Cleaning headlights

[r33GTS-t-200kw]

Hey all

I was just wondering how you guys go about cleaning the lenses on the headlights and how you get the lenses off. Ive taken all those little clips off and some screws but the fugger doesnt seem to wanna come off. Is there a nack with it or do you just try and lever it apart because the glue is being a pain in the a$$ to get it apart.

Any ideas?

Cheers

[someonestolecc]

I get the feeling those clips only held the light together while the glue set. Some people say you have to heat it up somehow (water/hairdryer) to pull it apart slowly.

Mine are fairly old and were fairly dirty I just just autosol'led the outside and they were fine - should give that a go before you go to the trouble of taking them apart

[r33GTS-t-200kw]

nah, they are fairly dirty and ive cleaned the front of the lense anyhoo. I dunno how the feck im gonna get them apart.. they look fairly well glued together any other suggestions?

[petemillis]

It takes more than a bit of a clean to get the outside of the lenses clean. You really do need to use a rubbing compound like G3 or T-Cut. It makes one hell of a difference.

[Ebola-33t]

It takes more than a bit of a clean to get the outside of the lenses clean. You really do need to use a rubbing compound like G3 or T-Cut. It makes one hell of a difference.

Where can you get that stuff mate? There is no risk of stuffing up the lens is there?

[mik78e]

u can not take the lense off, there is a way but you gotta reseal it, i bought a jap cleaner thing that makes a shit lot of difference.

[Lukas]

I use Meguiar's "PLASTIX" clear plastic cleaner & polish... $18 at CrappyBarn!

[elbee111]

You can take the front lens off but I wouldn't. Mine had a run from some sort of solvent and they were smokey/foggy looking.

I was convinced that the front was as clean as it could get and the inside must be dirty and so I took one apart (after buying a nice pair from a 4 door).

It is a big job to get one apart and is going to be a bigger job getting it back together.

I will be trying the various cutting compound type products now (watching this space for the best performer).

El Bee

[lwells]

u can not take the lense off, there is a way but you gotta reseal it, i bought a jap cleaner thing that makes a shit lot of difference.

If the R33 is anything like the R32 -- and I imagine it is -- its quite easy to get the front glass/lens off, but it involves breaking the sealant so you will have to reseal them.

Some people say you have to heat it up somehow (water/hairdryer) to pull it apart slowly.

A hairdryer is a very bad idea: the heat is too directional and you'll end up either not getting the area hot enough, or melting the plastic.

If you really want to pull apart your headlight, you need to..:

1) Preheat your over to 200 degrees celcius.

2) Turn the oven off.

3) Place your headlight on a rack (that hasn't been sitting in the oven).

4) Put the rack+headlight in to the over, making sure the headlight doesn't touch the sides of the oven.

5) Set a timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, yank the headlight out.

6) Using a blunt bread knife, run the knife in the join between the glass and the rear of the headlight. The trick is to try and cut through the sealant, and gently work the two apart.

Lucien.

[thommo]

pretty sure there are a couple of old threads on this.

before trying to take em apart, i'd definately try a few methods of cleaning. i use toothpaste (sounds dumb but does the job ) and a heap of elbow grease and they come up well. the other thing i have done is gone to a panelbeater and got them to basically cut and polish the cover, looked brand new.

if these don't work, then try the oven trick.

[r33GTS-t-200kw]

well i must say im pretty darn sure its dirty on the inside but i will go and try the toothpaste method and lets ya's know

[choyda]

I use Meguiar's "PLASTIX" clear plastic cleaner & polish... $18 at CrappyBarn!

Yep, this stuff works a treat. I thought the hazyness was on the inside but after using plastX, it seemed to only be on the outside.

[r33GTS-t-200kw]

well i did do the outside then with some woolen polish stuff and it worked good aswell

thought im sure there is still some on the inside lol

[siksII]

metal polish such as brasso works good as well.

[siksII]

If the R33 is anything like the R32 -- and I imagine it is -- its quite easy to get the front glass/lens off, but it involves breaking the sealant so you will have to reseal them.

 

A hairdryer is a very bad idea:  the heat is too directional and you'll end up either not getting the area hot enough, or melting the plastic.

If you really want to pull apart your headlight, you need to..:

1) Preheat your over to 200 degrees celcius.

2) Turn the oven off.

3) Place your headlight on a rack (that hasn't been sitting in the oven).

4) Put the rack+headlight in to the over, making sure the headlight doesn't touch the sides of the oven.

5) Set a timer for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, yank the headlight out.

6) Using a blunt bread knife, run the knife in the join between the glass and the rear of the headlight.  The trick is to try and cut through the sealant, and gently work the two apart.

Lucien.

on an r33 the front lens is plastic not glass so im not sure if it is a good idea.

[GtstCoupe]

i usally use meguares car polish and bring them up great

[siksII]

car polish is ok, if u use metal polish u can get results a lot easier, try brasso or something similar.

[lwells]

on an r33 the front lens is plastic not glass so im not sure if it is a good idea.

The majority of an R32 headlight is plastic too. The point is not to melt the plastic -- it merely gets hot, and hence you turn the oven off and place the headlight on a cold rack -- its too soften the binding agent.

Lucien.