New lens and detailing headlight

[badgx]

Got a few days to refresh and detail the headlights. I previously wet sanded, polished and sealed the lens but its yellowed again. After 17 years, it's worth replacing them.

I'm following the legit street cars video but won't paint the internals, intend to keep the OEM look. Will apply ceramic coating instead.

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[ALFAitalia]

Be very careful putting anything on the chrome parts inside the headlight. Headlight chrome is VERY soft and easily removed. Ask me how I know! Even just rubbing it with a cloth to get marks and dust off leaves chrome on the cloth. Try a tiny inconspicuous area with the ceramic to make sure it does not remove all the chrome!

 

[Petrol Pete]

Please take photos and keep us posted on how you get on . I watched Alex's video (I have been following him for years) , you have to love the 'curing' oven made from a cardboard box

 

[badgx]

Be very careful putting anything on the chrome parts inside the headlight. Headlight chrome is VERY soft and easily removed. Ask me how I know! Even just rubbing it with a cloth to get marks and dust off leaves chrome on the cloth. Try a tiny inconspicuous area with the ceramic to make sure it does not remove all the chrome!

Will do

 

[badgx]

Please take photos and keep us posted on how you get on . I watched Alex's video (I have been following him for years) , you have to love the 'curing' oven made from a cardboard box

Will do localised heating with heat gun, aiming to split the lens without the need for cardboard box oven. Not sure if it will work on mine but have seen some YouTube videos of people successfully taking the lens apart

 

[Petrol Pete]

I have a tentative plan to do this on our 'run around' Toyota Yaris as they have been polished a few times and have been mentioned by my friendly MOT man as becoming an area of concern (no advisory...yet) . The lenses I need are available.

I'm just going to watch you do yours first !

 

[badgx]

I have a tentative plan to do this on our 'run around' Toyota Yaris as they have been polished a few times and have been mentioned by my friendly MOT man as becoming an area of concern (no advisory...yet) . The lenses I need are available.

I'm just going to watch you do yours first !

No worries, will post up progress

 

[badgx]

 

[badgx]

Just an update, no need for cardboard box. I was able to split the lens within 5 fives of heat application. The key is to keep the heat gun moving. You must not place heat at one localised spot, otherwise the plastic will melt.

As rightly mentioned above by ALFAitalia, use microfiber cloth very GENTLY on the chrome to avoid inflicting any scratches to the chrome. USE BRAND NEW CLEAN SOFT MICROFIBER CLOTH. The chrome is very fragile and can also be easily wiped off from the plastic due to aging process. The chrome will flake off if you manhandle it too much.

When reinstalling, the old glue should be removed by hand as much as possible before applying a fresh beading of headlight lens glue which comes in a roll.

Once the beading has been applied, it must be heated for 5 minutes again, which will soften it. The heat gun must be kept moving, otherwise you could melt the plastic and cause distortion to the headlight lens and body.

The project took me less than half an hour to refurbish the headlight. I think the bumper removal process took much longer.

 

[badgx]

Job completed detailed the rear of the headlight housing and ceramic coated the new lens with AvalonKing. The video below shows how quick you must move the head gun, never leave it focused on one spot, always keep the gun moving. No need for oven! As you can see from the photo below, the old lens seen better days.

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[badgx]

Nearside completed too, ready to reinstall on car

 

[pmcgsmurf]

How'd you find the quality of the new lenses, local supplier?

 

[badgx]

How'd you find the quality of the new lenses, local supplier?

The lens were purchased from eBay, the moulding is exactly identical as the original lens cover. Couldn't fault it, very happy

 

[Petrol Pete]

Cheers badgx , my turn next I suppose .

 

[badgx]

Cheers badgx , my turn next I suppose .

Good luck mate, it's not too difficult but remove any HID ballast if it's mounted on the headlight. Mine was mounted underneath the housing with screws. I removed it to protect it from any potential knocks and heat exposure.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Good luck mate, it's not too difficult but remove any HID ballast if it's mounted on the headlight. Mine was mounted underneath the housing with screws. I removed it to protect it from any potential knocks and heat exposure.

It's a 2006 Toyota Yaris mate , no HID ballast in this puppy , I might replace the mantles on the gas burners in the headlamps if they look a little sooty.

 

[badgx]

It's a 2006 Toyota Yaris mate , no HID ballast in this puppy , I might replace the mantles on the gas burners in the headlamps if they look a little sooty.

That should be an easy job

 

[ALFAitalia]

It's a 2006 Toyota Yaris mate , no HID ballast in this puppy , I might replace the mantles on the gas burners in the headlamps if they look a little sooty.

Probably double its value!!......like when I fill my car with fuel!!!

 

[Petrol Pete]

Probably double its value!!......like when I fill my car with fuel!!!

Tell me about it , as I have mentioned on here before SWMBO has a almost fetishist attraction to her 53 plate Vauxhall Zafira A " better the devil you know" .

The recent cam belt and water pump replacement at my mates garage cost more than the car is worth. I knew I was flogging a dead horse some years ago when I offered to replace it with a Porsche and she turned it down.

Thats when I used some of the Porsche funds to buy my C55 AMG .

A car she (even after about 5 years on our drive ) refuses to drive . Sod it , I give up .