Headlight Help Please Quick

[want-a-fast-svx]

Alrighty guys and gals i have the drivers side headlight apart and sanded the outside...i only have meguiars plastic cleaner im confused as to what the heavy and medium cut cleaners are???and where do i get them cause with just the plastic cleaner the headlight still looks scratched???is this normal???also do i sand the inside or just use the "cleaners"???sorry just dont want to screw the lights up..thanks in advance for the help hopefully they turn out ok

Why did you sand it? The cleaner would have cleaned it up nicely without the use of sandpaper.

At any rate, I would try to use some sort of compound or something to try and reduce the scratching.

mike

[want-a-fast-svx]

i sanded it cause thats what the how to said to i just figured that was the best way...ruh roh...did i %##@ up???

[mohrds]

Originally posted by want-a-fast-svx
i sanded it cause thats what the how to said to i just figured that was the best way...ruh roh...did i %##@ up???

No you didn't. What was the finest grit sandpaper you used? Unless you went up to about 1500, you have a lot of hand polishing with the cleaner to do.

The plastic cleaner won't cut enough to remove the scratches from sanding. You need something with a little more bite. If you can't find the heavier cut plastic cleaners, you should be able to use fine-cut rubbing compound, then polishing compound, then your plastic polish.

Doug

[want-a-fast-svx]

i went up to the 1500 grit but ill go look for the plastic cleaners now...thanks for the help so fast
i truly appreciate it

[Seraph]

Originally posted by want-a-fast-svx
i went up to the 1500 grit but ill go look for the plastic cleaners now...thanks for the help so fast
i truly appreciate it

If you read the how-to, it states there that you want to go up slowly until you hit about 1500 or 2000.

[want-a-fast-svx]

thats what i did i went from 350-400-600-800-1500....i didnt have a 1000...do you by chance remember any names of the cleaners that were used, adn where i might be able to find them??thanks for the help again

[Seraph]

Originally posted by want-a-fast-svx
thats what i did i went from 350-400-600-800-1500....i didnt have a 1000...do you by chance remember any names of the cleaners that were used, adn where i might be able to find them??thanks for the help again

I have used 3M plastic cleaner, plastic cleaner from home depot and novus cleaner. All works fine.

L

[want-a-fast-svx]

do you think the mothers is enough of a cleaner???should i try something else???thanks again for the help

[longassname]

Originally posted by want-a-fast-svx
do you think the mothers is enough of a cleaner???should i try something else???thanks again for the help

That's a lot of sandpaper and a lot of work. I used steel wool and it worked quickly and well. I made a how to with pics posted on this forum here: http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/show...&threadid=6325 Hope this helps you. Definitely worked for me.

[Seraph]

Originally posted by longassname


That's a lot of sandpaper and a lot of work. I used steel wool and it worked quickly and well. I made a how to with pics posted on this forum here: http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/show...&threadid=6325 Hope this helps you. Definitely worked for me.

Not to say anything wrong with your method but I do recommand opening them up to glue in your projector light. Look inside, you will see glass pieces. Guess where they are from? They will only get worse over time if you don't take care of it.

L

[mohrds]

Originally posted by longassname


That's a lot of sandpaper and a lot of work. I used steel wool and it worked quickly and well. I made a how to with pics posted on this forum here: http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/show...&threadid=6325 Hope this helps you. Definitely worked for me.

If you live in an area that gets snow, you will need to sand them down because of years of sand and salt leaves pits and nicks in the lens.

Doug

I think they must have changed the makeup of the plastic on the lenses at some point or another throughout the run. My lights had no chips at all after 130k miles of driving in PA. The ellipsoids also didnt chip at all... hmm.

Mike

All the lights are the same. You may want to also consider in taking out thew fog light flute if you have them apart. Wet sanding using the stages of sand paper (300-1500 grain) will get you the best results. I use Janvil plastic cleaner and a buffer on a drill as a final step.