Painting Headlight Lens

[FattyArbuckle]

Headlight lens’ are totally frosted over – again.
Last time I cleaned and polished with Simichrome and put on a silicone “wax.” It was about 5 hours work, but they looked new.
Two years later they look just as bad & maybe even worse!
On Youtube I saw someone recommending, after polishing, coating the lens with Rustolium clear paint (enamel?).
Has anyone tried this????

[zjevik]

I did the job with the mentioned clear paint. It's been about 3 weeks and the lights look good. Just make sure to do wet sanding with 2000 sandpaper at the end. I used 3 coats and it holds perfectly. The reason your headlights are yellow is because of UV rays, if you don't put some protective coating the plastic will turn yellow at some point.

You can use any clear paint just make sure it's UV protective!

[mrbrian200]

Saw a really good video on youtube about a year ago the guy did it right but cant find it again. Most people posting videos on youtube don't have barely a clue, skip necessary steps etc probably won't last.

400-600 grit wet. Circular sanding pattern low rpm. Remove remains of factory protective coat (anything that's smooth)
wipe with isopropyl-will help reveal any of the original layer that remains.
800 grit wet. Horizontal sanding pattern by hand.
wipe with isopropyl
1500-2000 wet. Horizontal sanding pattern. Do not use a circular buffer/drill. By hand only.
wipe with isopropyl.
1 light coat adhesion promoter (such as CP199)
wait 10 mins.
1 light coat plastic compatible clear coat. Make sure it has UV protector. If can doesn't explicitly say "for plastic" and "UV protection", don't buy it.
wait 20 mins.
2nd light coat clear.
Wait 12 hours
3rd light coat clear.
Wait 24 hours
Smooth to mirror finish with buffer and polishing compound.
Wax.

[shiloh51933]

Sounds like a lot of work, I'm sure it looks great. Sure glad my wife's 2004 has the glass bi-xenon lens. Unfortunately my new to me 2004 XC90 has plastic lens and I'm thinking of purchasing new depo's.. I believe they make the factory lens for the 2004 XC90 T6. The good thing about the XC90 though is the headlights come right out. Maybe I'll restore during the winter when work is a little slower.

[mrbrian200]

400-600 grit wet. Circular sanding pattern low rpm. Remove remains of factory protective coat (anything that's smooth)
wipe with isopropyl-will help reveal any of the original layer that remains.
800 grit wet. Horizontal sanding pattern by hand.
wipe with isopropyl ...

I'm updating this. This has lasted 2 years.
However
The 'paint for plastic', in this case I used Krylon Fusion clear with UV block, appears to be poly or acrylic based and as such appears to soften at higher temperatures. One time I left a cleaning cloth laying across one of the headlamps while they were lit for about 30 seconds. The cloth trapped enough heat that the clear paint stuck to the cloth and left a little scuff mark when I peeled (literally) the cloth off of the headlamp.

I have since updated my position on which paint product to use: Duplicolor HLR100 kit includes both a proper adhesion promoter and a laquer based UV protected clear coat that shouldn't have this sort of issue. It is formulated specifically to work on acrylic headlamp lenses and on any sites that have reviewed it gets the top pick, lasts longest etc. This is the same concept and application process I outlined above, but with a paints specifically meant to be used for this purpose.