How to Restore your Brake Lights PERMANENTLY

[@thisismynormal]

Did this to my truck over the summer and my taillights turned out so well my buddy did his truck's that very night! Every now and then we stand there and talk about how good they still look! Thanks for all the awesome videos!

[@tom4208]

do they still look good :(

[@Filaqosik]

The fastforwarded wet sanding felt so satisfying.

[@chrisfix]

+Filaqosik haha, that was not fast forward ;P

[@meowingmono]

+ChrisFix Rip Chris's arm muscles

[@jamesf9610]

Schneidees of you like that try setting the speed to 2x and enjoy Hahahaha

[@gerardosalas9477]

I see you really take care of your cars, I wish more people did the same. Congrats!

[@chrisfix]

+Gerardo Salas Thanks!

[@heychevrolet299]

ChrisFix how did it look over time

[@hanskinslo326]

there's a reason this guy is an award-winner on KZbin!

[@hellhellya1]

Why should we want to take care of his cars?

[@crlaw75]

It makes a vehicle sell faster, if it's maintained and well-taken care of.

[@labradormcgraw]

This video is an absolute masterpiece. There is no other guide on KZbin that even comes close to this quality. Amazing photography (including the dog) and outstanding commentary. YOU SIMPLY CANNOT BEAT A CHRISFIX VIDEO!

[@wrxbungle]

heating up the aerosol bottle in a bucket of warm water can help to atomize the droplets more finely and evenly great vid, great channel!

[@stuvs830]

That is an amazing tip. I never know what I'm going to learn here! Thank you 😀

[@Mustangladyme]

Thanks!!

[@erickmorales5821]

Thanks

[@ramonlugo3230]

Gracias . Aprendi algo nuevo

[@tylerm.9408]

This needs to be pinned! It helps so much.

[@kentmocc]

Chris, to get no orange peel, just do a medium/heavy last coat of clear. You have that spotted misty finish because your last coat is not heavy enough. Don't be afraid! Experiment on small pieces like that 3rd brake light. It will be so perfect you wont even need to wet-sand it!

[@chrisfix]

kentmocc Thanks for the tip! I didnt want the paint to run which is why I put on a lighter coat. I rather wet sand it at the end then get a nice drip mark. I will try experimenting with some scrap plastic and work on heavier coats. Thanks!

[@dnlmachine4287]

ChrisFix Careful use of a razor blade, light "scraping" without gouging (kinda like spreading bondo) after the paint is semi-hard will take care of most runs and sags. But you are correct better to not have errors to begin with.

[@KurumaLife]

Don't know if somebody already mentioned this. But the orange peel came from painting it outdoors. orange peel always occurs because your paint is already drying before it hits the part you want to paint. It's too cold outside now for doing this and even in summer it's a bit tricky. If you have no choice, hold your can closer to the part and move it faster so the Chance that the oaint dries in air is less and you get the same amount of paint on your part.

[@xNeRcOx]

This is my thought, if u spray paint or clear too little u get all those small "goose bumps" but if i spray a little more every "goose bumps" will float together. ive tried it and i think its how its works

[@westxtsew]

Makes some sense being there are paint booths. But even paint booth jobs need a wet sand for a mirror finish right?

[@GeorgiaRidgerunner]

Watts Designs no paint shop buff any orange peel ... but also orange peel comes from contaminates in the air that's why paint booths have filters for the air ...

[@AdrianGonzalez-wl2rw]

georgiaridgerunner 79 Thats not the way it works. Everyone gets orange peel theres just no way around it. The thing we do is sand and buff to get the orange peel off thats the only way.

[@zhaunghtet4865]

Hey!! Instead of that hand method,using cotton roller with motor, the result is awsomely change. Tq

[@l4d2160]

tried this on my yellowed third brake light and it came out awesome. Saved me 40 dollars. It's amazing what you can learn from a youtube video. I also tried this on a set of knobs for the HVAC control. It works very well there too, unfortunately they kept fisheyeing on me due to the humidity. Tip though: Air compressors work great for blowing the water off as a precursor to the rubbing alcohol.

[@chrisfix]

Bryan Young Awesome man! That is great to hear! Also, great tip!

[@spektrum7434]

LMAO at the fact he added "you want to make sure you don't have your dog walking around while clear coating" as if it's an actual step. Too funny.

[@chrisfix]

Spektrum haha, I am glad you got a good laugh from that!

[@sabrinasmith283]

Spektrum LOL

[@MaNu-pp1em]

Also super cute Video bomb😂

[@Geonious]

I had to laugh when he mentioned the dog because I was actually going to comment about the dog walking around. But, Chris caught it. Just like he caught how he touched the lens after applying rubbing alcohol and he corrected it in the video. Also, he covered the orange peel I was going to comment about. This shows how good and thorough Chris is when he does his videos. It's one of the reasons I subscribed to his channel.

[@ma_dd]

you forgot to top the blinker fluid

[@MinecraftMarcus1]

haha

[@funkblack]

Those are not the blinkers.

[@ColumbusMike]

+Doc. FunkBlack Seriously? You must be dense as hell not to realize that was a joke.

[@funkblack]

ChiTown Vaper I got the joke but those are not blinkers.

[@ColumbusMike]

+Doc. FunkBlack That's true, it's not.

[@johnh2889]

Hey Chris fix, that orange peel you are talking about is a result of not getting a thick enough clear coat. When spraying the clear it helps to take it to the point of almost dripping, it will dry glossy and nice Used your video yesterday and that is my only recommendation for a change

[@chrisfix]

+John Hollrah Thank a lot for the tip!

[@AndreiIR000]

too thick and it will drip, too light and it will have orange peel; so I guess you need to learn the proper balance?

[@Unknown28146]

Travis M. Didn’t he do that at the end? Lol

[@zacharyhoopes6915]

Another helpful hint (possible video) plastics and simple thick rubbers a quick over with heat gun can bring back the shine and flexibility to the surface, taking away all sun damage from uv rays

[@mikeh.8155]

Nice video Chris. I think slightly heavier coats of clear would reduce the orange peel tho.

[@robby844]

But hes ok with it looking shitty though...

[@williameldridge9382]

Old comment, yes, but I wanted to say that he'd have been better off with more coats, rather than heavier coats. Then when he sanded the orange peel he would have had more layers of freedom to sand before he damaged the actual clear coat. Heavier coats are difficult to manage as it is super easy to over-apply and cause running.

[@angelicaamora11]

You can always wet sand it 🤷🏾‍♀️🤷🏾‍♀️

[@chrisfix]

You saw my video on restoring headlights permanently (How to Restore Headlights PERMANENTLY) but now you can restore your dull tail lights too!

[@snowboardpunk12]

How well are those PT headlights holding up? Thinking about doing this to my Trailblazer

[@chrisfix]

They are holding up great! They look the same as the day I sprayed them.

[@noldia]

Will be trying this on my wife's ten year old Mazda Miata's headlights. The cost is much less than anything else I have seen.

[@chrisfix]

Fred Flynt Take a before and after picture! I'd love to see it!

[@wasism10]

Is there a way to restore oxidized paint

[@amirrabiei7190]

Hey Chris, your method is great. I just used it on my car. I have a suggestion to further optimise your method. Maybe it is wise to let the clear coat dry indoors so there won't be dust moving around. I let my headlight dry outside and I noticed a few dust particles on it after it dried out.

[@camryle5590]

Professional working and professional capturing. That's awesome.

[@chrisfix]

Camry le Thanks man! I work hard to produce professinal, educational, and concise 'how to' videos and when viewers recognize this, it is great!

[@lotharvonrichthofen4474]

Chris...great video as always....a couple of helpful hints on rattle can painting....start spraying outside of your target area and then sweep across your desired painting area smoothly moving across and beyond your target...this will significantly reduce the amount of orange peel that occurs as you won't have paint build up as quickly in one spot...your tips about light misting 2-3 coats with ample time to dry between coats is spot on...rushing paint will result in a crappy finish for sure.... Also, i like to use the Nitrile gloves for projects like this, having multiple pairs available, really helps keep the surface as clean as possible while protecting skin against harsh chemicals. Appreciate your fix it videos...have used the car detailing tips for our Piper Cherokee and it looks fantastic....thanks

[@vaguincolombia]

Hello Chris, how is that clear coating holding after 2 years?, is it starting to flake off or still going strong?, take care amigo

[@snowbaordguru]

@Alejo Colombia Great question!

[@nomad91910]

Alejo Colombia He has a follow up from the headlights (1 year and 2 years) on his inatagram, you can find the links for those on the permanent headlight restoration video description, SPOILER ALERT they still look like new

[@robby844]

I used the same clear coat on a project that has been outside for 3 years. It started breaking down after 2.5 years.

[@maciejolejniczak151]

My one is still holding

[@vikifrelih8091]

Mine are still like new after 2,5 years. No sign of braking down or hazines.

[@navywolf1753]

This is my go-to channel for helpful DIY car improvements.

[@chrisfix]

+NavyWolf175 Awesome! I am glad you enjoy the videos!

[@anasalwash]

That was a thorough tutorial, thanks man. Any alternative to that spray? Especially a diy one you recommend? Cos it's not everywhere in the world

[@chrisfix]

anas alwash Thanks! Try to find a gloss clear that is UV resistant and wont yellow.

[@anasalwash]

ChrisFix would a varnish work?

[@chrisfix]

I have never used varnish but it is worth a shot. Worse comes to worse, you sand it off. Make sure it is compatible with plastic though.

[@jharris280zx]

anas alwash Wal-Mart carries it, their stores are pretty much everywhere.

[@anasalwash]

***** not in Iraq

[@31acruz]

Chris, if you steel wool between clear coats you will get rid of the orange peel and have a smooth surface. Great video again!

[@F150fx2sporT]

Man I laughed so hard when the dog walked by all cool lol Nice video as always.!

[@chrisfix]

Victor Sanchez Haha, I am glad you got a good laugh. It is funny how he just strolls by as I film lol. Thanks man!

[@DanKelley83777]

A friend recommended a cleaner and buffer for my oxidized light. I'm glad I found your channel a while back when flushing and replacing my Tacoma's green engine coolant with red. This method is genius! Thanks and great work!!

[@Browningate]

I did the headlights back in summer of 2017 and they're still holding up well.

[@chrisfix]

Awesome! Thanks for the feedback!

[@Browningate]

@Chris - You're welcome.

[@klc317]

looks good! Its the little touches like this that make vehicle look so much better.

[@chrisfix]

klc317 Thanks! Yea, it makes it look better and function better. Wait till next week! I got new headlights and they are amazing compared to the old ones! I am also doing a headlight alignment video!

[@LRS905]

Ha ha, I love the parts when the speed goes to the max, what a fast hand mate! lol

[@MiamiSunrise]

Great Video Chris. Your videos are great for visual learners. I was surprised you didn't actually show us how much better the brake light illuminated. Much respect.

[@alejandrodp1538]

can you do a video on how to clean carpets of a car/truck????

[@chrisfix]

Great idea!

[@alejandrodp1538]

ChrisFix thanks chris👍👍👍

[@joelabster6538]

Light colored, carpeted car mats would be cool!

[@XAngelxofMercyX]

Purple Power is your best friend for that!

[@frankiemendoza6526]

ChrisFix we're still waiting patiently my friend:]

[@laurae.gutierrez5475]

Chris! Love how thorough you are on all your videos! You are very detailed & I love that! 💯👍 Thank You

[@martinmorgan5226]

works very well thank you Mr, fix

[@futuristicgamerx411]

Umm lmao I'm pretty sure his last name is Evans not *fix* that's just a stage name lol.

[@joelabster6538]

Chris Fix for President! We need a man like you who can unite us all! (And fix things) ;)

[@Smirnoff44]

With those sanding skills you should teach karate 😆

[@fastmongrel]

Good stuff as always Chris. Have you ever tried getting wiper scratches out of a windscreen/shield. Got an old car which is just used for shopping runs but with the low winter sunlight you can really see what 14 years has done to the glass.

[@chrisfix]

fastmongrel Thanks! I actually have some decent wiper scratches in my windshield when I got my truck. That is a good idea. Let me look into it and see what I can do. If you dont see a video in a month or two, remind me because I have a lot of videos to make from both requests and things I have had on the back burner. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@LolLol-gt9vw]

Help, I can't find a worter source.

[@chasedoes9117]

Lol Lol just go to your local fowst

[@ThomasFarquhar2]

Lol Lol lol

[@GEG266]

The problem is that you need some soupy wooder, not worter, this method won't work with normal worter.

[@Chasedavis95]

tried your light restoration method today, my vehicle's lights look like new. thanks for your videos!

[@calebb5106]

god damn it cris i need to got to bet itz 11:40 for me right now but i find all of your vids so useful and educational

[@ACDC5540]

How rhe shotr buus dooin?

[@Mikej1592]

another awesome video, we used your technique on our PT cruiser headlights and they still look great after a few years. Thanks so much for the tips and tricks. The polishes are a waste of money compared to this. Some of them run upwards of $50 when brand NOS headlights are about $75 a pair. But some sand paper and paint is a few bucks and actually less work than removing the headlights from a PT cruiser in my opinion.

[@jermam2010]

Thank you very great instructions including the dog part. Will refurbish my Chevy 😘

[@chrisfix]

Haha I am glad you enjoyed the video!

[@tom4208]

haha wow, time flies chris, I remember being 15 years old watching these older vids of yours going outside trying this type of stuff on my parents cars haha, good times, wish i could go back.

[@thanhnguyenuc8545]

plus, replace oem bulbs with led.

[@thomastommy1192]

I truly hope you guys have a Blessed and Merry Christmas. God Bless You.

[@TheVenomman79]

The dog thing was funny

[@aserodennarciso6880]

+mike conner 7:36 dog walks like a boss :)

[@cangrejojeringa]

look at the boss walk/attitude, "this is my sidewalk here guys...", do your painting and filming thingie on the side please...

[@silconbrony]

Chris, not sure if you have realized this or if anyone else has mentioned it, but those led lights that you used for you license plate also work for your cargo lights. I just put them in on my Ranger and they are really good! I will be restoring my 3rd brake light tomorrow. Thanks for making these videos!

[@chrisfix]

siliconbrony Thanks for sharing! Are they bright enough? The cargo light socket is the same size but the bulb is larger in size. Let me know how the brake light turns out!

[@silconbrony]

ChrisFix They are about the same brightness-wise, though obviously the original bulbs will give off more ambient light and the leds are more of a spotlight. I think the leds look cooler but that's just personal preference. The brake light turned out very nice!

[@chrisfix]

siliconbrony Thanks for the info. That is what I though. Thanks man!

[@PatriceBoivin]

It amazes me that auto manufacturers don't use UV resistant clear coat on their lights. In parking lots you can see cars 3-5 years old with faded headlights already.

[@George-nx4bp]

Patrice Boivin unrelated but I saw a new looking Hyundai yesterday, no older than 5 years I'd say and one of the brake lights didn't work, wasn't expecting that at all.

[@PatriceBoivin]

Cars and tech I guess there is zero hope then that they will make quality headlights again using... glass. Maybe the younger engineers don't know what glass is.

[@PatriceBoivin]

a Honda technician at a dealership told my mother that around 1992 Honda was buying steel parts from China but discovered they were mixing glass in the steel, which made it more brittle. Honda put a stop to it. If they can put glass in steel why can't they make headlights with glass which would last 30+ years instead of 3? This is a safety hazard, why don't the consumer protection agencies put a stop to it?

[@SeriouslyAwesome]

I think Jeep Wranglers have always used glass headlights

[@eniojaupaj5615]

Patrice Boivin they have switched to plastic because it is cheaper to make

[@thy_oreogaming5488]

Love your videos I have a 92 GMC sierra and my wiper motor went out so I watched your video and how to wax your windshield and it completely works for me during monsoon season thanks man you're a lifesaver literally

[@chrisfix]

Jontae Fox Awesome! I am glad the video was helpful! Definitely fix your wiper motors though! Im glad I was able to be a lifesaver!

[@23Garzon]

Good technique ,..subscribed👍

[@williammanning3174]

You only need 800 grit for orange peel. Maybe 1200 if you have more time. I refinish guitars with spray cans so I know all about prepping, primering, wet sanding & buffing. I wet sand with a block. It is a short length of "1x2" with some terrycloth towel stapled to it. I wrap the wet-sand sandpaper around that. Don't waste your time putting clear coat on a plastic light housing. Just sand off the oxidation & use buffing compound to polish it. I also worked in an injection molding plant. There is no coating on plastic parts that you need to replace. Plastic parts come out of the mold with a mirror smooth finish because the mold has been polished so smooth. Never-the-less...good video. Very informative for those with no knowlege of wet-sanding & producing high quality finishes. Keep up the good work. Peace & GOD bless!

[@ernestocastellanos6446]

William Manning I agree 2000X is overkill. I used 1000X for my headlights. It's actually better to use clear coat. Polishing will yellow much sooner. But then again I had access to an Automotive grade clear coat. But for some reason, his coat of clear looks really dull! My headlights look OEM new. I never got the "orange peel" look.

[@lb6711]

Good job

[@billsgwn]

Cant believe this actually worked as well as it did. I did my Ford Sport Trac truck and it looks great. Thanks

[@chrisfix]

***** Great!

[@XxChuyoxX]

Nice diy but the finish doesn't look glossy like the tailights do. The surface looks rough and pitted. Still looks 10x better than before.

[@chrisfix]

XxChuyoxX In real life it looks glossy and the finish was very smooth after I wet sanded it and buffed it. Thanks for the feedback!

[@lilcRis2761]

ChrisFix reason for this I think is because of the way the paint/clear coat was applied. From what I've studied from my DIY attempts from the spray painting classes I take, you do 1 light tack coat so the bond is really good between the surface and paint. Then a second mild coat. And a third heavy coat. Reason for this is if you think about it, the tack coat (1st coat) - particles are well spread apart. The 2nd slightly heavier coat fills in those gaps between particles so that it progressively is smoother with particles closer together. And the 3rd heavy coat makes everything perfectly smooth and glossy with the particles really close and almost no pitting/orange peel(4th optional).

[@raizt1596]

@@lilcRis2761 but the clear coat is likely to run and drip when doing the heavy coat, isn't it?

[@OldManFrank]

Chris,...thank you so much! I helped my GF buy a vehicle and there was some scratch/scuff marks on the tail light. I cannot wait to apply your fix to her tail light. I am sure it will come out great.

[@chrisfix]

+Frank Jr. Awesome! Let me know how it goes!

[@jeffreyvest4520]

chris do you know anything about diesel engines

[@ThomasFarquhar2]

Jeffrey Vest probably

[@rocknexus55]

good talk

[@lonniehargrove1524]

Mr. Fix, After watching your video, a few times, I finally got the nerve up to try it. I use to rebuild engines and can make them run like new. But, restoring plastic or painting anything is not my forte. I am happy to say that my 95 Chevy 1500 looks much better thank you!

[@caligonzalez5116]

My hands get really sweaty and oily can I use medical gloves

[@chrisfix]

Cali Gonzalez Yes, definitely use gloves! That will make it come out a lot better!

[@joetatto1388]

hello chris..video kamu mengenai penjagaan kereta banyak membantu saya untuk menguruskan kereta saya..thank's a lot.

[@scootosan]

Haha..Dog at 7:35

[@chrisfix]

+scootosan haha good ol' Spike! Love that dog!

[@signptr]

It's the little details that make the difference. Nice look.

[@yeeaahhzz]

didnt clean the mounting surface chrisfix, tsk, tsk! lol

[@starman3868]

Love your attention to detail and the action shots on the pray painting. Continue the great job. Love watching your videos. By far my favourite on KZbin.

[@jeremys8360]

Make your taillights great again

[@angelmolina2629]

hey chris! a good tip i stole from Adam Savage is: to not get that misty/tiny droplet finish when painting with spray cans, is to keep them in warm-hot water for a few minutes before you start shaking it up (shake it upside down for around 2 mins) and then you can start spraying! hope this helps, i think i could reduce the work it takes to buff it at the end.

[@LRS905]

Interesting, sand paper made in Canada with specifications in spanish, lol

[@joedoug3647]

Thanks for this video! I haven't done the final wet sand and polish but the brake light looks way better now anyway. The only difference is I used adhesion promotor on the light before applying the clear coat since it's plastic.

[@ilkingoyushov1032]

it looks good but you dont have to use clear coat after sanding just use polish you will getter better result and not any orange peels

[@stefanfuchs385]

+Ilkin Goyushov yeah, and in 6 mo you have to repeat it.

[@ilkingoyushov1032]

Stefan Fuchs using wax could help but its plastic it should be faded day by day

[@stefanfuchs385]

Then your comment defeats what you said above. Rather wax it and not to have orange peels, but repeat it so often as it fades day b d. Go figure.

[@ilkingoyushov1032]

Stefan Fuchs any alernatives except clear coating ? just buy new one isnt gonna cost much

[@exessivemite9478]

+Ilkin Goyushov 100 dollars for an old mazda

[@PilotDamian]

Wow all this for a light... and it looks AMAZING!! Real proof that if you do a good job and use proper tools amazing things can be achieved :) Nice one Chris!! Thanks!

[@NeedAnarchyBAD]

I wish I could sand that fast....

[@chrisfix]

NeedAnarchyBAD It comes with years of experience lol

[@NeedAnarchyBAD]

ChrisFix hmm... seems to me if you had that much experience I think you might want to buy a different kind of car. The one's you seem to get require a lot of work! lol

[@chrisfix]

NeedAnarchyBAD How does that make sense? If I got a car that doesnt need to be fixed up, how else do I make videos? Do you really think I purchased this truck thinking it would be perfect?

[@TheVintagesteal]

That Dog sure had some attitude! That cameo was completely on purpose.( I LOVE dogs btw ) Great video.The small details make a big difference. A saw the headlight video and this one is just as awesome.Thanks Chris

[@vinncentguzman9634]

2:57 Mazda truck with Ford parts😅

[@youngdoe637]

I'm dead af.

[@BoredOuttaMySkullBoi]

Mazda B3000 (his truck) is the same thing as the Ford Ranger.

[@tatos529]

That empty hole, just add blinker fluid, okay nvm

[@Dcc357]

If your vehicle uses those screw-on taillights that are extremely easy to replace, there are some really nice, new taillights you can buy an Amazon that can give a new look to your vehicle's rear. It costs more, but it is a creative way to have fresh, new parts. I bought a set of new taillights for my 2000 Toyota Tacoma for just under $50 by SPPC. They both came with new bulbs, had no water leaking in them, and the lenses are still a new condition after 7 months so I recommend looking at SPPC.

[@fredjones0]

Been an auto painter for 40 years and you do NOT need to use the 2000 grit....

[@shadiahmad6487]

Fred Jones Would you recommend 1000 grit or 1500? I just bought a sandpaper kit with 800-2000 for this very purpose and some paint touch up.

[@paulgoodwin6697]

hey Chris your videos are best .did the power steering on my ford fusion .totally made so much difference to the handling .your production is spot on .keep up the cool videos .thanks your a topman.

[@bwagenberg]

Terrific! While you're behind your truck, please do a video on replacing or repairing the plastic truck bed. Mine is badly cracked off toward the back gate. Can missing chunks be fixed? Should you replace or spray on? Thanks.

[@chrisfix]

You can plastic weld it!

[@sandmanbub]

I did mine in a similar way, but sprayed several coats, sanding in-between and after sanding the final coat, I buffed it to a ultra smooth and crystal clear finish. I waited for the uv resistant clear coat to cure more than a week before buffing and my plastic lenses look better than new ones.

[@fishon8264]

Thanks for the info. I used this method for my reverse lights that are in the tailgate of my 92 4Runner. I was so happy with the results I did my taillights, front turn signals and corner lights. After that I've been wanting to fix the faded and oxidized paint/clear coat. I was hoping you had a video on that but unfortunately you don't or not that I've found. So might be an idea for a future video?

[@luisrodrigues4981]

Nice work Chris, but if you want a smoother finish try wet layers of clear coat. just a tip. I'm a big fan of your work ;)

[@WhoWantsToKnow81]

It's 3am, I have to go to work today, and I'm binge watching ChrisFix videos cuz they are addictive af

[@chrisfix]

haha glad you are enjoying them!

[@richardboyd4477]

You’re the coolest Chris fix!

[@alitiger5554]

The left tail light of my car is dull and I was just thinking to buy a new one but now after this useful video I will try to get the same result as you got ..Thanks

[@nabilbabrakthe2th519]

Thanks for all the help bro, I learned alot from your Channel, for the past 5 years 😄

[@101Volts]

It made a big difference on the tail lights of my 1999 Suburban, Chris. I'm hoping to do this to the headlights too like you showed in your video, it's easy to tell since three of them are plastic and faded while the last one is glass. I didn't use 2,000 grit sandpaper though, I used 6,000 grit Micro Mesh which should be about the same. I didn't find any 2,000 grit sandpaper around but had the micro mesh. Oh yes, I'd recommend checking Micro Mesh out if you haven't seen it before; it goes finer than sandpaper at least that I know of.

[@chrisfix]

+Austin Lucas Thanks for sharing!

[@101Volts]

+ChrisFix Sure, thanks too.

[@michaelkirwan177]

Excellent job Chris, but if I were to add anything it would be to clean the roof surface that surrounds the hole where the third brake light is mounted as this would further the crisp contrast between the black plastic surround and the painted area making it "pop" even more.

[@Nikkk6969]

Did this to my 2001 ranger!! Except I can’t figure out how to turn on my cargo lights and the brake light won’t work, but it looks really good!

[@davidswaggerty9357]

I love the HFT screwdriver being used. I will use our video to restore my 3rd brake light too. Good job again.

[@MyGoToUserName]

one simple trick you can utilize when you know beforehand that you are going to wetsand clear coat is to apply additional layers of clear. typically a painter applies 2-3 coats. instead apply 6-7 and build up a layer. wet sanding will remove layers of clear coat thus allowing you to attain that glass like finish without removing all of the clear in the process. it sounds like common sense but is still useful knowledge to a amateur who has never applied paint before. personally i wound go the extra step and use compounds on the headlight prior to clear coat and after wet sanding the clear coat but i am a lot more OCD having some experience with body work.

[@chrisfix]

James Hunt Thanks a lot for sharing your experience James! Body work experience is invaluable so I appreciate the input!

[@nondual_communication]

"see how it really looks Ricky?" thanks for the vid!

[@travistyler6427]

Great video Chris. Thank you for making these great informational videos. It makes me happy that you're so compassionate with fixing things and fixing them the right way more importantly.

[@mb1636]

replayed the dog walk portion three times more than the actual project. so funny Chris !!! thnx !

[@chrisfix]

haha, Spike was a good dog!

[@rongamblin2107]

Excellent Chris. I'm working on my 1994 GMC Half Ton Std. Cab. This Vid and the Headlight Vid are great help. Please keep up the good work.

[@chrisfix]

Ron Gamblin AWESOME! I am glad the videos have been helpful!

[@d.m.8175]

Great job Chris, also, you can use 0000 steel wool to take that orange peel right off without fogging the lens. It's and old carpenter method for finishing polyurethane, but works great on lights too. Cheers!

[@chrisfix]

+D. M. I need to give it a try! Thanks for the tip!

[@garretts91]

For my headlights I used 1000-grit vertical, 1500-grit horizontal, then 2000-grit vertical then a UV clear coat and got pretty much the same result. Your method seems like a cheaper way to get the same result. I'd have to try it on clear plastic (like a headlight) instead of colored tail lights in the video to know for sure! Cool video

[@garretts91]

garretts91 I also used dupli-color clear coat from a local auto parts store. Doubt that makes any difference but worth mentioning.

[@chrisfix]

garretts91 Thanks for sharing! That is an interesting method! I also like the feedback with using the duplicolor!

[@Hyjaxe]

Recently subscribed! These videos are great and very informative for a beginner such as myself. Will be trying this method on my 300zx. Thanks again!

[@chrisfix]

Hyjaxe Awesome! Glad to have you subbed! Take some before and after pics because I would love to see it. You can share them on my FB page: facebook.com/chrisfix8

[@ThomasFarquhar2]

Hyjaxe what is that pic lol

[@ncc74656m]

When I bought the paint for mine, I used acrylic clear coat, figuring acrylic lenses would match well. Seems to have done so! :) I also looked really carefully to find one that explicitly said it had a high UV protection. Whether it was marketing or actually had a higher UV protectant coating, I don't know, but it made sense to try to do it once and do it right. Personally, I prefer to add as many coats as I think I can get away with (balancing time and risk of runs in future layers, naturally), because by doing so, you're just adding more UV protection, and you're also adding more layers so you can cut it back until it's glass smooth if you want to. Did my '02 Forester's headlights in the fall, and as soon as it's warm enough, I'm going to do the fog lights, too. For those, I might get heavy duty vinyl overlays to help absorb road debris impacts down the road, too.

[@harris8390]

The vinyl over lays is a good idea. Thats really why lights yellow & haze up to begin with - Road debris chips away the clear coat the sun turns the plastic of the light into a yellow haze. Personally I would jst clear bra all the lights

[@ncc74656m]

+Julius Cesar Clear bra is the same, just clear vinyl.

[@harris8390]

+katie_incredible Good, please do it. Theres nothing worse than hazy lights. Bad visibility and they totally slay the look of the car. I tried chris' method hear and it worked pretty good!!!

[@fordwindsor351]

Great job once again, about touching bulbs I always thought that replied to halogen bulbs and not standard bulbs.

[@chrisfix]

fordwindsor351 It is more for halogen bulbs but any bulb that gets very hot can fail because of oil on the glass. I was always taught this so I stick to that. Also, the back of the bulb box has a caution to use gloves to prevent skin oils from getting on the bulb (I just double checked).

[@straightforwardperson6215]

This channel deserve a subscribe.

[@zombieSlayer-kn2rk]

No problem Chris, thanks for doing all the video's that you do. I really enjoy them and have learned a lot. By the way, very nice Corvette. I watched the video you did about cleaning your engine's. It really was so clean you could eat off it.

[@Aaron-qr3tg]

I wanna thank u in advance I love older trucks and previous owners may have abused them so I can watch ur vids on just about any little problem and fix it

[@chrisfix]

+Alpha smurf Awesome! Glad the videos are helpful!

[@oscarzamorabautista]

Niiiice ! I always learn new things from you. Why didn't I know about you years before this ? I only recently started watching your videos since last year I believe

[@tylerw1418]

I love the dog walking step. Very important. Got to love Chris 👍🏻

[@jrodpadilla22]

Great Video! For smoothness, wetsand with 2500 and 3000 trizact then buff. Looks even better when you do this. Thanks Chris

[@chrisfix]

Jarrod Padilla Thanks for the tips. I did do a wet sand at the end of the video and then a buff with polish to get the lens smooth!

[@Jim-fe2xz]

Wouldn't hurt to have a bit more film build (more coats of clear) if you're going to cut & buff (or a heavier flow coat) for long lasting UV protection. Nice job - they look like new!

[@TebowTime2014]

Crazy to think how far this truck has come