Not an emulsifier, a surfactant. Surfactants carry grime away. Emulsifiers blend things so well that they don’t separate.

@dennislaur2515

19 күн бұрын

Ray was correct in saying that the glass cleaner acts as an emulsifier, as it binds with the plastic that is ground off and moves it away.

@craigfin3222

17 күн бұрын

@@dennislaur2515 Just no, OP is correct. Man you fanboys sometimes just try to hard. OP is not even insulting Ray, just pointing out that he is wrong about the science. It does not bind with the plastic that grounds off, just like it does not bind with the plastic still on the headlight. Its the surfactant that is carrying away the old plastic.

That decal shows real customer loyalty. It’s nice to see that it goes both ways.

Good Morning Ray “ Project Farm” did a review of these headlight renew kits. The top headlight restorer was “Sylvania “ 2nd place was “ Ceracoat”

@craigyarmulasr1845

20 күн бұрын

Project Farm is one of the best channels out there.

@linuxares

20 күн бұрын

Aye! Remember that one as well. He tested a couple of automotive related products. Ray should totally check his channel especially with the tools (then again nothing beats Snap Ons warrenty)

@TremaineLea

20 күн бұрын

Love Project Farm! The video they did on torque sticks was seriously informative.

@davebigdog

20 күн бұрын

Project Farm is an excellent channel in my opinion

@DocZoidberg549

20 күн бұрын

​@@craigyarmulasr1845Ditto

15:33 nice work on the headlights. 27:49 I like how you got better with practice and didn't splatter the polishing compound on the 2nd attempt

I used the Sylvania Headlight Restoration Kit in April of 2022 and it turned out super. The Sylvania final finish is a UV Block Clear Coat and it still looks good after two years of Dallas, Texas heat and grime.

@sekacity3425

20 күн бұрын

It's good stuff, Project Farm said it worked the best during their shootout and I got amazing results.

@imrf

20 күн бұрын

Same. That kit woks fantastic!

@nickmcminn2137

20 күн бұрын

The one that uses ceramic coat for final is good. It has lasted several years

@darkerbinding6933

19 күн бұрын

The UV blocking Clear Coat is the key. If you don't do that, then you are redoing the 'fix' for the headlights yearly.

@TheJawtech

19 күн бұрын

I used a kit on my old Honda, it did not have any clear coat and though it worked fine it did not last.

The “doodeedoo time clock” in the sped up chipmunk voice made my day 😂

Ray I wish your shop was close enough for ne to come to even just for routine service You are so honest and trustworthy I'm past the age of working on my own cars but I still enjoy watching your diagnostics and your hand dexterity is a gift I've never had. Keep up the good work

The key to any headlight restoration is a clearcoat final step. The 3M kits are the best in my estimation.

@mr.tall-man1573

20 күн бұрын

I do that after I use 3000, 4000, 5000 wet sand. That's all it is in the kits anyway.

@randybeard6040

20 күн бұрын

Me Agrees...

@pirtatejoe

20 күн бұрын

Just have to do way more sanding than Ray was doing. He should have used the 800 grit for about 3 times as long as he did. Really have to get rid of all the yellowed plastic. That plastic is already damaged and will absorb the UV light way faster. That's why you have to sand it all away.

@willsrestorations

20 күн бұрын

No clear coat spray, ceramic coating only

@Boilerking76123

20 күн бұрын

I use Mcguires

@3:20 I am reminded of Tim 'Tool Man' Taylor - "Real men don't use instructions. Besides, its the manufacturer's opinion of how to put it together."

😂Pro tip with the polish portion! Place a few drops directly on the pad, press the pad to a few spots on the lens, polish and repeat. It's the only way to avoid getting that stuff all over the car and the rest of the area 😂

@PhilTheProf

16 күн бұрын

Did that the first time. Amazing how far it travelled!

I restored the headlights on my wife's 2003 Ford expedition. I forgot the name of the headlight cleaning kit that I bought, got it from Lowe's for $12. Had to polish them by hand did not have the drill adapter, at the end there was a UV protective wipe to apply to the headlights. It worked great, before restoring I couldn't even see the light assemblies inside, after I finished they were Crystal clear. I did forget to clean off the headlights before starting the polishing process, but it didn't seem to affect it too much, I think the bugs just added a little bit more grit to the polishing. Lol.

@RJJ6129

20 күн бұрын

Fiber and protein!😂

So glad you left the red shop. You are sooooooo much happier now

Had an '06 TDI Jetta manual. I put over 215k miles on it, fixed the lifters and cam on it since they screwed up and made the cam shaft too soft that year, and finally just recently passed it on to a kid with giant eyes when I let it go for 500 to move across the country. God I miss that car. 45 mpg with zero effort, and it could still chirp the tires going into second even with half the intake clogged up with diesel tar :(

@dannyr3346

20 күн бұрын

🧢

@DonaldWells-wk8dc

20 күн бұрын

So what soapbox🙄

Was almost expecting the brake cleaner to come out to clean the headlights 😅

Watching that tape job, I can tell that Ray is definitely not a painter. 😂

@CrimeVid

20 күн бұрын

No, you are right, of course a painter does not need masking, and certainly not a sprayer. A painter uses brushes,expensive brushes,and probably won't paint your cheap old car !

@shakerman55

20 күн бұрын

@@CrimeVid You know I’m kidding. You know, haha. That thing we used to be able to do before 2020.

@screwthisin

20 күн бұрын

When I was watching Ray put the tape on, I was like yeah, you can do the tape in like 4-6 pieces of tape.

@DonaldWells-wk8dc

20 күн бұрын

Sorta like putting toilet paper on a toilet seat...I'd say...😊

@MartinTheBear

20 күн бұрын

use toothpast for sanding, cheaper

Alright guys, thanks for watchin ! Funny Ray, funny. lol

Mother's Mag Wheel & Aluminum Polish works WONDERS on glazed plastic headlights. Just rub on with a cotton rag and put a little elbow grease, then rub off with a clean cloth. They'll shine like diamonds.

@user-su8oq6wh5h

8 күн бұрын

That's what I use with a wool pad for my drill and it's great. If I would take the time to paint them with a clear UV paint it would be a permanent fix.

I was reading it's recommended to put some clear coat after such polishing, or the sun will damage the headlight back how they were pretty quickly

@kevinsmith9420

20 күн бұрын

Meguiars applied in one coat.

@granthoughton769

19 күн бұрын

Much better is headlight film available from sign-writers (well it is here in NZ anyway). Then if they fade again, you can simply replace the film.

I miss the old days when the bulbs were the whole thing, so every time you replaced the bulb , it was new again.

Dr Ray taken the cataracts off the eyes of this car .She can see again!

Great idea on the glass cleaner…you can easily see where you have already polished.

The 2.5 is a bulletproof engine with proper maintenance.

@MrDopey32

20 күн бұрын

Agreed. I have a friend of mines 2013 passat sitting in my yard with a blown motor now because he refused to listen to me for the last 2 years straight off telling him he needs a new valve cover gasket. It was damn near leaking all oil out of the back of the cover and he told his wife I was Exaggerating on how bad it was and he could not blow the motor like that. I told his wife 3 days before it blew that it would blow. I guess I don't have a clue what I'm talking about after being a mechanic for 30 years😂 Btw, the friend is also 45 years old and got his degree from Google and KZread😂😂😂

@czechmate6916

20 күн бұрын

@@MrDopey32 😆😂🤣 No need to say anymore I also know some people that got their degree the same way.

@fumanpoo4725

20 күн бұрын

VW stresses me out...that whole WWII thing. I did have a 1971 VW bus as a youth, but I was pretty much stoned 24/7 back then. Nonetheless...what about Amway? You MLM? I got $40,000 worth of Amway products in my garage, but I digress...

@dantesinfernopurgatory7826

19 күн бұрын

@@fumanpoo4725 The same can be said for the Japanese who teamed with Germany as part of the Axis powers.

@DonaldWells-wk8dc

19 күн бұрын

​​@@dantesinfernopurgatory7826 Yes friends enemy is your your enemy's best friend...thats a definitely a true Chapter in History People forget things like that... Trade wars started the Japanese.. Hiltler was insane...think some methamphetamine kicked in.

VW with cataracts?. Love you guys.

Always hold the wand trigger when starting pressure washers. Makes the starting process much easier. Nice results on the headlights. I use the Meguiar's Headlight Coating when I do headlight polishing to UV protect the lens.

Yeah, I'd be hanging onto that car too. Its a stick shift. Man, I miss my manual transmission. Nice to show a customer some love.

I used the same kit on my sister's 2005 Jetta back in 2019. Followed it up with some headlight clear coat. They still looked great in late 2021 when she finally decided to sell it.

I use Mother's Rim and Aluminum polish. Which are designed to remove oxidation from rims. Works awesome on plastic headlights. Just apply with a terry cloth towel. One small tub for 6 dollars lasts years.

@bloodybones63

20 күн бұрын

Hit a deer with a 07 Equinox, those headlites are huge. Cost too much new, got a bad one from junkyard. Used the Mother's like I always do. No sanding, just the drill, keep checking. Then used compound, then thick coat of wax. Looks new.

I used this same product on my headlights and it worked great! The one thing that needs to be done after the polishing is a GOOD ceramic coating to help block the ultraviolet rays.

The only kit I've used that actually lasted forever was the 3m headlight clear coat. I use my usual high grit sandpaper, then I compound and polish twice for optimal clarity, apply the clear coat wipes. It's lasted 3+ years and still looks brand new, not a single patch or yellow or fading

@TremaineLea

20 күн бұрын

I've used a few different ones, and the 3M has definitely been the top tier result. The only extra steps I go with is to clay bar them before the polish, and then ceramic coat the following day.

I go even simpler, 3000, 4000 and 5000 wet sand sandpaper with constant water flow. Finish it with a touch of car wax. Thanks for sharing!

Frau Ray wants her headlights polished - get to it Ray!

ha when I heard mrs. Lauren ask could you do that to mine, I heard the sound of the whip lol, don't know why though....

What a beautiful dog. I love your family videos Rainman.

Ray you did such a great job that now you diffenately have to do wife unit car😂

We like to call that condition Cataracs so you should be able to charge for "Car Cataracs surgery" ! It not only makes the car look better but it improves visibility at night and reduces glare to oncoming traffic! a win win for all! Very nice job Ray!

@volvo09

20 күн бұрын

I do to! Can make a car look 10 years newer.

@tyrantworm7392

20 күн бұрын

Good call Jim, that's exactly what it is.

@tomasrosalesr

19 күн бұрын

"Cartaracs"

@Fattts

16 сағат бұрын

Car cataracts, cartaracts if you will.

A lot of cars have very expensive headlight housings, because they are all kinds of funny shapes. I had yellowed and faded headlight lenses on my 2006 duramax and I was looking at cleaning kits, but then I saw that I could get a whole new set of headlights for less than $100 and they replaced super easy. I love my old truck for things like that. It's super easy to take care of and the parts (outside of the diesel engine :)) are cheap.

@kenore4003

20 күн бұрын

Regularhalogen headlight sets aren't too expensive for older vehicals however if you have the HID lights they are about twice as expensive because they have a ballast (jumps the starting voltage up to around 30,000 volts to ingnite the bulb which is about the size of a grain of rice).

@hdfxrs9121

20 күн бұрын

Yep, I did the same for my 2001 F150. I replaced both headlights, side markers, and taillights. A lot less work and it looks like new again.

Gee that vid was like watching drying grass grow on the paint. 😂😂😂 Aussie Graham.

You still got the better end of that deal, she has to put up with you 😂 Great videos though. I like your diagnostics

Someone hasn’t kept their blinker fluid filled? Lol

@volvo09

20 күн бұрын

Damage from cheap blinker fluid...

@GARDENER42

20 күн бұрын

I was straight off looking for a comment mentioning blinker fluid.😁

@dennisconrad6124

20 күн бұрын

Honestly I can’t watch this video to the end where blinker fluid is mention. This guy should not be making headlight restoration videos. Stick to sell your sweatshirts is my advice.

@rachels209

20 күн бұрын

@@dennisconrad6124It must be hard being the life of the party.

@rachels209

20 күн бұрын

@@volvo09You are correct. This is what happens when car owners who have European cars fail to use synthetic blinker fluid. Chrisfix has mentioned it before and his explanation of it being the primary reason that BMW’s not indicating when turning or lane changing because of incorrect blinker fluid causes failure is so true.

Replaced my headlight lenses just last week on my Bimmer E46. Super nice that you can just replace the lenses for $65 and 30 minutes.

Ray you need to take a picture of the headlight on before and after you clean the headlights up

I have PPF on the front of my Mitsubishi Evo, including the headlights. It's also UV deflecting, so no yellowing on my 2004. Good job!

Hello Ray! Good day to you.

HaHa! Even Ray ended up "NIce and Shiny"!

You need to bring back that sticker!! I missed buying it when you had it on the coffee cup when you had it with the last supplier....

I had a good experience with the 3M headlight kit. That one looks like it was as good if not better. Nice solid man.

Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish works awesome, after

@shakerman55

20 күн бұрын

I have seen people spray clear coat on afterwards to seal it. And it also adds to the clearness.

@bloodybones63

20 күн бұрын

That's all I use, Is Mother's Mag & Aluminum Cleaner. No sanding, clean it, tape it, go over it as much as you want to. I usually do about 3 or 4 times, you can keep checking it to see. Then I use compound, then a thick coat of wax. Done. I've done 15 or 20 in the last 20 years, as long as you replace the wax after washing to protect it, it works. Forget that & it will come back in a year or two.

Ray: I have used that Mother's produtas well as other brands to polish up plastic lenses in the past. The polishing compond typically does not really protect the newly polished plastic. Rather you now need to apply a sealant to the lens to help keep the "shiny" bits shiny for a longer time. Several years ago Eric O demonstrated one such product on his youtube channel and I ordered some. It does work well for the intended purpose.

Nice work Ray. Don't forget to refill the blinker fluid while you're in there!

@kenore4003

20 күн бұрын

Be sure to fill both the left and right kinds. Don't mix them because that could cause a gravitational anomaly and generate a black hole and that would be bad.

@Stoney3K

19 күн бұрын

@@kenore4003 Nah, lopsided filling of your blinker fluid only causes your car to permanently turn in one direction, causing you to drive in circles.

The best way to clean it is wet sanding then buffing it then spraying clear coat on it everything else is just temporary 😂

Ray move to Canada we need a great mechanic like you guys like you are one in a million

@TremaineLea

20 күн бұрын

Seconded, as long as it's in Calgary 🤣

Before kits I just bought sandpaper. It honestly didn't take that much longer. Back and forth then up and down, then swirl the next grit. Went up to 3k I think. That yellowed after a short time, Mothers Aluminum Polish brought it back without any fuss. But even when spray coated, I found they still yellowed and replaced the headlights and wish I had done so sooner.

@churblefurbles

17 күн бұрын

They sell the sealer spray/wipes separately now.

Great job ray.. something I should probably do on my '94 MX6.

My mechanic will clean up the lights on any car that comes into his garage for work. No cost. You remind me of my son-in-law. Won't read the directions to save his life. 😊 Always nice to see Lauren.

@shakerman55

20 күн бұрын

That’s the little customer service that separates real mechanics that appreciates their customers from the ones that don’t care. Very rare today.

Rainman Rays' Carwash! With every Carwash you get a Clutch Adjustment, Oil Change and Headlight Refresh! $9.95. LoL Great to see your loyalty to your customers!

I love that SprayWay foaming glass cleaner. It smells nice and works very well for everything from windows to display cases.

@TXCherokee

20 күн бұрын

Me too. I buy it at Walmart

I used the Sylvania kit and it came out great. Lasted for years.

Hey Ray, your customer is going to love this. He won't believe how bright his headlights are on his first night time drive with these polished beauties. Cheers!

I think the final polish including the protectant is sort of like using a polish wax. Not great at either. I would recommend a spray on UV protectant. Mequiar' has a spray on "Headlight Coating".

The glass cleaner that she uses also really good at cleaning stainless steel especially like stainless steel refrigerators

Nice job, check the shop for some old hubcaps and throw them on 👍🏼

You are my hero!

I polish camera lenses with oil based compounds. 12 syringes of various diamond grit from amazon. 1½ square of kitchen paper towel on a concave rubber spinning thing. I used a watch face restorer on my instrument display as it was scratched and hazy. I park my car facing north so the headlights are not an issue.

I wish we didn’t have to have front number plate like you Guys in the States. Dave in the U.K.

An old mechanic friend told me about twenty years ago, after you do the cleaning and polishing and it's fully dry, take a rattle can of clear coat and cover headlights with a light spray. He said it will preserve them. I don't know for sure but he swears it works.

I did this to my previous car and the 1st grits were not to be wet sanded. Turned out great though. They were as new :) After the 800 grit the lights were very foggy, had to make sure the fog was equal all over so you know it was all good. same with the 1500. Then wet with the 3000 and finally the polish.

Das Auto is "Nice & Shiny", especially the headlight assemblies. Plus the wash afterwards. I appreciate your attention to detail. Nice work sir!!👍👍

8th! Have a wonderful Thursday Ray,Lauren,and Dave,the new employee. Roger in Pierre South Dakota

I have used other brands, don't remember what kind,but didn't have to sand them at all and turned out great.

What a difference!

Wasser works best with German cars, when American cars settle for water or wadder. LOL. Nice of you to do your loyal customer and viewer a favor, as well as to show us this process. Danke.

Well to add I’ve used the 3M headlight restore kit on 2011 Honda headlights with success. I will try the Mothers Mag Polish too

Get a product called Plexus plastic cleaner to seal the polished lights and protect from UV damage. This product is used to protect airplane windshields.

Thanks Ray! Great vid as usual. The polishing process seems to do a great job.

I used about the same kit you had, Mothers. Spent an hour per lense making it all smooth and shiny. Mine has a ceramic coating like spread you rubbed on with a small sponge in it. Looked nice. Until the end of summer, 5 months later, and it looked just as bad as before. The outside is clean but inside has the same fading. Wound up buying replacement lenses off Amazon for mine for around $120 a pair, and it's been lasting now for 4 years. Old 05 Silverado. I think once they're faded you can make them look good, but it doesn't last long in the heat of the summer sun. But, right now, your customer is happy and that's the best feeling and part. Cheers.

I had good luck with plastic polish on my old 1992 T-bird. It's long gone.

Thank you for the video. 😊

Ray that pressure tip is for heavy duty removal use ,not for paint, chrome. or clear plastic headlamps my bad GO RAY GO

@pheelix-

19 күн бұрын

yup, nothing like using a concrete cleaning tip on a car. He got lucky if there was no damage.

I did mine, and it was a big improvement, but there are still some pits. I was unsure how long to go with each grit, but it turned out pretty good. I used a Simoniz kit.

😁😁 Got one headlight that's yellowed after seeing this Ray I Think I'm going to attack it with a restorer too, Looks GOOD Thanks Ray

you have a good heart. way to to go ray. nice job

This is now my next project. I liked this video very much!

I've tried three different processes. The critical thing seems to be the product used for sealing the lenses and two fell short, lasting less than 6 months. The last I used is a RainX product. Seems really good so far. The prep is pretty standard. I found it easiest to remove the entire headlights.

Sure would be nice if manufacturers went back to glass headlights. 🙄 Appears the owner was having leaks judging by the tape around the sunroof. Time for a new seal!

You should start ESL classes. :). Man your hard work and dedication to the customer is amazing. Seriously.

" IT WAS LIKE THAT WHEN I GOT HERE."... Replacement for the sweat shirts in the merchandise store.

Welcome to Rainman Ray's headlight saver and car washing service! Please leave your car with Rainman Ray and it will look like new when finished LOL!!!

I have done that on several cars with dingy yellowing headlights, and it worked great each time. I have used some different products using polishing compounds and they all worked as advertised

Same headlights on my golf, same procedure carried out a few times, needs doing every year. Looks much better afterwards though. Good job Ray

@Simon-fr4ts

20 күн бұрын

Same here. I looks great for a while, but you end up back to square one after a year or less.

I’ve used the 3M brand, a lot of the same steps as the one you used. The final polish doesn’t say anything about UV protection, so I put a hard coat of SafeTclear, I think is how it’s spelled. I learned of it from Eric O SMA. Stuff works great. Funny story, came home 1 day, wife mentioned she fixed son’s headlights. She said she found the polish kit and did it herself. I checked it out they looked pretty good but the results weren’t as good as I had done on our car. I said could have used a little more sanding. She said “Sanding”?? Turns out she did no prep other than wash the headlights and only coated them with the SafeTclear. It’s like WD-40 method on steroids, but it doesn’t fade away. Made the lights pretty clear but still had yellow tinge. For the results she received couldn’t fault her for trying something she had never even remotely tried before.

Good day Ray!

I've tried a few of those headlight products. One I was happy with is Cerakote. I used it on a Honda Ridgeline (same problem for Pilots) that has a problem with getting some weird tiny cracks. I also used the product on an older Toyota. I found it's easy and lasted for about 2 years after which time I just applied a spare Cerakote wipe and it looked great again. Other products didn't seem to last even a year.

@shakerman55

20 күн бұрын

I have seen people spray clear coat on and it helped to seal it up and protect from bugs and uv rays.

Cool Job😊

I tried all of those big box brands, the one I've had the best luck with is Cerakote, it was on amazon, but now found in most Walmarts. I don't use other products anymore.

Good choice going with the Sprayway, best non-ammonia foaming glass cleaner on the planet. I've been using it since the '70s, perfectly safe for aftermarket window tint (especially here in the California desert). 😎

So Ray, since you said "GRIT" so many times; does that make you "TO LEGIT TO GRIT" 😂

Wow nice job Ray, you've effectively restored my faith in the headlight resto

@RainmanRaysRepairs

19 күн бұрын

Right on!

Note Das auto does apply to BMWs and Mercedes as the term is German and those cars are also German. It also translates to 'the car' so feel free to use it when ever you want.

I used 3M head lamp RESTORE on my 95 escort . Worked greata

In the past I did a few of these headlight treatment things. I honestly doubt I put this much effort in though. In the end I chose to replace the headlight assembly on my truck and my wife's car. Expensive? Yes. But the clarity was back to factory.