I'm replacing the faded OEM headlights on my 2000 WJ. I've tried cleaning them up but they are still pretty faded.

I'm not much of a mechanic so I need something thats plug n play as much as possible.

I'd like to hear about peoples experiences with what I'd call mid-range upgrades from OEM lights.

Thanks!
LB

 

Okay, here's my experience with my '00 WJ's headlights. They were very cloudy when I bought it 4 years ago. I spent a lot of time with 1500 and 2000 grit wet sandpaper, planning on finishing up with white diamond compound from my work, "borrowing" it I guess you could say. However, after polishing them with the 2000, I noticed the plastic had tiny spiderweb cracks that no amount of polishing would improve, so I opted for buying aftermarket assemblies from Rockauto. They were $50 each and came with bulbs and plugged right in. They are, however, Chinese.

After installing them, I noticed an amazing improvement in night vision, but having not driven a WJ with good factory lights, I had no reference point to compare. The low beams focus most of the light down and forward, leaving the shoulders dark. You really need fogs to feel comfortable. The high beams are killers! I can see road signs over a mile away! That's because the bulbs are mounted shallow in the reflectors and are unshrouded. They light up the shoulders very well. After 3 winters they are showing a slight clouding of scratches just from road grit. I never wiped them with a rag, just blasted them with a car wash. I suppose you could spend a lot more for NASA quality polycarbonate lenses, but I'm happy so far.

 

You can buy a resto kit like this

 

The whole point of my post was to show that even AFTER spending a lot of time on the lenses, the plastic itself was crazed with minute cracks so no amount of polishing would have helped.

 

I tried the whole polish song and dance on my ZJ, it never looked as good as new lenses and only lasted a few weeks. New housings from Rockauto for forty bucks delivered worked the best.

 

I hit mine with a fast dose of rubbing compound. A little water. They look much better, not perfect but it made an improvement. Cheap and fast. I didn't spend a lot of time with it because I didn't know if it would ruin the plastic.

 

I am a retired toolmaker and have worked in the plastics industry all my life. Automotive headlight lenses are molded in polycarbonate which is has a very high impact resistance but low scratch resistance. When used for optical lenses, a protective coating is applied. You pay for this as an extra when buying eyeglasses. Good quality headlight assemblies also have this coating which degrades over time.

If you use abrasive products to restore the surface clarity to these lenses, you have to restore this coating. If you will notice, the last step in the Meguiare's kit is the scratch resistant coating.

I never went that far with mine because of the stress cracking of the polycarbonate itself. It would have been a total waste of effort. I can also see that my Chinese replacements didn't have this coating. I surely should have known better and applied it myself. They are just now starting to show a little clouding and should be treated soon. I guess I'll have to get off my butt and do this soon or I'll be replacing them again.

BTW, the reflective part of the assemblies are an electrostatically deposited aluminum coating that is micro thin and also protected with a coating. Unless water gets into them, they usually last.

I'm done. You guys take it from here.

 

Here is how to change them out