Headlight Cleaning

[TLRam1]

While I was working on the WR450 seat Mary Ellen started on my headlights for my car that had become yellow and cloudy. I failed to take before photos but you will see one headlight being worked on and the results from the finished headlight.


She did a fantastic job and the headlight lens came out well.

[lragan]

Wow!  Your family owns an automobile??

[hootmon]

Terry evidently has his own personal "Angel" who comes down and does chores for him.. He must have done something mighty special..
No - Really - Did you check out the T-Shirt?? She seems to be an official Angel!

[Troystg]

WOW!!  A woman who operates power tools...  What a rare find!!!   

[Cadmandu]

I know that Texas is big but how do you have green leaves on the trees and dead ones on the ground in March all at the same time?

[Jigger]

What was she useing to get rid of the cloudy surface ?

[TLRam1]

What was she useing to get rid of the cloudy surface ?

Various grits of sandpaper followed by a polishing compound.  Wish I had the before photos, a pretty substantial difference.

[lancer]

We are getting ready to sell the wife's 4-runner and she had commented on how bad the headlights looked, i suggested rubbing compound and a little elbow grease with a rag. 20 minutes later they looked like new. Funny how much difference they make in a cars appearance.

[Lurkin]

I know that Texas is big but how do you have green leaves on the trees and dead ones on the ground in March all at the same time?

You've already answered a bunch of it,,, it's Texas!  The green leave'd trees are probably LiveOaks and they tend to either not completely lose their leaves after some cold spells, or grow them back pretty quick, as least down h'yar anyway.  The dead leaves appear to be maple or somesuch, and those trees act pretty much like you Yankee-types expect trees to act.

[TLRam1]

Wow!  Your family owns an automobile??

Yes and actually both are giving me problems, the one in the garage has the fuel tank sitting on the garage floor waiting for a new fuel pump. I busted the filler neck getting out the tank with about 80 pounds of fuel I could not siphon out, for one person trying this upside down is not the best method. 

[TLRam1]

Terry evidently has his own personal "Angel" who comes down and does chores for him.. He must have done something mighty special..
No - Really - Did you check out the T-Shirt?? She seems to be an official Angel!

Hoot you pick out the strangest stuff in my photos I never notice but an Angel she is to help me with this!  

WOW!!  A woman who operates power tools...  What a rare find!!!   

I have been fortunate in this regard.

[TLRam1]

We are getting ready to sell the wife's 4-runner and she had commented on how bad the headlights looked, i suggested rubbing compound and a little elbow grease with a rag. 20 minutes later they looked like new. Funny how much difference they make in a cars appearance.

You're not kidding and the light is back to the brightness it once was, what a difference.

[ToolBoxPop]

what was the heaviest grit she started with?  I got some leftover 600 and 1500 from my paint job, would those work?

[TLRam1]

what was the heaviest grit she started with?  I got some leftover 600 and 1500 from my paint job, would those work?

Yes those would work, 1500 is finer than what she used IIRC, this was an actual kit you purchase with all the fancy attachments and it makes it easier. All depends how bad yours are, the larger the groves cut in the plastic the more sanding by various grits to smooth the grooves back out before polishing.

I did my plastic lens on my vintage bikes by hand, there is a thread around here somewhere, on my lens I used up to 2000 grit and polished by hand. 

If your headlights have yellowed or cloudy this is well worth it, you will notice the brighter whiter light at night.

[ToolBoxPop]

Awesome!  My lights aren't too bad right now, but I'll want to rememnber this for when they are.  I've had vehicles in the past that yellowed out really bad and it bothered me something aweful, so at least now I know I can do something about it:D