mismatching headlights

[KellyJ]

okay so as some of you may know i cracked my headlight in an accident "with a chain" and so i got the new headlight in today and its brand spanking new and really clear- i was wondering if anyone knew the stuff i can buy (possibly meguiar's) that clears up lenses to give them a newer, if not new, look?

 

[tarheeltp17]

It's like Meguiars Plastic-x or something like that... plast-x ... idk it polishes plastic and yes it works. I've never tried it for your application but i've def. used it for a few other things.

 

[KellyJ]

think it would make a noticable difference on a 5 year old headlight? the difference between the two is day and night

edit...thanks for the name i'll grab a bottle tomorrow

 

[broncosi]

haha this makes me think, with my girlfriend having the 03' runner, we're at the stealership all the time and they are advertising for this "headlight restoration" and they had a before and after pic. So i was like oh cool, so i asked a salesperson what the deal with that was and how they did it. He said oh well, umm . . . basically . . . . ah hell, we just replace the whole headlight. So thats that.


I thought the fog and stuff on headlights was on the inside though and that messing on the outside wouldn't really do anything?

 

[firebane]

if the headlights are plastic wetsand them with 1000 and 2000 grit sandpaper and you'll get them looking like new again... just don't sand to much then use that Meguiars to get em glossy and shiny!

 

[Jason B]

You can't really do anything because your stock lights are GLASS. If they were plastic, yea you could...

 

[RonMAIDEN]

Mine look pretty clear and new and mine have 125k miles on them.

 

[Rbv714]

I have a buddy that had the restoration done on his 98 explorer. It makes the headlights shinier, but not necessarily CLEARER. Because they only put the stuff on the outside. But yeah the headlights are glass arent they?

 

[Jason B]

4Runner headlights are glass. Now, not all aftermarket replacment 4Runner lights are glass, so be careful. The ones I sell are GLASS.

 

[tarheeltp17]

you can clean the inside of headlights as well. Basically you take the headlight out and put it in the oven at like 300 degrees for a few minutes... eventually the glue and what not holding the front to the housing will melt apart allowing you to clean the inside. Then you can use some silicon and what not to put it back together. CAUTION: This is NOT for the average DIY guy... You can royally mess up your light becuase that glue doesn't really come off of the housing all that well so you have to be extremely careful.

 

[Rbv714]

you can clean the inside of headlights as well. Basically you take the headlight out and put it in the oven at like 300 degrees for a few minutes... eventually the glue and what not holding the front to the housing will melt apart allowing you to clean the inside. Then you can use some silicon and what not to put it back together. CAUTION: This is NOT for the average DIY guy... You can royally mess up your light becuase that glue doesn't really come off of the housing all that well so you have to be extremely careful.

...for glass heads im guessing?

 

[broncosi]

...for glass heads im guessing?

yes but its nearly impossible for the average person as he stated, i tried this thinking it would be easy enough and i cracked 2 tail lights.

There is a VERY specific time frame you have to get them out and seperate the glass off them before it cools and re-hardens. But if you leave them in the oven too long they crack.

 

[Rbv714]

...but arent tailights plastic?

 

[KellyJ]

yes they are plastic. and thanks for the responses i should have remember that they are glass because i cut my finger on the lens and there is no way plastic could be that sharp for the crack that it had. i guess now is the time to buy silverstars since i have a PIAA and a regular halogen in it now...which makes for 5 different shades of lights on the front of my car...they replaced the parking light with an amber bulb instead of a clear so it looks like this from a front view

amber parking--halogen____PIAA--white parking

silverstar_____________silverstar

thats attractive

 

[tarheeltp17]

if you really want to do it yourself.... take the extra time to check every few minutes to see if the lights are starting to melt away from the frame or not. I really don't suggest this to anyone who isn't somewhat of a custom guru, but by all means try it if you feel necessary. I consider myself somewhat of a guy who you can trust to try something but has the possibilty to mess up. I've done a few headlights and I speak from experience when I say it was one of the hardest things I've tried to do. Task wise in what you have to do to separate the lights isn't hard, but making sure the lights weren't cracking, melting too quick, and what not makes it a very time-consuming project. All in all you may find it better to just replace the light.

 

[Rbv714]

so you guys put plastic taillights in a 300 degree oven?