Visibility on the road is critical for the success of any driver.
Today there are millions of vehicles on the road with yellow
or hazed headlight lens. The poor condition of these lenses
compromise the light intensity and appearance of the vehicle.
The 3M™ Headlight Lens Restoration System will dramatically improve the clarity of
vehicle
headlight lenses. Restoring the clarity of these headlight lenses increases the
visibility for drivers,
reduces glare for oncoming traffic and improves the visual appearance of the
headlights. The next few minutes this video will offer step-by-step
instructions for using the
3M™ Headlight Lens Restoration System. To begin
you'll need components included in the 3M™ Headlight Restoration System;
A household drill that is 1,200 - 1600rpm,
3M™ Automotive Masking Tape,
a spray bottle filled with water and a 3M™ Detail Cloth.
For large or extremely hazed lenses more than one kit may be required.
Be sure to wear proper respiratory protection and safety glasses,
especially when sanding. Clean the lens with soap and water
then after drying, tape off the area around the lens.
With the power disconnected, mount the backup pad
onto the 1200 to 1600 rpm drill.
Follow the drill manufacturer instructions to properly attach the
backup pad securely into the drill.
Attach and center the P500 grit gold-colored
abrasive disc to the backup pad. Using medium to light pressure
begin sanding to remove the yellow in its surface defects from
the lens. A slow and steady back fourth action will be most effective. When the disc
is clogged
or no longer sanding effectively replace it with a new
P500 grit disc. Some notes about drilling.
Do NOT use excessive pressure down on the drill or the headlight lens.
Do NOT hold the drill in one place while sanding this can cause the lens surface to
heat up and smear
becoming difficult to remove. Hold the drill flat or at a very slight angle
and control the drill by using a slow steady speed across the lens.
Wipe off the lens and inspect it to ensure all the
yellowing and defects have been completely removed.
If yellowing defects or portions of the surface coding still exist
continue sanding with P500 grit discs
until they are completely removed. The lens should have a white
evenly sanded surface that appears to look frosted. If any portion
looks clear or glossy continue sanding it before moving to the next step.
Remove the P500 disc. Attach and center a
P800 grit abrasive disc to the backup pad. These
are the white sanding discs with purple printing on the back. Begin sanding
using the same light to medium pressure as before making several passes over the
entire lens to be sure that the
P500 grit scratches from the previous step are reduced to P800
scratchs. Wipe the lens
noticing if the scratches are finer, if coarse scratches are still visible
continue sanding with the P800 until the coarse scratches are reduced.
Remove the P800 disc and apply the P3000 Trizact™ Foam Disc.
This is the thin foam disc that looks green or grey in
colour. Dampen the lens and the P3000 Trizact™ Foam
Disc with the water bottle and then using the same light to medium pressure as
before
sand the surface to reduce the P800 scratches
to P3000 scratches. Add a mist of water
if the surface becomes dry while sanding. A white
residual or slurry will build up on the lens indicating that you are reducing
the sand scratches.
Continue with 4 to 6 passes over the lens after you
see white slurry, if you're not seeing the slurry
make 10 to 12 passes on the lens. Extra sanding
will make the next step easier and improve the final clarity of the
headlight. Wipe the lens noticing if the scratches are finer and
the lens appears clear. If coarse scratches are still visible
mist the area with water and continue sending with the P3000 disc
until the coarse scratches are reduced. It's now time to polish the lens.
Remove the P3000 foam disc from the drill and attach the
orange foam compounding pad. Dispense a dime size amount of 3M™ Headlight Lens Polish
onto the compounding pad and smear the polish with the foam pad around the
lens before turning the drill on
to reduce splatter. Holding the drill flat
polish the lens until the cloudy haze is gone
and the clarity is significantly improved. If
additional clarity is needed or desired add another
dime-sized amount of 3M™ Headlight Lens Polish to the
compounding pad and continue buffing.
Remove the masking tape and wipe the lens clean with a 3M™
Microfibre Detail Cloth. Wash any residual spatter
from the vehicle using car wash soap in a clean soft cloth.
The lens is now restored and with better clarity and visual appearance.
Providing clearer light intensity, a nicer looking vehicle
and additional safety when you're out on the road. For more information on these
and many other
great 3M products please visit our website at www.3Mcarcare.com