How to stop yellowing headlights?
Heard about it... but then again it's probably no better than using plastiX polish and does nothing in terms of a long term solution. The key to protecting your lights from yellowing or having to polish them with every wash is to coat them or have some sort of protective layer, whether it's the 3M film that Wicked SC suggested, professional clearcoat (one that is actually mixed on the spot with a hardening agent...not a rattle-can), or what I suggested with the Spar Urethane and Mineral Spirits mixed at 1:1. Simply waxing or using a paint sealant on freshly polished plastic lights is only good for a short period of time, you will still have to constantly re-polish them.
Lexus should have just made these lights with a glass lense...that solves everything.
Lexus should have just made these lights with a glass lense...that solves everything.
That's not true at all.
Here are some facts:
If your headlights are even slightly yellow, faded, or oxidized, it's an indicator that the factory UV coating on them has ALREADY failed. Further polishing by hand or machine will remove hte yellowness and hazing, but you are also further removing what's left of the factory coating. So in essence, you are leaving even less protection than you started with. Topping with a regular wax or regular sealant will realistically only last a few months at most if your car is garaged. If it stays outside in the sun, re-application of the wax/sealant would probably be needed on a monthly basis.
Even the industry's most durable coating (opti-coat 2.0) will fail on freshly polished headlights after several months.
If you want a permanent (relatively 2 years+) solution to clear headlights, you need to wetsand them and re-clear them or use a spar-urathane/mineral spirits 50/50 mixture and coat them after they are wetsanded 1500 or polished to a high gloss.
Here are some facts:
If your headlights are even slightly yellow, faded, or oxidized, it's an indicator that the factory UV coating on them has ALREADY failed. Further polishing by hand or machine will remove hte yellowness and hazing, but you are also further removing what's left of the factory coating. So in essence, you are leaving even less protection than you started with. Topping with a regular wax or regular sealant will realistically only last a few months at most if your car is garaged. If it stays outside in the sun, re-application of the wax/sealant would probably be needed on a monthly basis.
Even the industry's most durable coating (opti-coat 2.0) will fail on freshly polished headlights after several months.
If you want a permanent (relatively 2 years+) solution to clear headlights, you need to wetsand them and re-clear them or use a spar-urathane/mineral spirits 50/50 mixture and coat them after they are wetsanded 1500 or polished to a high gloss.
You guys probably won't believe me so I'll just saythis once. Those wheel cleaner/wax spray cans that people sell you at gas stations that NASCAR endorses works for yellowing headlights. Its called fw1. I used it on 3 sets of headlights and it removed the yellowing for the most part. The pilot and Tacoma removed what it can, but the sun has already took it's toll on the clear coat(you can tell from the chips).
I found this by accident as I spilled a mixture of oil and wd40 onto the front bumper of the car. There's was some overspray that hit the headlights. All you have to do is spray on, wait a few minutes before wiping. Rinse and repeat. I can guarantee that it will reduce the yellowing(if not all) and will not strip the clear out of your headlights.
I have always used the wetsanding and buffing method before I came across this. I'm sure someone has a full bottle sitting around that's willing to take pictures of the results.
I found this by accident as I spilled a mixture of oil and wd40 onto the front bumper of the car. There's was some overspray that hit the headlights. All you have to do is spray on, wait a few minutes before wiping. Rinse and repeat. I can guarantee that it will reduce the yellowing(if not all) and will not strip the clear out of your headlights.
I have always used the wetsanding and buffing method before I came across this. I'm sure someone has a full bottle sitting around that's willing to take pictures of the results.
Last edited by david005; Mar 31, 2012 at 06:34 AM. Reason: Iheartlex
There are many methods to obtain a perfect state of clearness in the headlights but maintaining that state is the hard part. I've witnessed the 3M vinyl cutouts on an SC400 for 5+ years and the headlights are still flawless behind the film. Just adding to the basket of options here lol
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