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Headlight cleaner/polisher

Discussion in 'Detailing' started by tmac58star, Aug 25, 2024.

  1. Aug 25, 2024 at 3:58 PM
    #1
    tmac58star

    tmac58star [OP] New Member

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    Got after the lightly oxidized headlight buckets on my 07 SR5. Turned out pretty well, even though the Meguiar's cleaner & polish is kind of old...looks much better.

    20240825_172902.jpg
    20240825_172913.jpg
    20240825_172929.jpg
     
    mtucker likes this.
  2. Aug 25, 2024 at 4:49 PM
    #2
    Danimal86

    Danimal86 Looks clean even when its dirty!

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    might want to give some cerakote a try. Should last a while.
     
    KNABORES likes this.
  3. Aug 26, 2024 at 10:41 PM
    #3
    Bigblueintahoe

    Bigblueintahoe New Member

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    My colleague at work also used the cerakote headlight restoration kit with great success
     
    kamaaina1 and TRD ROB like this.
  4. Aug 27, 2024 at 2:29 PM
    #4
    Danny3737

    Danny3737 New Member

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    Ditto on the Cerakote. Stuff is a wet and it lasts
     
    KNABORES likes this.
  5. Aug 27, 2024 at 5:05 PM
    #5
    tmac58star

    tmac58star [OP] New Member

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    Looks like a terminal, once-off product purchase. Dampness and 2 grit pads for wet sanding, plus a plastic pad applicator. I'll stick with Meguiars and seal with a wax coat.
     
  6. Aug 27, 2024 at 5:07 PM
    #6
    KNABORES

    KNABORES Sarcasm incoming

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    I’ll 3rd or 4th the cerakote kit. Did mine almost a year ago and still look great
     
  7. Aug 27, 2024 at 5:12 PM
    #7
    KNABORES

    KNABORES Sarcasm incoming

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    Bilstein 5100's 16x8 589's with 265/75/16 and 1.25" spacers Flowmaster 50 series over the axle dump Pioneer touchscreen with backup camera Full interior and dash LED conversion Trailer brake controller with 7 pin Bedliner coat bumpers & trim ARE topper - Rhino Vortex rack
    Before:

    IMG_1292.jpg

    After:

    IMG_1293.jpg

    One year later:

    IMG_1294.jpg
     
  8. Aug 27, 2024 at 5:14 PM
    #8
    JohnF4x4

    JohnF4x4 New Member

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    When last December i purchased my 3 gen tundra in preparation to pass my 2008 4runner to my daughter i polished i for the first time in its life, i used el cheapo HF polisher/buffer about $7 and Meguiar's Ultimate Compound $13.
    Ran over the head lights as well. They still like new. Better then my previous attempts with specials restoration kits.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2024
    tmac58star[OP] and KNABORES like this.
  9. Aug 30, 2024 at 8:04 AM
    #9
    hackettTRD

    hackettTRD New Member

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    I used Cerakote on my wife's "13 Camry headlight and it scratched the hell out of it. Threw it away and bought a new headlight. She had hit a deer and the other one was brand new. I use Rain-X on my "07 Tundra headlight. Rub it in like a polishing compund. It also coats it. Try it, it works good.
     
  10. Aug 30, 2024 at 2:26 PM
    #10
    Danny3737

    Danny3737 New Member

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    Wow, I’ve done about 7 vehicles ( 4 were my own ) and they all came out looking like new. The first one I did has been over 3 years and still looks like the day I did it.
     
  11. Aug 31, 2024 at 3:20 PM
    #11
    coastaldesert

    coastaldesert New Member

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    Improved! I just gave up on mine and replaced them with some Eagle Eyes OEM style total replacements, also threw in some silverstars while I was at it. Looks much better for around $200 all in!
     
    KNABORES likes this.
  12. Aug 31, 2024 at 10:34 PM
    #12
    Dr_Al

    Dr_Al New Member

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    I tried to do mine (can't remember which brand headlight restorer) and found out the reflective part of the light was so bad that I gave up on my '07. I got a real cheap set of Chinese replacements that look just fine but I'm sure they will not last that long. Since then I replaced the low beam bulb with a projector upgrade kit. Had I done that first I probably would have not worried about the dullness of the original light's reflectors.
     
  13. Sep 29, 2024 at 1:53 PM
    #13
    Solid Snake

    Solid Snake The Anciet of Mu Mu

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    I just cleaned up my headlights with the Turtle Wax headlight kit. Not too bad for $13 from Home Depot.
    GridArt_20240929_153406011.jpg
     
    KNABORES likes this.
  14. Oct 1, 2024 at 12:53 PM
    #14
    Bigblueintahoe

    Bigblueintahoe New Member

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    Just used this. Super easy to apply with great results.

    IMG_7629.jpg
    IMG_7636.png
    IMG_7630.jpg
    IMG_7631.png
     
  15. Oct 1, 2024 at 1:06 PM
    #15
    T-Rex266

    T-Rex266 SpaceX Director Staff Member

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    For those that are compounding/polishing...my advice would be to then treat it with IPA and ceramic it.
     
  16. Oct 2, 2024 at 4:07 AM
    #16
    TundraClayDigger

    TundraClayDigger New Member

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    I have used Klasse AIO to clean my wife's old 2006 Camry's headlights. It works well and they look like new. It is a sealant but it also has cleaners in it. I tried it on my niece's husband's 2014 Tundra that were hazed very badly. It cleaned them up some but Klasse would not bring them back to clear. I told him we would buy a headlight kit because we needed a more powerful cleaner to polish them out.
     
  17. Oct 9, 2024 at 5:38 AM
    #17
    vmkeith

    vmkeith New Member

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    Clark County, Wa
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    I just finished up doing a headlight restoration this weekend. I just had some simple clouding, nothing seriously bad like yellowing or deep scratches. Watched a ton of videos on YouTube to compare different techniques. I went with the following:

    1. 3" border of painter's tape around each headlight
    2. Cleaned both headlights with simple Windex 3x
    3. Wet sanded with 1000 grit and 3000 grit sandpaper (soaked 5" x 5" pieces of sandpaper in water for 10 minutes before use)
    4. Cleaned with Windex 3x again and let dry (can speed up drying process with a heat gun set on medium heat)
    5. Applied Chemical Guys Headlight Restore and Protect with a fine polish pad until transparent
    6. Hand buffed with a clean dry microfiber towel
    7. Applied 2 coats of Meguiar's Keep Clear Headlight Coating

    All total, maybe 1.5 hours for both headlights. It's not perfect, but a damn sight better than what it was and don't have to fork out the cash to have someone else do it.

    Truck.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2024 at 6:16 AM
  18. Oct 9, 2024 at 6:14 AM
    #18
    Bigblueintahoe

    Bigblueintahoe New Member

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    Nice work!
     

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