Mighty_Mouse_Ep
04-16-2011, 10:20 PM
I made this thread back in 09 and it was lost during the crash so i thought i would repost it
Dont know if this is in the right section so mods please move if needed.
ALSO I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGED HEADLIGHTS THIS IS JUST A GUIDE.
Tools needed
1. microfiber cloths
2. Meguiars Plastic-x
3. Bucket with a little car wash.
4. 800 grit 1500 grit and 2000 grit sand paper. You can go up to 3000 grit if wanted.
5. Buffer (optional)
6. Blue painters tape.
http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/4030/dsc0787.jpg (http://img387.imageshack.us/i/dsc0787.jpg/)
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/4667/dsc0788.jpg (http://img180.imageshack.us/i/dsc0788.jpg/)
Here is a before pics of the headlights before i started. The car is my gf's 2001 VW Jetta 1.8T
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/9339/dsc0782i.jpg (http://img230.imageshack.us/i/dsc0782i.jpg/)
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/3072/dsc0783.jpg (http://img80.imageshack.us/i/dsc0783.jpg/)
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/4619/dsc0785.jpg (http://img53.imageshack.us/i/dsc0785.jpg/)
Before you get started go ahead and put about a table spoon of car wash into the bucket with a gallon of water. Take sheets of sand paper and put then in the bucket and allow them to soak for about 5-10min.
While the sand paper is soaking. start off by masking around the headlights to prevent any paint from being scratched.
Should look like this when finished.
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/3259/dsc0789y.jpg (http://img44.imageshack.us/i/dsc0789y.jpg/)
After you have the lights masked off take some soapy water and clean off the headlight. Once clean take your lowest grit sand paper in my case it was 800 grit then start sanding in one direction either up and down or left to right. DO NOT SAND IN A CIRCULAR MOTION. After the 800 grit paper the light should look really hazy and scuffed up.
800 grit
http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/9508/800grit.jpg (http://img504.imageshack.us/i/800grit.jpg/)
After you are finished with the 800 grit do the same thing with the 1500 but go in a different direction. If you went left to right go up and down.
1500 grit
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/1190/1500grit.jpg (http://img44.imageshack.us/i/1500grit.jpg/)
Once your finished with the 1500 do the same thing with the 2000 and again go in a different direction.
2000 grit
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/2443/2000grit.jpg (http://img180.imageshack.us/i/2000grit.jpg/)
Once you are done sanding take a buffer and apply some Meguiars Plastic-x to the headlight. If you do not have a buffer you can do this step by hand it will take longer but you will get similar results. I only buffed each headlight for about 5min you can get better results by buffing them longer but yeah of course i got lazy. If your using a buffer do not apply to much pressure and dont stay in one area to long because to much heat will cause the headlight to warp.
Once your done buffing take some wax and put a coat on to protect the headlights from hazing up later on.
Here are pics after using the Plastic-x the buffer and wax.
Before
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/8650/dsc0784.jpg (http://img202.imageshack.us/i/dsc0784.jpg/)
http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/4169/dsc0786q.jpg (http://img504.imageshack.us/i/dsc0786q.jpg/)
After
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/4544/dsc0800.jpg (http://img251.imageshack.us/i/dsc0800.jpg/)
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/985/dsc0805.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/i/dsc0805.jpg/)
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/1594/dsc0804.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/i/dsc0804.jpg/)
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/5133/dsc0803.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/i/dsc0803.jpg/)
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/9093/dsc0802px.jpg (http://img24.imageshack.us/i/dsc0802px.jpg/)
If anyone has any questions please feel free to ask.
Dont know if this is in the right section so mods please move if needed.
ALSO I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGED HEADLIGHTS THIS IS JUST A GUIDE.
Tools needed
1. microfiber cloths
2. Meguiars Plastic-x
3. Bucket with a little car wash.
4. 800 grit 1500 grit and 2000 grit sand paper. You can go up to 3000 grit if wanted.
5. Buffer (optional)
6. Blue painters tape.
http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/4030/dsc0787.jpg (http://img387.imageshack.us/i/dsc0787.jpg/)
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/4667/dsc0788.jpg (http://img180.imageshack.us/i/dsc0788.jpg/)
Here is a before pics of the headlights before i started. The car is my gf's 2001 VW Jetta 1.8T
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/9339/dsc0782i.jpg (http://img230.imageshack.us/i/dsc0782i.jpg/)
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/3072/dsc0783.jpg (http://img80.imageshack.us/i/dsc0783.jpg/)
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/4619/dsc0785.jpg (http://img53.imageshack.us/i/dsc0785.jpg/)
Before you get started go ahead and put about a table spoon of car wash into the bucket with a gallon of water. Take sheets of sand paper and put then in the bucket and allow them to soak for about 5-10min.
While the sand paper is soaking. start off by masking around the headlights to prevent any paint from being scratched.
Should look like this when finished.
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/3259/dsc0789y.jpg (http://img44.imageshack.us/i/dsc0789y.jpg/)
After you have the lights masked off take some soapy water and clean off the headlight. Once clean take your lowest grit sand paper in my case it was 800 grit then start sanding in one direction either up and down or left to right. DO NOT SAND IN A CIRCULAR MOTION. After the 800 grit paper the light should look really hazy and scuffed up.
800 grit
http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/9508/800grit.jpg (http://img504.imageshack.us/i/800grit.jpg/)
After you are finished with the 800 grit do the same thing with the 1500 but go in a different direction. If you went left to right go up and down.
1500 grit
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/1190/1500grit.jpg (http://img44.imageshack.us/i/1500grit.jpg/)
Once your finished with the 1500 do the same thing with the 2000 and again go in a different direction.
2000 grit
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/2443/2000grit.jpg (http://img180.imageshack.us/i/2000grit.jpg/)
Once you are done sanding take a buffer and apply some Meguiars Plastic-x to the headlight. If you do not have a buffer you can do this step by hand it will take longer but you will get similar results. I only buffed each headlight for about 5min you can get better results by buffing them longer but yeah of course i got lazy. If your using a buffer do not apply to much pressure and dont stay in one area to long because to much heat will cause the headlight to warp.
Once your done buffing take some wax and put a coat on to protect the headlights from hazing up later on.
Here are pics after using the Plastic-x the buffer and wax.
Before
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/8650/dsc0784.jpg (http://img202.imageshack.us/i/dsc0784.jpg/)
http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/4169/dsc0786q.jpg (http://img504.imageshack.us/i/dsc0786q.jpg/)
After
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/4544/dsc0800.jpg (http://img251.imageshack.us/i/dsc0800.jpg/)
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/985/dsc0805.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/i/dsc0805.jpg/)
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/1594/dsc0804.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/i/dsc0804.jpg/)
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/5133/dsc0803.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/i/dsc0803.jpg/)
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/9093/dsc0802px.jpg (http://img24.imageshack.us/i/dsc0802px.jpg/)
If anyone has any questions please feel free to ask.