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Anyone ever had experience with replacing headlight lenses? I know it's a hassle, but is it even worth attempting? I hear it can be hard to get the new lens completely sealed.
I bought some Chinese ones on Amazon. Last week I scraped the old butyl out, filled the channel with Silicon II and clamped the new lenses on. Fit well and look great. I just clear coated over them for longevity purposes. I can take pictures if you're interested.
I bought some Chinese ones on Amazon. Last week I scraped the old butyl out, filled the channel with Silicon II and clamped the new lenses on. Fit well and look great. I just clear coated over them for longevity purposes. I can take pictures if you're interested.
Would love photos! I think this is the route I'm going as I can't find any donors near by. Was going to clear coat them as well.
'00 S320 W220, '98 A160 W168/ sold in 2005 '86 260 E W124 '90 260E W124
Silicon in cars
You should never use any silicon products in your car. The Silicon vapours will cover the painted surfaces of the car, and cannot be removed anymore. This can lead to the point that you cannot properly repaint the parts polluted with silicon. In car factories this is a very big issue. There it is completely forbidden to even use cable with the lightest silicon content.
BMW E31 Dinan Stage 3 TT 625Hp on 93 pump............. 00 BMW E38 750iL.....03 S55 Alabaster white
Yeah but what can you use as a "sealer" for the new/cleaned lenses other than the UV clear coat supplied with the cleaning kit? Even the good cleaning kit sealers last only about a year....I would thinking a spray on product would be the same and start to yellow....clear film might be the best option...
That's just a grossly improper use of information. Silicone does NOT produce vapors after curing. As long as you're not using silicone as body filler, it harmless. Not to mention it's used inside the headlights.
Use silicone
'00 S320 W220, '98 A160 W168/ sold in 2005 '86 260 E W124 '90 260E W124
[QUOTE=CFD;7169286]That's just a grossly improper use of information. Silicone does NOT produce vapors after curing. As long as you're not using silicone as body filler, it harmless. Not to mention it's used inside the headlights.
Use silicone[/QUOTE
I worked for >20 y with the Automotive manufacturing industry and, believe me, the silicon story, is true. Only a few molecules ruin a complete paint facility. The best sealer is what is used to seal bodyparts joints. This stuff is absolutely siliconfree. It remains flexible and lasts for ever. It is either black or eggshell white, but since it's inside, you wont see it. I have used it, and it is still perfectly sealed
Well, I took the easy roadand replaced the headlamp covers with chinese ones... $59 for both lenses.
Before:
After:
I love how rejuvenated it looks, although the lenses are not projectors... but road lighting has improved 100% since the change. I also changed the halogen ones for those bluish bulbs...
Overall, this change costed me $70 and 4 hours of elbow grease, so I feel I came out a winner. Thoughts?
The "before" picture was the result "after" using every headlight cleaning product and tip on the internet...light grade sanding paper, 3M solutions, etc, etc.
This was the car, one year ago, when I bought it.
What tipped me over was a picture of my car I found in a local carspotting internet forum, in which they call the car a unique "beast" and praised it, but criticized the look of the headlamps saying they make it look really aged. So, I have to agree with E42AMG. It is a MB, so it has to look the part.
If you hold them up to a light source at an acute angle you can see a mild golf ball effect in the lenses from inconsistencies in the vacuum mold. However, they are not visible from any other angle, are not noticeable at all with them on the car and do not affect the beam pattern of the headlights.
The mold has reinforcement spines in the right areas so the lenses are strong. The transparency is on par with the original lenses and the ridge that depresses into the sealant filled recess fits the OEM headlight housing perfectly.
I'd buy them again. Just make sure you clear coat the outside of the lenses as I don't believe the anti UV coating used is worth a damn.
05-17-2017, 01:12 PM
