Headlight restoration?

[F150]

I was told on another post i can clarify headlights with focus pads, but could anyone tell me what polish to use?

 

The headlights need them, badly!

[StormChaser]

I've used swirl and haze and made killer results.

 

 

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[F150]

Hmm, that sounds good! Now all I need is a really good drill, and the pads. haha

[DaveVY]

I have played around with this on a few different cars and don't have a good routine down for me yet. I usually step through the three polishes. Trying to determine what benefits I get from each and how it differs from car to car.

 

Generally the Severe Swirl and Haze Remover or Swirl and Haze Remover polishes do most of the work. Finishing up with the Fine Machine Polish does seem to add just a little bit of gloss.

 

You don't need a "good drill", any old cheapo drill you have in the bottom of some bucket or drawer will work just fine. I use an old cheap corded drill that is over 15 years old. It may not be as convenient as a new cordless but my budget is happier with my using the old drill.

[BRZN]

Before:

 

After wet sanding and before polishing:

Wet sanding is only needed in extreme cases and not always necessary even then. It can save time if you know what you're doing. If you don't know what you're doing you may end up making them worse or end up having to purchase new headlight assemblies.

 

After polishing:

 

Tools:

Covered in red was a heavy cut compound I used on a yellow pad (Adam's no longer sells yellow). It really wasn't needed, the SSR and green pad cut almost as quickly.

 

I hand polished in the tight corners I couldn't get the pads on the drill into.

 

This customer tried to restore his headlights himself and thankfully stopped after the mess he made on the one pictured. He tried to use one of the advertized headlight restoratiuon kits that included two different grit sanding discs and a synthetic wool pad that were to be used on a drill. He figured he'd save himself some time and start with the most aggressive sanding disc on an air tool. If you look closely at the pictures you can see some spots along the lower edge of the light he melted and where the disc came in contact with the cars bumper.