Headlight corrosion

[cleo]

Hi,
My headlights have a corrosion, its quite bad and the plastic is really foggy in places. I saw looking through the sites and one (I thought it was JLS tuning who advertise on here) had a process/product to fixing it, anyone know if its a DIY job? If so how?

Ta

 

[Nick_P]

lol at JLS Tuning, making cars hearts beat again?

I did a guide how to do it, but you will need a machine polisher, there is usualy someone near you that will do it for a bit of cash, Maybe "The Boosh"

 

[The Boosh!]

Mate, go to halfords and buy some 1500 grit wet & dry paper and pop round to mine. Can do it you whenever.

 

[Fletcher]

^^^lol

it's JMS tuning mate

 

[cleo]

JMS thats the one (I was hitting refresh page to get the banner up but it wasnt happening for me).

Boosh you gonna have your work cut out lol, what i'll do is arrange it for when its good for you, and we'll do the whole car if thats okay (I'll make sure your compensated Do you have a de-denter too?

 

[The Boosh!]

Whole car isn't an issue mate. No not got a de-denter I'm afraid fella

 

[cleo]

Whole car isn't an issue mate. No not got a de-denter I'm afraid fella

No probs Luke, im gonna get (hopefully) some of these pulled out (got quite a nasty one on the roof!). An get my bumper resprayed first (any work on the bumper will peel it off its terrible at the mo).

 

[The Boosh!]

ok buddy let me know when you want it doing and what you want doing

 

[Monaco Sean]

I had a go at my headlights on the w/e.
The general corrosion came off OK, but I have some severe what looks like very small cracking within the plastic to thetop of the headlight.
I couldnt get this off, the plastic on the headlights doesn't seem to be the best.

 

[Pearl_Black]

yeah my 172 lights are bad at the front to.... Really need to get these done but dont trust myself in doing it :S

 

[Tom@JMS]

We still can carry out this service, however we prep the lights with varying grades of wet and dry and then use the body shop next door to polish them up as the guy in there really knows his onions when it comes to headlight correction.

Will I got your PM btw, I'll reply shortly.

 

[JD]

I heard Tom and Luke use angle grinders to repair this . . . ?

xxx

 

[Greeny.]

Had a look at this?

 

[Tom@JMS]

I heard Tom and Luke use angle grinders to repair this . . . ?

xxx

James sweety, not luke....

 

[JD]

Boosh's real name is Luke

Was just covering the people in this thread, not JLS () as a company xx

 

[Tom@JMS]

lol

 

[Snails]

There is also this

 

[Monaco Sean]

I think my headlights are worse than any of them above
I did have a go with some wet n dry etc. with a polish after, and you cant feel the marks anymore, they seem to be within the plastic and its mainly around the upper side of the headlight. Doesn't seem to be a cure for then worst of it then...?

 

[Tom@JMS]

Yup you just have to keep going at it with 1500 grip paper, keep it wet and keep the plastic cool. This is important when polishing - easy to warp the plastic due to overheating I've been told.

 

[Monaco Sean]

I might have another go then!
They look in such a state before putting the polish on though I get nervous of ruining the plastic beyond repair.
I will have a go though, may post a guide aswell for the ph1*2 models. The Ph1's dont seem to suffer with the deeper cracking look of the plastic as far as I know, they generally go hazy more than anything.

 

[Tom@JMS]

Apart from getting it too hot its very hard to do serious damage. The guy that does ours uses a 3M cutting compound (I don't know which) and it takes next to no time to clear up the wet'n'dry haze.

 

[JD]

Was going to include this in the detailing guide that I am currently working on. If you write one up, I will edit it in to the main guide.

Keep in touch.

Jamie

 

[Monaco Sean]

Will do mate
Wont be for a week or so mind.

 

[Nick_P]

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=415840

Whats wrong/can be added to this to make it good then?

 

[JD]

Nothing wrong with it Nick, little bit vague on products used in the polishing and then about sealing etc afterwards, but not a major point by any means.

 

[Monaco Sean]

There is nothing wrong with it but I went by that guide and I assumed you couldn't sort the cracking effect that occurs at the top of the headlight.
It worked fine on the general haze, but as the cracking look appears to be common on a few 1*2's it may be useful to show they can be taken off aswell.

 

[Nick_P]

I have sorted out the top section of ph2 lights no problem, i just dont own a ph2 to make a guide. You just have to use some elbow grease, to get them out you have to take a fair bit off the light.

 

[JD]

But sealing it back again as we all do will prevent future build up. Which is good.

 

[The Boosh!]

This thread has got way too gay. Nicks guide is fine.
Jamie your gay.

 

[Nick_P]

lols, its pretty freaking simples, wet sand all the defects, polish the shiz out of it, give it some wax

 

[The Boosh!]

Jamies MAIN problem is hes a perfectionist

x

 

[JD]

Luke, I wish you were too x

And nail head hit.

me; Sorry, not as good as I wanted it
clients; Eh??? Looks brand spanking!! What are you on?!

 

[Monaco Sean]

Well I won't bother with a guide then if theres no need for one.
But the way I read it is that that process works for the haze. If like mine there are lots of things that appear to be cracks within the plastic then I assumed you couldn't get them out. They do look cr@p though as they currently are and I'm not even into my detailing.