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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > Cosmetic and Lighting Modifications (exterior/interior) > Headlight Lens Crazing - Experiences?



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      02-13-2013, 10:19 PM   #1
mapleridge
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Headlight Lens Crazing - Experiences?

Hi All,

Anyone experience crazing on their headlights? They are tiny little spider web cracks you can feel with a nail and see in the light. I just fitted Orion V4's and blacked out my LCI lights and saw this. I think it is acetone from when I was trying to get the adhesive off. Wondering if it is fixable. I had a shop try sanding with 1000 grit and it didn't work. Will try to go more aggressive and will have it clear coated at the body shop. I just want my lenses fixed.
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      02-13-2013, 10:55 PM   #2
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Clear coat should work. Let me know how it goes. I'm going to clear mine in a few weeks
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      02-13-2013, 11:47 PM   #3
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Not worried about getting it coated. I am worried about the very small cracks. I need to get them out first or else my efforts are wasted.
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      02-15-2013, 07:41 PM   #4
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Did you bake them? That is often what causes crazing. Unfortunately, I don't think they can be sanded out.
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      02-16-2013, 03:09 AM   #5
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I saw what 1000 grit did and it did not remove it. I have asked them to go down to 400 grit to see what happens. Everything is blacked out and orion v4 rings are installed. now this......
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      02-16-2013, 08:24 AM   #6
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400 ...800...1200...1500...2000 and polish and seal they will be perfect, just reseal every 3 months and no clear needed and wwont risk it happening again
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      02-16-2013, 12:09 PM   #7
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I believe the acetone is the culprit. It can make the plastic cold and brittle. Acetone is really harsh and can get through gloves and enter your blood stream . Anyway, from what you described by sanding, it sounds like it spider cracked within the lens plastic. Clear coating may not help you. The way you can tell if it will is if you pour water over the lens after sanding and you do not see it anymore . If you still see it, the clear coat will not mask it.
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      02-17-2013, 01:50 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by imageautodetail View Post
400 ...800...1200...1500...2000 and polish and seal they will be perfect, just reseal every 3 months and no clear needed and wwont risk it happening again

That's what I told them. Go down to 400 grit and work up. Seal with what? Isn't clear coat better.

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Originally Posted by ///Mposter View Post
I believe the acetone is the culprit. It can make the plastic cold and brittle. Acetone is really harsh and can get through gloves and enter your blood stream . Anyway, from what you described by sanding, it sounds like it spider cracked within the lens plastic. Clear coating may not help you. The way you can tell if it will is if you pour water over the lens after sanding and you do not see it anymore . If you still see it, the clear coat will not mask it.

I think the acetone did it. It was perfect before that. I will use the water method to verify. I wonder if lamin x will mask it.
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      02-17-2013, 03:29 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mapleridge View Post
That's what I told them. Go down to 400 grit and work up. Seal with what? Isn't clear coat better.




I think the acetone did it. It was perfect before that. I will use the water method to verify. I wonder if lamin x will mask it.
you can clear, but may not lay right unless you know what you are doing, and can peel in the future, like a vw or older benz, just use a synthetic paint sealant every 2-3 months, just apply, haze and wipe off, 15 minutes of work a year...lol and you wont have to worry about re doing them
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      02-18-2013, 02:13 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by imageautodetail View Post
you can clear, but may not lay right unless you know what you are doing, and can peel in the future, like a vw or older benz, just use a synthetic paint sealant every 2-3 months, just apply, haze and wipe off, 15 minutes of work a year...lol and you wont have to worry about re doing them
Was reading a thread a while back about spar varnish or something. Is that what you mean? I am not spraying the clear. Body shop is. If they mess it up, I can ask them to fix it.
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      02-20-2013, 01:15 AM   #11
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so....400 grit did not remove it. I think I am SOL. I asked them to go down to 320. Don't know what will happen at this point.
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      02-20-2013, 07:12 AM   #12
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it is the acetone that did that, happened to me on my subaru years ago when I cleared the headlights. It is too harsh of a chemical for the lense and essentially eats through it. Your best bet is to find a used headlight and just swap out the lense.
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      02-21-2013, 03:09 AM   #13
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yep. acetone did it. 320 grit still didn't fix it. I am just going to buy another set of housings. It's hard to find used lenses in good shape....so close yet so far.
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