Headlight Resurfacing....
 

So whats this deal with headlight resurfacing? I have seen a couple of pictures after the process is completed, but what is the process? They look awfully pretty....;)

Go to Seraph's (Lwin's) website: http://www.stars-gazer.com/~lwin/

at bottom of page, click on "car" link. Then click on the "see more of my SVX" link, then the "DIY SVX" link, then finally the "Clean dirty headlights" link.


You used to be able to get to it through the SVX World Network page by entering the site and clicking on the How-to and FAQ link, but it doesn't seem to be working.

Lwin, can you fix this?

I have a way of doing this without taking the darn things apart. I I have and extra pair of lights that I did the process to. I will be selling in the near future to someone who is willing to send me their old pair of lights.

Xcess, I'm gald you found that. :) I looked for it eariler but to no avail. It's a classic. :D

"J" can UV protectant be painted over the cleaned lense? I am thinking maybe a polyurethane with UV block?

I'm sure it can be done. I just don't know how well it will stand up to rocks and anything else flying from other vehicles.

I would not recommend painting over the lenses with a UV protectant. I would think that the protectant might harm the plastic over time or soften as the lamps are around heat. Earthworm brought up a good point about the covering taking a beating from rocks. If you get your lenses the way you want them I would suggest babying and buffing them occasionally with a plastic compound and or cleaner.

I can get all the pits out by wet sanding the lenses until they are smooth. I also go through different grades of fine sand paper and spend a quite a bit of time buffing them out. It's a lot of elbow grease but its well worth it.

You could also see if you can find the plastic headlight protectors as well. They also protect the corners as well. I know Ralph Gibbs here has them. He hasn't posted since last year though.

Grits
 

What grits do you use to do the wet sanding? Hell, guess it will be a lot of elbow grease to sand 4 pairs. :(

Lee

SVXx4

Are you talking about the lense protectors subaruparts.com sells? I put them on my lights after having them buffed out and they now look brand new. The lense protectors should hold up better against rock chips, but if they get dull, you'll have to get new lights as the protectors aren't removeable.

KuoH

The ones Ralph has are removable.

Then it must not be the same kind of impact protector subaruparts.com sells. It has a very strong adheasive and once cured, is extremely difficult to remove, if removal is even possible. However, my lights should stay clear much longer, since the lense is no longer exposed to the air and elements. If I can get another 3 or 4 years of maintenance free use out of the headlights, then it was worth the $30 for the protectors.

KuoH

No that's different. That stuff is the same as what's on the lower panel right in front of the rear tire.

The one I'm talking about is like the "black-out" headlight covers without the tint.

It's not quite the same as the rear stone guard. The impact protector is quite a bit harder on the surface. As long as heat and UV doesn't cause the lense to go yellow under the adheasive, it should stay clear for quite awhile.

The black out stuff I've seen usually attaches with some velcro, but still leaves an air gap doesn't it? I'm not as concerned with actual impact as I am with the yellowing and hazing caused by UV and the heat.

KuoH

I wish Ralph would read this. He could share his comments first hand.