How to restore a Headlight by Hand & Wet Sanding - No Tools Needed! | 2016 Honda CR-V

Hello everyone! I wanted to do a quick step by step process on my most common vehicle I get calls on. The Honda CR-V. I'm so happy that my most common vehicle is fairly easy. The worst part about the whole process is masking it off. The outer sides are very easy, but the insides where the grill meets the headlight can be a little tricky due to the complexity of the trim pieces. I've managed to get these down to about 20-25 minutes from start to finished, which is pretty good considering the prep work being tricky. These headlights are pretty much the same as the Honda Ridge Line, the only difference is the the trim piece that protrudes into the light from the grill goes almost all the way thru to the other side of the light, which is very annoying to tape off.

This is also the perfect example for me to show that power tools are not always needed to restore headlights. It all comes down to the starting grit of sandpaper. If using proper techniques you can easily remove oxidation and old clear coat without excessive amounts of sanding. No matter what method you are using, your objective when it comes to restoring a headlight is to remove both the oxidation, and the old clear coat.

I started by wet sanding with a 400 grit sand paper. The water allows me to see what oxidation and clear coat is left on the lens, and what spots still need more sanding. The water helps to reduce friction and heat, which can prevent damage to the headlight, such as warping, melting or burning. Wet sanding also prevents any generation of excessive dust, which can be harmful to breathe in. It also prevents for a lot of clean up afterwards, since any wind won't carry the dust all over the vehicle itself. Once the oxidation and old clear coat was removed, I finished by wet sanding with a 600 grit sandpaper. This creates the perfect surface for applying the clear coat, which allows it to bond perfectly with the lens.

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DISCLAIMER I am not saying anything bad about sanding with power tools! I am simply showing an alternative way you can restore headlights that can save you both time and money spent on multiple grits of sandpaper