@@foddy2030 it's a reaction between the plastic (polycarbonate) and the vaporized acetone. As a mechanical engineer that has studied some material science, I don't recommend anyone use this product on their headlights because it weakens the material making it more brittle and can induce cracking
Yes. My two cars (2001 Saab 9-5 and 1993 Merc SL) still do. Don't have tyre pressure sensors or "infotainment clusters" to go wrong, either. But then, I'm a caveman. So I don't miss any of that đ.
@@razrv3lc I don't think the plastic ones do much better than glass when hit by rocks... and the headlight glass for the Saab can still be bought as an OEM part for 60 âŹ, whereas the plastic ones are often glued into a large aggregate part that needs to be changed as a whole when broken.
Iâve been using Blue Magic a cream polish since the 70âs, before plastic headlight covers were a thing. It works for glass, plastic metal, brass, etc. It works great for foggy headlight covers. It takes less plastic off of the headlight and leaves a protective coating from UV and oxidation. Only $12 for 4.6 ounces. Faster and less toxic.
â@@mmathis9860 after a quick Google it is available at my local Walmart so it should likely be at yours too. Just make sure when you look for it look for blue magic lens restorer so you don't end up with some hair product.
tips from a detailer!!: dont do this unless your headlights ACTUALLY look as bad as these in the video do! a normal 10-20 year old car does not need vapor treatment! also remember, that if you do ANYTHING to hour headlights, you need to: 1) coat it! optimal would be ceramic coating, a cheaper option is polymer coating, in order to assure that the plastic doesnât fog up a week later again. 2) messing with the top layer of the plastic can cause the light to stray or spray more. this is dangerous for daily rides. make sure to test your lights afterwards, by beaming them at a straight wall. and if you dont restore old cars, but want an investment that you can allways use: buy a small, corded ROTARY polishing machine! rotary meaning it turns, and doesnât vibrate. small so it can be more versatile. and corded so the battery doesnât die down for all the months in lays in the garage.
due to this, headlight restoration is even illegal in my country (Germany). Many people complain about it, but I'll take the guarantee to not get blinded at 120+ mph (200 kmh) over saving a few bucks at any time.
Good instruction. I have found the best kit is Griots garage severe headlight restoration kit. Comes with coating. It lasts for 2 years , my 07 Rover's headlights are just starting to haze a little again. Don't believe anyone who says their product will last 5+ years on a daily. Oh, I've done over a hundred paint corrections on higher end cars. I own a Flex 3401 , even was flown out to places to do people's cars. Just saying.
I don't even care if it's "bad for the plastic" but that headlight restoration polish works phenomenally. I've used it for headlight, foglights, plexiglass windows and sheets, and I found it even works to get the spatter off of ur welding helmets clear shield
The issue is not that itâs bad for the plastic. Itâs that it can drastically affect how the light coming from the repaired headlight gets projected towards other cars and the road as well as road signs. In the EU repairs like that are illegal, the German ADAC did some test almost 20 years ago and found some really scary results and a few years after such repairs got banned but first some people had to get injured before that happened. So there are good reasons not to do it.
@@jackplowman2103 on plastic headlights that are pure plastic it's long lasting on headlights that have clearcoat on them it won't work they haze up gotta remove all the clearcoat material off till you reach plastic
almost all consumer grade concentrations of acetone are fine, especially since she's outside. it's the main component in nail polish remover and used on bare skin without any ventilation all the time. idk what other additives are in the vapour she's using, though, so maybe a respirator is necessary for those.
â@@sma4827 it's more that this mask isn't doing a thing. Acetone isn't so bad for your regular person not exposed very often. But someone working with things like acetone and car industry heavy VOCs often shouldn't do this.
I used to buff my headlights, but it would get back to being cloudy quicker each time I did it. Ever since I wrapped my headlights in paint protective film, they've been crystal clear for 3 years now. It has UV blockers in it and resists yellowing for 7-10 years. Go to your local PPF/wrap shop and ask for scraps or have them cut you some clear PPF for your headlights.
3 years is too long theyâre cheap do it 1 year once at least depending on the weather where u live and wear from light heat eventually it will get glued stuck on the glass and crack it
â@@brenrowe2042 Yes. I did this on our 07 Freestyle with original headlight assemblies. It doesn't fix crazing, but they do work much better and from 6 feet away, look newish. Only cost me $35 because I already had the sandpaper from another project and after 2 years, still look/work good. New replacement assemblies are >$85 each.
This absolutely works this is exactly what Chris fix did 9 years ago I tried on multiple cars like my Mazda, my moms Toyota Sienna, my bros Nissan, n a few of my friends trucks and families cars work all the time and have lasted more than a year
I just use a can of OFF mosquito spray. Wait 30 seconds, then wipe with a paper towel. Then I clean the headlight with a 75 / 25 Windex and alcohol mix. Wipe the area dry again, then headlight wax. Been doing it that way for 15 years now. As long as you rewax after that once a year they stay clear. It's scary to know though that OFF can tear away years of film off headlights, and yet we put it on our skin.
@m122y. aerosol, my Porsche only took very light spray on each light, my van I had to use nearly an entire can on each light because I had to keep reapplying until they were clear, so it all has to do with how bad they are yellowed. Like I said, after the first cleaning, they have stayed clear as long as I keep waxing them once a year. Others say it doesn't work, I guess it all has to do with the person.
That mask protects you from solid particles (stuff that comes off when dry sanding for exampe) and it has limited effect in preventing liquids (tiny drops) from getting inside. It has no effect at all on gasses like vaporized aceton.
It works. From 220 grit to 2000 grit wet sand . The better you sand the better the results. The vapor will build up in the exit, spout and drip onto the headlight occasionally as a liquid. all you have to do is repeat the sanding procedure and itâs just like new.
@@darkhelmet4279 masks for viruses are to keep you from spitting on other people not for not breathing in, you donât breathe in airborne viruses they stick to your mucus and sweat. Go be stupid somewhere else. Ask your Dr to spit in your mouth next time if you donât like sterile environments.
@@benjurqunov wtf does that have to do with inhaling vaporized acetone? Youâre like the mechanics in my old shop that would be babies about their hands peeling and scabbing from touching battery acid and oil all day bare handed, but would make fun of the rookie interns for wearing their gloves. One eyed Pete woulda stayed two eyed Pete if he wore his eye pro.
Yeah, well, we taught people that dust masks will you protect you from "deadly" viruses, so now they use them for all sorts of things they were never rated for.
works nice but keep in mind acetone takes time to evaporate from affected plastic. (even if the pure aceone evaporates crazy fast, the plastic affected by it stay mushy for quite a while even more than 24h) And when it does it might whiten out the plastic if it foams. (keep a watch on that if it happens) Pure plastic will yellow and degrade in UV so add clearcoat uv resistant. So overall it works great, but keep it a day or so in a gragage to fully evaporate and not in direct sunsight. and add clearcoat on top.
I mean it makes sense when you think about it. You just basically melt the surface layer of the plastic and boom clear. The sand paper really just even out all the bumps and also getting rid of the fog. Idk the best way to explain but it makes sense
I've used 400 grit sandpaper and finished it off with 800 grit and then 2000 grit. Then I sprayed thin coats of UV resistant clear coat. Allowing each thin coat to dry between coats will prevent the paint layers from cracking as they dry.
That's just acetone. Most women breathe litres of this stuff. Men are such wimps. Oh oh have you tried waxing a man's leg? Hilarious. Sounds like stepping on a puppy's paw.
The kit from Walmart that comes with wipes and a hand sand pad works super well. You want something that resurfaces the lens, not just vapor or heat on only.
I watched a video with acetone in a red bull can. The guy used a small funnel and heated the can up with a heat gun. He didn't even sand his lights first. I like your idea a little better. Thanks Sally you rock. đ
Please be careful. Headlight restoration may seem to be a good solution, but remember that you always mess this the optical properties of your headlight by doing so. Replacement is the better option, but if you can't do that please take extra care that your headlights still function proper after the restoration.
You don't need the vapor part of this. You could take acetone straight from the bottle and wipe it over the lens and it will do the same thing. The key to both ways is the sanding that you do first to remove the scratches.
Question is how long does it last. Usually using the sanding then buff method makes headlights clean for 1-2 mos. They gradually get yellow again. Have done this multiple times on my car. I heard using the ceramic UV coating is the only way to semi permanently Have them remain clear.
I do headlight restoration commercially for big dealerships, it is just as easy/cheaper to buff after sanding and doesn't use chemicals that will eventually make the plastic worse and harder to restore. Please just sand and buff your headlights.
I'd love to see how this looks in 3 months from now. Or even a time lapse video monthly over the course of the next year. I would imagine that it's going to go back to something like how it was before this treatment was done. There is actually something that you can put on the headlights that will protect this from ever happening, I don't remember what the name of the product is, but Scotty kilmer did a video about it.
I think that's going to fare a lot better than just standing and polishing. For one she does say there is UV protectant carried by acetone. For other solvent vapour smoothing leaves a surface that has much fewer erosion risers at a microscopic level than polishing. But it does bear considering that even when it looks clear there is already some molecular cleaving that happened previously. So indeed a medium term test is called for.
This is called acetone smoothing. It's super popular with 3d prints, but you NEED to be careful with vapors. Proper respirator is necessary, do not take it lightly. Still, results are good! Just please be more careful going forward x3
Got a 1996 ek1, the original owner got the optional headlight covers and man underneath them the headlights still look brand new. So yeah, get headlight covers guys. Mine are also Honda access ones and they resell for upwards of $200aud đ€Ż
Be quick with a heat gun or torch and you can do this without weakening the plastic bonds in the headlights that will result in the cracking and getting worse over time
Some cars are easier than others when it comes to changing a headlight bulb. You would often have to unscrew a few to put the bulb in unless you have a small hand. Likewise some headlight case is pretty cheap as little as $25 to $49 after market price as a brand new. What Iâm saying is if your bulb went out and you have to replace it, that is as much time and efforts it takes to replace the whole things. Not all cars but if your headlight case looks that bad, the chances are your car is already old and the aftermarket part is often inexpensive.
Acetone fumes is used for abs plastic prints cause it melts the abs down to a liquid if given the time. Im curious how this works on hard plastic like headlight housing.
Lots of tools and methods will leave headlights looking good right after. The real difference is how long they look that good. I paid a good amount of money to have a shop "professionally" restore my car's headlights about 5 years ago and they're... not as bad as they were before, but definitely cloudy again.
This will only last two months if that. When they look great like this, you need to apply a UV coating on it. Wax doesnât really do it because the sun just melts it off. Maguires makes a headlight coating spray that works really well. Acts like a clearcoat, but it lasts like 8 to 12 months. If you keep cleaning and spraying, it may last you a couple years who knows.
The McGuire's headlight protection spray is NOT designed to be used on a freshly restored headlight with no protection...it will haze the lense again. It's only made for headlights that have a factory clear coat still on them.
Girl mechanics always have the sexiest bodies. They already have the sexiest minds and abilities by being mechanics, so they're definitely overkill and I love it.
People sometimes use heated acetone vapor on ABS plastic keycaps which are normally prone to shine over time with long-term use, but it skips the process and makes them entirely shiny immediately.
Iâm pretty sure you need to finish it with some kind of sealer afterwards or it will go back to hazy quickly. Anytime you âmeltâ plastic to make it shiny, which is basically what this is, it doesnât take long for it to go back to dull.
So the fatigue of the plastic decaying over time in the sun wonât stop. This is similar to stretching the plastic and thinning it out. It will dry up very fast and look exactly the same as before in 3-4 months. The real solution is the take your lights out. Heat the seal and peel the outside from the inside. Mold the outside so you can cast glass. Or get a glass shop to do the molding and glass part. And use the now clear hardened glass replacement and reseal it to the light housing and now you have glass lights that are harder and stronger then plastic and never dealt from UV light for 20,000 years đ
Heated acetone, vapours, in a closed room with potential spark ignition sources. Yeah, it may or may not work, but for safety reasons, do it outdoors. Acetone vapour is explosive, asphyxiates, and hurts both ways.
The acetone vapors essentially melt the surface of the plastic back to a flat and clear finish rather than buffing in all the microscratches
Yeah can do this with a torch to but just need to be quick about it
Aren't acetone fires invisible?
@@foddy2030 it's a reaction between the plastic (polycarbonate) and the vaporized acetone. As a mechanical engineer that has studied some material science, I don't recommend anyone use this product on their headlights because it weakens the material making it more brittle and can induce cracking
â@@foddy2030 that's methanol mate
Just could just buff it đ
Remember when headlights were glass and we didnât have that problem
Yes. My two cars (2001 Saab 9-5 and 1993 Merc SL) still do. Don't have tyre pressure sensors or "infotainment clusters" to go wrong, either.
But then, I'm a caveman. So I don't miss any of that đ.
Iâd rather have foggy headlights than broken ones because a rock got flung into it.
@@razrv3lc
I don't think the plastic ones do much better than glass when hit by rocks... and the headlight glass for the Saab can still be bought as an OEM part for 60 âŹ, whereas the plastic ones are often glued into a large aggregate part that needs to be changed as a whole when broken.
@@notroll1279+1 for your Saab đ
And the whole car was 7000 dollars not 70,000
Iâve been using Blue Magic a cream polish since the 70âs, before plastic headlight covers were a thing. It works for glass, plastic metal, brass, etc. It works great for foggy headlight covers. It takes less plastic off of the headlight and leaves a protective coating from UV and oxidation. Only $12 for 4.6 ounces. Faster and less toxic.
Get many brass headlights where you're at? đ
â@@RichardCranium321 It works to polish brass not necessarily use it on headlight.
Blue Magic, Iâve never heard of this product. Is it available at Walmart?
My 2002 Chevy Silverado headlights are so bad.
â@@mmathis9860 after a quick Google it is available at my local Walmart so it should likely be at yours too.
Just make sure when you look for it look for blue magic lens restorer so you don't end up with some hair product.
Most major auto parts stores carry it.
tips from a detailer!!: dont do this unless your headlights ACTUALLY look as bad as these in the video do! a normal 10-20 year old car does not need vapor treatment! also remember, that if you do ANYTHING to hour headlights, you need to: 1) coat it! optimal would be ceramic coating, a cheaper option is polymer coating, in order to assure that the plastic doesnât fog up a week later again. 2) messing with the top layer of the plastic can cause the light to stray or spray more. this is dangerous for daily rides. make sure to test your lights afterwards, by beaming them at a straight wall.
and if you dont restore old cars, but want an investment that you can allways use: buy a small, corded ROTARY polishing machine! rotary meaning it turns, and doesnât vibrate. small so it can be more versatile. and corded so the battery doesnât die down for all the months in lays in the garage.
Man I was very eager to buy this kit, why you had to come an ruin it for me.
@@estegueydijo.... He probably saved you some money. Most home-remedy kits look great ... for about a week, and then quickly go bad again.
due to this, headlight restoration is even illegal in my country (Germany). Many people complain about it, but I'll take the guarantee to not get blinded at 120+ mph (200 kmh) over saving a few bucks at any time.
Good instruction. I have found the best kit is Griots garage severe headlight restoration kit. Comes with coating. It lasts for 2 years , my 07 Rover's headlights are just starting to haze a little again. Don't believe anyone who says their product will last 5+ years on a daily.
Oh, I've done over a hundred paint corrections on higher end cars. I own a Flex 3401 , even was flown out to places to do people's cars. Just saying.
@@Shidera5721 And what do you do when there are no new headlight units available for your car?
I don't even care if it's "bad for the plastic" but that headlight restoration polish works phenomenally. I've used it for headlight, foglights, plexiglass windows and sheets, and I found it even works to get the spatter off of ur welding helmets clear shield
How long does it last?
Do the results last?
The issue is not that itâs bad for the plastic. Itâs that it can drastically affect how the light coming from the repaired headlight gets projected towards other cars and the road as well as road signs.
In the EU repairs like that are illegal, the German ADAC did some test almost 20 years ago and found some really scary results and a few years after such repairs got banned but first some people had to get injured before that happened.
So there are good reasons not to do it.
@@devingeary455 about a year after that the surface gets worse.
â@@devingeary455until first crack, headlights are way weaker after that, and a small rock that would scratch it, can break them now
Would you mind giving an update in about a month or so and let us know how long it stays clear for? Never seen this kit before.
It stays on for a while it's long lasting just not on headlights that have been clearcoated before they will haze up gotta get the clear coat off
most likely lasts 87 mins and 47 seconds
@@jackplowman2103 on plastic headlights that are pure plastic it's long lasting on headlights that have clearcoat on them it won't work they haze up gotta remove all the clearcoat material off till you reach plastic
Just clear coat them and move on
@@hobo1704 too much work with this literally sand for 15 minutes spray this on call it a day don't gotta worry about drying time
Thatâs a dust mask. Itâs fine for sanding.
You need a respirator for chemicals like acetone.
almost all consumer grade concentrations of acetone are fine, especially since she's outside. it's the main component in nail polish remover and used on bare skin without any ventilation all the time. idk what other additives are in the vapour she's using, though, so maybe a respirator is necessary for those.
Definitely need a Respirator since she is heating up the acetone it makes it easier to inhale.
Couldnât she just ventilate the area enough to not need a respirator
â@@sma4827 it's more that this mask isn't doing a thing. Acetone isn't so bad for your regular person not exposed very often. But someone working with things like acetone and car industry heavy VOCs often shouldn't do this.
We pretended like it stopped covid, she can pretend it will stop vapors.
But did it remain that clear? Especially for how many days after the treatment and or after it rains?
I used to buff my headlights, but it would get back to being cloudy quicker each time I did it. Ever since I wrapped my headlights in paint protective film, they've been crystal clear for 3 years now. It has UV blockers in it and resists yellowing for 7-10 years.
Go to your local PPF/wrap shop and ask for scraps or have them cut you some clear PPF for your headlights.
Yes, you want UV protection to keep it looking good. Easy to polish up in a lot of cases but it won't last.
Prevent > fix
3 years is too long theyâre cheap do it 1 year once at least depending on the weather where u live and wear from light heat eventually it will get glued stuck on the glass and crack it
Why not just spray with clear coat
@kolikari3813 your comment made my head hurt
$90 for the kit on Amazon. Then looked up a pair of oem headlamps for my truck and theyâre $65 for the pair đđđ
its a no brainer then lol
đ€Łđ€Łđ€Łđ€Łđ€Ł
Just looking it up.. $39.99 Amazon
Ain't no way the headlamp assembly is that cheap
Right eagle eye can get almost any pair under 100.
I did my lights for $7. List of tools :
-800 grit sandpaper
-1500 grit sandpaper
-2000/3000 grit pandpaper
-Elbow Grease
You can use the 3m rubbing compound/ liquid sandpaper to get it even finer.
then a clear coat at the end, I do this!
@davejohnstone8533 uv protective, I assume? Too bad I have really dry elbows.
Stop at 1500 and spray with 2 coats of Duplicolor clear, less elbow grease and lasts longer
Great looking head lights!
What headlights?
Make sure you add some sealant like wax or wax and ceramic coating mix. It will make it last longer
Never do wax and ceramic coating thats a waste⊠ceramic goes directly on top of the surface and bonds to it. Wax defeats the purposeâŠ
â@@narekhart9862your supposed to wet sand the lights then buff them with a buffer with wax
Is 303 protectant good for this?
PPF
@@narekhart9862Me when I donât know what Iâm talking about
400 wet sand paper, keep the lights WET, circular motion finish horizontal motion.
600 wet sand paper, keep the lights WET, circular motion finish horizontal motion.
1000 wet sand paper, keep the lights WET, circular motion finish horizontal motion.
Clean with isopropanol.
1st layer UV protect spray paint, wait 5min.
2nd layer UV protect spray paint, wait 5min
3rd layer UV protect spray paint, wait 5min
Wait 1 day to harden... your good to go for at least 3 years
youâre a great man
Is this an alternative rather than using the vapour kit in the video?
â@@brenrowe2042 Yes. I did this on our 07 Freestyle with original headlight assemblies. It doesn't fix crazing, but they do work much better and from 6 feet away, look newish. Only cost me $35 because I already had the sandpaper from another project and after 2 years, still look/work good. New replacement assemblies are >$85 each.
This absolutely works this is exactly what Chris fix did 9 years ago I tried on multiple cars like my Mazda, my moms Toyota Sienna, my bros Nissan, n a few of my friends trucks and families cars work all the time and have lasted more than a year
@@KodiakSixSeven Where are you finding brand new headlight assemblies for $50?
Wowâ€â€đ You go girl! Show us more girl powered how to!đ
Just show us more girl.
Definitely get the hazmat suit out for this one guys.
I just use a can of OFF mosquito spray. Wait 30 seconds, then wipe with a paper towel. Then I clean the headlight with a 75 / 25 Windex and alcohol mix. Wipe the area dry again, then headlight wax. Been doing it that way for 15 years now. As long as you rewax after that once a year they stay clear.
It's scary to know though that OFF can tear away years of film off headlights, and yet we put it on our skin.
Im gonna try this. Whyd you try it the first time?
Do you use the aerosol off spray or the plastic spray?
@m122y. aerosol, my Porsche only took very light spray on each light, my van I had to use nearly an entire can on each light because I had to keep reapplying until they were clear, so it all has to do with how bad they are yellowed. Like I said, after the first cleaning, they have stayed clear as long as I keep waxing them once a year. Others say it doesn't work, I guess it all has to do with the person.
I will not and donât use bug spay. Not putting that on my skin
Try putting off in a hot summer day it burns like hell specially on neck
Wow, this is first I've seen using vapor to clean headlights, pretty nice and innovative way
Same
Itâs acetone it basically melts the plastic the headlights are made of making it shine
@@itsmealextheme6259true, only down side is that it weakens the plastic causing it to crack easier, I prefer a simple buff
Use a can of Duplicolor clear coat, works better lasts longer
That mask protects you from solid particles (stuff that comes off when dry sanding for exampe) and it has limited effect in preventing liquids (tiny drops) from getting inside. It has no effect at all on gasses like vaporized aceton.
It works. From 220 grit to 2000 grit wet sand . The better you sand the better the results. The vapor will build up in the exit, spout and drip onto the headlight occasionally as a liquid. all you have to do is repeat the sanding procedure and itâs just like new.
Cool, but that dust mask isnât doing anything to protect you from those fumes. You need an actual fumes respirator.
Kinda like wearing a dust mask for a virus! đ
But how will that stop homosexual s pecial rights ?
@@darkhelmet4279 masks for viruses are to keep you from spitting on other people not for not breathing in, you donât breathe in airborne viruses they stick to your mucus and sweat. Go be stupid somewhere else. Ask your Dr to spit in your mouth next time if you donât like sterile environments.
@@benjurqunov wtf does that have to do with inhaling vaporized acetone? Youâre like the mechanics in my old shop that would be babies about their hands peeling and scabbing from touching battery acid and oil all day bare handed, but would make fun of the rookie interns for wearing their gloves. One eyed Pete woulda stayed two eyed Pete if he wore his eye pro.
â@@Blu3ManiCconsidering he's right imma assume you're in a blue state.
I just use 303 Protectant every few months so they don't get foggy in the first place. Keeps my dash from cracking too.
I did the same on my old car đ đ
That's pretty! Looks impeccable
Thatâs actually pretty bad asss and helpful đ thank you
$25 half face respirator, $15 organic vapor cartridges.
Your lungs aren't a joke. Be safe.
đđđ. Always one in the comments.
And always a thousand fools not getting it...
Anyone else just hold their breath as long as they can, then step away, catch breath, and repeat like I do? đ đ€Ł đ
Yeah, well, we taught people that dust masks will you protect you from "deadly" viruses, so now they use them for all sorts of things they were never rated for.
Acetone is not really that badâŠ
All my headlights are messed up! Perfect investment! Thank you!!
Glad I could help!
Donât forget the UV clear coat if it doesnât come with one. Wish there was a clear bra type material just with UV you could slap on them
Okay but how long does it last like that?â@teamsallyracing
@@dman7441couldn't you just use like 70% tint? On the outside?
â@@dman7441just buff head lights, no stupid clear coat is needed, only expensive pro clear coats have uv protection. How do I know, I'm car painter
This also works on shower screens and tiles. Just donât sand first!
works nice but keep in mind acetone takes time to evaporate from affected plastic. (even if the pure aceone evaporates crazy fast, the plastic affected by it stay mushy for quite a while even more than 24h)
And when it does it might whiten out the plastic if it foams. (keep a watch on that if it happens)
Pure plastic will yellow and degrade in UV so add clearcoat uv resistant.
So overall it works great, but keep it a day or so in a gragage to fully evaporate and not in direct sunsight. and add clearcoat on top.
I mean it makes sense when you think about it. You just basically melt the surface layer of the plastic and boom clear. The sand paper really just even out all the bumps and also getting rid of the fog. Idk the best way to explain but it makes sense
You can use a propane torch to do the same thing, just be careful not to melt or burn the plastic
I've used 400 grit sandpaper and finished it off with 800 grit and then 2000 grit. Then I sprayed thin coats of UV resistant clear coat. Allowing each thin coat to dry between coats will prevent the paint layers from cracking as they dry.
I would highly reccomend the 3M headlight restoration kit. It's like 15 bucks, works amazing
Toothpaste is $7
Lies with these kits everybody always trying to sell bullshit.
Iâve used this kit on a few of my cars. It doesnât last.
â@@Heather-lg4gqdoesn't work tho
Get maybe 4 months out of it trashh
That dustmask isn't protective for vapors. Stay Safe
That's just acetone. Most women breathe litres of this stuff. Men are such wimps.
Oh oh have you tried waxing a man's leg? Hilarious. Sounds like stepping on a puppy's paw.
The kit from Walmart that comes with wipes and a hand sand pad works super well. You want something that resurfaces the lens, not just vapor or heat on only.
Headlights definetly look amazing! Would love to see those high beams!
I watched a video with acetone in a red bull can. The guy used a small funnel and heated the can up with a heat gun. He didn't even sand his lights first. I like your idea a little better. Thanks Sally you rock. đ
Your headlights look great.
You need to add a protective additive over the plastic after that process. We use a protective coating used for airplane windshields
Please be careful. Headlight restoration may seem to be a good solution, but remember that you always mess this the optical properties of your headlight by doing so. Replacement is the better option, but if you can't do that please take extra care that your headlights still function proper after the restoration.
fingernail polish remover works the same way. it slightly melts the plastic smoothing it out.
Because it's the same thing - acetone.
Forget the headlights we are here for the bumper
There ain't a bumper on the car in the video.... No I see what you did. Made yourself look like a simp
or the rear
@@fjfrancois the dickie?
I personally like the headlights. All 4 of them. đ
Front grill is a bit ugly, the body lines though...đđ
You don't need the vapor part of this. You could take acetone straight from the bottle and wipe it over the lens and it will do the same thing. The key to both ways is the sanding that you do first to remove the scratches.
Question is how long does it last. Usually using the sanding then buff method makes headlights clean for 1-2 mos. They gradually get yellow again. Have done this multiple times on my car. I heard using the ceramic UV coating is the only way to semi permanently Have them remain clear.
I do headlight restoration commercially for big dealerships, it is just as easy/cheaper to buff after sanding and doesn't use chemicals that will eventually make the plastic worse and harder to restore. Please just sand and buff your headlights.
I also do headlight restoration professionally in California just curious how much do you charge to do a pair of headlights I charge $80 for the pair
â@@86NighthawkI charge the same in North Carolina, 120 per light if its a moisture removal
I've never dealt with the moisture remover do you have any references on what you do or how you do it I'd be very interested
every man just found themselves standing up from a one knee position thinking 'get it together'
I was about to say, like NOO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THOSE 2...BIG.... ROUNDS....you get my point. For a sec I thought I was the only one lolđ
OMG, she is just so inadvertently sexy.
I'd love to see how this looks in 3 months from now. Or even a time lapse video monthly over the course of the next year. I would imagine that it's going to go back to something like how it was before this treatment was done. There is actually something that you can put on the headlights that will protect this from ever happening, I don't remember what the name of the product is, but Scotty kilmer did a video about it.
I think that's going to fare a lot better than just standing and polishing. For one she does say there is UV protectant carried by acetone. For other solvent vapour smoothing leaves a surface that has much fewer erosion risers at a microscopic level than polishing.
But it does bear considering that even when it looks clear there is already some molecular cleaving that happened previously. So indeed a medium term test is called for.
Very cool. Show us what they look like next year.
Your headlights are real nice !đ
Behave yourself
â@@jacobwebb8818 or what, exactly?
All 4 of em
@@Thestockxj96 tough guy
@@jacobwebb8818 I'm not the one implying I was going to do something if they didn't "behave". So, are you mad big boy? đ
Her jeans are the real star
Its the the juggs tshirt ... I mean jeggs t shirt for me
The best way is to sand the headligts with 400 or 600 grit, then 1000, then 2000 grit. Then use use 2K clear spray. NOT 2X, but 2K.
This is called acetone smoothing. It's super popular with 3d prints, but you NEED to be careful with vapors. Proper respirator is necessary, do not take it lightly.
Still, results are good! Just please be more careful going forward x3
BLOB EYE!!!!! Immediately recognized those headlights, got an 04 STI myself, keep goin girl đ
Was looking for this post, glad to see another Subie enthusiastđ
I knew, that someone already posted what i was about to say.
watching this sitting in my blobeye waggie rn lmao
Gonorrhea is a b*itch... congrats. Was it from the tractor incident?
What did you use to protect it after you cleaned it?
Your mumma's 'implied superiority' serum.
You don't need to protect it. It's just PC that has been chemically smoothed.
Got a 1996 ek1, the original owner got the optional headlight covers and man underneath them the headlights still look brand new. So yeah, get headlight covers guys.
Mine are also Honda access ones and they resell for upwards of $200aud đ€Ż
Then thoroughly wash the mug and use it to keep your coffee hot when working at a desk :)
I ordered this today can't wait to give it a try on my scion thank you Sally
đđ»
Any updates?
Yes update
Update?
What is the name of item?
Wow! You are awesome Sally.đ„đ„đ„
Relax simp she's not going to have sex with you
It looks vary similar to just sanding it a bit and then using headlight restoration stuff. They sell it at repco
Your headlights look like they are great
Itâs never a question of whether these products work, itâs about how long they stay clear after. Thatâs the answer people need
Your headlights look great đ
Iâve found that using chrome polish works great on oxidized headlights.. have no idea why but it buys you about 2 weeks of clarity lol
Be quick with a heat gun or torch and you can do this without weakening the plastic bonds in the headlights that will result in the cracking and getting worse over time
your headlights look solid from here
Yes I agree. I don't see anything wrong with them.
Those headlights are huge đ«
đ
I'm a fan of the trunk!
I wouldnât call it huge, medium to small size at best.
Try Abenaqui cleaner... My headlights still look great and this stuff you can use on anything. It's non-toxic non-abrasive everything
Would love a 6-9month follow up. Iâve yet to see a plastic restoration that lasts.
You should try blinker fluid. It works great.đ
Your headlights look good to me
3d Printing guys have whole vapor machines they put parts in, this is cool to see in a different field
Some cars are easier than others when it comes to changing a headlight bulb. You would often have to unscrew a few to put the bulb in unless you have a small hand.
Likewise some headlight case is pretty cheap as little as $25 to $49 after market price as a brand new.
What Iâm saying is if your bulb went out and you have to replace it, that is as much time and efforts it takes to replace the whole things.
Not all cars but if your headlight case looks that bad, the chances are your car is already old and the aftermarket part is often inexpensive.
She's got some nice headlights.
Acetone fumes is used for abs plastic prints cause it melts the abs down to a liquid if given the time. Im curious how this works on hard plastic like headlight housing.
Acetone is some nasty stuff used it at the drycleaners for removing gum from clothes.
â@@cindysue5474 an average woman breathes in litres of this stuff because fingernails.
@@SianaGearz Yes you are correct.
Lots of tools and methods will leave headlights looking good right after. The real difference is how long they look that good. I paid a good amount of money to have a shop "professionally" restore my car's headlights about 5 years ago and they're... not as bad as they were before, but definitely cloudy again.
Yayyyyy!!! The headlights are good for another 2 weeks!!!
there's a uv mixture in there, so maybe it would last for about two years. the coat must've been so thin but uv damage is very slow.
This will only last two months if that. When they look great like this, you need to apply a UV coating on it. Wax doesnât really do it because the sun just melts it off. Maguires makes a headlight coating spray that works really well. Acts like a clearcoat, but it lasts like 8 to 12 months. If you keep cleaning and spraying, it may last you a couple years who knows.
I used actual clear coat paint on mine. 6 yrs later still 100%clear
@@tmurph247 yeah that works great too!
đ someone doesn't pay attention to the commentary
The McGuire's headlight protection spray is NOT designed to be used on a freshly restored headlight with no protection...it will haze the lense again. It's only made for headlights that have a factory clear coat still on them.
Wrong
Wax won't melt off
I bet you using a poor wax or washing liquid not car shampoo that is stripping it
How long does it last? Do you have to add clear after?
You be best adding a coat of clear yeah
Girl mechanics always have the sexiest bodies. They already have the sexiest minds and abilities by being mechanics, so they're definitely overkill and I love it.
You need to reseal headlights after you take the protective uv coating off or they will yellow and fade after a few weeks
Donât breathe the vapors or you run out đđHaha
Pretty cool gizmo. I wonder how it will hold up in a year.
I guess we will find out
Just make sure to trrat it with a clear coat or some kind of uv protection or itll be bad again within a month to a year, depending on conditions.
People sometimes use heated acetone vapor on ABS plastic keycaps which are normally prone to shine over time with long-term use, but it skips the process and makes them entirely shiny immediately.
but how long will it last? let us know please.
She replied to someone else saying 3 years
@@harleythomas701 thanks thats better that me sanding n spraying every year. đ Lets face it mother nature beats the hell out of everything.
Wax your headlights too.
@@tardeliesmagic i tried to convince my GF to let me, but she refused to allow me to put wax on her đ€Łđ
Will last 3 years with no or minimal exposure to sunlight. Expect 3 months without any UV protection coating
Our Sally is such a cutie đ„° and sweetie candy đŹ đ« đ Sally racing to towards 1st đ„ place đïžđïžđšđšđđđ finisher
Iâm pretty sure you need to finish it with some kind of sealer afterwards or it will go back to hazy quickly. Anytime you âmeltâ plastic to make it shiny, which is basically what this is, it doesnât take long for it to go back to dull.
So the fatigue of the plastic decaying over time in the sun wonât stop. This is similar to stretching the plastic and thinning it out. It will dry up very fast and look exactly the same as before in 3-4 months. The real solution is the take your lights out. Heat the seal and peel the outside from the inside. Mold the outside so you can cast glass. Or get a glass shop to do the molding and glass part. And use the now clear hardened glass replacement and reseal it to the light housing and now you have glass lights that are harder and stronger then plastic and never dealt from UV light for 20,000 years đ
Love it! Similar to glossing resin 3d prints.
Heated acetone, vapours, in a closed room with potential spark ignition sources. Yeah, it may or may not work, but for safety reasons, do it outdoors. Acetone vapour is explosive, asphyxiates, and hurts both ways.
Now you need a clear uv protection spray it really works make sure you get a good one with reviews.
Done this in my car 3 years ago ... They still Look fine
Keep us updated on how long this stuff works. Iâve used wet sand and 2k clear last a good 2 years and repeat đ
Good n quick method to pass vehicle inspection
This is super cool! Whatâs the longevity on a fix like this?
I just wipe mine down with âCutterâ Backwoods High DEET (40%) Insect Repellent every month or so and they look great! đđđ»
Sounds like you just got you a new hustle đ
I just bought a new set of headlights for $40 for my truck, no sanding or chemicals required.
Nope đ
Does it protect as well as a Kit that removes and replaces the clear coat? Renu headlight restore is king for clear coat kits.
You actually have some pretty incredible head lights đ