We help people repair plastic
Many front-end collisions result in broken headlight tabs like this. Today’s headlights often feature LED bulbs, moveable elements, and sensors which greatly increase the complexity and cost of the headlight. Repairing damaged headlights can be a profitable and ecological opportunity. This instructional video shows how to repair this smooth, visible headlight tab using Polyvance’s nitrogen plastic welding system.
Check out Polyvance's PR-03 Headlight Tab Repair Course for more strategies on repairing different types of headlight tabs.
Always wear proper safety gear while working!
Let us know your thoughts on this video by leaving a comment on YouTube!
Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgwsKTWtHgI
Products Used:
Note: This is a list of the Polyvance products that can be used to make this repair. This list does not include sanders, grinders, or other common tools you will need. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call technical support at 800-633-3047.
Video Notes:
Music Credits:
English Transcript:
Many front-end collisions result in broken headlight tabs like this. Today’s headlights often feature LED bulbs, moveable elements, and sensors which greatly increase the complexity and cost of the headlight. Repairing damaged headlights can be a profitable and ecological opportunity. This instructional video shows how to repair this smooth, visible headlight tab using Polyvance’s nitrogen plastic welding system.
Headlights with broken tabs on top which would be visible to the vehicle owner must be repaired and refinished to restore the original OEM appearance. Some headlight tabs have complicated ridges, gussets, and waffles which make refinishing difficult. This particular tab is smooth on top, making it relatively easy to refinish.
Most headlight housings are made of polypropylene with a talc filler. As you can see on the ID symbol, this housing says "PP-TD30", which means that the polypropylene has 30 percent talc filler. The talc filler makes the plastic brittle and causes it to break off cleanly. This means that broken tabs normally fit together very tightly as you see here.
The first step in any plastic repair is to clean the surface with 1000 Super Prep plastic cleaner. Super Prep removes any oil-based contamination that may affect adhesion. To tack the tab firmly in position, we will use a couple of Polyvance’s 6216 outside corner staples. No two headlight tabs are the same, so use whichever staple fits the shape of the tab best. Use the airless welder to smear some melted plastic over the staples to further lock the staples into the plastic. In this case we plan to remove the staples after welding, so don’t cut the ends of the staples off. To further support the tab, apply Polyvance’s 6485 aluminum tape between the staples. Polyvance’s aluminum tape is three times thicker than regular aluminum tape to firmly support the area as you do your weld.
Flip the light over and fixture it to the table. Using the 6125 carbide cutting burr, grind a v-groove about halfway through the plastic along the crack. Grind some v-grooves on each side of the tab along the edges so you can weld across the crack as well.
First weld along the crack with the round polypropylene welding rod. As always, when doing a nitrogen plastic weld, make sure to melt both plastics at the same time by focusing the hot nitrogen gas at the point where the rod meets the base material. Melt the base material just in front of the rod, and melt the rod just before it comes down onto the plastic. Apply a light downward pressure onto the rod to fuse the two melted plastics together as you make your pass.
Allow the weld to cool a bit and then reinforce by welding across the crack along the edges, again using the round polypropylene rod. Smooth the welds with the tip of the airless plastic welder, then let the tab cool completely before continuing. Next we’ll strengthen the repair by capping the first weld with a pass of the R02-08 corner welding rod. Smooth the weld again with the airless welder.
Gently cool the tab with compressed air while holding the tab to make sure the angle is correct. Flip the light over and fixture it to the table. Peel the tape off. Use the stapler to reheat the staples and pull them out. Sometimes you can leave the staples in the plastic to provide extra strength, but since these staples are in the face of the tab we’ll be refinishing, it’s best to take them out.
Clean off any of the tape’s remaining adhesive with the 1000 Super Prep. Apply aluminum tape to the backside to provide additional support.
Using the 6125 tapered cutting burr, grind a v-groove about halfway through the tab along the crack. Use the nitrogen welder to weld two passes of round welding rod into the v-groove. Again, make sure to melt both plastics at the same time by focusing the hot nitrogen gas at the point where the rod meets the base material. Apply a light downward pressure onto the rod to fuse the two melted plastics together as you make your pass. Hold the tab as you smooth the weld with the airless welder. Allow to cool completely before continuing.
Once the tab is cool, it’s time to do the bodywork. Finishing a headlight tab is just like doing regular bodywork, except at a smaller scale. Use whatever tools you need to prep the tab for primer – here we are using an angle grinder, a three-inch DA with 80 grit, and the cutting burr to reshape the surface. Progress to 180 grit sandpaper to remove some of the 80 grit fuzz and to get the tab ready for primer. Apply 1060 Filler Prep adhesion promoter to the raw plastic to help the primer stick. Let it flash or accelerate the process with a heat gun. Apply 3043 Black Jack waterborne primer surfacer. Here we are brushing it on, but it can be sprayed on as well. After the primer dries, sand it with 320 grit sandpaper. Apply filler and additional coats of primer if necessary. When the surface has been restored to your satisfaction, apply a black paint to match the housing. Here we are using Polyvance’s 3701 Bumper and Cladding Coat aerosol paint, which sticks well to polypropylene without adhesion promoter.
As you can see, the finished appearance is very close to the original. This tab has a smooth outer surface, which makes it easier to repair and refinish. If your tab has gussets or ridges on top, Polyvance’s 6225 Tab Magic molding putty can make it easier to repair and refinish.
Check out Polyvance’s PR-03 Headlight Tab Repair Course for even more strategies on how to repair different types of headlight tabs. Many damaged headlights, bumpers, and other automotive plastics can be repaired using supplies, equipment, and training from Polyvance, the experts in plastic repair since 1981. For more information, go to www.polyvance.com or call 800-633-3047.
©1997-2024 - Polyvance
Programming and design:
CodeIT