Observations of a clay bar newbe

[WeeHooker]

First, thanks to all who gave me info in the " Clay Bar Advice" thread a while back. I've been struggling with weather and commitments since but finally got to put the Mothers Clay Bar kit to use last evening. WOW. I was floored at amount of crap that I pulled out of my freshly washed 07! (I knew I had a good spattering of rail dust on it but I thought that was it.)I did one body panel at a time and by the end of each panel, that clay looked like one of those nasty Stridex pads i used as a kid. Process was a bit scary at first as I could hear and feel the grit as I worked it but I just kept folding, spraying and wiping and in less than 40 min, the whole truck glowed and felt smoother than it did the day I brought it home . ( No wax yet, just mothers showtime used as the lube.) bTW: I did the plastic front bumper and door protectors but went even more lightly.) Even my teen aged son, ( who wouldn't notice if his own head was on fire.) commented on "sweet" she loked! Anyway, I've got 70 deg ( and a 1/2 day of work) here today so the plan is to apply the Klasse AIO and SG sealer/polish system to get everything shinny and protected. If time allows, I'll top it all off with a coat of good wax this weekend.

BTW: One last observation; Clay baring is allot like making love at my age. The anticipation was exciting, the act itself fantastic . However, when it was finally done, I had no desire to do it again for quite a while!

Thanks again Gents. I'll try to get some pics up after the 3 step sealer/wax effort. ( Assuming i can take a decient pic.)

[HKYStormFront]

yea i was amazed the first time i did mine as well after about a year of ownership. funny thing is you don't really see the crap until it pulls it off (at least on my SG color) but after it does you can see where it's gone

[Mylt1]

you ill be amazed at how long a good wax job will last now. i use duragloss wax after the clay bar treatment and water still beads 3 months after the bar and wax.

[cctmobiledetail]

Your welcome, glad I could help !

Normally a car shouldn't need to be clayed but once or twice a year. That being said , yours may require 3 - 4 times a year based on the amount of industrial fallout you get from the rail yard....imagine how much rail dust your breathing ?

It seems as though you've clayed the truck and waited several days to apply the Klasse.....not a good idea....when you clay a vehicle it strips old wax and crud out of the pores of your paint leaving the paint completely naked and exposed to the elements. Today after your half day of work... re wash the truck, run your clay bar over the vehicle again ( you can go faster this time ) then immediately apply the Klasse Sealant on the paint, let dry and buff off by hand or machine. FYI, Klasse is a great sealant and you'll notice how well it works, you'll also notice how much of a beeatch it comes off by hand. That being said: I normally will only use microfiber towels on vehicles paint finishes, with Klasse , because of it's inherent sealing properties, you'll most likely need to use a damp terry cloth towel and dry microfibers to lightly buff it off. After that you won't need a carnuba at all. Klasse takes care of the sealing and shining all in one.

Good Luck

[WeeHooker]

Thanks again. Maybe I misused the term "rail dust"? I have light rust like specks clinging to the (white) paint that were picked up over the winter. Closest I ever come to a actual working rail line is to cross one track twice a day . I actually finished the clay bar last night about 8pm. Parked it under the car port and started back in this am. I washed it again, dried with microfiber cloth . As of now. The AIO is done and a LIGHT coat of the SG is on. Waiting to buff it off now. Thanks for the tips on the damp terry cloth. I've read that this is the worse step of the process. (BTW: I do have an orbital polisher with a terry pad but don't have the NADs to use it )
I figure I'll repeat this whole process in October at the latest.

BTW: The last "wax" I used was Mothers gold Class which worked great on my (black) Taco. ( Added allot of depth to the color) Any suggestions on a special wax to enhance bright white? I figure i need new wax anyway as all I have left around here is zymol cleaner wax.

[cctmobiledetail]

Originally Posted by WeeHooker

Thanks again. Any suggestions on a special wax to enhance bright white? I figure i need new wax anyway as all I have left around here is zymol cleaner wax.

Try Liquid Glass it works really well !

[WeeHooker]

Try Liquid Glass it works really well !

Thanks off to the store!

BTW: Must have put the SG on thin enough. It buffed right out with a MF cloth afterall. Almost makes me wonder if I put enough on.

[cctmobiledetail]

Originally Posted by WeeHooker

Thanks off to the store!

BTW: Must have put the SG on thin enough. It buffed right out with a MF cloth afterall. Almost makes me wonder if I put enough on.

Most people apply to much product on their cars! The only amout needed is what comes in contact with the paint, any else is a waste ! You also need to let the Klasse stay on for at least an hour or so , before taking off. A second coat wouldn't hurt ...I'd wait to put the Liquid glass on, however. People like to put too many different things on their paint ... dissimilar product doesn't react well with each other. Sometimes you'll end of clouding the clear up with too many disimilar products. I'd wait a month before putting LG on...

[ToddG]

Is Liquid Glass a silicone based product? I know it's not Carnuba. I personally only use Carnuba based products. They stay on the paint surface and don't "bond" with your clearcoat/paint. Learned that after my wife's Z24 needed paint work from an accident. Paint shop guys had a hell of a time matching the factory color and claimed it was because of the silicone based "wax" I used. They claimed it's bonding process changed the properties of the paint and altered the color. Any truth to that? What's your opinion? (to ctmobiledetail)

Yea, Weehooker I have used clay bars in the past but never on paint as new as mine. They do a hell of a good job if you've never used one the first time will amaze you.

[StormNISMO]

Liquid Glass is definetly a synthetic!(MSDS)

I would prefer a synthetic like Prima Epic (Prima Car Care: Premium Wax, Polish & More) over any carnuba wax for one reason. Due the oils in the carnuba wax it tends not to be as slick as a synthetic. Therefore dust tends to be more attracted to or stick more to a carnuba wax and synthetic has more of a dust repellant type property. Synthetics also last longer, which means waxing less often!

I have never personally heard synthetic sealants changing the properties of paint. But I could see that it may do this on a metallic based paint, maybe, but not really non-metallic.