V8Soarer

Now read carefully....I sanded my headlight with 2000 grit sandpaper. I sanded it without using any water though....I didnt realize that I should have WET sanded it until after I did it.
Anyways, the headlight was filled with scratches...I then used a plastic polish, and it removed some of the scratches...but the headlight is still a little cloudy...if you will....from the sandpaper.
What can I do to remove this? Like I said...I already used plastic polish on it.
Is there a 3000 grit or something I can resand with?
Maybe I should try to do it right again and wetsand it with 2000?
A stronger polish??

Daddy-O

What plastic polish did you use?

Guitarman

I'd take the 2000 to it again, this time with soapy water. Use light pressure after initial medium pressure, and keep it wet. Follow up with a rubbing compound (3M fine - cut works) and then a finer polishing compound, and you should be clear again. Good luck.

RON430

Might want to try a buffing pad and specific plastic polishing compound but be advised that what you are doing is similar to an optical polish because you are looking through that lens and it takes a fair amount of experience to get good results. Can you get somebody to do it? I doubt it. A detailer will polish paint and gets expertise doing that but that headlight lens is another animal. Hopefully you can get results with a machine buffer and plastic polish that you will be happy with. As with any machine polish, try to go as slow as possible and if you have anything that is a similar material, try practicing on it first to get your procedure right. Good luck.

V8Soarer

Well I originally used the Blue Magic plastic and plexiglass polish and light scratch remover.
Daddy...what are your thoughts on the other suggestions?
Guitar...I actually have the 3m fine cut in my garage...but using a rubbing compound that isnt intended for plastic (well actually the HL are acrylic)...that wont harm it will it?

Guitarman

When i bought my GS, the lenses were slightly dull, and I did exactly that procedure , with those products, and acheived like new clarity, albiet with a rotary buffer to do the polishing (2 steps) instead of by hand. But then, I also have wet sanded show cars, and many headlight lenses over the years, so I have a lot of experience too. Straight polishing would be safer if you feel uncomfortable with doing the wet sanding. Either that, or take it to a pro.

No-it won't hurt it at all, remember; urethane enamel (the paint that's on our cars ) is just another form of plastic like our headlights, kissing cousins as it were. And the polishes were engineered for that so...

I would be happy to do it free for you if you were near me. Good luck. Dan H

RON430

V8Soarer - I haven't looked for some time but Orchard Supply used to carry polishes, including a dandy polish for plastics. It would be in the neighborhood where the polishing bonnets are. Probably the tool corral. Haven't looked for years but they used to carry it. It is in stick form and you apply it to the spinning bonnet and then work it on the plastic. Haven't tried conventional polishing compounds on the plastic covers but if you have a compound that is OK on a clear coat paint, it should be fine.