Fixing Cloudy Headlight Lenses

oldoutboardjim · Tue Mar 15, 2011 10:59 am

The plastic 'lenses' on my SVT HID headlights are getting kinda cloudy looking. Any recommendations for a top-notch repair method?

Brake-Late · Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:30 am

Depends how bad they are most of the time compounding and polishing will work, worst case wet sanding and clearcoat..they have kits you can buy. But I just buff em out...

hafftrak · Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:00 pm

I bet HRW would trade you even up for his almost new SVT headlights...

FocusMech.73155 · Tue Mar 15, 2011 2:14 pm

Tousley has a 3M kit for fixing that. I don't know how much they charge to do it, but I have done it before and it is amazing how well it works. it is basically rubbing compound and different disks, but i tell you it looks amazing

Tue Mar 15, 2011 2:40 pm

If you can manage to get them cleaned up you need to get them covered with stonegaurd.

I had mine done and they still look almost new and you can barely tell the stuff is even on there. Be sure to have them professionally done though because new HIDs are $640.00 each even with my discount.

Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:36 pm

hafftrak wrote:I bet HRW would trade you even up for his almost new SVT headlights...

I gots Dynabeams

spots25 · Sun Mar 20, 2011 5:38 am

Brake-Late wrote:worst case wet sanding and clearcoat..

no, don't do that, ever. At some point in the near future, the clear coat will fall off overnight and you'll be left with a terribly scratched headlight

oldoutboardjim · Mon Mar 21, 2011 1:06 pm

FocusMech.73155 wrote:Tousley has a 3M kit for fixing that. I don't know how much they charge to do it, but I have done it before and it is amazing how well it works. it is basically rubbing compound and different disks, but i tell you it looks amazing

The Tousley system ($69.95 for EACH headlight - ouch!) uses 3M stuff to buff the lenses back to luster. Unfortunately, this does NOT include any UV coating or film.

oldoutboardjim · Mon Mar 21, 2011 1:09 pm

FORDSVTPARTS wrote:If you can manage to get them cleaned up you need to get them covered with stonegaurd.

Hmmm!?! 3M does not recommend using any of its film products on headlights, as it can mess-up the light transmission. A cupla questions:
1) Do you have HID's?
2) How would you compare the light output, etc., to 'as new'?

Mon Mar 21, 2011 1:34 pm

oldoutboardjim wrote:
FORDSVTPARTS wrote:If you can manage to get them cleaned up you need to get them covered with stonegaurd.
Hmmm!?! 3M does not recommend using any of its film products on headlights, as it can mess-up the light transmission. A cupla questions:
1) Do you have HID's?
2) How would you compare the light output, etc., to 'as new'?

I have HIDs and had them covered with a clear stonegaurd 4-5 years ago, the lights still look virtually new and the light output is great.

If there was a difference in output I can't recall noticing any huge difference, I'm glad I had it done.

The guy that did mine does tint and stonegaurd and is out of Lakeville, unfortunately I don't know how to get in touch with him anymore.

If you have it done, have a reputable tint shop do them for you.

.

darkdan · Tue Mar 22, 2011 9:52 am

3M Paint Protection Film (clearbra....stone guard, etc) will keep them from yellowing/pitting.

It should have no noticeable effect what-so-ever on light transmission.

I charge $60 to do two headlights the size of a focus.

The "after" shows the PPF installed and how it adds a lot of gloss (plus the adhesive fills in fine pits and scratches).

Five years later when I junked the car they basically looked the same. A little less glossy of course, but nothing like the top left picture. I was buffing them every 3 months before I did the PPF.