headlight restoration what have i done wrong.. (update de-lining 08/12/12)

well guys i eventually got myself a set of facelift headlights that needed a refurb so i rubbing them down 800 - 1200 - 1500 - 2000 - 2500 wet n dry, then a plastic polish kit and plasticx. now they looked good but i read some where to laquer them to get them crystal clear.. so i though it would be easier to give them to the bodyshop next to work to have a play. he came over to me before finishing to tell me the laquer was cracking and seperating!

has he not degreased them well enough or have i got the whole laquered headlight information wrong and ruined my lenses??

Well worst case. wet and dry them again. You sure lacquer will be ok on headlights? Bulbs can get pretty hot.

It could be the chemicals used to polish the headlights that made the lacquer separate?

Hmm, have worked on a fair few pairs on lights and I cant say ive ever seen the laquer on a lens cracking / seperating.?

Maybe worth putting up some pics of what they look like before saying what it coudl be or what could be done with them..

Never heard of laquering them but could be wrong.

just found this.. knew i read it somewhere! http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?194278-laquering-headlights&highlight=laquer+headlights

will take some pictures tomorrow.

Well worst case. wet and dry them again. You sure lacquer will be ok on headlights? Bulbs can get pretty hot.

 

It could be the chemicals used to polish the headlights that made the lacquer separate?

true.. maybe not a good idea to laquer the inside??

With a good key you should have no problem with seperation. When I used to do it once id finished flatting it I'd go over it with a grey scotch pad then chuck it in the paint shop.

Dont lacquer the inside, you lacquer the outside only. Best thing to do with the inside is flat it good and proper then polish it with a rotary polisher.

Sounds like they werent properly finised down and degreased. Polishes are oil based so require removing properly with either panel wipe or an IPA/water mix. I didnt bother lacquering mine, just a quick whip round with a DA once a month keeps them looking fresh.

Ah the joys of old plastic headlights!

They are well and truely ruined!! this is afer i attempted to remove the lacquer with thinners, wasnt sure if i could soak them for too long so this is the out come.. they would have looked quality if they didnt crack so i will not be giving up!! but think i may be looking for a passenger lense as i have a spare drivers side.

thought thinners would have melted them lol or ruin the lenses

exactly what i thought but thats what the bodyshop guy suggested to try?? had a little wee when i was doing it! it didnt melt them anyway just opened up the cracks more.

is it just a case of sanding again or are the lenses ruined? sanding is a pain and when things go wrong right at the end it makes you want to give up lol.

could it have been a reaction to the polish compound?

Don't laquer them mate, I read up on this on t'internet before doing mine, loads of people have had nightmares with it, very few seem to have a long term success by laquering them.

Just sand it off again and start again, then just keep giving them a polish plasticX every few weeks, job done

i have my suspicions he didnt clean them well enough. it would take alot of sanding to get it all off and brings a tear to my eye thinking of doing it, unless someone has any other suggestions i think i will just look for another lense?

lots of people have done them and they have been fine too,

try sanding them mate save some money on buying new ones, lots of people have lacquered lenses with no problems maybe a reaction to the polish,

I cannot see any reason to lacquer them, just polish them with t-cut and normal car polish to keep them clear and shiny.

I messed up my number plate light cover with thinner the same way.. Hope you get them fixed mate

after sanding my pre-facelift lights and polishing them up i must admit they did come up nice but after seeing the results with these i was very impressed! just a shame the cracked up.

To the original poster, that was my thread about laquering headlights, when i did my first ever refurb. Both my headlights are laquered on the inside, and they have stayed 100% perfect for more than a year now. Thinners/IPA were used on them to get rid of the yellowness, as well as sanding, but i only used 1200 grit upwards. I actually ended up sanding the inside of one of my headlights, because i thought thats what you were meant to do so a mate of mine at a bodyshop laquered the inside, it got rid of all the scratches, and it was crystal clear, so i did the other one too!

In your case, i think the best thing to do is to sand them down again...i know its a painstaking process, but its the only way of saving those headlights!

Never heard of laquering the lenses, I dont see the point or the need too

Just refurb, and give them a DA twice yearly with plastX etc

Never heard of laquering the lenses, I dont see the point or the need too

 

Just refurb, and give them a DA twice yearly with plastX etc

Makes em look shinier

Makes em look shinier

dubious

HOVIS??

You won't need to polish them twice a year to keep them looking good when lacquered, simples.

You won't need to polish them twice a year to keep them looking good when lacquered, simples.

want a hovis from throught the years

I will one up your Hovis with some pictures! ....When i find them, you will be the first to know lol