DIY plastic headlight repair

In detail: DIY repair of a plastic headlight from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

The optics of a car during its operation are very susceptible to mechanical stress. This can happen due to the carelessness of the car owner himself or as a result of a collision. Today, all damaged parts can be replaced with new ones, just buy them in the store.

the refurbished headlight looks like new

But often they are quite expensive (and finding spare parts for some cars is also quite problematic), so most car owners prefer to repair themselves.

The integrity of the optics can be restored in different ways, depending on the degree of its damage. For work, you may need special tools and a welding machine with a compressor. The fragments of the headlight are welded to them in case of violation of its integrity.

Headlight repair must begin with determining the material from which the optics are made.... If the headlight is plastic, it can be repaired using cold welding, polypropylene optics can be restored using welding.

You also need to remember that when trying to connect different types of materials to each other, you should not rely on a strong connection.

The restoration of headlights is carried out not only in the case of their mechanical damage, but also with a slight haze. It greatly affects their ability to transmit light, and this can cause accidents at night. Common optical defects that a car owner may encounter:

Headlamp housing cracks
Damage to the elements of its fastening,
Depressurization of seams,
Various scratches and chips that occur during the operation of the vehicle.

Video (click to play).

Headlamp fogging is a seemingly minor problem that car owners usually don't pay attention to. But if such a defect is not removed within 1-2 months, the mirror layer of the deflector may begin to collapse. Due to the accumulation of moisture in this place, problems with oxidation of contacts, etc., may also begin.

Scratches on optics are a fairly common phenomenon and they also do not always get enough attention. The headlamp must be sanded and carefully polished. With this repair, you can get rid of even deep scratches and improve the appearance of the vehicle's optics.

Also on the headlight, you can find plaque that forms on the inside. The reason for its appearance may be the ingress of chemical reagents (usually with a contactless car wash). When exposed to high temperatures, such deposits can form a cloudy film and impair the ability of the headlamp to transmit light.

It is better to eliminate such a flaw in specialized auto repair shops, since it can be quite problematic to do the work with your own hands. The cracking of the headlight cover, which is found on many modern cars, is also a serious problem.

It can deteriorate over time due to natural causes, exposure to ultraviolet light or the negative effects of chemicals. In some cases, it is impossible to completely remove such a defect, because it is impossible to get to the damaged area either with your hand or with the help of special equipment.

If you are not confident in your abilities and the necessary practical skills, it is not recommended to restore plastic headlights. Indeed, in this case, there is a high risk of additional destruction of the plastic of the optics or its mirror layer.

Before starting all work, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the headlamp and conduct a careful visual inspection of the defect.Thus, it is possible to identify the presence of cracks in it, which must be completely eliminated. If this is not done, under the influence of constant vibrations, the network of cracks will expand and ruin the entire appearance and transmission capacity of the headlamp.

If no such flaws were found, you can start repairing car headlights with your own hands. Repair of chips and scratches must be performed in full accordance with the technology and in the following sequence:

The cleavage site is thoroughly washed and completely dried.
In the center of the damaged area, it is necessary to install an injector, with its help, a polymer mixture is supplied for gluing.
The volume of the chip is filled with an adhesive, and care must be taken to avoid the formation of air bubbles.
After that, the injector is removed and the glue must be dried using an ultraviolet lamp. Repairing the headlamp reflector can be done in the same way.
Then, in order for the repaired site to have increased strength, it can be additionally treated with a hardener.
After the mixture has completely solidified, all surface irregularities are removed with a file. After that, the headlamp is polished using a grinder or fine abrasive paper, and then final polishing is carried out to give the optics a shine.

Repairs can be done in different ways, but the easiest way to remove defects from a plastic headlight is to weld it with hot air. In this way, the split-off parts of the optics can be returned to their place (the gluing method is not very effective in that case).

In the process of performing work, you need to remember one important detail - only one type of plastic can be welded. Failure to comply with this condition can lead to the fact that the repaired headlamp will last no more than a couple of weeks.

Repairing the headlight mounting is a much more complicated procedure and it is better to entrust the work to professionals. Welding this section will be ineffective and soon the headlight will become unusable again, so experienced craftsmen recommend repairing the headlight housing using prosthetics. Some metal parts are being replaced with others and the headlight is taking on its position.

To repair the headlight in the event that it has lost its transparency, you can use polishing and grinding. The dullness of the headlights is acquired due to the mechanical effect of particles that rise from the road surface during the operation of the car.

As a result, not only clouding, but also chips can form. At the manufacturing plant, polycarbonate is often used in the production of automotive optics. Such material is very durable, but its distinctive feature is that it is not resistant to mechanical stress and ultraviolet radiation.

Therefore, on top it is additionally covered with a special protective layer, which for some time protects the optics from the effects of negative environmental factors. In the process of repairing the headlight, it is very easy to damage this layer, and after removing it, after a couple of months, the headlight will need to be additionally polished due to defects that rapidly appear on it.

Therefore, in the process of performing work, it is necessary to apply a fine polish, which practically does not harm the protective layer of the optics. To remove deep chips and scratches, you yourself have to remove the protective layer applied at the factory, since it is simply impossible to do the work differently.

After the repair is completed, in order to further protect the headlight, it is recommended to cover it with an anti-gravel film.

Quite often, damaged optics are difficult to find on the market. You can make an individual request. However, this does not guarantee that it will be implemented. Therefore, it will be very useful to know how to repair car headlights yourself. Before proceeding with this procedure, it is necessary to find out what material the damaged optics are made of.Consider what modern headlights are.

Glass headlights... The most high-quality and efficient specialists are considered to be optics made of glass. It looks beautiful, stylish, transmits light perfectly, is used longer and does not grow cloudy. At the same time, such headlights, in comparison with other analogs, are more fragile, highly susceptible to scratches and cracks. A special film is used to protect the glass. It provides reliable protection against small stones and can be wiped clean without scratching the glass. However, the coating reduces the throughput of the optics by 4-5%, but this can be neglected in order to save money on replacing damaged glass.

Polycarbonate optics is cheaper and more practical. The material is highly resistant to mechanical damage, detergents and temperature extremes. However, there are significant disadvantages:

cloudiness due to ultraviolet rays;
poor resistance to the effects of various alkalis, acids and other corrosive liquids;
relatively short service life.

Acrylic headlights, better known as plexiglass optics. Acrylic, in comparison with polycarbonate, is of higher quality and quickly takes on almost any shape when heated. In this case, after solidification, the degree of transparency decreases by 6-8%. This optics does not grow cloudy, but is more prone to cracking with significant temperature fluctuations.

You will need the following tools to repair your headlights:

hair dryer-soldering iron;
milling machine;
compressor;
injector;
drill;
UV lamp;
pliers;
tweezers;
files;
hacksaw for metal;
sandpaper, circles, or other abrasive material;
Sander;
vernier caliper, ruler, pencil;
plasticine;
heat-resistant vacuum bag;
napkins, protective equipment (gloves, glasses).

Depending on what the damaged optics was made of, we prepare the appropriate material. The best option is shards of previously repaired headlights. If there are none, we prepare a similar plastic. Remember that polycarbonate and acrylic should not be interchanged. If they are welded to each other, then the connection will be fragile. Such optics will not last long, just a few days.

In addition, you will need plexiglass, solvent, scotch tape and special molecular glue. It can be replaced with dichloroethane. To restore the main headlights, it is necessary to prepare plexiglass with a thickness of about 6.0 mm, for sidelights (foglights) or rear lights, a thickness of 4.0-5.0 mm is sufficient.

The body and headlamp are repaired with a hair dryer in the following sequence:

We lay out the fragments in the right order. If some parts are lost or cannot be restored, use spare parts from previously repaired optics.
We heat each piece one by one with a hairdryer and attach it to its place.
We weld the resulting seams on both sides to ensure strength.
The irregularities resulting from welding are first removed with a file, and then with sandpaper.
After that, we carefully grind and polish the restored optics using a felt disc.

Broken pieces of headlights can be glued together using special glue. The repair procedure is similar to the above sequence. If you do not have the necessary parts, you can make them yourself from plexiglass. All seams must be treated with hardener on both sides without fail.

Sometimes the glued headlights may not match the shape of the cap. In this case, a fit is made using a technical hair dryer.

In case of damage to glass optics and the impossibility of replacing with a new one, you can make a similar headlight from plexiglass:

Preparing the template. We put the destroyed optics in parts, replace the lost elements with ordinary plasticine. Then we make a plaster matrix.
We cut a workpiece of the required size from plexiglass.
On tracing paper we draw a template for the internal drawing of the glass with a caliper.
Using a milling machine on a plexiglass workpiece, we reproduce the optics pattern with maximum accuracy.
After that we put plexiglass on a gypsum matrix and pack it in a heat-resistant vacuum bag.
We heat the resulting package until the plexiglass is completely softened and with the help of a compressor we give it the shape of a gypsum matrix.

It should be noted that this procedure is rather complicated and time consuming. It is difficult to cope with it without the necessary skills and special equipment. Therefore, it is easier to resort to the services of specialists.

The rear lights are repaired in a similar manner. First, the parts of the destroyed optics are laid out on the table. Then, in the required sequence, glue the existing elements with glue.

As a rule, some parts after an accident will be lost or destroyed without the possibility of recovery. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare spare parts from a similar flashlight. First, we prepare a template for the missing element and cut out a piece of the desired shape with the utmost precision. We glue it and prepare the next element in the same way. After bonding, all seams must be carefully sanded and polished.

Visual video on the restoration of rear optics

Headlight cracks are repaired using an adhesive:

We drill the edges of the cracks.

We wash and dry the surface.

Install the injector just above the crack and apply the glue.

After filling the crack with glue, remove the injector and control the absence of air bubbles in the polymer composition.

To make the glue harden faster, you can dry it with an ultraviolet lamp.

After the adhesive has completely dried, we remove the irregularities with a file, and then we grind and polish the lantern.

After filling the cracks, it is recommended to treat the joints with hardener.We wash the headlight first, then dry it thoroughly. First, rough grinding is performed in several stages with a gradual increase in the grain size of the wheel. It is not recommended to press strongly to avoid overheating of the plastic. The time of one procedure should not exceed 3-4 minutes.After rough sanding, we proceed to polishing. For this, wipes and polish are used. A small amount of the mixture is applied to a napkin and the surface is manually polished for 6-8 minutes. You can handle plastic headlights using a grinder. In this case, use low speed and avoid overheating of the surface.It is recommended to polish the optics every 2 years, as well as after repairs and when cracks or chips appear. This procedure takes about 20-30 minutes and is not difficult.

The easiest way to fix defects on plastic is by injection welding. A polypropylene headlamp can be given a second life with conventional welding. Welding seams are used to connect completely broken-off parts of the headlight, since gluing in this case is ineffective. It should be borne in mind that when connecting different materials, it is almost impossible to achieve strength - a headlight welded from plastic of different types will last no more than 1-2 weeks.

Headlight housing repair is a more time-consuming procedure, which is often performed by the method of prosthetics (replacing individual metal parts with new ones). It is better to entrust such work to the specialists of the service center.

Over time, the headlights can turn matte under the constant influence of rising asphalt particles. In addition, optics made of polycarbonate also lose transparency when exposed to sunlight. Typically, polymer headlights are treated with a protective compound, which is important not to damage during the polishing process.Therefore, to restore transparency and remove minor damage, a fine polish should be used; more serious damage can only be repaired after removing the factory protective layer. At the end of the work, it is recommended to cover it with an anti-gravel film.

Plaque on the inside of the headlamp occurs due to the ingress of chemicals during a non-contact car wash. Under the influence of high temperature, it transforms into a cloudy film, which impairs the light transmittance of the optics. The protective film may crack for the same reason. In most cases, it is problematic to completely eliminate these defects due to the difficulty of accessing the inner surface. Without prior experience with this, you can further damage the plastic or mirror layer of your headlight. Therefore, it is better not to risk it and contact a specialized car service.

It often happens, especially after an accident or a large stone hit in the headlight glass, that it is not possible to restore it and requires replacement. To completely replace it, you need to purchase a new glass, this can be done either from us or in any other specialized store, remove the old glass, apply a new layer of sealant and glue the new glass on the headlight. If the sealant on the headlight is thermally collapsible, then this is not so difficult to do, you can use a construction hairdryer, the main thing is to do it carefully and not to overheat the plastic of the headlight. If the sealant on the headlamp is not a thermoplastic, then I am afraid at home and without special skills, it will not be possible to do this and it is better to contact a specialized workshop.

We are a certified installation center for additional equipment. For 7 years we have been engaged in the repair, modernization and tuning of automotive optics of any complexity for cars of different brands and models. We give a 1-year guarantee for the work carried out with us. We specialize in installing / replacing Bi-Led and Xenon lenses, repairing and improving the light of standard headlights. Any work with auto light and backlighting. All equipment is in stock, installation in your presence.

Installation of additional equipment in the Avtoprisma service center means: - maintaining the car warranty - 1 year warranty for work - accurate and honest consultation - individual approach - confidence in the quality of work - order fulfillment on time

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The optics of the machine are subjected to high mechanical stress, which can lead to damage to these elements. The reason may be the car owner's inattention on the road or getting into an accident. It is not difficult to repair the headlight. All it takes is a tool, replacement parts, and a fastener sealant.

Headlamp restoration is required in a situation where deformation or damage leads to a deterioration in the light transmittance of the product. As a result, the risk of getting into an accident when driving at night increases. In addition, the yellowed plastic does not have the most presentable appearance.

Common headlight defects encountered by car owners include:

The appearance of cracks in the glass.
Violation of tightness at the joints.
Damage to the case and fasteners, scratches and chips.

It is worth noting that headlight repair may be required in the following cases:

The problem may appear if chemical reagents get inside the product. Under the influence of high temperatures, plaque develops on the outer part of the glass, which reduces the transmission capacity of the headlight. In addition, due to the appearance of a foreign "film", the glass may acquire a yellow tint. In this case, it is better to involve professionals to restore the headlight.

Scuffs or chips on the surface of the headlamp can cause fogging. If the deficiency is not eliminated in a timely manner, the mirror layer is disturbed, and the flashlight requires repair. Moisture also has a negative effect, the ingress of which leads to the oxidation of contact compounds. That is why, when fogging up, it is important to quickly fix the problem and get the headlight repaired. To restore tightness, you can use a sealant.

Why does the headlight sweat, and what to do in this case - read here.

In this case, it will be destroyed by the action of "chemistry" and UV rays.

This problem is known to many, if not all car owners. To restore the headlight, the surface is sanded and polished. With the right approach, you can return the glass to its original appearance. It is advisable to repair the lantern only if you have experience, confidence in your abilities and knowledge of the technology for performing work.

Polishing headlights on a car

Together with the restoration, you can do other work - to make tuning the headlights of the car, for example, to apply paint to them. One of the popular options is to apply black paint.

To repair your headlight, do the following:

Prepare the problem area — clean it, wash it and dry it.
Fill the groove with adhesive. Make sure that no bubbles appear during the procedure.
Use a UV lamp to dry the repair area.
Fix the result. To do this, cover the existing crack with hardener.
Polish the restoration area using a sander or emery paper.

In addition to refurbishing the headlight, restoration of the reflector may be required. To do this, do the following:

Peel off the reflector with metallic tape.
Apply chrome paint to the reflector.

Alternatively, when repairing the reflector, you can use metal foil or foil, followed by fixing with a sealant.

Video: How to properly restore the headlights

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The task of the headlamp hydrocorrector is to change the direction of the light beam. If the device fails, then beam alignment becomes unrealistic. That is why the repair of the corrector should be carried out immediately after a breakdown is detected. If recovery is not possible, replace the entire part.To do this, do the following:

Remove the corrector handle.

Unscrew the retaining nut and remove the master cylinder.

Use a screwdriver to unscrew the mount, dismantle the casing, scale and light guide.

Remove the scale illumination lamp in order to dismantle the hydraulic corrector without any problems.

Move the headlights of the machine away from the slave cylinders.

Remove the adjuster assembly.

After installing a new device, return all the elements according to the reverse algorithm.

Video: Repair of the Lada Granta headlight hydrocorrectorIf the video does not show, please refresh the page or ”style =” color: # CC3333 ″> click here

Often the cause of damage to the reflector is a violation of the tightness. Fine particles of dust and moisture enter the interior and cause the reflector to lose its gloss. As a result, the quality of the luminous flux gradually decreases.

Loss of reflective properties can also be caused by the installation of non-standard, higher wattage lamps. The temperature inside the headlamp reaches a critical value, after which a burnt spot forms on the surface of the reflector.

Whatever the reason, the reflector must either be replaced or refurbished. The cost of restoring one reflector in a car repair shop is not less than 1,000 rubles, which is not acceptable for every motorist. Therefore, we propose to consider several simple ways to restore the headlamp reflector with your own hands.

To get to the reflector, the headlight removed from the car must be disassembled. The first option provides for repeated passage of the seam with hot air from a building hair dryer. The second option is to leave the headlamp in the oven at 100 ° C for 20 minutes. After opening, all parts are cleaned of sealant residues, washed without the use of alcohol-containing liquids and dried.

The sealant that holds the headlamp components together begins to deteriorate when exposed to temperatures above 75 ° C.

Let's start with how to restore the reflector on the headlight using tape foil. All you need is metallized tape, bought at a hardware store for about RUB 30. Its adhesive base copes well with high and low temperatures, and the aluminum film is very wear-resistant.

In order to obtain a smooth surface with a minimum of seams after gluing the adhesive tape on the reflector, first pieces of the most suitable shape are formed from several strips. Then remove the protective film and carefully stick it on. The whole procedure takes about half an hour.

The surface must be degreased immediately before gluing.

Advantages of the method: durability, low cost, ease of implementation.

Disadvantages: when gluing, irregularities and seams remain, which impair the properties of the reflector.

Aluminum foil is highly reflective, which makes it suitable for refurbishing headlamp reflectors. You will also need some epoxy. To maintain a perfectly smooth surface of the foil, the entire pattern is made from plain paper. Then the parts are duplicated from an aluminum sheet, a thin layer of resin is applied to the reflector and glued, removing excess resin.

Advantages: withstands any temperature fluctuations.

Disadvantages: being between the metal foil and the plastic base, the epoxy glue is devoid of air and takes a very long time to dry. It is almost impossible to remove dried glue. Therefore, such a reflector is not suitable for repeated recovery. With the advent of tape foil, this method is practically not used.

Repairing a headlamp reflector with chrome paint is the most popular. There is no need to cut and glue anything. Paint is sprayed onto the degreased surface of the reflector from a can with white chrome until a uniform, uniform layer is obtained. After painting, the headlamp is dried in accordance with the instructions on the spray can.

Benefits: Provides a smooth surface. You can even spray paint on metal tape, thus increasing the reflective effect.

Disadvantages: Does not tolerate high temperatures. Try to find a heat-resistant chrome paint.

The restoration of the reflector by the method of applying metallized self-adhesive film of the Oracal trademark is considered to be no less effective. Films from the Oracal 351 and Oracal 352 series can withstand temperature drops from -40 to + 120 ° C and, according to the manufacturer, can be used outdoors for two years without deterioration in performance. Since the headlamp is a hermetically sealed space, the life of the self-adhesive film is increased.

The best reflective properties are possessed by a film in the color "Glossy chrome".

It is necessary to make templates from paper or ordinary tape that exactly repeat the shape of the reflector. Then cut the polyester film to the same shape. Using a hair dryer, glue it to the prepared surface of the reflector, smoothing it and preventing the appearance of bubbles. The joints and edges can be additionally treated with chrome paint.

Advantages: reliable manufacturer, excellent reflective effect.

Disadvantages: the price of 1 m 2 starts at $ 5.

Video (click to play).

As you can see, the restoration of headlight reflectors is a simple procedure and is quite possible in a garage. Considering the fact that auto repair shops take an order of magnitude more money for similar work, it always makes sense to try to return the headlight to its previous brightness with your own hands using one of the proposed methods.

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