Oxidized headlights
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 185
Likes: 7
From: The Emerald City
2002 CLK430
Oxidized headlights
I was venting to a friend about the haze on my headlight lenses. He mentioned using brake fluid to remove it.
I am very pleased w/ the results and had to share. I masked off the painted area's surrounding the lens and applied a couple of coats of brake fluid and used my buffing wheel. I applied it on the left lenses
Thank you
John
I am very pleased w/ the results and had to share. I masked off the painted area's surrounding the lens and applied a couple of coats of brake fluid and used my buffing wheel. I applied it on the left lenses
Thank you
John
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 278
Likes: 0
1997 s320, 1997 e320
thank you for posting your results john. good to know, mine are not in their best shape, so i;m gonna give it a try. too lazy to do all the wet-sanding, polishing etc. hopefully the brake cleaner will do the trick.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,939
Likes: 178
From: Seattle WA
99 E320
stranger solutions have been tried and used. see this one...oven cleaner
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 6,171
Likes: 16
300E a couple 1994 w124wagon E320 Wagon/,1971MGB Track/Rally, MG Midget Autocross ,2000 E320 wagon.
I don't see
much or any improvement.
Here is the result of my diy method performed on a sadder set of lenses than your lamented ones.
Brake fluid,oven cleaner,paint thinner,only remove the old yellow hazed clear coat uv treatment on the oem lens. Wet sand ,Polish and buff is the only way to return them to better than new condition.Watch out if you use cotton buffing pad and a rotary buffer.If you don't know what you are doing you can overheat the lens and heat check it
coke works very nicely on chrome when buffed on with a piece of aluminum
Here is the result of my diy method performed on a sadder set of lenses than your lamented ones.
Brake fluid,oven cleaner,paint thinner,only remove the old yellow hazed clear coat uv treatment on the oem lens. Wet sand ,Polish and buff is the only way to return them to better than new condition.Watch out if you use cotton buffing pad and a rotary buffer.If you don't know what you are doing you can overheat the lens and heat check it
coke works very nicely on chrome when buffed on with a piece of aluminum
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,072
Likes: 5
From: Pittsburgh,PA, Cambridge, Ontario, CN
2003 S210 3.8L Brabus wagon
Buy the 3 inch orbital buffer from Griots Garage for 79$ and then get the lens polishing paste from Pep Boys. The buffer saves time and finger ache and does a great job. The specially formulated lens polishing paste is designed for these plastic lens and will not deep scratch your lens covers. Start with this first and if not successful then try the sanding and polishing route as Oh Lord has mentioned. These lens are not cheap and I would seriously hestitate to put oven cleaner or brake fluid and or other such crap on them. It will mess with the plastic and seriously soften it to the point of long term damage where you will be replacing them next time around or sooner. Don't weaken the plastic with this junk.
