Headlights!

get some rough sandpaper, like 150 grit. rough the lense covers up with the 150. dont score the surface too deep, you want just enough to get the haze off. then get a finer grit, like 1200 and go back over the lense. finally, go really fine, with 2000 or so and finish it up really good. rinse it off with clean water and let it dry. get a can of clear coat spray paint and give each lense a nice covering with the paint. let it dry, then do it again if you want.

this method will work really well unless the inside of the lense is damaged or stained. it does really well on the columbia freightliners and the volvo covers as well.

a shortcut is take some diesel fuel on a old towel and wipe it across the lense. it will work ok for a few days but you will eventually need to sand the lense down or spend the big bucks to replace them if you are an O/O.

 

volvo laziness/inability to bring some updates ..lights included.. after 10y of the current model on the market,has prevented me to buy another(new) one this year...went with KW T680...

Unless you change the full headlight every 2-3 y won't have an average at best night view in front.....mostly because main trouble is the inside projectors mirrors are made of a low quality cromed plastic.....that cannot be changed.....
Now there is an after market better option projector only(expensive)...

Believe it or not ...the bluebeacon..wash liquid cleaners, what is damaging the exterior headlights on the trucks......i've realized it after 9y of washing once in awhile there in my current 2000 volvo old light with still very good mirror inside..after cleaning them to a shiny appearance with RAIN-X manual restore kit lasted untill i went to blue beacon wash...............had to do it al over again..they were shot

 

"My 2007 780 has had occasional issues with the plexiglass headlight covers becoming opaque. The options were $300 plus shop time to replace each one or to purchase a simple $30-$40 kit at Walmart (it is by 3M, don't know the part number but you'll find it in the automotive section) which fixes them up to factory finish in an hour or so if you're careful. Easy choice for me."

just try toothpaste, yes any brand

 

Wow 150 grit sandpaper?

Seriously. it is really simple and not expensive to fix. Here is exactly what I did.

First off I got two types of wet sand paper out of my collect from body work. One was 1200 grit and the other is 800 grit.

I got a bottle of 3M "Perfect it" rubbing compound and a new small buffing pad for my drill.

I don't remember what wax I use, may have been in my stock of mothers or 3M but any good wax will do.

I also got a new roll of masking tape to tape of the area of around the headlight.

I started with wet sanding the light with 1200 grit paper, I didn't need the 800 at all. I slowly took down the surface coat of the headlamp, carefully not wanting to burn the plastic or make deep scratches. I put the hose on the hood and set the water valve to slowly run water on the headlight.

Once the surface was cleaned up a bit and the fogginess and yellowing reduced a lot, I stopped sanding and let everything dry.

I took the rubbing compound and applied it to the headlight, using my drill running real slow with light pressure started to polish the plastic. My goal was not to quickly polish them and burn the plastic but to take out the rest of the yellowing on the surface and take the scratches out from the sand paper. I tool my time, kept the pad 'wet' with the compound.

The results were amazing, they looked new once I wiped them with a soft cloth before I applied the wax.

Once the wax was applied and buffed (by hand), I took the masking tape off the hood and that was it.

Since the truck got washed a lot, I had to reapplying the way and go through a little more polishing with the rubbing compound ever once and a while.

These lens are made with Lexan, which is easily fixed. The problem with a lot of these lights is the way the truck is washed and the exposure of the sun, both of them attack that surface coat on the plastic.

I used to use a polishing compound made for Aircraft windshields and that also worked well but I ran out of it and because I don't have access to AC stuff, I ended up using the 3M stuff.

Hope that helps.

 

I have tried cleaning them on more that one truck and they just end up going back the same way In a few week so we just replaced all of ours we couldn't find aftermarket lights anywhere and had to get them oem but when it comes to seeing clear at night that's something I don't want to be cheap about

 

I did clean mine once with headlight lens restorer, but didn't work; I had many small cracks inside stopping the light;; I paid 600$ for a new set. Shame Volvo is charging this kind of $$ for low tech parts; they should order this parts in China; if you think what you can buy with 600$; decent flat screen TV, or 2 laptops in sale; Same with sensors, I paid 130$ for a little boost sensor, or 200$ for NOx sensor, this parts are more expensive than their weight in gold.

 

I've just restored them using kit from 3M. Got it at WallMart for under 20 bucks. I have 1 headlight with 1M miles on it. Came out looking great. To get both headlights and fog lights you probably need 2 sets, but at 40 bucks its way cheaper than replacement. Of course if they change back to the way they were in about a week I wont be too happy, but still its worth a try.

 

There is a product called FLITZ that i use and it works well!! The problem is like one driver said the truck wash chemicals dull the lights out. Mine were cloudy and i just did them 20 mins ago. Wax on....wax off.. Simple and quick and i have been doing mine for 6 yrs now. After you go thru truck wash it will strip the polish off so you will have to redo them. Not sure how to attach a pic of the can. I saw some once in a petro in a tube. I have a can that i got from a buddy who ran a car repair shop.

 

the best solution for the porblem is the buy the direct capsule replacements, we polish them alot at my dealer but they oxidize back up fairly quick. price on the headlight fully assembly is around 350 a side. hope this helps

 

Not to be funny but i wouldnt say thats the best solution. That may be A solution. A can or tube of flitz and 3 minutes a headlight is way cheaper and just as good. Trust me i been doing mine for 6+ years and not on a regular basis.