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-   -   wet sanded headlight (https://www.scionlife.com/forums/maintenance-car-care-1604/wet-sanded-headlight-162546/)

GammaTNT May 12, 2009 04:52 AM

wet sanded headlight
 
I wet sanded my friend's corolla today.
The thing i used:
800, 1000, and 2500 grit sandpaper
3M rubbing compound
Meguiar's Plastx
and a bucket of water.

here is before.
https://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a...resanding2.jpg

i started with 800 grit, then 1000 grit and 2500 grit sand paper.
https://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a...05/wetsand.jpg

I used those sandpaper for about 12 minutes for each grit. Make sure to keep the headlight wet.
Here is what it looks like after the 2500 grit

https://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a...tersanding.jpg

and applying 3M's rubbing compound.
https://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a...ngcompound.jpg

i cleaned the headligh with Invisible Glass, and apply Meguiar's Plastx (plastic cleaner and polish)
Here is the finish product.
https://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a...rplasticx2.jpg


if you having trouble find those 2500 grit sandpaper, you can use 2000 grit.
I got those 2500 from Crystal View Headlight Restorer Kit($18.50) that i used on my friend's 99 Altima.
Since the sandpaper are reusable, i just ask my friend to buy the Meguiar's Plastx.
These Corolla headlight wasn't as bad as my buddy's Altima. Altima took me about 1hr. and this Corolla took me about 45 minutes.

here is a link to Crystal View Headlight Restorer Kit. My buddy's Altima headlight look exactly like that car. LOL He need highbeam to read street signs.



SVicksTC May 12, 2009 04:58 AM

good ish ive been wanting to do this to my dads headlights on his dodge dakota but wasnt quite sure if this technique was going to work...

will try tomorrow

Rockztar May 12, 2009 05:00 AM

HID's would of solved the problem.. :rofl:

they came out looking great, good job man

GammaTNT May 12, 2009 05:06 AM

thank you for the kind words.
If you look at the front bumpers from 'before' and 'after'
Those white power are oxidized plastic from the headlight that i sanded off.

Rockztar May 12, 2009 05:56 AM

woa thats a lot of oxidation lol... when you applied the plastix did u do it by hand, or did you use some kind of power tool?

GammaTNT May 12, 2009 11:24 AM

i applied the Plastx by hand

HeathenBrewing May 14, 2009 03:52 AM


Originally Posted by GammaTNT
i applied the Plastx by hand

Good job. results look great!

BigPa Mar 1, 2013 04:14 AM

Humor me plz.
 

Originally Posted by Rockztar (Post 3120662)
HID's would of solved the problem.. :rofl:

they came out looking great, good job man

New here. Plz explain what an HID is.????
Thanks.

Lil_Deuce_tCoupe Mar 1, 2013 11:31 AM

It was a joke. HIDs are High Intensity Discharge lamps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-in...discharge_lamp

gxcue1 Apr 12, 2013 08:56 PM

Great job! That was a huge improvement.

Archangel1183 Apr 13, 2013 10:05 PM

Wow, Old thread. Does the OP even post here still?

I'm wondering how long the Plastx holds up before the headlights start yellowing again. I did the same thing to my headlights but used clear coat before polishing them. 8 months later and they've started to yellow again. I just purchased a UV protectant clear coat and was wondering if I should just go with PlastX.

GammaTNT Apr 20, 2013 03:52 AM

i am still around. PlastX doesn't last long. I re-sand the headlight in about 6 six months.

Yanki01 Apr 22, 2013 04:34 AM

i just did this to my tC which needed some care. came out really really good. i was not expecting results like this...


scionblur Apr 24, 2013 08:06 PM


Originally Posted by GammaTNT (Post 4104483)
i am still around. PlastX doesn't last long. I re-sand the headlight in about 6 six months.

They make something else for that too. I can't think of the name right now though.

GammaTNT May 2, 2013 06:05 AM

nice job Yanki01, i am going to get the Meguiar's restoration kit too.


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