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11-10-2014, 11:07 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Southeast
Posts: 569
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Cloudy wingtip lens
After nearly 10 years the wingtips on my RV7 have started to get cloudy on the outside. What do you use to keep the lens clear?
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11-10-2014, 11:25 AM
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Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 532
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I have the same problem with the lenses on my -4. After 13 years in the air, mine are a bit cloudy, and have many tiny stress cracks within the thickness. I just ordered and received new lenses that I will install someday soon. If your lenses are cloudy solely due to surface erosion, you may be able to used an auto headlight polishing kit to restore them. I tried it on my car this past summer, but determined, after much sanding, that my lenses were too pitted to ever polish to an acceptable level of clarity. I have decided to buy new lenses for the car, too.
Good luck,
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11-10-2014, 11:27 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Keller, TX
Posts: 408
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Mothers powerball for headlights
I have used the Mothers powerball for headlights with my electric drill - works great! The diameter is small enough to fit inside the lends. I just pull the lens off and polish using the powerball. I think I paid $24 at Wal Mart for it.
TJ
__________________
RV-10 N331JH 3rd owner (First flew in 2005, #15 flying)
Northwest Regional 52F
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11-10-2014, 11:47 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,646
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I would try a headlight restoration kit per the above. I've used the 3M brand with good success on my car, about $15-20. Just leave the lens on the plane and tape around it for protection. Since planes aren't subject to thrown gravel like cars are, your lenses shouldn't be pitted.
FWIW, I've also seen youtube videos recommending toothpaste with apparently good results. Makes sense since what you are looking for is something with a very light abrasive. I would probably stick with the auto kit though unless you're willing to risk having to buy, cut, and re-fit new lenses. Not too hard, but not that fun either.
__________________
Steve M.
Ellensburg WA
RV-9 Flying, 0-320, Catto
Donation reminder: Jan. 2021
Last edited by alpinelakespilot2000 : 11-10-2014 at 11:49 AM.
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11-10-2014, 12:17 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Los Angeles area
Posts: 113
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I couldn't find the correct size replacement lenses for my rv6 so I used the headlight cleaning method, and repeated it 3 or 4 times to sand through enough plexi to really take out the yellowing/clouding. It was much much better but still not "like new". Once i cleaned the lens and put in the LED bulbs, it was probably 4 times brighter.
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Cyrus Hogg
RV-6
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11-10-2014, 12:49 PM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Houston
Posts: 2,012
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Caveat emptor...
Can vouch for this on Plexi but it worked pretty well on my 4Runner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5NB8cKGw3g
Warning - This procedure and material IS NOT FAA approved!!! Deep Woods Off contains bad stuff and may cause hair loss in men over 40. It may even crack and craze your plexi. And then again, it might work just as well as it did on my headlight lenses.
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11-10-2014, 12:59 PM
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Senior Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alpinelakespilot2000
FWIW, I've also seen youtube videos recommending toothpaste with apparently good results.
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Toothpaste will work, but in my experience, is effect is pretty ephemeral.
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909
Rv-10, N210LM.
Flying as of 12/4/2010
Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011 
Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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11-11-2014, 06:14 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Punta Gorda, Fl
Posts: 325
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When I was at true value in page Arizona purchasing lemon pledge for my canopy the clerk said that people buy off bug spray to get rid of the yellow in their lenses on the cars and said that it works extremely well better than any of those headlight polishing kit and that she would never buy headlight polishing kit again. I've never tried it myself and don't know the effect on wing lenses...
__________________
Jesse
'89 RV-4, N2626C - purchased flying
Converted to Fastback - Sliding Canopy - Tall Gear
Dynon Skyview w/ acc. & VP-x Sport
Catto 3-Blade (gen. 1)
Based: KPGD
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11-12-2014, 09:18 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 269
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After 10 years of use wouldn't it be easer to just install new ones? I'm sure the parts are less then $25.00.
Just my thoughts!
__________________
Adam Silverstein
Technical Counselor Chapter 643
Flying RV-8 10/30/07
PAID 2021
Pittstown, New Jersey
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11-12-2014, 10:41 AM
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Forum Peruser
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Austinville, Alabama
Posts: 2,458
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OFF! Bug Spray
Quote:
Originally Posted by southtarnation
When I was at true value in page Arizona purchasing lemon pledge for my canopy the clerk said that people buy off bug spray to get rid of the yellow in their lenses on the cars and said that it works extremely well better than any of those headlight polishing kit and that she would never buy headlight polishing kit again. I've never tried it myself and don't know the effect on wing lenses...
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I've used OFF! bug spray on my van's headlight lenses, but the youtube videos and other sources on the internet say the DEET component in it will ruin paint, and they say it doesn't last. So if you are careful, spraying it on the cloth to keep it away from the paint, and if you repeat it every month or so, it might work. The usual disclaimers apply here. YMMV.
Google "OFF bug spray" and see the pro's and con's.
Toothpaste (as in Mike S's post above) is reported to work also. 
__________________
Don Hull
RV-7 Wings
KDCU Pryor Field
Pilots'n Paws Pilot
N79599/ADS-B In and Out...and I like it!
?Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights;
it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." Miriam Beard
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