Need help - Headlight Scratch Removal

[rancid]

Hey guys,

Got my wife a new car and wouldn't you know it, a box busted in our garage that was holding some hardwood flooring and a metal ruler and it scratched the hood, bumper, and put a straight line about an inch on the headlight plastic. I bought some Novus scratch removal and was able to get rid of one of the scratches in the headlight but the deeper one will not budge. Luckily I was able to use my buffer to fix the hood and bumper.

Does anyone know of anything that will remove the scratch or at least make it so it isn't near as visible? These headlights are $700 so not a cheap fix if it has to be replaced. :fm:

 

[LDC2335]

Post a pic for better advice, but wet sanding is probably the only way to get a scratch out of plastic.

Start with some 1500 grit wet sand paper and work your way up to a 2500/3000. Then rubbing compound till all the sanding marks are buffed out, then few coats of wax.

Good luck.

 

[rancid]

LDC,

Thanks for reply. I bought the sandpaper and gave it a shot and before I could feel the scratch with my fingernail and now I can't but it is still visible. Do you think the last bit might require machine correction vs. hand? I started with 1000 grit to 2500 and from a visibility standpoint it is there just not as noticeable.

I will try to snap a pic tomorrow.

 

[oldmodman]

I use the foam backed sanding discs on a drill motor. I start with 250 grit, them 600, 1000, 1500, and 3000. Then I polish as necessary. By now i have removed all the scratches and any yellowing, along with all the UV coating.
So I coat the now perfect lenses with Marine Spar Varnish. Cut 50-50 with odorless mineral spirits.

So far, the earliest lenses I did still look like they were just done four years later.

 

[LDC2335]

MI

LDC,

Thanks for reply. I bought the sandpaper and gave it a shot and before I could feel the scratch with my fingernail and now I can't but it is still visible. Do you think the last bit might require machine correction vs. hand? I started with 1000 grit to 2500 and from a visibility standpoint it is there just not as noticeable.


I will try to snap a pic tomorrow.

Gonna have to keep sanding. They sell the headlight restore kits that have a sanding/polish disk that hooks to a drill. Might help with the arm ache. Sounds like it was pretty deep.

Use the lowest number grit to get the scratch all the way out. The higher grits and compounds are just to get out the previous grits scratches. Maybe try a 600-750 grit to help with that last little bit. Sounds like your making progress though.

Good advice above about the Marine varnish and mineral spirits. Wipe down light with alcohol to remove any rubbing compound, then mix varnish/min spirits 50/50 and wipe on with rag/microfiber. Let dry about 30 mins. Then wax if you'd like. Google has a lot of how-to's.

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