Tired looking headlights on my 172.

[Nightwalker]

The headlights on my 172 have been looking a bit worse for wear for a while. I recently polished them up with some fine wet and dry and they are shed loads better than they were. There are still marks/discolouration on the clear plastic, on the inside where I can't get at them to polish them up. Looking at prices for a new pair of headlights, or even a second had pair, its not cheap! I did a bit of searching and it doesn't look like you can buy just the lens, I know the unit is sealed but it could be rebuilt with silicone or similar. Anyone ever taken a headlight apart, easy to do or will I likely make a mess and need to buy replacements!

 

[Stefan.]

You can get a kit to properly polish them up. On ebay iirc

 

[Nightwalker]

There is clouding of the plastic on the inside of the lenses, I've polished the outside until my arms were ready to drop off!

 

[Ade182]

Are you sure it's the insides?

If it's the outsides, the 3M kit works wonders.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0078IHJ1K/?tag=cliospnet01-21

 

[Chi]

Pics! !

 

[Nightwalker]

Here are a few pics. When I polished the lenses I did it with wet and dry working down a couple of grades, then polished with Meguiars PlastX with a drill buffer. They came up well, except for these cloudy patches. When I run my finger over the plastic it feels the same on and off these bits, which is what makes me think it must be inside. I did focus the polisher on a section and it didn't make any difference.