What's a Good Substitute for 3M Lens Polish?

[5th beatle]

I'm currently using the 3M #39008 Headlight Restoration Kit for my 2005 Corolla. Have enough sanding and finishing disks for one more job. What can I use for Lens polish without buying a whole new kit? Also, has anyone concocted a DIY version of the sanding/finishing disks?:scratch2:

 

[CougarXR7]

I use store-bought Turtle Wax Polishing Compound. Some people have reported that metal polish (Nevr-Dull) has worked well, too.

I like to wet-sand the headlights starting with 1,000 grit and finishing with 1,500 grit. I wet-sand until there is no longer a yellow tinge to the polycarbonate lens. I then follow with 5-7 applications of Turtle Wax polishing compound to finish the surface. I used to seal it with carnauba wax, but the UV exposure would quickly turn the headlights yellow once again.

Last spring I applied a UV-blocking clearcoat after the sanding and polishing process. The headlights have held up for nearly a year with no yellowing. For reference, these are the original headlights from 1995. When I bought the car in '04, the headlights were so yellow and foggy that driving at night was out of the question.

For what it's worth, I remove the headlights from the car when I do this. The job consumes nearly an entire day, but it's time well spent versus buying new headlight assemblies.

 

[5th beatle]

Cougar,

Interesting choice using polishing compound. So, it is not too abrasive in your experience vs a plastic polisher?

 

[jsixis]

I like meguiar's scratch 2.0

 

[jocko_nc]

Optical grade cerium oxide. It will polish plastic eyeglass lenses. You can get a bag on Ebay,

 

[whitey]

Mothers Chrome polish. 'Nuff said. Been using it for years on my trucks. Had the same little jar for over five years.

 

[Sir.Byrd]

You could try some Flitz plastic polish. Seems to work well. It's mildly abrasive, so make sure you mask off the metal nearby or remove the lenses.

 

[CougarXR7]

Cougar,

Interesting choice using polishing compound. So, it is not too abrasive in your experience vs a plastic polisher?

Here is my theory:

When you have cloudy and yellowed headlights, it's primarily caused by the breakdown of the polycarbonate material due to UV exposure. When you use an off-the-shelf polish kit, you're polishing that oxidized surface. You will succeed in getting some clarity through that outer layer.

By first wet-sanding and using a compound (we're talking polishing compound, not rubbing compound), you remove that etched and yellowed outer layer. You can always follow the compound with a fine polish to create a glass-smooth finish, as it will remove the fine scratches left behind by the compound.

 

[chillwolf]

Nice job on that lens, Xr7! It is worth the time and effort, as those replacement lenses go for ridiculous prices. :sigh:

 

[gadget73]

the Meguier's PlastX works well, or honestly if you have some paste style toothpaste, that will probably do the job as well. can't be the gel stuff, has to be something like original Crest or Colgate, or ideally that Tom's of Maine baking soda stuff. Heck, you could probably mix up some baking soda and water and get the job done.

 

[5th beatle]

Cougar,

My brain locked in rubbing compound, which is a diffeent kettle of fish....my bad. The 3M kit has 4 stages....a 500 grit? sanding disk, an 800? sanding disk, a fine foam polish/ scratch remover, then the plastic polish buffing. I got good, not great results last year in my first attempt. Needs it again.

Before using the 3M kit, I tried the baking soda and toothpaste route first. Struck out with both. I suppose I could sub the wet sanding for the 3M 500/800 disks, then use foam polisher, then polishing compound or others examples mentioned.

 

[CougarXR7]

If the 3M kit has all of those stages and materials, I think you're all set with that.
I had assumed that it was just a bottle of polish, like the Meguiar's product, or the "magic" stuff on the infomercials. That's why I chimed in with my technique.

3M makes high-quality stuff. Maybe you could spend more time with each step in the process to get better results.

 

[andy]

People seem to be skipping the most important step, which is applying a new UV protective coating. Without it, they won't stay clear for long. Look for a kit that comes with a coating.

 

[5th beatle]

Andy,

That may explain why after 6-8 months it looked cloudy again. Good idea. Plus, I will sand/polish a little longer at each stage this time and see what happens.

 

[CougarXR7]

I wanted to add to this thread so it can be used as a reference for those of you who try to keep your headlights clear. I recently detailed the car and used some of the wax on the headlights.

I polished them 10 months ago and applied several coats of UV-blocking clearcoat, and they still look great now. They would have turned yellow and cloudy again over the last 10 months had I not applied the clearcoat.

Don't spend money on new headlights when you can bring them back to life!