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Jul 1, 2015 | 12:41 PM

johnnyace

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Joined: Sep 2009

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Need Help!!!

Guys, the other day I started cleaning the front headlights on my 91 Ford F250 and the chemicals ruined the plastic lens completely. Know everyone tells me I need to buy the whole housing which costs well over $100.00. I can't afford that. all it needs is the clear protective cover that goes over lense. Can someone help me?

Jul 1, 2015 | 10:19 PM

Sdowdle541

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Joined: Jan 2015

Posts: 212

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From: Sugar Land, Tx

Junk yard!

Jul 2, 2015 | 08:49 AM

Mike1

Lead Driver

Joined: Mar 2006

Posts: 6,258

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From: IL

What chemicals did you use? Are you sure you can't sand it out? You'd be better off buying a whole new assembly rather than trying to remove the clear lens from the housing. You'll have to put the housing in the oven and bake it at about 350 degrees for between 5 to 10 minutes and you have to work very fast to remove the lens or the glue hardens up again. Then you have the problems of getting the old glue off the housing, putting the new lens on with enough sealer that your light won't fill with water when it rains. It's not as simple as you think it is. I'm dealing with this problem on my Mustang right now. I completely removed the lenses, resurfaces them, re-chromed the inside reflectors and resealed the lights, I've had to remove the right headlight 3 times to reseal the lens and it still fills with water, I can't seem to find the leak....I have about 8 hours of labor and $50 in materials, restoring the lights...It's easier just to buy a new one.

Jul 2, 2015 | 09:13 AM

Don Naslund

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Joined: Sep 2014

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From: Whittier

They do sell polishing kits for fogged covers.

Jul 2, 2015 | 11:04 AM

Mike1

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Joined: Mar 2006

Posts: 6,258

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From: IL

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Naslund

They do sell polishing kits for fogged covers.

I've bought 2 different kits, the RainX and the 3M kits, neither of them did the job very well. I finally just bought some 400, 800, 1000 & 2000 grit sandpaper and wet sanded the lenses myself, the trick is to pick one direction for sanding and stay with it, up and down or sided to side don't do circles or switch direction. Once all the old clear has been removed the lens should be a cloudy white when using the 400 & 800 grit, as you move on the the 1000 & 2000 grit they start to clear up. When you're finished sanding then rinse well and then use a mild rubbing compound on the lens, it'll make it almost like new. Let it dry really well then I used a clear automotive paint with a UV inhibitor in it. (Spray can). I hit it a total of 3 times letting each coat dry thoroughly before applying the next coat and don't get happy with the paint either because you'll cause runs in it.

Jul 3, 2015 | 03:17 PM

Roger T. Pipe

Elder User

Joined: Mar 2008

Posts: 816

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From: Sandy Hook, CT

+1 on getting new ones. The amount of work involved is just too time consuming and quite frankly, never comes out well. You didn't use a 'Goo Gone-Type' product, did you?

Roger

Jul 3, 2015 | 09:15 PM

dixie460

Postmaster

Joined: Nov 2011

Posts: 3,533

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From: SW Florida

Getting the complete housings from the junkyard is the cheapest.

There's also aftermarket ones available on eBay, I paid less than $80 for my set of crystal clear ones. And they don't leak a drop like other cheap ones. I'd post a pic but I'm on my phone right now.