Clay Bar

[CHolman]

I just wanted to share with ya'll since spring is right around the corner and for those that might not know about the Clay bar paint cleaning system. There are several clay bar paint cleaning systems made by Mothers, Clay Magic and Meguiars. This is not a wax cleaner, this is a system that takes all the contaminants out of your clear coat and makes your truck paints surface as smooth as glass again. Over time smog, salt, tar, over spray, "exhaust", industrial fall out and other things work their way into your clear coat. If you haven't done this and you think your truck looks good, try this and you'll be amazed. These system's will pull that crap that has built up over time out and like I said leave you a smooth, clean surface. Now if your paint is peeling, I wouldn't do this, but for those of you that want to maintain your show room shine, this is a must. It takes some time and YOU WILL HAVE TO WAX YOUR TRUCK RIGHT AFTER YOU DO THIS BECAUSE IT WILL STRIP ALL THE OTHER WAX THAT YOU HAVE PUT ON OVER TIME OFF... . All I can say is invest in a buffer. Clay Bar, Polish and wax your truck and you'll save yourself a lot of grief with paint looking like crap in the long run. :{ I hope someone finds this informative...

 

[LRotter]

You are correct, sir!!! I rank the clay bar right up there as one of the greatest things for a vehicle ever. I usually run the clay over my truck in the spring and fall. I love how smooth my paint feels after I do it. Of course, I'm too tight to invest in a buffer so my elbow doesn't like the clay bar much. It amazes me how much more shiny the paint is after a clay session. Awesome!!!

 

[CHolman]

Might I add that the bottle of the detailer spray that comes with the kit is never enough. Get the big bottle of Meguiars Mist and wipe spary $7. 00 and you'll be good to go. If you've never done this to your truck, make sure you have the clay bar really wet and spray the spot that your working on really good too. Otherwise the clay bar is going to stick. The clay is going to become black and different color's depending on what is coming out of your clear coat, so pull it apart and kneed it to bring up the cleaner parts of the bar. The Kit it's self is usually around $12. 00. I'm telling you guy's, if you only knew what was in your clear coat's... The stuff you can't see.

 

[CHolman]

If you look in my R/R, I helped TDR member MCates with his truck and you can see first hand what this stuff does. The reflection of my truck in his blue truck.

 

[SHobbs]

Another tip. Use the old bars for the plastic hub caps. Does a real good job of getting brake dust off the plastic and does not hurt the finish.

 

[daveshoe]

We detailer daughter's 1996 Lumina before she went to college. If that is not a test of this thing,then I do not know what is. Of course,the old finish was not perfect,but it felt as slick as a brand new car! Just unbelieveable.

 

[Beach]

I used a clay bar on my last truck and got a grit or sandy material out of the paint. Can you scratch the finish with a clay bar if this happen's or is it O. K. to keep going! I don't mean to ask such a stupid question, I've just been leary of clay bar's after that. It did clean the crap out of that truck though !

 

[vegasredneck]

Beach,



If you keep the surface wet, (I like it extra soapy) and do a consistant circular motion. I keep the hose ready and rinse as soon as I finish a small section. You should have no problems. I used to do the whole truck every time but now I only do the hood and roof unless I feel some grit on the side panels. The hood takes way more abuse from exposure and a majority of the time is a rough feel. I use a orbital buffer for waxing under 300 rpm and you will not get swirl marks like a 1000-1300 rpm buffer. It tends to mark the paint especially after using the clay bar.



Oh by the way use DAWN dish soap before CB and it will strip as much oilly residue before throwning your shoulder out.

 

[tURBOdIEZEl]

i love my mothers clay bar system..... i always clay bar the truck once a year... . the truck gets waxed once a month and hand washed every week... (shes gets pampered a little bit :-laf )

i gotta do something to make sure the new paint job dont go down the tubes Oo.

 

[AndyMan]

I used a clay bar on my last truck and got a grit or sandy material out of the paint. Can you scratch the finish with a clay bar if this happen's or is it O. K. to keep going! I don't mean to ask such a stupid question, I've just been leary of clay bar's after that. It did clean the crap out of that truck though !

To answer your question in a roundabout way... I will wash the car thoroughly, THEN bust out the claybar and spray lube (I prefer Zaino Z-6 dilluted for lube). When you clay, do it just like you wash. TOP DOWN. That way, when you get to the gritty parts of the car, you've already done the most visible parts. After I clay, then I wash again. At that point, I'll get out the power tools and start the polishing and buffing.



No my OPINION on the gritty clay matter. If you drop a clay bar, you throw it away. If you feel like you HAVE to try and keep using it, try it out on your lawnmower b/f you put it back to your paint.



Mothers and Meguires are both EXCELLENT. For those looking for a little more shine and pop... try these guys out.



www.zainobros.com

www.autopia-carcare.com



both have claybars that you can buy without having to buy a full "clay kit".

The Sonus claybars from Autopia can be had for about $6/ea.



I'm not affiliated with either.

 

[tractorface]

Let me get this straight

You guys actually Wash, than rub a clay bar all over your truck and then wax it! :--) Holy smokes. I can't imagine washing my truck more than two times a year :-laf



Moderator

Can we get a Yuppy diesel Topics section please :-laf



I am just jealous, don't mind me :{

 

[AndyMan]

It's a sad sad life I lead, but yeah... on a car/truck that's in dire need of some paint cleansing(assuming that I don't get extreme and wetsand it too... ), I'll use several different polishes, two different machines, and a half dozen different pads to get the shine the way I want it. Between the two machines, polishes and pads, I'll go over a trucks entire paint surface 4-8 times not including the wipedowns in-between. That's just the paint. There's lots more to a full detail. Here's a pic of my 03 after an in depth session on Saturday... .



Andy's 2003 Ram Post Detail

 

[tractorface]

All I see is your ugly feet :-laf

 

[DonTX]

I was sure this was some sort of a joke posting, but it seems there actually IS such a thing as a "clay bar"?

Never heard of such a thing!

 

[AKDrifter]

I better get on it then... . last I washed and waxed my rig is Aug. 2001. I power wash it a few times a year, but now that I'm down South I'll get crackin'.



I've been meaning to clean her up a bit... ... . and that pic of Andy's shine just sold me. But not untill I make my last run to AK. Those roads are like driving through scotch brite pads.

 

[Big Sur]

Make sure when doing this NOT to run the clay over your paint in a CIRCULAR motion. You can introduce swirls this way. :{



Happy detailing

 

[LRotter]

Dang AndyMan, that is an impressive shine!!! I am extremely jealous. What sort of polish, wax, and tools do you use? I've wanted to get a decent buffer but my father instilled a irrational fear of buffers in me at a young age. I'm half scared to use one for fear of messing up my paint. Right now, I just use the clay then wax it down, using lots of elbow grease. I'd really like to try something else to see how shiny I could get it. Even just the stuff I do makes my truck hard to look at in bright sun because of the glare off the white paint. I'd like to see if I could do better though. Maybe blind some people as I drive by.

 

[hammersley]

Sorrry guys - WTF are you

talking about - I hope it doesn't mean one is suppose to WASH THE TRUCK!!!!

 

[AndyMan]

LRotter,



There are basically two different styles of polishers in detailing. You have your Dual-Action polishers and Rotaries. A Rotary will destroy your paint if you don't know what you're doing (and are cavalier with its usage). The Dual-Action on the other hand can be run by total idiots with no fear of damage (barring dropping it on the hood or something). I would heartily recommend a Porter Cable 7424 Dual Action Polisher. A good starter kit will run you less than $200, and should include the unit, counterweight, a backing plate, 3 pads and some medium polish (good strong swirl remover). PC 7424's take ALL the elbow work out getting an amazing finish. The learning curve is nearly flat and you can ALMOST attain results as good as a rotary. The reason for using a rotrary over a D/A polisher (Not to be confused with a body shop DA sander or crappy "random orbit $30 wallyworld buffer) is that the rotary can achive high speed and HEAT. Some products break down real good with the heat and eat paint up nicely. If you know what you're doing, you can level paint and get an amazing finish. If you screw up, you'll see sheet metal before you can get it off. The D/A doesn't generate heat, but put puts more strokes across the paint than you could ever hope to by hand. It lets you put multiple THIN layers or product on the paint, work them good without build up, and yeilds amazing results.



I love anything that these guys sell:

www.autopia-carcare.com

www.autogeek.net

www.poorboysworld.com



My favorite and what I always reach for are Zaino products. www.zainobros.com



Here's a link to a good starter kit:

http://www.autogeek.net/popoprkit.html The Kit comes with Natty's BLUE. I'd recommend calling to see if you could substitute regular Natty's (since you have a white truck, and not a dark colored one. ).



PoorBoy's makes some AWESOME boutiqe products that work great and last a long time... . PLUS they're not really any more expensive than what you'd buy at NAPA or wherever.



Now go forth and BLIND some folks!!

 

[MCates]

Yes, there is a clay bar system, as my buddy CHolman brought up. Mothers has had it out for years and produces awesome results. Be careful not to drop the clay into dirt or sand, you'll render the clay unusable. CHolman and I will be testing a new synthetic wax product called ICE very soon. We'll let you know what we think!