I just installed a Lamin-X on my (modestly pitted) E500 Euro headlight. It was out of the car, so it seemed the opportune time to install the Lamin-X.
You will need the following items:
- A large enough work-space / work-bench (if doing it with the headlight out of the car)
- X-acto or other sharp knife
- Pair of clean disposable gloves
- Cardboard box, flattened
- Credit card
- Windex or other window cleaner, and a rag
- Kitchen knife or other knife with a sharp tip
- Optional: Scotch tape
INSTALLATION PROCEDURE:
What I did was to tape one end of the Lamin-X into position at one end of the headlamp. A few small/short pieces of Scotch tape every 3-4 inches will help hold it in place.
Put the gloves on, to keep your dirty/oily hands from fouling the clear Lamin-X as you handle it.
Trace the headlight pattern onto the back of the Lamin-X, then cut it out with the X-acto knife, using the flattened cardboard box as a pad.
Clean the headlight lens thoroughly with the Windex and a cleaning rag. Two or three times with Windex per lens is even better.
Lift up the un-taped part of the Lamin-X (should be around 2/3 of the length of it, and tear about 2/3 of the paper off of the underside of it.
Starting at the part where you tore the paper off, and using your credit card to push out air pockets, SLOWLY and EVENLY push the Lamin-X down along the height of the headlight, working about 1/2 inch at a time. Your goal is to keep air bubbles from forming.
Slowly work to the end of the Lamin-X. If you see an air bubble, carefully lift the Lamin-X a bit to expose it, and use the credit card to push it out.
Once you have reached the end of the Lamin-X, use your fingertips to push down the perimeter/edge of the Lamin-X to the edge of the glass lens. Go around it at least two or three times, slowly pushing the edge of the Lamin-X down.
Next, remove the pieces of tape that are holding the other end of the Lamin-X in position on the headlight lens. Use the point of your X-acto or a kitchen knife to lift up the Scotch tape pieces, and set them aside.
Lift up the un-adhered end of the Lamin-X to the point where you had ripped the backing paper. Remove the backing paper from the 1/3 of the Lamin-X that it is covering.
Repeat the process of using the credit card to SLOWLY press out air bubbles while working along the Lamin-X. Work along until the un-adhered edge is fully adhered.
Run your finger around the edge of the newly adhered Lamin-X two or three times, to ensure that it is sticking to the lens.
Check the Lamin-X carefully for air bubbles. You should have a very very minimal number of air bubbles, and very small ones, if you did the process correctly and slowly with the credit card. If you have any larger bubbles, you can create a "micro-puncture" in the bubble with the sharp tip of your X-acto knife, and press out the air from the puncture you made.
Give the installation one more visual once-over for quality control. Then you have one more headlight to do.
Enjoy!