Headlight Clear Laquer

[Niall]

A while back I restored my headlights, got rid of the yellow haze etc, they look 80% good at the moment. A while back I was speaking to a guy at a bodyshop and he mentioned re-laquering the headlights after this process.

So tonight when washing the car I noticed how the headlights looked basically brand new when the water was on them acting as a clear coat on top, so I want to try and find a clear lacquer or similar for them so they look like this all the time.

I went on YouTube and Google etc and found a number of people using a clear lacquer to do this after restoring the lights, found this on Halfords website - http://www.halfords.com/motoring/pa...paints/halfords-universal-clear-lacquer-500ml - and wondered if this would do the job? Or if anybody has done this another way? I'm aware of the heat from the lights when they're on so I wanted to make sure I didn't go ahead and put this on only for heat to destroy it over time.


Thoughts?


Edit: Just found this, and based off the reviews this is the better of the two - http://www.halfords.com/motoring/pa...t-decorative-paints/halfords-bodyshop-lacquer.

 

[bozothenutter]

I used this, it is a two part kit: http://usa.spraymax.com/index.php?id=937

take your time, removing the units is best

 

[bloke]

ideally 2k clear coat. did the wife's ages ago although someone on here said it can't be done and it will show up marks from flatting down etc but no marks on the ones i did.

they have got a couple of chips in them now though as i missed a couple of bits in the very corner when i flatted them down and they've done about 80,000 miles since they were done!!

 

[Niall]

I used this, it is a two part kit: http://usa.spraymax.com/index.php?id=937

take your time, removing the units is best

Looks great that mate, cheers! Will look into it.

 

[Christopher]

Definitely do them off the car though mate

 

[Niall]

Definitely do them off the car though mate

Oh yeah definitely! Don't worry about that.

You'd never get the edges right on the car anyway let alone the potential overspray. Don't want the same situation as that 1 series at Mike's haha!

 

[Christopher]

Oh yeah definitely! Don't worry about that.

You'd never get the edges right on the car anyway let alone the potential overspray. Don't want the same situation as that 1 series at Mike's haha!

Haha! Exactly

 

[GavC]

Why not just apply a sealant? I've heard detailers recommend this like Larry of AMMO NYC

 

[Niall]

Why not just apply a sealant? I've heard detailers recommend this like Larry of AMMO NYC

Want something basically permanent really!

 

[bozothenutter]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/DIY-Tools/Micro-Mesh-Cushioned-Abrasive-Cloth-Polishing-Sheets/B003RTABUK

these are very usefull aswell, go down to 12000 grit

 

[Niall]

Ah cheers! Plan isn't to go over them with the 3M Restoration kit again like I did a few months ago, then laquer them and they'll look mint!

 

[Knuckles]

Yeah that's essentially flow coating, you flat back the paint/part to the point you'd polish, up to around 3000 grit then lacquer instead of polishing.

I was considering doing it to the audi headlights when I get around to it. Use 2k lacquer for more durability. Ideally one of those posh ones where there's an activator button to press on the can. Ime, the 'pre mixed' 2k lacquer stays soft for quite a while after application.

 

[Niall]

Yeah that's essentially flow coating, you flat back the paint/part to the point you'd polish, up to around 3000 grit then lacquer instead of polishing.

I was considering doing it to the audi headlights when I get around to it. Use 2k lacquer for more durability. Ideally one of those posh ones where there's an activator button to press on the can. Ime, the 'pre mixed' 2k lacquer stays soft for quite a while after application.

Cheers mate. I'll have a look into it.

If anybody has any links to some good stuff they'd recommend then that'd be great, I'm not hugely clued up on what's good and what's not with these.

 

[Sunglasses_Ron]

I use Carpro dlux to seal up refurbished head lights.

 

[Knuckles]

Cheers mate. I'll have a look into it.

If anybody has any links to some good stuff they'd recommend then that'd be great, I'm not hugely clued up on what's good and what's not with these.

I've not used many from a rattle can but I've this companies primer/paints are ok so i can't see why they]or lacquer wouldn't be good.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BFDEOTY/?tag=cliospnet01-21

But, that looks like the pre mixed stuff which reacts with air to turn into the 2k stuff (don't know how true that is as our paint supplier likes to make things up)

This stuff has two separate parts which you activate by piercing the bottom and shaking. It has a usage time of 24 hours iirc before it goes off

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003VDXZM8/?tag=cliospnet01-21

I've not used that type of lacquer myself from an aerosol but I much prefer mixing activator and base to use in a spray gun than using the pre made rattle cans

 

[Knuckles]

@Niall

Here's the process you're looking to do,

Flat back,
Wipe down,
Close coat,
Final coat



I proper love watching his videos, watching the lacquer going on is mesmerising lol

 

[Niall]

Nice one for that both! Will look into that stuff soon and try it out. Hopefully should look mint once they're done if they look anything like what they look like with water on them.

 

[bloke]

i didn't use it on the lights just went with 2k clear but halfords adhesion promoter is bloody good stuff and it's clear.

if you can get them done in a body shop and chucked in the oven afterwards, should be able to find someone who still uses 2k easy enough.

 

[Knuckles]

@Niall

I happened to be testing a piece of polycarbonate in work today. Flatted back with 1200 grit paper then quickly rattle canned.

Straight away it's better but if I took my time and used decent paint it'd have come out perfect.

To be honest even if it comes out with an orange peely finish, you could always flat that back and polish the lacquer

 

[Niall]

Looks great that mate! Any particular laquer you used?

 

[Knuckles]

Looks great that mate! Any particular laquer you used?

I just used our local paint companies 2k lacquer. It's the stuff I mentioned above that stays a bit soft for a while.

I don't know whether it was because I rushed or because it was a rattle can but I wouldn't leave the finish as is, if it was headlights and it dried like that I'd flat and polish the lacquer too.

 

[Niall]

I just used our local paint companies 2k lacquer. It's the stuff I mentioned above that stays a bit soft for a while.

I don't know whether it was because I rushed or because it was a rattle can but I wouldn't leave the finish as is, if it was headlights and it dried like that I'd flat and polish the lacquer too.

Yeah fair enough. Could always do that and polish the laquer as you say, something like 3000 grit.

 

[Knuckles]

Yeah fair enough. Could always do that and polish the laquer as you say, something like 3000 grit.

Yeah, just to remove the majority of the orange peel if you get any.

What's that place in Warrington that does the Renault anthracite matching? I imagine they'd be able to sort out some 2k aerosol

 

[Niall]

Yeah, just to remove the majority of the orange peel if you get any.

What's that place in Warrington that does the Renault anthracite matching? I imagine they'd be able to sort out some 2k aerosol

There's a place in St Helens that's supposed to be quite good for paint. Sure @Christopher has used it at some point, might be wrong?

 

[Knuckles]

There's a place in St Helens that's supposed to be quite good for paint. Sure @Christopher has used it at some point, might be wrong?

May be them lol. I just knew it was up that way somewhere. Auto paint St. Helens? Sounds about right

 

[Niall]

May be them lol. I just knew it was up that way somewhere. Auto paint St. Helens? Sounds about right

Yeah I'll ask around and see, fingers crossed!