Headlights Sanding -With What I've got???

[Jossy92]

A friend's, badly "dust-storm blasted" headlight covers are no longer white, but still have deep scratches and erosion of variable depths in the plastic. At least the headlights "light" the road ahead, but still ugly.

To achieve the above, I used Megs consumer version of the Headlight Restoration Kit (with the drill attachment). It won't take me any further.

Based on what I have read, I was planning on doing the following, knowing I cannot take it as far as you guys, but it may be "good enough" for my friend.

I already this:

Meguiar's Professional 3" Hand Pad


(....and if possible, would like to work with it to save $.)

Here is what I plan to get to go with it:

		Meguiar's 3" Micro Hook/Loop Foam Interface Pad

Meguiar's 3" Unigrit 1000 Foam Finishing Disc

Meguiar's 3" Unigrit 3000 Foam Finishing Disc

I am not sure if I even need the foam interface.
I don't know what the difference is between these pads and Sanding disks of the same name. One appears to have the foam backing the others not.
I am also unsure of what I am doing, and for that reason only want to increase aggressiveness a little at a time.

Thanks for all I have learned here.
Jeff

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Headlights Sanding -With What I've got???

That sounds like a great plan, Jeff. The hand pad will make sanding much easier and more controlled, and the interface pad will help the sanding media conform to the shape of the lens.

When looking at the sanding media alone you've probably noticed "sanding discs" and "finishing discs". The "sanding discs" are basically abrasive media bonded to a film backer while the "finishing discs" have a bit of foam between the film and hook & loop attachment layer. This sort of cushions the blow as it were, meaning that a 1500 grit finishing disc is actually less aggressive than a 1500 grit sanding disc. The finishing discs, especially when used with an interface pad, can actually follow contours in the paint (think orange peel) and remove scratches without removing this texture. If you switched to a sanding disc and no interface pad, you would mow down that paint and remove the texture. While that may sound attractive, when trying to correct severe defects on only one panel this process ends up creating a different texture on that panel than on the adjacent panels, which is not ideal.

Back to the headlights: don't be afraid to go even more aggressive than the 1000 grit to start if need be. We offer sanding discs down to 320 grit and those are a great starting point for even heavily oxidized, yellowed, and coarse lenses. Obviously you don't want to start that aggressively if you don't have to, but know that they are there. Where ever you start, make sure to refine with 1000 grit and then 3000 grit finishing discs. That way you'll have a very easy time buffing out those final marks and the lenses will look like new again.

And don't forget to mask off any surrounding body work with some painters tape!

[Jossy92]

Re: Headlights Sanding -With What I've got???

Thanks for the full explanation, especially regarding going more aggressive. I will plan on getting the 500 and 800 sanding discs just in case. Forgot about masking. But at least I know to soak the discs in water. I think.........