UV sealant for refinished headlights.

[Bing Ghuls]

I have everything I need to refinish my foggy headlights (sandpaper, polish, tools) except for the UV sealant that is supposed to preserve the refinished surface.

I looked online but all I could find are the kits that include all the stuff I already have. I also found "one-step" cleaners/polish, but I am pretty sure that is not what I want.

Anyone know what is in that sealant stuff. Smells like a solvent. Acetone? I don't know chemistry, so keep the explanation simple.

[*rfaulk34*]

(11-24-2023, 02:25 PM)Bing Ghuls Wrote: I have everything I need to refinish my foggy headlights (sandpaper, polish, tools) except for the UV sealant that is supposed to preserve the refinished surface.

I looked online but all I could find are the kits that include all the stuff I already have.  I also found "one-step" cleaners/polish, but I am pretty sure that is not what I want.

Anyone know what is in that sealant stuff.  Smells like a solvent.  Acetone?  I don't know chemistry, so keep the explanation simple.

My experience with several cars is that once i sand off the oxidation and clean it real good, i just use a buffing pad and a buffing compound to get that clean, clear look. That does a couple things. 

1. It allows me to just buff it again at the beginning of the next spring and
2. Keeps me from having to sand off the "new" sealant next time it gets foggy...which is worthless anyway. It's hard to get just right and it ends up being a tacky mess.

[Bing Ghuls]

(11-24-2023, 04:29 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: My experience with several cars is that once i sand off the oxidation and clean it real good, i just use a buffing pad and a buffing compound to get that clean, clear look. That does a couple things. 

1. It allows me to just buff it again at the beginning of the next spring and
2. Keeps me from having to sand off the "new" sealant next time it gets foggy...which is worthless anyway. It's hard to get just right and it ends up being a tacky mess.

Have you ever tried spraying a coat of clearcoat on the headlights and then buffing that? 

But even a cheap rattle can of that is $15-$20.

[*rfaulk34*]

(11-25-2023, 12:39 PM)Bing Ghuls Wrote: Have you ever tried spraying a coat of clearcoat on the headlights and then buffing that? 

But even a cheap rattle can of that is $15-$20.

Yeah. I've tried a couple of those clear coat compounds. I find that the compound is unnecessary and it's actually the thing that causes your HL to look bad quicker again. 

Kind of like they know that, so they put that shit in the kit so that you have to come back and buy another in a couple years and do it all over again. I just went out and looked at my Avenger. I did those 3 years ago and haven't touched them since. There is a light, uneven build up of oxidation that would prob take me 15 mins per light to clean up and get looking new again. Something that i'll do when it warms up again. I did not use any kind of clear coat on it.