make the clear hard and chemical and uv resistant for longevity....

[FDchief]

This is great info. I have used Maguires plastic polish, and it does a good job, but returns in about 3 months to it's previous condition. I will try the sand paper approach followed by the clear urethane. Does anyone know who is the supplier for my 2003 Itasca Suncruiser? Someone seemed to think it was a Toyota compact?

[Brigadoon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mavric65 That is a negative!!!! anything in a spray can is non catalyzed because if it was it would get hard in the can. A 2 part component clear you have to mix and put in a paint gun and spray and then a chemical cross linking process make the clear hard and chemical and uv resistant for longevity....

Well, I guess I will not be doing that. Thanks for the clarification.