spr0k3t

I picked up a kit of US foglights and noticed their reflectivity just about sucks to no end. Has anyone tried the powder coating chrome trick to bring out more of the luster?

burstaneurysm

You can try it, but the JDM ones are far superior.
An HID kit will help too.

Metro273

JDM fogs for the win!

SuperMario6582

haven't seen the powder coating trick but i have seen chrome spray paint used and they end up looking just about if not the same as the JDM ones.

spr0k3t

Thanks Mario... that's good to know. Now if I can only figure out how to get these things apart.

evosky

interesting .... i have the usdm fogs. how much better reflectivity do the jdm ones give ?

burstaneurysm

There's a writeup about how to take em apart... I'll try to find it.

spr0k3t

Beat you to it...

http://www.scikotics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35560

spr0k3t

Imagine the reflectivity of a mirror vs cardboard.

evosky

haha that much huh .... then i DEFINITELY have to try to get my hands on the JDM set somehow ...

spr0k3t

IMHO, I couldn't beat the price of $80 brand spankin new from the dealership... you may want to check with your local part supplier to see if you can get them for the same price. For the price of JDM, you can purchase three sets plus the tools you need to open each lense.

The only thing you don't get in the USDM is the light up switch... if you are like me, you've done the mod for parking lights on. The switch is still behind the easy bake oven for me... I needed those two precious switch spots.

greenguyshrek

Here is what a buddy of mines did to his fogs.

spr0k3t

is that actual chroming or some other method of "chromed" paint? I'm looking to do the aluminum electroplating... similar to what you find on the parabolic housing of headlights. The fog lights just look dim when you compare them to the headlights in those shots. If that's the case, I may as well not bother and just go with HID fog retrofit.

SuperMario6582

he used chrome spray paint. not sure what brand though.

spr0k3t

This is interesting. I've found the fogs to be extremely easy to polish. Using some polishing compound I've got the inside to a near mirror finish. The local shop that could do a real chroming would cost me a little over $175. I think polishing and throwing on a layer of glossy clear coat should be enough.

burstaneurysm

Pics!!

spr0k3t

It's not the greatest pic in the world since it's hard to capture reflective surfaces with this particular camera... but it should do in a pinch.



Prior to the polishing, the interior of the fog light looked a little duller than the exterior. You can see some of the reflection against the papertowel in the back as well as the parabolic line.

Tomorrow I'm going to take some 400 and 800 wet to see if I can polish it further. The polishing in that small section alone took about an hour to do from 220 dry sand paper.

burstaneurysm

That's pretty sweet.

evosky

i cant even get those badboys out.
i tried to do it without taking off my bumper, but can't. and i think my driver's side harness/wire thing is fried ...
and no, i haven't done the city lights mod, but i want to!

anyway, does all that polishing really help a lot ?

burstaneurysm

I'm super curious to see if it has any effect on the output.