My headlights are starting to fade a bit ( I can get them to look new but they fade again in a few days ) and I was wondering if anyone has ever tried clearcoating them ( by clearcoat I mean profesional automotive urethane clear not spray paint clear )?

Anyone have experience with this?

 

Nobody?

 

You will need to sand it down quite a bit to get the haze out, clear will protect it, but youre better off having bare plastic. The clear will eventually chip.

 

Not sure if it would help or not, but what about getting clear vinyl overlays

 

Don't know if that'll work...

 

Right now it has no haze cause I just buffed it pretty good, but by next week it'll start again. Why do you think the clear will chip? My front bumper hasn't chipped yet and it's the same clear I would use. I'm more worried about how "clear" it'll look...it would suck if it comes out kinda hazy.

 

I got the 3m clear bra put just on my headlights for that reason. Also protects them from nicks on the highway. The head lights still look brand new. I believe it was $15/ head light to have installed. Looks wise you would never know anything was on them.

 

i saw some headlights with clearcoat on them and they were def chipping.

i think clear bra would be the way to go.

i wish i did that from the start... but then again.. i got them used.

 

The reason the lens looks oxidized after a few weeks post polishing/buffing is that you're removed the UV protective layer on the plastic lens. All polycarbonate plastic will oxidize in the sun if not sealed properly. I would just apply a good UV protective car wax to the lens after buffing to slow the process.

 

It chips because the adhesion isnt the strongest to the plastic. Im not saying it will do it right away, after a couple years it will be apparent.

You can do clear bra, you can try wetsanding and buffing over with plastx.

 

mine is fading too : (

 

I feel like buying an old used headlight and trying it.

 

we renew headlights at my shop all the time! when done they look good as new! Now the yellowing is the stock clear on the headlights going bad! What we do is remove the head lights. We start with water sanding them with 1000 wet/dry sandy paper! When your done sanding them dry the light and you will see if you sanded all the stock clear off! Once your done with that we finish water sanding the lights with 2000 grit! Then we clean them with prep all or wax & grease remover! leave the scratches from the sand paper in the light DONT buff them out! The sanding gives the automotive clear coat something to bond to! If you buff the scratches out then clear will not stick for long an with start chipping / pealing! Automotive clear will fill in 2000 grit scratches and you will not see them when done clearing them! After wiping the lights with cleaner dry them and clear them! We been doing them for years with no pealing or chipping issues. You can also get a adhesion promoter which is a liquid agent to help paint bond to plastic but has to be clear as water so you dont see it under the clear! We very rarely use it! Heres a before and after of a WRX we did the head lights on!

Hope this helps!!

Before!!



After!!

 

THANK YOU! Question, do you thin the clear with reducer or just spray as it comes in the can? When I painted the rear quarter panel I didn't thin the clear and it came out nice and thick which was perfect cause it allowed me to sand considerably and leave it silky smooth but I'm not sure if it's such a good idea on the head light cause I'm afraid the scratches from the sanding will show through it unless it's reduced considerably.

 

No we used Dupont clear from are paint store/supplier! As all clear we just add the harder to the clear and spray it! Never tried a spray can clear just buy good clear or ship them to me and ill do it right!