The only thing he did not touch on is adding a uv protective clear coat back over this. Unfortunately this is an annual thing unless you spray the clear coat every 6 months depending on the amount of sun your headlights get. Still a nice way to make old headlights clear again.
Awesome video! I’ve been to trying to restore the headlights on my Volvo with not luck. What you did and explained here is exactly what I needed to understand how to this. Thank you.
so some years ago i was helping my buddy with hes detailing bussiness...im now saving to get things going and i wanna say i dont think i would of had so many cool things different ways to clean so thank you W.A.D....
Your video inspired me to try this in a used car I recently bought. Used 800, 1500, 2000, and 3000 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Followed that with a heavy cutting compound and Griot's finishing polish. The headlights look brand new. I finished with a ceramic coat. Now let's see how long it all lasts. If this works in the long term, I will never buy another restoration kit. Thanks for doing the video.
I did mine earlier this week (again) because I did them last spring and they got all messed up over the winter. I plan to use the 'affordable coating' some folks are demonstrating and that should keep them clear for quite a few years or at least I'm hoping.
Good job on the description on the steps Luke, I was wondering what the earmarks where on how to determine when one"s sanded enough from one step to the next.
Try Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish. I used to wet sand and that works, but I have found that the Mother's polish works just as well and is 3x as easy (pretty much 1 step). I use an el-cheapo drill with an el-cheapo foam pad that i bought online. Works great.
Yes. I've had very nice results with Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish. Quick & Easy. I have had same results as those shown in videos you can find on youtube. I'm just too lazy to make a video :-)
@@marktaylor1100 I'm not sure. I have no way of seeing all the factory ckear coat. It makes my lights look nice. Do you know of a way to know if all the factory clear coat is removed?
Luke awesome tutorial great job looks great great for the new comers on starting on mobile detailing and everyday mobile detailers as always be safe god bless William from extreme optimum auto detailing pr
Hey huge fan! I love the way your explaining but for the first timers can you explain a little better. Aren’t you suppose to use some kinda of coat? Simce you took the factory coat off. And i would have piked to see alll the way to the end. Thanks keep up the good work
Hey alex, great question! That is certainly one way to do it, however it is not necessary. The factory coat is actually what causes the foggy, yellow, dulling in the first place, so keeping it OFF, and simply applying a sealant to the headlight is better in my opinion because it is a permanent fix that will keep the headlights from ever yellowing again... just a little maintenance here and there, nothing substantial
Man i wanted to say thanks for that video on water bottle sprayers, You saved me so much $$$ I've tried 3 different types already and was about to drop some serious money on another kind until I saw that video. Home depot sprayers are the best i've found...thanks again
I followed your method on 2 sets of headlights and worked as instructed. Is this truly a "permanent" solution or will it need to be repeated sometime down the road?
Nice video but as a professional automotive engineer at BMW, I can tell you right now soon as the Wax layer is gone the headlight will oxidise and spider fracture, Why? you removed the UV protector that is the clear coat, When you sand them down with 1500 grit you should stop, Degrease the head light with a paint panel wipe and tac rag it down then spray it with a UV 2k clear coat, do 2 coats one Tac light coat and a wet coat, Then denib sand with 3000 grit and compound and polish, wait 3 weeks for the headlight to fully cure then wax them and they will stay like new for 5-10 years.
8:36 WARNING!! SCIENCE!! (Heavy Scientific Theories Discussed Here!!!) Be prepared!!! All jokes aside, This is a helpful video. Dude knows what he's doing.
hahaha thats interesting! It'll work in some situations on headlights, but not all, the grit removes a level of those fine scratching but it wont be a permanent fix, or even temporary fix is most situations
Hey earl! That’s kind of up to you honestly, if the scratches are concentrated in a small area then in theory you could just do that area, problem is because that area gets polished and the other doesn’t, there may be a pretty obvious contrast between the two
After you buffed out the headlight you did not put any type of protection on the headlight. Your next step after final buff out would be to clean the headlights with a solvent based degreaser. Then tape up the headlights with newspaper and painters tape. Then apply 2k clear coat to the headlight lens That should last 3 to 5 years. With bare headlights exposed to the elements within 6 months they will be oxidized again.
I did apply protection I just did not show it in the video, but as far as applying a version of clear coat like you are talking about, it is definitely an option, but it is not necessary, the underlying plastic does not oxidize quickly, and most of the time does not oxidize at all, especially when it is kept up with, the reason the oxidation happens is because of the clear coat that is on it from the manufacturer, not the literal headlight plastic
And when restoration comes around again which it will, Make sure you have plenty of time and extra sand papper to remove 2k clear!! Not only should this stuff never be used on headlights ever its a complete nightmare to remove!! And could permanently damage the polycarbonate lens!!!
You should try skipping the wet sanding and just using mother’s wax with a 3m buffing pad on a polisher then applying a protectant I got this idea from another UA-camr and a lot of people have said it works so I’m going to try it out
Hey there, i think I may have distoyed my headlights. They were very bad, so I started with 240 grit, then 800, then tryed to polish wih Maguires compound. Hey still look very hazey, is it because I need to go through the grits, 1000, 1500, 2000 and 3000, then compound?
I have not found 1 detailing video that addresses front bumper imperfection restoration. Surely you have encountered moderate to heavy pitting and scratches on front bumpers. Can you do a video on this?
Do you only sand in up and down motions? Or do you do kind of a cross hatch pattern? i.e. up and down with 800 grit and left to right with 1500 grit. I’ve mostly been sanding left to right but I’ve read about some people doing both to “level” the sanding scratches prior to compounding.
Ken Lawton yes! It definitely is great for wet sanding and paint correction on the cars paint, as far as headlights I find it much easier to do it ether by hand or with a sanding disk on a drill head, I'm not a huge fan of sanding disks on a DA for headlights 👍🏻👍🏻
@@wilsonautodetailing I had this same question! I’ve been searching for this answer for weeks now! Wondering if it’s OK to wet sand headlights with a DA and not mess it up permanently from the orbital rotation! I have the Griot’s G8 the 3” (which comes with a 2” plate as well). I’ll be sanding the HUGE Ram 1500 Headlights! Imagine taking these 2 headlights & stacking them on top of each other, making them one huge headlight, that sounds accurate for the size of one RAM headlight. Plus it’s been sitting in the harsh Arizona sun 24/7 since ‘06! I know this because my dad bought this truck new. The orange reflection strip on the bottom is barely visible (especially on the side the sun is on most). At this point I’d be happy if they looked like the “before” shots of these in the video 😂 they are absolutely terrible and my time is up and I want it to sell for what it’s worth and the lights stand out!! I’ve only done a tiny bit of headlight work, and it didn’t turn out great & since this is my dad’s truck (he recently passed away) I can’t mess this up! I wish I would’ve fixed them for him when he was still here. He passed away a few months back from Covid, and he was wanting to sell this truck to buy something nicer and finally be able to retire at age 57, he was looking up new trucks and getting all excited about it, then I had to leave the house like an idiot and the person I went to see didn’t tell me he felt sick, so he passed it to me, and not knowing I was exposed, passed it to my dad and that’s was it. I never got to say goodbye or tell him I’m so sorry for getting him sick) so now my mom has to sell it asap to pay the mortgage (as much as I want to keep it because I’m fully mobile from my Honda Accord and need to buy a truck or a van anyway, but I think if I could afford to buy it from her, she’d just be sad seeing it all the time. So I REALLY can’t mess this up. I’ve been scouring the Internet for any information on successfully wet sanding with a DA! And last night my mom said my time is up and she’s taking pictures of it this week to sell and of course it’s not going to sell for much looking the way it does. So this comment helps me out a lot, especially because Luke said it’ll be okay and I’ve been wondering if my DA will be okay to sand, because so many people say “only sand by hand, and never in a circle, but then all those kits to use a drill are out there so I’m hoping I can buy 3” sanding discs and slap a foam piece in between the machine backing plate and the paper, then switching to pads, and polish. Come to think of it, the headlights are so huge, my Griot’s g9 “6 (and I have a “5 backing plate kit I could use with the G9. It might be better because it’s basically 2 regular car headlights stacked on top of each other if you’re familiar with the 06’ Dodge Ram 1500 headlights. My main concern was if I could use a DA at all for sanding, but seeing this comment makes me feel better. The truck is going up for sale this week and I feel like it would sell better with headlights you can actually see through (so bad my dad had maybe 10% visibly it at night). I must have watched 30+ videos where the DA only comes into play after the sanding, but this comment makes me feel better about my plan to use the DA through the whole restoration. Is it okay to use a DA for sanding headlights though? I’ve been searching for this answer for weeks, and each time I think I find it, it’s only mentioned for the last steps. Lol kinda like this video, but I love and appreciate all of your advice Luke! This comment I’d a book, so I moved some things around so my questions are closer to the top! That way you don’t have to read so much! 1: Can you use a DA for wet sanding headlights? 2:Why do you prefer a drill over a DA? 3: If it’s possible to use a DA for wet sanding, and the rest of the headlight process It’s really a matter of what is smart and what works best I could also use my Drill (Kobalt 24-Volt Max Lithium Ion Brushless & Cordless) if it had enough power. I’ve been wondering if sanding with a dual action with an 8 mm orbit (the 3” g8) will mess up the sanding process because it’s not perfect lines, or will it work and it’s just not your preference? Also for these big truck lights, it’s going to take such a long time especially because they look like they’ve already been sanded in the sense that they are so bad you can’t see through the passenger side light at all and since I’m supposed to be done with them by tomorrow, I’m hoping at least my drill will work if the DA isn’t a good choice. I’ve had a bad experience with sanding before with a hand attachment for the sanding disc, and I’m on a time crunch now! Honestly I could use the advice. My dad’s 2006 Dosge Ram has been sitting in the AZ sun 24/7 since he got it in ‘06, and I’ve never seen oxidation this thick and terrible. It’s so bad that the “before” shots of this vehicle seem perfectly clear compared to the truck. My dad wanted to sell it and buy his dream truck and retire at 57, well he passed away a few months ago just weeks after he turned 57, so now my mom has to sell the truck just to pay for the mortgage. If I had the cash she needs asap, I would buy it in a heartbeat especially since well it’s my dad’s and I don’t want to see it go, plus I need a truck or van or something else to use for my mobile business because my Honda Accord is getting torn up from packing it full with product and equipment hoses, steamer, extractor, ladder, ect. Literally everything I need for the job at hand, which has honestly made me not want to detail as much because I haven’t even had the car 2 years and it’s pretty trashed from it being difficult to load and unload, packing and unpacking after each job. So between that aspect, and blaming myself (as well as getting blamed daily) for my fathers death, it’s been rough to even get a detail these days but I’m trying to get better). Anyway, way TMI! So I own the griot’s G8 (3” and 2”) and the G9 (6” and 5”) and if a DA will work to wet sand them, I’m wondering which size 3” or 5” to use. If you know a 2006 Ram 1500, you know the headlights are huge, and seem to have an outward bubbled curve, making them look like big bug eyes that really stand out. I not only want the new owner of my dad’s truck (ugh that’s sad to day) to have great looking headlights, but I want my mom to be able to get a good offer on it. So my biggest question is will one of my two Griot’s DA’s work for wet sanding them, and if they do work, i would obviously keep using it for the rest of the process (pad/polish)…OR is using a DA terrible idea?? I would of course get a soft interface pad to go in between the backing plate and the sanding disc and maybe even buy sanding discs that have a little bit of sponge on the back of them for added cushion if I can find them at a local store or Amazon them here asap. Or I may just got with the 3m Heavy Duty kit that you’re supposed to use with a drill, but their interface pad will fit my 3” DA backing plate and it has everything else I’d need. So really I just need advice on what’s best, and fast because I only have today and tomorrow until she takes pictures of the truck, and the trim is still grey, and I still haven’t touched up the scuffs and scratches on the paint, but the headlights are by far the worst of the worst! Sorry this is SO long! I just need help! Thank you so much!
So I’m looking for the meguiars 105 product that he is speaking of when he polishes the headlight at the end. But he doesn’t have a link for it on the video description. Can you help me find this product
Be careful taping older vehicles. I taped off my 07 avalon to do this yesterday and it pulled some paint off where it was already turning loose. Glad it wasn't a customers car.
Hey, I am supposed to be detailing two cars the next two days and requires a headlight restoration. I'm freaking out because the last time I used the clear coat can with UV protection, and it did not look good at all. I want my customers lights too look good. Apparently, no local stores sell a clear coat liquid that wipes on which is unfortunate. Im thinking of trying your method, because even if it doesn't last as long, they will stay looking great, and frankly, cannot afford to worsen a clients car. Just one thing, did you use a synthetic wax or a carnuba wax?
Hey man, I always suggest using the method in this video simply because it is a completely permanent fix, when you use a can of clear coat spray you are most likely going to get results like you experienced, it looks sloppy, not uniform, and just dumb. This on the other hand completely removes the clear coat for good, and the fogging, yellowing, and fading will never happen again. I used synthetic wax
Thank's Brother. I have an inspiring story for you. I just started my business and went out to a bunch of used car dealerships to see if they needed a detailer. I passed out some cards, but nothing guaranteed. Even got fussed out by one dealership. (Learning experience, right?) On my way home, I saw a man standing outside by two camaros. Turns out the guy was actually going to sell them and was on his way to inquire a detail job! What are the odds?! I got two full details tomorrow for about 400 each! Let me know if there is anything that I could be lifting up in prayer for you or your business, and if you could pray for my heart to be set on honoring Jesus, as well as to not get distracted by the success or money, I would appreciate it! I really think God was looking out for me today, without a doubt. "In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths" To all the detailers out there, I'm telling you, Jesus is helping my business out. Go ahead and acknlowledge him!
Use this stuff (the link is below) to keep your clients headlights clear for YEARS. If costs a lot so make sure you increase your headlights restoration prices accordingly to pay for the product!! www.amazon.com/OPT-OLC10-Opti-Lens-Permanent-Headlight-Coating/dp/B00GULJCUM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1524193147&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=opti+coat+headlight+coating
TheMillenialEntrepreneur, spraying clearcoat on headlights is definitely a tedious job especially if you're new to the idea. If you are not getting a good job with spraying, try doing 3 light coats. Once one coat tacks, spray it again until you've reached 3 coats. Even then, the imperfections will be there unless you're great with spraying. Once it's completely dry, wet sand with 1500, 2000, 3000 and then polish it until the it is shiny again. It will then work just like paint on a car. Your customers lights will be flawless and the job will last for many years. Yes, they could just maintain the lights, but if you want something that's low maintenance and will last, that's the way to do it. - 12yrs detailing
Use the sand paper 90 degrees offset for every grit increase. Vertical 600 paper horisontal 1500, vertical 2000 then horizontal for 3000 and then vertical for 5000/7000 paper. Then polish and wax
I protect with a ceramic coating and charge 50 per headlight. I also dry sand 400 800 then wetsand 1000 to 2500. Depends on hardness if headlight though
Just get yourself a 3m restoration kit and follow the instructions, And take the guess work out of this job!! And do it properly, Disregard the Bellshit!!😅
Hey man thanks for the video, so I’m using your same method but I started with 320 grit which I realize now it’s too low, and then I moved finer and finer but the 320 grit marks are still there, what do you recommend to get rid of the 320 grit?
Will the Meguiars ultimate polish work? I have some chemical guy V38 optical grade final polish as well. Which one would be best or does it not matter?
I will put a sealant on them, but coating them again with clear coat will cause the same thing to happen again eventually, so I like to keep the plastic exposed, and protected differently.. the reason they fog and yellow is because of the clear coat itself
hi dude i kind of messed up by using like a 80 sang paper to start off with. any ideas on how to fix this ? did use the lower guages afterwards but still quite misty. thanks.
I dont remember anymore actually, but it really wouldnt make a difference, polishing out sanding marks on plastic is very different then polishing them out on paint, you would be fine to finish with M105
The problem with having no clearcoat is that once the wax or sealant is gone, there is no UV protection for the underlying Poly-carbonate, which will oxidize fast and you're back to square one with yellowed and foggy headlights. A semi-permanent solution is to apply a headlight coating. A much more permanent solution will be the spray on a new, UV resistant clearcoat onto the sanded and polished headlight.
Personally, if I were restoring my own car's headlights I'll strongly prefer to finish it off by spraying on a UV resistant, non-yellowing clearcoat so my work would last years instead of weeks or months, especially in my part of the world where the weather swings from desert sunny to tropical storms at random. Remember to do a thorough alcohol wipe-down on your sanded and polished headlight that has its clarity restored before spraying on new clearcoat to avoid paint adhesion issues. Take your time to apply multiple, light to medium thickness coats to ensure even coverage, taking care to avoid excessively thick coats of clearcoat to avoid runs. Assuming you did a good job spraying clearcoat and want to chase perfection by removing the minor orange peel that inevitably results with all spray painting processes, wait at least 24hrs or however long the paint says its full cure time is. Wet sand the clearcoat with 2000 grit sandpaper and soapy water, then compound polish to restore clarity. Remember to do a thorough wipe-down with diluted alcohol (around 10-15 % alcohol with the rest distilled water solution should do fine) to remove the soap residue and compounding oils to allow the new clearcoat to out-gas properly over 30 days.
FYI here are some headlight coatings I managed to find: glasweld.com/headlight-restoration/headlight-coating/ www.amazon.com/OPT-OPT-OLC10-Opti-Lens-Permanent-Headlight/dp/B00GULJCUM Hope this helps. ;-)
At the beginning you said restoration kits will not remove heavy oxidation and old cracking flacking clearcoat? Wrong!! 3M Heavy duty kit will!! And your suggestion that wet sanding is the only way is also wrong!! Dry sanding is far better, Less mess and no need to stop start to check whether the clearcoat as been removed,Your choice of electric polisher and pad size is to big to reach awkward corners of the headlight, A far better alternative is a Cordless variable speed drill with a 3inch base plate with velcro hooks!! And always apply a certified clearcoat like Maguires clearcoat with added UV protection, And one more tip never ever use 2k on headlights!!
The yellowing happens because of the clear coat beginning to fade, so the yellowing won’t necessarily come back, the problem you then worry about is the headlight itself getting damaged. But I’ve treated hundreds of headlights like this and it’s just a non issue
Yeah, but it's much harder. If you're tight on money and don't need a polisher, then go buy a drill polishing/buffing kit. You can find them online for
Just depends what you mean when you say it’s nasty, meaning the clear coat is damaged? If the clay bar literally did nothing, then that is what I️t sounds like to me
I didnt finish with 205 just because in some situations like this I do not see a point, the idea of 205 is to restore gloss and remove any final swirls in the paint, but with plastic headlights, there really isnt any "gloss" to restore after the 105, because it is not clear coated paint, so 105 followed by a strong wax or sealant is enough in my opinion
Every grit of sandpaper (400,800...) DOES remove material, it can not "just remove the scratches". Sandpaper removes the ridges surrounding the grooves and scratches from the previous sanding operation. If it "just removes the scratches" it would be adding material into the scratches, which it cannot do.
1 If you all haven't seen a documentary called... It's worse then you think... By revelations of Jesus Christ ministry... I suggest you do... All praise and glory to the most high Jesus Christ
Stop following the car in front of you so closely. It's the sand and cement or whatever other dust sized particle you are guaranteed to find on any road. Back off and you won't be sandblasting the front of your ride. And for sure. Replace that plastic junk with glass.
Ive watched all the headlight restoration videos. This by far exceeds them. Ty
The only thing he did not touch on is adding a uv protective clear coat back over this. Unfortunately this is an annual thing unless you spray the clear coat every 6 months depending on the amount of sun your headlights get. Still a nice way to make old headlights clear again.
Awesome video! I’ve been to trying to restore the headlights on my Volvo with not luck. What you did and explained here is exactly what I needed to understand how to this. Thank you.
so some years ago i was helping my buddy with hes detailing bussiness...im now saving to get things going and i wanna say i dont think i would of had so many cool things different ways to clean so thank you W.A.D....
GREAT JOB! THANK YOU FOR MY FIRST SPRING PROJECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is an excellent video in my book. I’m glad to learn on how to do this. Do you have any video for scratches on a car? Thank you
Fabulous! Thanks Luke 😊
Your video inspired me to try this in a used car I recently bought. Used 800, 1500, 2000, and 3000 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Followed that with a heavy cutting compound and Griot's finishing polish. The headlights look brand new. I finished with a ceramic coat. Now let's see how long it all lasts. If this works in the long term, I will never buy another restoration kit. Thanks for doing the video.
Hows the headlights holding up?
Any updates?
Hey Luke. Great video. Well done. Right to the point. Looking forward to checking out your other videos.
Bob
Rochester NY
I think headlight restoration is my favorite part of detailing!
Concise and right to business with excellent content. I like that.💯
I did mine earlier this week (again) because I did them last spring and they got all messed up over the winter. I plan to use the 'affordable coating' some folks are demonstrating and that should keep them clear for quite a few years or at least I'm hoping.
great job on the headlights restoration..My customers will be very happy..You are a star Thanks,looking for more videos and ideas :)
Thank you Gary!
Good job on the description on the steps Luke, I was wondering what the earmarks where on how to determine when one"s sanded enough from one step to the next.
Very stern instructions. I like it, simple enough.
Did u put any type sealant on it? Otherwise it will just oxidize again
Try Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish. I used to wet sand and that works, but I have found that the Mother's polish works just as well and is 3x as easy (pretty much 1 step). I use an el-cheapo drill with an el-cheapo foam pad that i bought online. Works great.
on headlights? interesting approach!
Yes. I've had very nice results with Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish. Quick & Easy. I have had same results as those shown in videos you can find on youtube. I'm just too lazy to make a video :-)
I didnt like the results from using just this polisher. I find that the result will satisfy most people but im a bit critical.
Yes , but does it remove ALL the factory clear coat off ?
@@marktaylor1100 I'm not sure.
I have no way of seeing all the factory ckear coat. It makes my lights look nice. Do you know of a way to know if all the factory clear coat is removed?
Luke awesome tutorial great job looks great great for the new comers on starting on mobile detailing and everyday mobile detailers as always be safe god bless William from extreme optimum auto detailing pr
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS VIDEO!!!!!
Excellent tutorial, man!
Concise and explained it thoroughly.
Hey huge fan! I love the way your explaining but for the first timers can you explain a little better. Aren’t you suppose to use some kinda of coat? Simce you took the factory coat off. And i would have piked to see alll the way to the end. Thanks keep up the good work
Hey alex, great question! That is certainly one way to do it, however it is not necessary. The factory coat is actually what causes the foggy, yellow, dulling in the first place, so keeping it OFF, and simply applying a sealant to the headlight is better in my opinion because it is a permanent fix that will keep the headlights from ever yellowing again... just a little maintenance here and there, nothing substantial
Wilson Auto Detailing Great tip thank you i appreciate your response
Man i wanted to say thanks for that video on water bottle sprayers, You saved me so much $$$ I've tried 3 different types already and was about to drop some serious money on another kind until I saw that video. Home depot sprayers are the best i've found...thanks again
Wow that's AMAZING!! So glad I could help!!
DudeThat251 Thats funny I replaced my sprayers after his video aswell. I really like the Home depot bottles, Thanks luke.
So Good!!!! And so glad that I could help!!
I followed your method on 2 sets of headlights and worked as instructed. Is this truly a "permanent" solution or will it need to be repeated sometime down the road?
Good job
4:25, I see what you did there, lol, but nevertheless, very informative video. top notch!
good job brother
Awesome! Thanks man.
Wowwwww Luke !!!
Very helpful!,
Have you tried using either a drill or DA with either sandpaper or sponge start to finish?
It worked but don't you think this is a short term fix? Once the polish comes off, it get backs to being foggy again.
Nice video but as a professional automotive engineer at BMW, I can tell you right now soon as the Wax layer is gone the headlight will oxidise and spider fracture, Why? you removed the UV protector that is the clear coat, When you sand them down with 1500 grit you should stop, Degrease the head light with a paint panel wipe and tac rag it down then spray it with a UV 2k clear coat, do 2 coats one Tac light coat and a wet coat, Then denib sand with 3000 grit and compound and polish, wait 3 weeks for the headlight to fully cure then wax them and they will stay like new for 5-10 years.
8:36 WARNING!! SCIENCE!!
(Heavy Scientific Theories Discussed Here!!!) Be prepared!!!
All jokes aside, This is a helpful video. Dude knows what he's doing.
Mix Comet or Ajax cleanser with toothpaste and bingo ! ! ! Removes scratches fast and easy.
hahaha thats interesting! It'll work in some situations on headlights, but not all, the grit removes a level of those fine scratching but it wont be a permanent fix, or even temporary fix is most situations
Question I got all the tools for the project but don’t have a polishing machine. Instead I got a clear coat spray can. Can that also do the job
I have small scratches on one headlight should I do the whole thing? Thanks great videos
Hey earl! That’s kind of up to you honestly, if the scratches are concentrated in a small area then in theory you could just do that area, problem is because that area gets polished and the other doesn’t, there may be a pretty obvious contrast between the two
amazing video... is it possible to make a video for the rear taillights? also trim bumper restore....
interesting about the tail lights! Whats the problem exactly? And yes I will totally help with the trim restoration
Wilson Auto Detailing no problem it's there's no video about it...
thanks
Looks like your polishing head was foam, is that correct?
another good 1 bro
Thanks Ty!!!
After you buffed out the headlight you did not put any type of protection on the headlight. Your next step after final buff out would be to clean the headlights with a solvent based degreaser. Then tape up the headlights with newspaper and painters tape. Then apply 2k clear coat to the headlight lens That should last 3 to 5 years. With bare headlights exposed to the elements within 6 months they will be oxidized again.
I did apply protection I just did not show it in the video, but as far as applying a version of clear coat like you are talking about, it is definitely an option, but it is not necessary, the underlying plastic does not oxidize quickly, and most of the time does not oxidize at all, especially when it is kept up with, the reason the oxidation happens is because of the clear coat that is on it from the manufacturer, not the literal headlight plastic
You are right.
And when restoration comes around again which it will, Make sure you have plenty of time and extra sand papper to remove 2k clear!! Not only should this stuff never be used on headlights ever its a complete nightmare to remove!! And could permanently damage the polycarbonate lens!!!
"Just like that" :) Good vid :)
You should try skipping the wet sanding and just using mother’s wax with a 3m buffing pad on a polisher then applying a protectant I got this idea from another UA-camr and a lot of people have said it works so I’m going to try it out
Can you up load the video
Have you ever try'ed removing 2k clear from a headlight be honest??
Awesome video !! Thank You !!
Thank you Mark!
Hey there, i think I may have distoyed my headlights. They were very bad, so I started with 240 grit, then 800, then tryed to polish wih Maguires compound. Hey still look very hazey, is it because I need to go through the grits, 1000, 1500, 2000 and 3000, then compound?
Good Info
May i know, What protection applied after wax?
Thanks again for the video
Of course Larry! Hope it helps!
Awesome bro!!!
Wicked informative. Thx
I have not found 1 detailing video that addresses front bumper imperfection restoration. Surely you have encountered moderate to heavy pitting and scratches on front bumpers. Can you do a video on this?
+Andrew Reichel definitely Andrew!!
Good job wao thanks for your recommendation help me out thanks again
Anytime man thanks so much for being included in the channel! I love the community
Do you only sand in up and down motions? Or do you do kind of a cross hatch pattern? i.e. up and down with 800 grit and left to right with 1500 grit. I’ve mostly been sanding left to right but I’ve read about some people doing both to “level” the sanding scratches prior to compounding.
Well said bro!!👍👍👍
do you clear coat afterwards?
How much does this service cost? And how long with something like this take?
Did u do another step after the m105? Another great articulate vid🤙🏽
I did not, with headlights it’s really not necessary, sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t :)
Wilson Auto Detailing thanks for the reply broman🤙🏽 I’ll use this technique on my next customer cheers!! 🍻
👍cool thanks for the video thank you
Hey, are you able to re use the polishing pad? I just bought one for this method, and was wondering if its possible to wash and re-use?
Definitely!! You should be washing and reusing
Wilson Auto Detailing thoughts on possibly Skyping with another Christian Millennial detail business owner?
What does everyone charge to do this? adding PPF on top sounds like a good way to protect it, maybe a ceramic coating?
Have you ever tried wet dry paper for your DA? makes short work of headlights but I think it would be better in a 4 or 3 inch backing plate.
Ken Lawton yes! It definitely is great for wet sanding and paint correction on the cars paint, as far as headlights I find it much easier to do it ether by hand or with a sanding disk on a drill head, I'm not a huge fan of sanding disks on a DA for headlights 👍🏻👍🏻
@@wilsonautodetailing I had this same question! I’ve been searching for this answer for weeks now! Wondering if it’s OK to wet sand headlights with a DA and not mess it up permanently from the orbital rotation! I have the Griot’s G8 the 3” (which comes with a 2” plate as well). I’ll be sanding the HUGE Ram 1500 Headlights! Imagine taking these 2 headlights & stacking them on top of each other, making them one huge headlight, that sounds accurate for the size of one RAM headlight. Plus it’s been sitting in the harsh Arizona sun 24/7 since ‘06! I know this because my dad bought this truck new. The orange reflection strip on the bottom is barely visible (especially on the side the sun is on most). At this point I’d be happy if they looked like the “before” shots of these in the video 😂 they are absolutely terrible and my time is up and I want it to sell for what it’s worth and the lights stand out!! I’ve only done a tiny bit of headlight work, and it didn’t turn out great & since this is my dad’s truck (he recently passed away) I can’t mess this up! I wish I would’ve fixed them for him when he was still here. He passed away a few months back from Covid, and he was wanting to sell this truck to buy something nicer and finally be able to retire at age 57, he was looking up new trucks and getting all excited about it, then I had to leave the house like an idiot and the person I went to see didn’t tell me he felt sick, so he passed it to me, and not knowing I was exposed, passed it to my dad and that’s was it. I never got to say goodbye or tell him I’m so sorry for getting him sick) so now my mom has to sell it asap to pay the mortgage (as much as I want to keep it because I’m fully mobile from my Honda Accord and need to buy a truck or a van anyway, but I think if I could afford to buy it from her, she’d just be sad seeing it all the time. So I REALLY can’t mess this up. I’ve been scouring the Internet for any information on successfully wet sanding with a DA! And last night my mom said my time is up and she’s taking pictures of it this week to sell and of course it’s not going to sell for much looking the way it does. So this comment helps me out a lot, especially because Luke said it’ll be okay and I’ve been wondering if my DA will be okay to sand, because so many people say “only sand by hand, and never in a circle, but then all those kits to use a drill are out there so I’m hoping I can buy 3” sanding discs and slap a foam piece in between the machine backing plate and the paper, then switching to pads, and polish. Come to think of it, the headlights are so huge, my Griot’s g9 “6 (and I have a “5 backing plate kit I could use with the G9. It might be better because it’s basically 2 regular car headlights stacked on top of each other if you’re familiar with the 06’ Dodge Ram 1500 headlights. My main concern was if I could use a DA at all for sanding, but seeing this comment makes me feel better. The truck is going up for sale this week and I feel like it would sell better with headlights you can actually see through (so bad my dad had maybe 10% visibly it at night). I must have watched 30+ videos where the DA only comes into play after the sanding, but this comment makes me feel better about my plan to use the DA through the whole restoration.
Is it okay to use a DA for sanding headlights though? I’ve been searching for this answer for weeks, and each time I think I find it, it’s only mentioned for the last steps. Lol kinda like this video, but I love and appreciate all of your advice Luke! This comment I’d a book, so I moved some things around so my questions are closer to the top! That way you don’t have to read so much! 1: Can you use a DA for wet sanding headlights? 2:Why do you prefer a drill over a DA? 3: If it’s possible to use a DA for wet sanding, and the rest of the headlight process It’s really a matter of what is smart and what works best I could also use my Drill (Kobalt 24-Volt Max Lithium Ion Brushless & Cordless) if it had enough power. I’ve been wondering if sanding with a dual action with an 8 mm orbit (the 3” g8) will mess up the sanding process because it’s not perfect lines, or will it work and it’s just not your preference? Also for these big truck lights, it’s going to take such a long time especially because they look like they’ve already been sanded in the sense that they are so bad you can’t see through the passenger side light at all and since I’m supposed to be done with them by tomorrow, I’m hoping at least my drill will work if the DA isn’t a good choice.
I’ve had a bad experience with sanding before with a hand attachment for the sanding disc, and I’m on a time crunch now! Honestly I could use the advice. My dad’s 2006 Dosge Ram has been sitting in the AZ sun 24/7 since he got it in ‘06, and I’ve never seen oxidation this thick and terrible. It’s so bad that the “before” shots of this vehicle seem perfectly clear compared to the truck. My dad wanted to sell it and buy his dream truck and retire at 57, well he passed away a few months ago just weeks after he turned 57, so now my mom has to sell the truck just to pay for the mortgage. If I had the cash she needs asap, I would buy it in a heartbeat especially since well it’s my dad’s and I don’t want to see it go, plus I need a truck or van or something else to use for my mobile business because my Honda Accord is getting torn up from packing it full with product and equipment hoses, steamer, extractor, ladder, ect. Literally everything I need for the job at hand, which has honestly made me not want to detail as much because I haven’t even had the car 2 years and it’s pretty trashed from it being difficult to load and unload, packing and unpacking after each job. So between that aspect, and blaming myself (as well as getting blamed daily) for my fathers death, it’s been rough to even get a detail these days but I’m trying to get better). Anyway, way TMI!
So I own the griot’s G8 (3” and 2”) and the G9 (6” and 5”) and if a DA will work to wet sand them, I’m wondering which size 3” or 5” to use. If you know a 2006 Ram 1500, you know the headlights are huge, and seem to have an outward bubbled curve, making them look like big bug eyes that really stand out. I not only want the new owner of my dad’s truck (ugh that’s sad to day) to have great looking headlights, but I want my mom to be able to get a good offer on it. So my biggest question is will one of my two Griot’s DA’s work for wet sanding them, and if they do work, i would obviously keep using it for the rest of the process (pad/polish)…OR is using a DA terrible idea??
I would of course get a soft interface pad to go in between the backing plate and the sanding disc and maybe even buy sanding discs that have a little bit of sponge on the back of them for added cushion if I can find them at a local store or Amazon them here asap. Or I may just got with the 3m Heavy Duty kit that you’re supposed to use with a drill, but their interface pad will fit my 3” DA backing plate and it has everything else I’d need. So really I just need advice on what’s best, and fast because I only have today and tomorrow until she takes pictures of the truck, and the trim is still grey, and I still haven’t touched up the scuffs and scratches on the paint, but the headlights are by far the worst of the worst! Sorry this is SO long! I just need help! Thank you so much!
So I’m looking for the meguiars 105 product that he is speaking of when he polishes the headlight at the end. But he doesn’t have a link for it on the video description. Can you help me find this product
Click on the chemical guys yellow polishing pad it's under that link.
Good video but what protection do we apply for it to last long without much maintainenance so it doesn’t fade again
I love a good sealant!
How do you Q Maguires 105 from drying out leaving white residue everywhere
Be careful taping older vehicles. I taped off my 07 avalon to do this yesterday and it pulled some paint off where it was already turning loose. Glad it wasn't a customers car.
What was do you use after you finish polishing and do you think Meguairs 205 polish is good enough?
Hey, I am supposed to be detailing two cars the next two days and requires a headlight restoration. I'm freaking out because the last time I used the clear coat can with UV protection, and it did not look good at all. I want my customers lights too look good. Apparently, no local stores sell a clear coat liquid that wipes on which is unfortunate. Im thinking of trying your method, because even if it doesn't last as long, they will stay looking great, and frankly, cannot afford to worsen a clients car. Just one thing, did you use a synthetic wax or a carnuba wax?
Hey man, I always suggest using the method in this video simply because it is a completely permanent fix, when you use a can of clear coat spray you are most likely going to get results like you experienced, it looks sloppy, not uniform, and just dumb. This on the other hand completely removes the clear coat for good, and the fogging, yellowing, and fading will never happen again. I used synthetic wax
Thank's Brother. I have an inspiring story for you. I just started my business and went out to a bunch of used car dealerships to see if they needed a detailer. I passed out some cards, but nothing guaranteed. Even got fussed out by one dealership. (Learning experience, right?) On my way home, I saw a man standing outside by two camaros. Turns out the guy was actually going to sell them and was on his way to inquire a detail job! What are the odds?! I got two full details tomorrow for about 400 each! Let me know if there is anything that I could be lifting up in prayer for you or your business, and if you could pray for my heart to be set on honoring Jesus, as well as to not get distracted by the success or money, I would appreciate it! I really think God was looking out for me today, without a doubt.
"In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths"
To all the detailers out there, I'm telling you, Jesus is helping my business out. Go ahead and acknlowledge him!
Use this stuff (the link is below) to keep your clients headlights clear for YEARS. If costs a lot so make sure you increase your headlights restoration prices accordingly to pay for the product!!
www.amazon.com/OPT-OLC10-Opti-Lens-Permanent-Headlight-Coating/dp/B00GULJCUM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1524193147&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=opti+coat+headlight+coating
Spencer C people have said it works really well, but after 1 use it clogs up the nozzle and you can't use it again, is that true?
TheMillenialEntrepreneur, spraying clearcoat on headlights is definitely a tedious job especially if you're new to the idea. If you are not getting a good job with spraying, try doing 3 light coats. Once one coat tacks, spray it again until you've reached 3 coats. Even then, the imperfections will be there unless you're great with spraying. Once it's completely dry, wet sand with 1500, 2000, 3000 and then polish it until the it is shiny again. It will then work just like paint on a car. Your customers lights will be flawless and the job will last for many years. Yes, they could just maintain the lights, but if you want something that's low maintenance and will last, that's the way to do it. - 12yrs detailing
Do you put on a new clear coat
Use the sand paper 90 degrees offset for every grit increase. Vertical 600 paper horisontal 1500, vertical 2000 then horizontal for 3000 and then vertical for 5000/7000 paper. Then polish and wax
How much should you charge for this job?
I charge $65 per pair, or $50 per pair if I am already on the job detailing
I protect with a ceramic coating and charge 50 per headlight. I also dry sand 400 800 then wetsand 1000 to 2500. Depends on hardness if headlight though
@@austingoodwin7668 where do you get your ceramic coating from and how long does it last?
I’m trying to figure out what grit papers to buy to do my lights everyone always says different grits to use 🤷🏻♂️
Just get yourself a 3m restoration kit and follow the instructions, And take the guess work out of this job!! And do it properly, Disregard the Bellshit!!😅
Hey man thanks for the video, so I’m using your same method but I started with 320 grit which I realize now it’s too low, and then I moved finer and finer but the 320 grit marks are still there, what do you recommend to get rid of the 320 grit?
500 grit will remove 320 grit, then from 500 you can go to 800, then 1500, then 3000.
Will the Meguiars ultimate polish work? I have some chemical guy V38 optical grade final polish as well. Which one would be best or does it not matter?
I’ve never used it for headlights actually
I ended up using the V38 and it did a good job.
Who else thought the scene from the fast and the furious raid was about to start when 4:19 song kicked in?? Lol
How can I get rid of 1000 grit scratches? After i buffed, the scratches are visible any help to get rid of scratches?
I did 1000 grit, 2000, and 3000 and scratches are still visible
will this work out okay if you do this with just hand polishing?
Im curious to know, why don’t you use a Clear coat spray after you are done with the headlight to protect it?
I will put a sealant on them, but coating them again with clear coat will cause the same thing to happen again eventually, so I like to keep the plastic exposed, and protected differently.. the reason they fog and yellow is because of the clear coat itself
hi dude i kind of messed up by using like a 80 sang paper to start off with. any ideas on how to fix this ? did use the lower guages afterwards but still quite misty. thanks.
Hhmmm... you may be in a little bit of a pickle with that one because the underlying plastic of the headlight is so intensely scratched
IF I may ask did you only used m105 on this? Or did you also used m205,
If you did not ,May I ask the reason why?
I dont remember anymore actually, but it really wouldnt make a difference, polishing out sanding marks on plastic is very different then polishing them out on paint, you would be fine to finish with M105
Hey Wilson, is a clearcoat for the headlights necessary for protectIon, or will wax protect them long enough?
The problem with having no clearcoat is that once the wax or sealant is gone, there is no UV protection for the underlying Poly-carbonate, which will oxidize fast and you're back to square one with yellowed and foggy headlights.
A semi-permanent solution is to apply a headlight coating.
A much more permanent solution will be the spray on a new, UV resistant clearcoat onto the sanded and polished headlight.
Exactly! Which brings me to my next question, which is a good,permanent UV resistant, non yellowing coating that you'd recommend?
Personally, if I were restoring my own car's headlights I'll strongly prefer to finish it off by spraying on a UV resistant, non-yellowing clearcoat so my work would last years instead of weeks or months, especially in my part of the world where the weather swings from desert sunny to tropical storms at random. Remember to do a thorough alcohol wipe-down on your sanded and polished headlight that has its clarity restored before spraying on new clearcoat to avoid paint adhesion issues. Take your time to apply multiple, light to medium thickness coats to ensure even coverage, taking care to avoid excessively thick coats of clearcoat to avoid runs.
Assuming you did a good job spraying clearcoat and want to chase perfection by removing the minor orange peel that inevitably results with all spray painting processes, wait at least 24hrs or however long the paint says its full cure time is. Wet sand the clearcoat with 2000 grit sandpaper and soapy water, then compound polish to restore clarity. Remember to do a thorough wipe-down with diluted alcohol (around 10-15 % alcohol with the rest distilled water solution should do fine) to remove the soap residue and compounding oils to allow the new clearcoat to out-gas properly over 30 days.
wax is good... but just reapply it every now and again for sure, or apply a sealant! Most nowadays are said to last for about 12 months
FYI here are some headlight coatings I managed to find:
glasweld.com/headlight-restoration/headlight-coating/
www.amazon.com/OPT-OPT-OLC10-Opti-Lens-Permanent-Headlight/dp/B00GULJCUM
Hope this helps. ;-)
Do you clear coat at the end to keep it from getting foggy again?
I seal it in, and maintain it from there
How about when the problem is inside of the headlight??🤔🤔
why didnt you put another clearcoat on?
Did I miss the waxing part of the video?
What kind of tape are you using??
How do u do other types of headlights like some cars or trucks have a different type of headlight that’s not smooth
Im not sure I know what you mean, give me an example specifically of what youre talking about! Thanks man!
Wilson Auto Detailing like Ford F-150 and dodge Dakota headlights
At the beginning you said restoration kits will not remove heavy oxidation and old cracking flacking clearcoat? Wrong!! 3M Heavy duty kit will!! And your suggestion that wet sanding is the only way is also wrong!! Dry sanding is far better, Less mess and no need to stop start to check whether the clearcoat as been removed,Your choice of electric polisher and pad size is to big to reach awkward corners of the headlight, A far better alternative is a Cordless variable speed drill with a 3inch base plate with velcro hooks!! And always apply a certified clearcoat like Maguires clearcoat with added UV protection, And one more tip never ever use 2k on headlights!!
Wouldn't adding wax just be a temporary fix? The yellowing will come back again
The yellowing happens because of the clear coat beginning to fade, so the yellowing won’t necessarily come back, the problem you then worry about is the headlight itself getting damaged. But I’ve treated hundreds of headlights like this and it’s just a non issue
Wilson Auto Detailing so you just add a carnuba wax?
Okay. Link to both head and polisher are not good.
Cool vid. You look like you could be related to Kirsten Dunst.
Thank you! Hahahaha!
How do I know what sandpaper to use exactly?
Well it just depends on how bad the headlights are, a good start is 800 to 1500 to 2000, and then polish away
What type of wax did you use?
I used meguiars ultimate paste wax, it is actually a sealant
Wilson Auto Detailing thank you! I love your videos!
Bro can u do it without the polisher
Yeah, but it's much harder. If you're tight on money and don't need a polisher, then go buy a drill polishing/buffing kit. You can find them online for
Wow
You forgot to spray a clear coat first
My hood is black and so nasty. Tried clay I guess I gotta wet sand it?
Just depends what you mean when you say it’s nasty, meaning the clear coat is damaged? If the clay bar literally did nothing, then that is what I️t sounds like to me
You sound like a racist 😮
Do you compound and polish The headlights?
Well yes,,, thats what this is after sanding
You went to 105 compound after 2000 grit. How come you didnt finnish with a polisher like 205?
I didnt finish with 205 just because in some situations like this I do not see a point, the idea of 205 is to restore gloss and remove any final swirls in the paint, but with plastic headlights, there really isnt any "gloss" to restore after the 105, because it is not clear coated paint, so 105 followed by a strong wax or sealant is enough in my opinion
Every grit of sandpaper (400,800...) DOES remove material, it can not "just remove the scratches".
Sandpaper removes the ridges surrounding the grooves and scratches from the previous sanding operation. If it "just removes the scratches" it would be adding material into the scratches, which it cannot do.
1 If you all haven't seen a documentary called... It's worse then you think... By revelations of Jesus Christ ministry... I suggest you do... All praise and glory to the most high Jesus Christ
I start with 1000 800 will give some shit up I be too scared for anything under 1000 I finish at 3000
Stop following the car in front of you so closely.
It's the sand and cement or whatever other dust sized particle you are guaranteed to find on any road.
Back off and you won't be sandblasting the front of your ride.
And for sure. Replace that plastic junk with glass.
What total nonsense😅 And glass will never equal polycarbonate get over it!!!