Windshield Repair Forum

Hello all, I own and operate a mobile detailing company in Houston. I have been wanting to get into to HLR for some time now and have been reading a lot on this forum. Not knowing any better, and before I found this site, I had been doing the regular wetsand and polish to clean up lenses. As everyone here knows, the results are crap so I wanted to learn about the proper way to do this and the products people use. I have read a lot on the Infinity system and looks promising. I don't know how much I could generate off of HLR but I do get a handful of people that need it. My question (or one of my questions) is when you are sanding the lenses how do you know when you have gone through the coating? I have read on here that you have to go through the original coating before you can proceed which makes sense, but when you are sanding and everything looks hazy, how can you tell if you have gone far enough? I do not want to go too far, yet not far enough. Maybe this comes from experience, like most of the things I do in the detailing part. If there is a way to know, or something to look for, I would love to know. Pictures would be great but I will take what I can get. Thanks everyone.

The original coating is harder than the lens itself. The lens itself is softer and sands much easier than most factory clears. Generally, it's easy to see when/where the old clear is removed.

You will start seeing a white powder surface. This is when you start changing pads to the 500, 800, 1200, 1500. The 4 pads I listed will smooth the lens out and remove most of the fine stratch marks. The 1500 and the 3000 foam polishing pad brings the clarity back to the lens prior to using the 4.1 or coat2protect. When you use either of the two UV products I mentioned it will drasticly clear the lens as soon as you apply it. When you wet the lens down to clean it after the 1500 or 3000 you will get an idea of how the lens will look. once you've done this several times you will get a feel for this. I use my hands to feel the smoothness of the lens when sanding. If you follow the directions you will get great results the majorty of the time. We do have exception as you can see from Pommy and my post. Also check out the hard to do HL post. Wet sanding is a messy and is not needed for the Infiniti 4.1. or coat2protect.

Thanks for the replies. I figured it was going to be something I had to do and find the technique for. Much like detailing, there are tons of products, but if your technique is crap, your work will be crap. I am mainly an exotic car detailer but I do have some clients with "normal" cars. So I may look into buying the infinity kit and just practicing on junk yard lenses. Before I charge for it. Another thing, I have a few different polishers, 2 DA's and a rotary. Could I use one of my DA's with the sanding disks or better off with an actual hand held sander?

Hard to believe nobody posted this. The basic question was ' How do I know when the original clear is sanded off"

Easy answer. using a 320 grit disc, start sanding on one area. When you see the lens start to change color (maybe grey darker color) thats a spot of the base plastic lens. When you continue sanding in that same area, that spot will get bigger naturally. Im assuming you're using some sort of an electric tool for sanding.

After you're done, the lens should be one uniform color. While sanding if you cant see the blended area where the clear is coming off, than stop and spray water on the lens. The area where the clear has not been removed will show up as a bit shiny or a lighter color gray/white and the water will not sink into the lens as quick as the areas that still have clear which needs to be removed after you wipe off the water.

Hope this helps.

Yes that does help, thank you. I'm pretty happy I found this site. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to detailing and I knew there had to be a better way of correcting headlights. Now that I know there is and what product I want to use, it's a matter of buying it and practicing. Thanks again for the replies, I will be lurking around reading other posts to learn as much as I can. One thing is for sure, from what I have read A LOT, I will be staying away from Impalas. Haha

mobilejay wrote:Yes that does help, thank you. I'm pretty happy I found this site. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to detailing and I knew there had to be a better way of correcting headlights. Now that I know there is and what product I want to use, it's a matter of buying it and practicing. Thanks again for the replies, I will be lurking around reading other posts to learn as much as I can. One thing is for sure, from what I have read A LOT, I will be staying away from Impalas. Haha

And late model Grand Prix's. The newer Imapllas with the round HL's are ok. Its the older square HL cars that are a problem.

I have tried my PC7424 DA for sanding and it worked ok, but not nearly nice to use as my Bosch 5" sander. For large headlights the polisher DA might be ok but it will feel a bit out of place on many cars with smaller or goofy shaped lights. If you already have a 5" backer plate then it wouldn't hurt to try it.

The smaller 3" sander like Delta uses is easier to operate on most headlights and is the preferred tool for most HLR techs. I'm the oddball with the 5" stuff, but it's what I've been using since....a basic economy car had crank windows, 13" wheels, and about 85hp, and it cost about ten bucks to fill the tank.

Sounds like you have the right approach. If you put in the kind of work and skillz to detail exotics for a living, you won't have any trouble using a delta HL kit.

Awesome, thanks again everyone.

Hi,

When you sand, you'll quickly learn that the worse condition the lens is in, the easier it comes off.

You'll normally find the bottom edge and around the sides is where the OEM is hardest to remove.

After a wipe, as previously said, you will see bits that aren't hazed like the rest, still glossy. You need to get rid of them.

You will also notice as you sand, there will be "islands" of the clear coating spread around.

It will only take you one or two lenses to get it under your belt

Cheers,

Pommy

You can also give it a quick spray of isopropyl alcohol, it will show the spots as crystal clear on a 320 sand.