Headlight lense replacement - XC70 P3

[37 RUBY]

I'm on a mission.

The polycarbonate lenses on my 2015 XC70 began crazing a year or more back but has worsened over last few hot weeks....


Extensive time sat on Google has confirmed that Volvo only supply complete units with the lenses at a wholesome price of circa £1000 each.
At least Dick Turpin wore a mask when he took peoples money

I have found these people http://www.headlight-headlamp.com/Vo...d-Replace.html

I have been quoted £240USD which converts to the princely sum of £188 for a pair delivered from China, with approximately 3wks lead time.

My research into the process has been via YouTube...
https://youtu.be/MhlqFV5yWtg

Wish me luck and if anyone has been down this route before and has any tips or pointers, feel free to divulge

[Clan]

Originally Posted by 37 RUBY

I'm on a mission.

The polycarbonate lenses on my 2015 XC70 began crazing a year or more back but has worsened over last few hot weeks....


Extensive time sat on Google has confirmed that Volvo only supply complete units with the lenses at a wholesome price of circa £1000 each.
At least Dick Turpin wore a mask when he took peoples money

I have found these people http://www.headlight-headlamp.com/Vo...d-Replace.html

I have been quoted £240USD which converts to the princely sum of £188 for a pair delivered from China, with approximately 3wks lead time.

My research into the process has been via YouTube...
https://youtu.be/MhlqFV5yWtg

Wish me luck and if anyone has been down this route before and has any tips or pointers, feel free to divulge

you can get kits in Halfords to polish them up.. always keep them polished like the rest of the paintwork, also some car cleaners/polishes will clean them up for you.

[bananarama]

Originally Posted by Clan

you can get kits in Halfords to polish them up.. always keep them polished like the rest of the paintwork, also some car cleaners/polishes will clean them up for you.

The cracks are within the plastic so they can't be polished out. I've got the same on mine, not bad enough to replace.

[bananarama]

Originally Posted by 37 RUBY

Wish me luck and if anyone has been down this route before and has any tips or pointers, feel free to divulge

Excellent research! Thanks for posting and good luck

[hal9000f]

Originally Posted by 37 RUBY

I'm on a mission...
...

Wish me luck and if anyone has been down this route before and has any tips or pointers, feel free to divulge

Consider this.

https://volvozone.eu/product/296627-...70-iii-plastic

https://volvozone.eu/product/296628-...70-iii-plastic


Wish you luck. Report back :-)
I will also have to do it in some time...

[37 RUBY]

Originally Posted by Clan

you can get kits in Halfords to polish them up.. always keep them polished like the rest of the paintwork, also some car cleaners/polishes will clean them up for you.

No, crazed, not hazed. Tis different.

I'm going with type of chemical used coupled with automated car wash which is what it gets with each dealer service.
I've seen the same with caravan windows.

[Onewheel]

Ever finished this project?
I’m nearly there.
Rechromed the reflectors of the projectors and almost ready for assembly with the plastic lenses….

[Tatsfield]

Originally Posted by 37 RUBY

No, crazed, not hazed. Tis different.

I'm going with type of chemical used coupled with automated car wash which is what it gets with each dealer service.
I've seen the same with caravan windows.

It is known in the Aviation industry that non-ionic surfactants in surface washing detergents will cause crazing in acrylic windows on aircraft and that can lead to the window failing in use under pressure and mechanical and temperature stress. All aircraft cleaning materials have to pass rigorous tests to prove that they do not craze aircraft grade acrylic as used in the manufacture of aircraft windows. The same crazing reaction occurs when detergents containing non-ionic surfactants are used on car headlight lenses although the repercussions are nowhere as serious!

[37 RUBY]

Originally Posted by Onewheel

Ever finished this project?
I’m nearly there.
Rechromed the reflectors of the projectors and almost ready for assembly with the plastic lenses….

Not yet as my dentist took all the money I had set aside

Any tips for removing the old lenses?....Where did you get the lenses from and at what cost?

[spottedhaggis]

I actually picked up a brand new pair from Aliexpress just the other day, took 15 days to arrive but £60 for a pair of lenses. My issue was I cant get the old ones unstuck, without not being able to use thecar, so like you I too had severe crackling, and instead tried to sand it out, and to mybsurprise it worked way better than I expected.


This is the one I have not done yet, and you can see its in a really bad way.



But this one, which was significantly worse than the first picture, I sanded from grade 140 up to 2000 and it worked pretty well, I didnt go too hard on effort as I wasnt sure it would work at alll, but now I see it will work with more effort Ill be going again at it.