Headlights
#21
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: socal
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My Ride: 545I and a half dozen other rides
I tried just sanding and buffing but the plastic will oxidize again.
I don't think I bothered to polish mine. I sanded and and sanded finer grits unit I stopped at 1500 or 2000 and then I sprayed a clear over it. Let the clear harden and then if the clear needs buffing I do that to the clear. Try it. Mine lasted a year so far. If you bugger up just sand and start over. What happens is the protective clear coat wears thin then the plastic oxidizes. If you just polish the plastic the lens will eventually oxide again.
I tried just sanding and buffing but the plastic will oxidize again. Plus it is less work not to have to buff out the plastic.
Just make sure when you sand you sand off ALL of the clear coat and the oxidation.
here is a picture of when I did it on the fogs.
One has just been wet sanded and the other was clear coated after the wet sand
I don't think I bothered to polish mine. I sanded and and sanded finer grits unit I stopped at 1500 or 2000 and then I sprayed a clear over it. Let the clear harden and then if the clear needs buffing I do that to the clear. Try it. Mine lasted a year so far. If you bugger up just sand and start over. What happens is the protective clear coat wears thin then the plastic oxidizes. If you just polish the plastic the lens will eventually oxide again.
I tried just sanding and buffing but the plastic will oxidize again. Plus it is less work not to have to buff out the plastic.
Just make sure when you sand you sand off ALL of the clear coat and the oxidation.
here is a picture of when I did it on the fogs.
One has just been wet sanded and the other was clear coated after the wet sand
#22
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: CA
Posts: 5,781
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My Ride: BMW E60
Model Year: 2016
I tried just sanding and buffing but the plastic will oxidize again.
I don't think I bothered to polish mine. I sanded and and sanded finer grits unit I stopped at 1500 or 2000 and then I sprayed a clear over it. Let the clear harden and then if the clear needs buffing I do that to the clear. Try it. Mine lasted a year so far. If you bugger up just sand and start over. What happens is the protective clear coat wears thin then the plastic oxidizes. If you just polish the plastic the lens will eventually oxide again.
I tried just sanding and buffing but the plastic will oxidize again. Plus it is less work not to have to buff out the plastic.
Just make sure when you sand you sand off ALL of the clear coat and the oxidation.
here is a picture of when I did it on the fogs.
One has just been wet sanded and the other was clear coated after the wet sand
Attachment 124419
I don't think I bothered to polish mine. I sanded and and sanded finer grits unit I stopped at 1500 or 2000 and then I sprayed a clear over it. Let the clear harden and then if the clear needs buffing I do that to the clear. Try it. Mine lasted a year so far. If you bugger up just sand and start over. What happens is the protective clear coat wears thin then the plastic oxidizes. If you just polish the plastic the lens will eventually oxide again.
I tried just sanding and buffing but the plastic will oxidize again. Plus it is less work not to have to buff out the plastic.
Just make sure when you sand you sand off ALL of the clear coat and the oxidation.
here is a picture of when I did it on the fogs.
One has just been wet sanded and the other was clear coated after the wet sand
Attachment 124419
#23
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Queens, New York
Posts: 155
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My Ride: 525i M54 2005 Alpine White
Sport/Cold/Premiun Sound/Active Steering
Navigation/PDC/sport seats/6 CD Changer
I tried just sanding and buffing but the plastic will oxidize again.
I don't think I bothered to polish mine. I sanded and and sanded finer grits unit I stopped at 1500 or 2000 and then I sprayed a clear over it. Let the clear harden and then if the clear needs buffing I do that to the clear. Try it. Mine lasted a year so far. If you bugger up just sand and start over. What happens is the protective clear coat wears thin then the plastic oxidizes. If you just polish the plastic the lens will eventually oxide again.
I tried just sanding and buffing but the plastic will oxidize again. Plus it is less work not to have to buff out the plastic.
Just make sure when you sand you sand off ALL of the clear coat and the oxidation.
here is a picture of when I did it on the fogs.
One has just been wet sanded and the other was clear coated after the wet sand
Attachment 124419
I don't think I bothered to polish mine. I sanded and and sanded finer grits unit I stopped at 1500 or 2000 and then I sprayed a clear over it. Let the clear harden and then if the clear needs buffing I do that to the clear. Try it. Mine lasted a year so far. If you bugger up just sand and start over. What happens is the protective clear coat wears thin then the plastic oxidizes. If you just polish the plastic the lens will eventually oxide again.
I tried just sanding and buffing but the plastic will oxidize again. Plus it is less work not to have to buff out the plastic.
Just make sure when you sand you sand off ALL of the clear coat and the oxidation.
here is a picture of when I did it on the fogs.
One has just been wet sanded and the other was clear coated after the wet sand
Attachment 124419
That looks awesome man!!
I was desperate so I couldn't wait the time it takes to order/shipment a polisher. So I went to Autozone and purchased the Mothers kit and used it. I polished the sh*** out of the headlight for 2 hours. Since I am not experienced with this it took me long to get it right. The first one took the the 2 hours and I still need to finish the edges, it started raining and it was night so I had to stop. The effort was worth the time, but now that I know about clear coat I might try it on the other side....thank you all for your help.
I will upload the before and after pics when I get a chance.
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