Steve W. wrote:
> micky wrote:
>> 3 weeks ago I polished my headlight lenses.
>> They came out great.
>> I had replaced a bulb and noticed again how cloudy they were,
>> 2005 car.
>> It took about 2 hours but would have taken less if my back didn't
>> hurt
>> and I had to sit down over and over, and if then I didn't start
>> listening to the radio on the day that the presidential election was
>> called.* So maybe an hour.
>> Instructions said to wash the lenses.
>> Also to mask the painted part around the lenses.** I had 3 rolls of
>> masking tape, the youngest 25 years old.* I checked in advance
>> and the
>> first roll worked fine, stuck fine, came off fine, but on the day
>> I did
>> this, I couldn't tear off an 10" piece without it ripping at 4
>> inches.
>> I didn't test for that.* But the 3rd roll worked.
>
> For "dead" masking tape here is a trick, put it in a microwave for
> 10-20 seconds depending on roll size. It will make it like new again.
>
>>
>> Use Surface Activator, from the second kit, near the bottom.
>> Then for this kit, 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System, 39008
>> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
>>
>> it said: One kit may not be enough.* Ugh, now they tell me.
>> I chose this kit because it didnt' expect me to do the sanding by
>> hand.
>> For the first sanding, it came with 6 ~3" disks that stuck easily
>> on the
>> arbor they included. I thought putting disks on and off was hard,
>> involved a screw.* Has something changed in the last 35 years?????
>>
>> I figured that meant 3 disks per headlight but after the left
>> side, the
>> disk seemed fine so I did the right side.* It didnt' seem bad
>> after the
>> right side ei4ther. Finished the first step and had 5 disks
>> left.* Maybe
>> I'm not doing it right.
>> For the second sanding, it came with 2 ~3" disks.* But it took
>> only one,
>> so maybe I'm not doing it right.* But even before the third step,
>> the
>> plastic looked clear
>>
>> The third step was a liquid rubbing compound that went on a foam
>> rubber
>> thing that also went on the drill.
>> Then go on to the fourth step.**
>>
>> Read all the instructions for any product you buy because some
>> I've left
>> out, like not keeping the drill in the same place so long you
>> melt the
>> lens.** Especially if you're going to try to use two kits together.
>> The sanding instructions keep saying that if you do more in this
>> step,
>> you won't have to do so much in the next, but I went over each
>> area 2 or
>> 3 times with a spinning drill and that was all.* Maybe mine were not
>> that bad, even though they looked it.
>> **This one comes either with sand paper etc also; and also comes
>> with
>> only this liquid that's supposed to protect for UV.* The first
>> kit and
>> some other had nothing that claimed to do that.** This product
>> actually
>> has a first step Surface Activator, that I did before using the
>> other
>> product above, and then the instructions recognize that you may buy
>> another product for the sanding, and ends with a third step to
>> apply the
>> anti-uv. It ssays iirc to apply more every 3 months but there is
>> no way
>> I'm going to do that.
>> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
>>
>>
>> Plenty of rubbing compound left over and plenty of anti-UV liquid
>> also.
>>
>>
>> Finally took it out for a drive 4AM yesterday.** I didn't see much
>> difference, couldn't say for sure there was any, but i"m sure the
>> light
>> had been diffused before meaning less where it's supposed to be
>> and some
>> in eyes of the oncoming driver. I'm sure it was worth it for the
>> light
>> and it looks great.
>> $13.14 for the first thing and the second thing has become
>> unavailable,
>> at least on Amazon, but I paid $9.99
>> You can still get
>> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00429NKWK/ref=dp_prsubs_1
>> for $20.* It's the same as the one that's unavailable but the
>> extra $10
>> pays for polish clothes, vinyl gloves (whoopdedo), and 3 kinds of
>> sandpaper but not stuff that will fit on a drill.
>> To get the $10 kit somewhere else, the Sylvania website only suggest
>> Amazon!
>>
>> Advance has it but only for buying at the store.* No shipping for
>> some
>> reaon.
>> https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...oat/10719345-P
>>
>>
>> But I'm sure this isn't the only anti-UV stuff and I have no
>> reason to
>> think this one is better than the others.** Maybe none of them
>> work. Maybe they only made the instruction complicated to make me
>> think it
>> works?* (I didn't look at reviews because one would need years to
>> judge
>> this stuff.)
>
> I have used the 3M kit but as you noted most of the kit's come with
> nothing for UV. To really make them last the best solution is to
> sand the old crud off in steps, then polish the light up, clean it
> very well and spray it with an automotive clear top coat to seal it
> and keep the UV from damaging it any more. You can buy that in
> spray cans now with an activator in the bottom. You pop the bottom
> button and shake the crap out of it, then let it set for however
> long they say, that lets the two parts start to blend well and then
> you apply it in thin coats.
>

Remember when we had sealed beam headlights? Plain, cheap Glass.

You could buy replacements at any store, even Kmart or later walmart.

Now, we **** around with cheap plastic covered expensive stuff.