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De-oxidizing clear signal lenses DIY with pics

34K views 46 replies 23 participants last post by  cool95astro 
#1 ·
I can't stand dull, foggy, yellowed turn lenses. I know they sell kits at auto stores to do this but I'm pretty cheap and will always try to do things myself if possible. I used good old Brasso and a lot of elbow grease to clean up the lenses. I chose to use Brasso because it was in the cupboard, and also because I have a collection of wristwatches and some are older with plastic crystals and I use Brasso all the time to remove scratches and polish the crystals to as new condition, so I thought why not try it on the signal lenses?

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It worked pretty well, not as good as buying replacement lenses but much better than their previous condition. It does take a lot of rubbing, just put some on a soft towel and rub in a circular motion until it basically disappears on the lens, do not leave a foggy haze like when you wax a car, just keep rubbing until it disappears, just work one small area at a time, for me it took multiple applications in the same area before it would come clean. I also used those micro bottle brushes that are for baby bottles to get in the hard to reach areas on the backside edges, I'm sure my wife would love to know that! All in all I was pleased with the results, and all it took was some time and a lot of rubbing. I also cleaned up the brake lights too!

The brown residue on the towel is the oxidation removed

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Before

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After

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Before

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After

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Before and after

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#2 ·
Nice.

When I detailed, I just hit the plastic lens with buffer and polish.

Mirror glaze cleaner and polish is a good one to.
 
#6 ·
I've read on another forum that buffing these lenses takes off a UV coating that protects the plastic. Any truth to this? Anyone think it's worthwhile to shoot them with a coat of clear? I'm curious because I'm going to be working over the lights on my car. The tails are getting a coat of Nite Shades and I bought a can of Krylon Crystal Clear to finish them off. I want to buff out the headlights, but if it's not necessary I don't want to clearcoat them.
If the tails come out well, I may do this to my Astro as well.
 
#8 ·
I bought the 20 dollar kit about a week ago for my wife's car. It had the buffing wheel, compound, and a micro fiber towel. All i can say is wow, I could have had a 3 dollar bottle of Brasso. I'll post pix of a before and after. When wifey vacates the computer. Jim
 
#9 ·
kennyj said:
I've read on another forum that buffing these lenses takes off a UV coating that protects the plastic. Any truth to this? Anyone think it's worthwhile to shoot them with a coat of clear? I'm curious because I'm going to be working over the lights on my car. The tails are getting a coat of Nite Shades and I bought a can of Krylon Crystal Clear to finish them off. I want to buff out the headlights, but if it's not necessary I don't want to clearcoat them.
If the tails come out well, I may do this to my Astro as well.
I'd say any UV coating that may have been on them would be gone at this point or they wouldn't be oxidizing. I just use 3M clear coat polish and a buffing wheel.
 
#12 ·
About the UV coating, I've had a couple conversations with people in the induestry. They've told me that the yellowing is the UV coating breaking down. As mentioned, there's no reason not to buff it at that point. But in the end, I don't think it matters what you use as long as its something abrasive. 3M sells a kit that includes 300 and 800 grit sandpaper, a buffer head, rubbing compound and polishing compound. Its $15 at O'reilly's and at $30 you charge per job, its a pretty good deal.
 
#14 ·
Harbor Freight has a kit on sale for $8, this week-end. NAPA sells a kit for about $13 (Which I highly recommend). I've used them on Caravan headlights and they cleaned up slicker'n snot. I don't worry about the UV coating, as I can always recondition again. Then when I get the money, I'll replace the assembly. SEM sell a UV spray coating for lenses, but it's pricey, about $35 a can. I'll opt to recondition.
 
#15 ·
astro355 said:
About the UV coating, I've had a couple conversations with people in the induestry. They've told me that the yellowing is the UV coating breaking down. As mentioned, there's no reason not to buff it at that point. But in the end, I don't think it matters what you use as long as its something abrasive. 3M sells a kit that includes 300 and 800 grit sandpaper, a buffer head, rubbing compound and polishing compound. Its $15 at O'reilly's and at $30 you charge per job, its a pretty good deal.
You only charge 30? Is that for one or both?
 
#16 ·
Theres a bunch of videos on you tube showing how to clean them and alot of people clean them and then hit them with a 1000 grit wet sandpaper and then 1500 wet sandpaper and then polish them out with whatever you choose

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#26 ·
When they get real bad I would just cut them with some micro abrasive compound, then buff, polish and wax. In all the thousands of lights I cleaned up, I never once sanded any.
 
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