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Headlight regeneration: how to do it well and at a good price?
Headlight regeneration: how to do it well and at a good price?
Car headlights are components that are responsible for our safety on the road. We should keep them in the best condition possible. When the lampshades become dull, we can regenerate them.
Headlight regeneration – why is it worth it?
It's a good idea to get into the habit of checking regularly lights in the car. Their proper operation determines whether we will notice a threat on the road in time. Moreover, thanks to properly functioning lamps, our car will be visible to other road users.
Using lights XNUMX hours a day is mandatory in Poland. If the headlights do not fulfill their function, we may receive a fine or the car may not pass the technical inspection.
Lamp shades wear out with age. Due to their location, headlights are more susceptible to damage than rear lights. Headlamps are made of plastic, which becomes dull over time due to weather conditions, UV radiation or micro-damage.
A worn lampshade causes the reflector to lose its properties. It starts illuminating the road worse, which negatively affects safety. Additionally, dull headlights simply look bad. They can contrast with a well-groomed, waxed body.
How to prepare lamps for regeneration?
Thanks to regeneration headlights they will give us more light, and the vehicle will gain a few years visually. Where to start?
First of all, the headlights should be cleaned and degreased. Why? Otherwise, during the lamp regeneration and polishing process, we may damage them. Any dust particles, sand and other dirt may scratch the surface of the headlights.
It would also be a good idea to wash the entire car, or at least the parts of the body that are in close proximity to the headlights. This way we will avoid the risk of transferring contaminants to the headlights during regeneration.
How to properly wash car headlights? We can use a special preparation, e.g. window cleaning foam. It stays on vertical surfaces, removes grease, dirt and insect residues. We use it to spread the agent and dry the lamps microfiber cloths, which are delicate and will not leave streaks on the lampshades.
What cosmetics and tools will be useful in regenerating headlights?
What resources and accessories will we need to regenerate car lamps? To begin with, let's stock up on the mentioned cleaning preparations and cloths, thanks to which the regeneration of the headlights will proceed smoothly.
In addition, our lamp renovation kit should include a tape that will cover the body parts around the polished lamps. It can be paper painter's tape. It cannot be too strong so as not to damage the paint during removal. Let's also get a water bucket.
The most important elements of the set are related to grinding and polishing. First of all, we will need sandpaper for manual wet sanding. Paper of various gradations will be useful: 600, 800, 1200, 1500, 2000, 2500 and 3000.
Let's equip ourselves with polishing paste for headlights and a polisher, drill or screwdriver, i.e. a device to which we can attach a polishing pad with a sponge or foam. A number of the preparations and accessories mentioned above can be found in a ready-made headlight regeneration kit.
Regeneration of headlights
How to properly maintain car lamps?
Once we have completed the first preparatory stage, i.e. washing the lamps and the bodywork around them, we start masking. We tape the parts of the body that are closest to the lights. We can stick two layers of tape on top of each other to avoid scratching the paint.
We wet the sandpaper and start sanding the headlights. We start with paper with a lower grit, e.g. 800. Then we move to a higher one. If the reflectors are not very dull, we can immediately use 1500 or 2000 grit paper.
How do we grind headlights? First of all, remember not to make circular movements. We sand vertically and horizontally alternately. At first, the reflectors may be more matte, but with subsequent gradations they will become more and more transparent. While grinding, the lamp can be sprayed with water from time to time.
Once we have sanded the entire surface evenly, we can proceed to the final stage. How to polish lamps? Apply a small amount of paste to the headlights and turn on the polisher or drill.
Be careful because the material of the headlights is delicate. Let's stick to approximately 800 rpm. After initial polishing, we can wipe the lampshades with a microfiber cloth. Apply the polishing paste again and increase the speed slightly. Remember that polishing one place for too long may heat up the lampshade and damage it.
After regeneration, wait until the headlights cool down. Once they are cool, we can use a protective agent again, e.g. glass foam.
Regenerating headlights yourself is not expensive and requires only one mechanical tool, such as a polisher or drill. The entire set of cosmetics and accessories will cost us several dozen zlotys. Once the lamps are in good condition, do not forget to check them regularly. We write more about lights in the article: What car bulbs.
