VE headlight - Is it haze or something else? Can't remove markings.

[dbob-001]

Tried cleaning my headlight on my VE Series 2 SV6 with a Turtle Wax Headlight Restorer Kit to remove some haze and minor yellowing.

However not sure if its haze or something else as there still appears to be a thin layer across the bottom half of the headlight.

I tried a few more passes using the scrubbing pads from the Turtle Wax Headlight Restorer Kit but it doesn't seem to remove the markings.

Not sure now whether the product is not working properly or there is some other kind of damage besides haze?

Anyone else seen similar markings?

Any ideas or suggestions to remove?

Thanks

 

[lmoengnr]

Tried cleaning my headlight on my VE Series 2 SV6 with a Turtle Wax Headlight Restorer Kit to remove some haze and minor yellowing.

However not sure if its haze or something else as there still appears to be a thin layer across the bottom half of the headlight.

I tried a few more passes using the scrubbing pads from the Turtle Wax Headlight Restorer Kit but it doesn't seem to remove the markings.

Not sure now whether the product is not working properly or there is some other kind of damage besides haze?

Anyone else seen similar markings?

Any ideas or suggestions to remove?

Thanks

It looks like part of the original UV coating is still there.
You might need to be a bit more 'aggressive' with the headlight polishing.

 

[Skylarking]

For years headlight lenses have been made from polycarbonate and have had a UV resistant two pack clear coat applied by the headlight manufacturer when they were first made. The problem is that the clear coat will eventually degrade and start to come off leaving part of the lens without UV coating and part of it with some UV coating. Such makes it hard to correct the problem well unless aggressive action is taken to sand the lens so no clear coat remains and then apply new UV resistant two pack clear coat to finish it off correctly.

I've posted a few video showing on various threads how this aggressive sanding is done and also linked to where one can buy the two pack clear coat. Search is your friend

Basically those headlight restore kits that one pics up from auto stores are cheap and will never do a good job. It's much like buying rattle cans to do a shut door respray... Everyone's outcome will be different ranging from crappy to not so crappy with only few doing a 1/2 decent job.

Buying the UV headlight clear coat is pricy (becuse they dont have really small containers) as seem below

Home

OEM Headlight Restore Polycarbonate UV Protective Headlight Clear Coat is developed for the professional user that lasts.

oemheadlightrestore.com.au

The following mob seems to be provide it as a service in Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast but may have associates that do the same in Melbourne

Our Clear Coat for Headlights | Headlight Restoration & Repairs Specialists

Our Clear Coat for Headlights with our advanced sprayed on headlight UV protective clear coat service with our 3-year Warranty

www.headlightrestore.com.au

PS: the UV clear coat also provides abrasion protection to the lens which is something that bare polycarbonate can't do. Neither can those Acrylic clear coat do it well. Basically a two pack UV resistant clear coat which is the closest to what the manufacturers use is the best option longer term. Really, it ain't too expensive to have done considering what kits cost and the time you waste faffing about with those cheap kits.

 

[Fu Manchu]

You won’t remove the coating by polishing. It needs to be sanded back.
Progressively working toward 1000, 2000.
Then 2K clear or I use duplicolor headlight coating.

I’ve done two or three threads on it I think

 

[losh1971]

If the clear coat is peeling try a Karcher or maybe a powerful carwash hose. Once 2k starts to peel you can sometimes remove pretty much the lot with a few goes with a pressure washer. 2k delaminates once it starts going as it just lays over the top.

 

[Fu Manchu]

It’s not 2K on the lens. It’s the UV protective coating. Has to be sanded off.

 

[losh1971]

It’s not 2K on the lens. It’s the UV protective coating. Has to be sanded off.

Ok, fair enough. Mine is coming off on one light on it's own with what I think might just be the hose nozzle.

 

[Fu Manchu]

It might have already been painted with 2k clear.

The one posted has the factory coating degrading. It has to be sanded. Any other method is just going to result in an equally shitty looking light.

Just needs some care and work and will be like new.

 

[losh1971]

I replaced the lights with a brand new pair. One had a little nick in it when I bought it. I thought nothing off it at the time and now I have lost over 40% of the coating. Must be cheap coating? Only one light is affected.

 

[losh1971]

It might have already been painted with 2k clear.

The one posted has the factory coating degrading. It has to be sanded. Any other method is just going to result in an equally shitty looking light.

Just needs some care and work and will be like new.

I thought maybe the bulk would come off, with a decent blast since I thought I saw it mentioned it's a 2k coating?

Best way is your way Fu, take the lights out and do them really well.