Cleaning Headlights for 2004 Maxima
06-29-2011, 07:19 PM
#1
Cleaning Headlights for 2004 Maxima
This is just a quick question, i will like to know if is worth cleaning your head lights from that old look it get , or just to go buy a brand new one from Nissan, if you suggest getting a new one please let me know where the link or place will help, and if you suggest cleaning them let me know with what and how much more shiney will it get is it worth it , thanks i am looking to do this i just want it to look good let me know.
06-29-2011, 07:32 PM
#2
Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 226
This is just a quick question, i will like to know if is worth cleaning your head lights from that old look it get , or just to go buy a brand new one from Nissan, if you suggest getting a new one please let me know where the link or place will help, and if you suggest cleaning them let me know with what and how much more shiney will it get is it worth it , thanks i am looking to do this i just want it to look good let me know.
06-29-2011, 07:49 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: inside my own mind
Posts: 1,506
You have any pics of your headlights up close? Almost any headlight can be restored to look like new. You just need to know how to do it properly. There's two ways that can work. One way would be sanding and another would be a restoration kit.
Either will work. Although there is another way but, you might not have those items on hand and if that's the case. Than you might as well as get the restoration kit.
Either will work. Although there is another way but, you might not have those items on hand and if that's the case. Than you might as well as get the restoration kit.
06-29-2011, 08:13 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,625
take 6.5 affiliate's advice and get the restore kit.. it has everything you need for like 20 bucks so you don't need to go looking for each thing like i did. i just recently restored my friends altima head lights by wet sanding, and rubbing compound. if your interested and want to do the same thing, let me know and ill type out a tutorial for you if you want.
here are some before and afters:
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AND AFTER
I used a drill and it took me about 10 min per head light
sometimes it doesn't look like it, but unless you have a crack, or baked them open and didn't do a good job at sealing it back together, that hazing you see on your head lamps is on the outside, which makes this job real easy. Hazing is a result of sun damage, and normal wear and tear. to prevent it from happening, or happening again, go get some UV protection stuff, or clear coat from autozone.
here are some before and afters:
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AND AFTER
I used a drill and it took me about 10 min per head light
sometimes it doesn't look like it, but unless you have a crack, or baked them open and didn't do a good job at sealing it back together, that hazing you see on your head lamps is on the outside, which makes this job real easy. Hazing is a result of sun damage, and normal wear and tear. to prevent it from happening, or happening again, go get some UV protection stuff, or clear coat from autozone.
Last edited by twentyeggs; 06-29-2011 at 08:34 PM.
06-29-2011, 11:38 PM
#7
take 6.5 affiliate's advice and get the restore kit.. it has everything you need for like 20 bucks so you don't need to go looking for each thing like i did. i just recently restored my friends altima head lights by wet sanding, and rubbing compound. if your interested and want to do the same thing, let me know and ill type out a tutorial for you if you want.
here are some before and afters:
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AND AFTER
I used a drill and it took me about 10 min per head light
sometimes it doesn't look like it, but unless you have a crack, or baked them open and didn't do a good job at sealing it back together, that hazing you see on your head lamps is on the outside, which makes this job real easy. Hazing is a result of sun damage, and normal wear and tear. to prevent it from happening, or happening again, go get some UV protection stuff, or clear coat from autozone.
here are some before and afters:
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AND AFTER
I used a drill and it took me about 10 min per head light
sometimes it doesn't look like it, but unless you have a crack, or baked them open and didn't do a good job at sealing it back together, that hazing you see on your head lamps is on the outside, which makes this job real easy. Hazing is a result of sun damage, and normal wear and tear. to prevent it from happening, or happening again, go get some UV protection stuff, or clear coat from autozone.
06-30-2011, 09:37 AM
#10
get a bottle of Meguires Plastix. Try using it first without sanding. You squirt it on the headlight and spread it over the whole light. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, then rub it in real good. Use some man strength. when your rag turns yellow, flip it and keep rubbing in. You might need to do it twice, but once should be fine depending on how bad you let it get. If that doesn't work, you need to wet sand them. Very easy to do. Get 2000 grit sand paper and some soapy water. I would use 2/3 water, and 1/3 dawn dish soap. You don't need a lot. use a squirt bottle and get the lights wet. then get the sand paper wet. Never let the sand paper get dry. Sand a bit, then wipe down with a wet rag. Make sure the wet rag is wet with only water. once they are to your liking, rinse them off and dry them. Then use the plastix to polish them up and put a protective coat on them.
06-30-2011, 09:39 AM
#11
the 3m restore kit sucks for our lights. I used it and messed my lights up. Followed the instructions to the T. I read about the wet sand with 2000 grit on these forums a while back and tried it. worked like a charm with not swirl marks. I have done the wet sand once in over 6 years. Just keep up with cleaning them when you wax, and you should be fine.
06-30-2011, 01:52 PM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,625
the 3m restore kit sucks for our lights. I used it and messed my lights up. Followed the instructions to the T. I read about the wet sand with 2000 grit on these forums a while back and tried it. worked like a charm with not swirl marks. I have done the wet sand once in over 6 years. Just keep up with cleaning them when you wax, and you should be fine.
thats because you used te 500 grit starter sand paper and your lights weren't that bad to begin with...
in that picture i used 800 very lightly with soap, then moved on to 1500, and finished with 2000, buffed it, done...
500 is too coarse and will make more work for you.
06-30-2011, 09:29 PM
#19
thats because you used te 500 grit starter sand paper and your lights weren't that bad to begin with...
in that picture i used 800 very lightly with soap, then moved on to 1500, and finished with 2000, buffed it, done...
500 is too coarse and will make more work for you.
in that picture i used 800 very lightly with soap, then moved on to 1500, and finished with 2000, buffed it, done...
500 is too coarse and will make more work for you.
07-01-2011, 08:42 AM
#22
07-01-2011, 05:26 PM
#25
Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 226
07-01-2011, 06:11 PM
#26
Thanks man going to get this tomorrow, hope it come out ok when i am done will post some pictures , by the way is thats the only kind of compound or there are others , asking cause i am looking for the best stuff i can thanks.
07-01-2011, 07:30 PM
#27
i see that the 3M rubbing compound is not the last thing you do you also have to get protective wax fo finish it off with , wich one will i have to use for for the lights ??? since car and headlights are different when it come to the material of it, so wich kind of protective wax i need to give it a good shine so think on that thanks.
07-01-2011, 09:32 PM
#29
What if you dont have a buffer like me can i do it with my hand ?? and thast the name Meguiars PlastX cause i will go to the store ask for that lol, and thast for after i use tham 3m compound right ?
07-01-2011, 11:38 PM
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: inside my own mind
Posts: 1,506
Yup, that's the name for it.
Are you going to be sanding it? If you are then no, I don't recommend it since you don't have a buffer or anything similar. Your not going to be getting the results that you are looking for. Basically, it isn't going to be taking the scratches out that you put in there with the sand paper. Even if you use the rubbing compound and a scratch remover after it.
Are you going to be sanding it? If you are then no, I don't recommend it since you don't have a buffer or anything similar. Your not going to be getting the results that you are looking for. Basically, it isn't going to be taking the scratches out that you put in there with the sand paper. Even if you use the rubbing compound and a scratch remover after it.
Last edited by 6.5affiliate; 07-01-2011 at 11:41 PM.
07-02-2011, 12:13 AM
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: inside my own mind
Posts: 1,506
Just wanted to add something. Since your only looking to take off the haze on your headlights then a cheap buffer is only going to cost you 20 bucks or less. You can get it at the same place as the plastX. Also, get some Meguiars ScratchX to use after the rubbing compound.
One thing I wanna say about rubbing compound though. It's some STRONG stuff. If you were to say use some Turtle brand:
http://www.tooldistrict.com/product-p/578422.htm
This stuff is so harsh that if you were to use a terry cloth and some pressure. Then this will act just like sand paper and take the haze right off your headlights. True story! (you still gotta use a buffer and ScratchX to take out all the scratches that are left behind though)
One thing I wanna say about rubbing compound though. It's some STRONG stuff. If you were to say use some Turtle brand:
http://www.tooldistrict.com/product-p/578422.htm
This stuff is so harsh that if you were to use a terry cloth and some pressure. Then this will act just like sand paper and take the haze right off your headlights. True story! (you still gotta use a buffer and ScratchX to take out all the scratches that are left behind though)
Last edited by 6.5affiliate; 07-02-2011 at 12:17 AM.
07-02-2011, 05:38 AM
#32
Ok i got the compound and the plastx , going to do this tomorrow add the rubbing compound then the plastx after and thast it right lil scared not trying to make my headlights all miss up they good now just want them to look new thast all lol.
Last edited by MaxPrime; 07-02-2011 at 03:03 PM.
07-02-2011, 03:04 PM
#33
Just wanted to add something. Since your only looking to take off the haze on your headlights then a cheap buffer is only going to cost you 20 bucks or less. You can get it at the same place as the plastX. Also, get some Meguiars ScratchX to use after the rubbing compound.
One thing I wanna say about rubbing compound though. It's some STRONG stuff. If you were to say use some Turtle brand:
http://www.tooldistrict.com/product-p/578422.htm
This stuff is so harsh that if you were to use a terry cloth and some pressure. Then this will act just like sand paper and take the haze right off your headlights. True story! (you still gotta use a buffer and ScratchX to take out all the scratches that are left behind though)
One thing I wanna say about rubbing compound though. It's some STRONG stuff. If you were to say use some Turtle brand:
http://www.tooldistrict.com/product-p/578422.htm
This stuff is so harsh that if you were to use a terry cloth and some pressure. Then this will act just like sand paper and take the haze right off your headlights. True story! (you still gotta use a buffer and ScratchX to take out all the scratches that are left behind though)
07-02-2011, 07:55 PM
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: inside my own mind
Posts: 1,506
It'll be the rubbing compound first, ScratchX (takes out the scratches that are created by the compound), and finally PlastX
07-03-2011, 07:33 AM
#37
Ok cool have to go to autozone today to get the ScratchX dont have that one , one more question i can do all this with a rag right ? or at lease the first to steps ?
07-03-2011, 01:39 PM
#38
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,531
Cool, I have a question.
I'm kinda confused. What kind of rag do I use? Can I use an old t shirt to rup the compound, or should I go with a microfiber towel?
Where do I buy the microfiber towel? Does it need to be blue or I can get it white?
Should I buy 8k hids or 6k?
Thanks for advice
07-03-2011, 01:52 PM
#39
Of course you can but t do that , you also need to buy front bumper, grill and hood from an 07-08, like I did. It's cheaper to have them buffed out then to do an 087-08 swap, like I did.
07-03-2011, 07:02 PM
#40
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: inside my own mind
Posts: 1,506
But, if you aren't sanding it then yeah, you can do it all by hand. It's going to take a little while though since your going to have to keep applying the ScratchX to remove all the scratches. Also, I would just use about two coats of the PlastX and let it dry for a little bit to kind of bake it onto the headlight lens.
Last edited by 6.5affiliate; 07-03-2011 at 07:04 PM.