Headlight Restoration

B

Batch

New member
Hi all

Since I bought my 2004 4Runner 3 years ago it had had badly faded headlights. I had thought about buying new ones but never got around to it. this morning I bought one of those headlight restoration kits from wally world and used it.

Best $25 I ever spent. It worked beautifully.
 

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Looks great. I am planning to restore my 03 headlights also. Which kit did you buy? What steps did you take and how long it took? Thanks.
 
good2go said:
Looks great. I am planning to restore my 03 headlights also. Which kit did you buy? What steps did you take and how long it took? Thanks.
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Good2go, I used the Mcguires heavy duty kit. It came with the sanding pads, the polishing wheel, the Polish and the protectant. all you will need is some windex, a drill, some masking tape and a couple of extra rags.

It took about an hour to do both lights but if you were in a hurry you could do it in half that time.

It required no special skills. It was the easiest thing I will probably do today.
 
maybe not if you dont throw a UV protector on after, but the kit comes with UV protector. should last longer, no?
 
from everything i've read no. In 3-4 mos. they'll cloud again and you can buy another kit for 25 bucks. I think you're best off either buying new headlights or polishing the hell out of what you have now. I've got 10 years out of my OEM ones and they look like new. A little rain-x (the cleaner cleaner) and turtle liquid polish/wax every 2 months. All my 2 cents. However I looked into this for quite some while and that seemed to be the consensus.
 
bigjebus said:
from everything i've read no. In 3-4 mos. they'll cloud again and you can buy another kit for 25 bucks. I think you're best off either buying new headlights or polishing the hell out of what you have now. I've got 10 years out of my OEM ones and they look like new. A little rain-x (the cleaner cleaner) and turtle liquid polish/wax every 2 months. All my 2 cents. However I looked into this for quite some while and that seemed to be the consensus.
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This holds true to most off the shelf reconditioning products for headlights. I have bought many, cheap and expensive, with proper application and maintenance for them to only last a few months. Now I just apply toothpaste with a damp microfiber cloth every two months and it works surprisingly well.
Checkout this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEJbKLZ7RmM
 
THIS is the fix

Congrats OP, headlights look great! So whatever method you use, you HAVE TO PROTECT THEM for UV damages afterwards. The candy-ass wax they (any kit) give you will last a few days. It's a joke.

Try this:

Optimum Opti-Lens Permanent Headlight Coating, headlight coatings protectants

Some dude in Hawaii applied it to his headlights and literally left them out in the Hawaiian sun for (in his backyard and for a couple years, can't remember) a long time and practically nothing happened to them.

Win
 
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I just used mosquito spray with rain x afterwards. Did mine several months ago and still looks good. A lot of people said it wont last but I dont know what there talking about since it still looks good and didnt cost me anything
 
Hapeacres said:
I just used mosquito spray with rain x afterwards. Did mine several months ago and still looks good. A lot of people said it wont last but I dont know what there talking about since it still looks good and didnt cost me anything
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Give it time. Without UV protection, the plastic will oxidize again.
 
Also used the Mcquires kit. Headlights still look good after a few months but I also waxed the headlights when I waxed my 4runner. There was enough left in the kit to do the same to my Tundra. Did taillights on both vehicles also. This summer here in the hot Arizona sun will play havoc with everything but if I have to do it again in the fall I am fine with that!
 
Get a urethane clear coat and get a few good coats on there. It will last several years. My local Maaco sanded and clear coated for $50 and guaranteed it for life.
 
edwardvmassey said:
Get a urethane clear coat and get a few good coats on there. It will last several years. My local Maaco sanded and clear coated for $50 and guaranteed it for life.
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That's what I did, wet sanded them and my son sprayed them with automotive clear coat. It's only been about 8 months, but so far so good.
 
Specific brand of clear coat?

[MENTION=91230]iBison[/MENTION] and [MENTION=105458]edwardvmassey[/MENTION] do either of you have a specific brand of clear coat that you guys used. I am about to restore my head lights and would like to protect them with a clear coat afterwards and hopefully get another couple years out of them. Links are always welcome. If not just a specific brand works
 
acronin2 said:
[MENTION=91230]iBison[/MENTION] and [MENTION=105458]edwardvmassey[/MENTION] do either of you have a specific brand of clear coat that you guys used. I am about to restore my head lights and would like to protect them with a clear coat afterwards and hopefully get another couple years out of them. Links are always welcome. If not just a specific brand works
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Sherwin Williams.
 
If you have a sprayer, any urethane clear is fine, Sherwin is always trustworthy. But, if you are like me and you trust your hand with a rattle can, Rustoleum makes a good clear coat that I've had good results with. Just make sure that you do light coats with a steady hand, ripples will drive you crazy.
 
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