[jamiepeers]

Again as above.

There seem to be tons of threads relating to replacing "bakeables" and lots of reference to plain old tough luck on unbakeable headlamps but has anyone swapped the lenses over on such, and if so how did you do it?

I've found DJ auto lenses available for a decent price as my lenses seem to have minute what look like 3mm cracks on my RHS headlamp, so I think polishing is out of the question.

I also need to replace an adjuster and then decided I should probably do the lot in one hit, however, my lights have the black top cap so i'm looking for solutions.

Thanks guys.

Jamie

 

[711jrp]

Like this, might be worth a try.

Headlight Restoration: BMW 520 - Detailing World

 

[lightwerkz]

Would not recommend to even try. It will be possible but it will take a LOT of work to piece things back together when the back housing breaks. Its a gamble no matter how you slice it. If you aren't experienced with splitting lights open, then even more so.

 

[Fanatech]

I had to dremel the lenses off one of my headlights after 1 of them baked and the other didn't (must have have been replaced at some point). Took around 15 hours and the results wernt all that good. I would recommend either selling yours and try and get as much as you can and getting another set or try and polish the lenses back and use other methods for fixing the adjusters.

 

[paul88]

I was told that one shop in my York can do it for two hundred. But I will pass since mine are brand new, what isn't at this point!

Anyhow, will save for clean lenses euro headlights.


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[emfunf]

Bummer, man.

 

[jamiepeers]

It is a bummer as the lights are Xenon too.

The issue I have is that in present condition people will be put off buying the lamps if I chose to move them on, and also i'd really want to improve the look of them so leaving as is, is a last resort.

The adjuster is broken on one of the lamp so I need to replace that, and it seemed a bit of a disappointment to try and replace that with the lamp intact or by cutting another part of the headlamp itself to access them.

711jrp, my "cracks" look similar but also as if they could be deep into the lens itself and so i'm not sure if polishing would remove them. Again, it could be worth a go but the broken adjuster also leaves me feeling as above, as in doing one without the other.

Compound that with polishing the lights means I would have to re lacquer them to stop the UV affecting them or polish up every so often and its more time I could do without spending on the lights. Ideally I would like to repair them and permanently sort the lenses in one go, rather than repeated visits to maintain them.

I've no issue with taking tools etc to the lights and its not a daily so I can be very patient with them, I was just wondering if there was a consensus of removing them, perhaps by destroying the lens so as to save the housing, as I would be renewing the lenses anyways?

Regardless, if I cannot polish the lenses satisfactorily AND remove and replace the adjuster to a good standard then I will be breaking these lights open; and if no one on here can point me in a good solid direction then i'll do my best to make a DIY should the results turn out as good as i'd like.

 

[emfunf]

Jamie, given your manual skill -- if this can be done well, I know you'll figure it out.

My polishing results were very good (used an entire kit per lens), but my adjusters are fine and the damage wasn't that terrible.
I, too, am dreading the upkeep over time, and would rather give new lenses a go. I guess I am not as motivated, yet.

 

[paul88]

Cutting the actual lenses seems to be the only choice. I won't try it as I know myself to be too impatient with things like this and I start cutting corners which result in messed up results!

If these weren't brand spanking new I would attempt cutting them open by cutting away the lenses from inside out. To think I sold my old lights which were done with custom projects and bankable with aluminum adjusters, Peter hacked them away for his race car! Crying inside. lol


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[Clayton Usher]

Jamie, if you want to hone your cuttings skills on a donor light I have one.
It's a Xenon with a partially melted area near the indicator,cross my palm with 10 English pounds & it's yours if needed, still has the adjuster motor intact.
Cheers
Clay

 

[jamiepeers]

Sounds fair mate.

How do you want paying? Take to pm if you like Mike

 

[Clayton Usher]

PM sent mate

 

[robo]

Ill be interested to hear how this turns out. Good luck!