Headlight Restore

[jakeru]

Anyone used a rattlecan 2-part clearcoat for UV coat?

I've used spraymax 2-part clear, and it was a joy. Spraymax makes products and a kit (primer and 2-part UV clear) marketed just for headlights:
Spraymax: Headlight Restoration Kit

Not sure how the headlight-specific clearcoat product differs from the general purpose "glamour" clearcoat.

[WillH]

Originally Posted by jakeru

Anyone used a rattlecan 2-part clearcoat for UV coat?

I've used spraymax 2-part clear, and it was a joy. Spraymax makes products and a kit (primer and 2-part UV clear) marketed just for headlights:
Spraymax: Headlight Restoration Kit

Not sure how the headlight-specific clearcoat product differs from the general purpose "glamour" clearcoat.

Did you use the kit in the link or just the regular 2k clear? I have a can of the regular 2k sitting on the shelf but worried about the solvents reacting...

[jakeru]

Originally Posted by WillH

Did you use the kit in the link or just the regular 2k clear? I have a can of the regular 2k sitting on the shelf but worried about the solvents reacting...

Here's the one I've used:

(Just pulled it out my my freezer, which extends the pot life after activating)

I haven't tried it on headlights. Used it to restore shift knob trim piece (polishing this matte-finished one afterwards because I needed gloss) and it's some AMAZINGLY good stuff. It sprays on really nicely (nicest spraying rattlecan I've ever used), can build super-thick film, and really durable (can't dig in with fingernail!), and it's amazingly solvent resistant (acetone-laden brake parts cleaner won't touch the stuff!). In fact, it's so durable and so solvent resistant, it could be a big problem to remove the stuff if it got where you don't want it.

I wonder if the headlight-specific product might somehow adhere better (manufacturer says it's designed to work with their proprietary primer, which is included in the headlights UV protecting kit), and also wonder if it might have more UV blocking pigment than the standard clearcoat?

I'm sure a 2-part urethane like these much better than a 1-part product like the spar varnish. 2-part urethane is an entirely different animal than 1-part.

I've also had the experience of mechanically polishing off the uv coating on the headlights of one of my car's, and although it looked really good initially, I was also disappointed to find that didn't last at all. It now looks worse than before I started! I think due to the UV degradation. I did apply some automotive finish sealer immediately after I polished, but it apparently wasn't long-lasting or effective enough at blocking UV to give good result.

[WillH]

Thank you jakeru.
Good to hear, my can is the full gloss. I'll be giving it a try in a few weeks.
Did you use a respirator or just do it outside?