i feel like i ruined my claybar.... heres why. I used a ziploc to hold it in andi took it out today and most of it was sticking to the ziploc, but i got a good chunk out so i figured whatever, then i put it on my wet car and the clay kept sticking to the paint, what did i do wrong? or is the clay bar done with? how do i keep it?

 

When storing a clay bar, I try to use a plastic container, like the ones that the Clay Magic bars we stock come with. I'll also spray in a few mists of quick detailer solution in the box to keep the bar moist. When using the bar again, I'll spray a little quick detailer on my hands and work it into the bar. This helps prevent the bar from sticking to your fingers and should provide a little extra lubrication to the bar.

Was it just water you were using the clay bar on? Or did you mix it with some shampoo?

George

 

hello, yea i just had a couple questions.

I put touch up paint on my body and now it's kinda clashes, i was wondering is there anyways i could blend it without havin to repaint the whole bumper.

second questions is i took out the door molding and since it was cold the edge of the modling didn't come off properly and it looks like the adhesive scorched the clear coat of the car. i tries wetsandin a tad and buffin it and it looks like it helps but is there any product i could use to help blend it/fade it.

Thanks,
-Rogue

 

George,

I have a set of wheels I want to get cleaned and polished up real nice. They are already in very good condition, but I want to make then look the best I can. I have removed them from the car, sprayed down with P21S wheel cleaner then washed with Gold Class wash. Now I am ready for the next step.

Let me give you some details on the wheels. They are one piece cast aluminum with a gray/silver painted center, polished lip, and clear coated.

I have some Never Dull metal polish, but not sure if I should use this on clear coated lip. I also have some Wheel Wax for protection.

Should I just use a good clear coat car polish followed up by two coats of the Wheel Wax? What process do you recommend?

Thanks.

 

Not much more you can do from what you tried. You can keep removing more paint by wet sanding some more or polishing further, but you may just have to come to a point where you accept the paint is before you sacrafice too much clear coat. A glaze can help fill in some of the surface imperfections, but usually this doesn't hide much.

You got it. If there is still contamination remaining after the P21S and the wash, you could clay the wheels. Then I'd suggest following up with a very mild polish to really restore the finish. Keep in mind, wheel clear coats are typically not as strong as the one on your paint so be careful with how much pressure you apply and how strong of a polish you use.

2 thin applications of Wheel Wax will work great after polishing. After that, regular maintenance with just automotive shampoo and water should do the trick until either the Wheel Wax needs reapplication or you want to do the entire process over again.

Good luck, keep us posted on how things turn out.

George

 

Then I'd suggest following up with a very mild polish to really restore the finish. Keep in mind, wheel clear coats are typically not as strong as the one on your paint so be careful with how much pressure you apply and how strong of a polish you use.


Good luck, keep us posted on how things turn out.

George[/QUOTE]

ScratchX mild enough?

 

Question about "wheel rash". I have some curb rash right on the edge of my factory powder coated rims. Could I sand that out and repaint just the rim edge? I have tried to contact a profesional here in South Texas with no luck.

 

Yep, good choice. Start with a little bit of pressure and monitor your results. If deeper correction is required, add a little more pressure when applying it. Sometimes with ScratchX it takes multiple applications to get the results you are looking for.

I don't have much experience correcting wheel rash, but here's the best writeup I could find on the subject.

http://www.audiworld.com/tech/ext43.shtml

I think the only thing that may change is the color to match your wheels. Good luck, let us know if you give it a shot and how things turn out.

George

 

Finally got my PC and used it over the weekend, that thing is amazing. Took off all the flaking in my headlights and my car looks like a mirror. The outside of my wifes car doesn't look bad either, now if you guys can make something to keep her from throwing crap in it all day that would be great.

 

Try it on her and lemme know what happens....

 

Thanks, that's a great find. I never thought of using putty. I was just going to sand it flush and paint.

 

George,

with regard to my wheel polishing and protecting. the ScratchX worked great and the wheels looked very clean and shiny after application. guess I should have know this since it works so well on painted surfaces. thanks for the product suggestion.

the Wheel Wax is another story. application was easy enough, but if you let this stuff sit, it is difficult to remove. this is a PITA with a wheel since I am doing all this work by hand. applied to the entire wheel and then went back to remove with MF towel. came off easy enough at first, but as I moved along it became difficult, especially in the crevices and lug holes. obviously you can not move as fast removing product from a wheel as you can a body panel.

should I just use another sealant product like Synwax or NXT which is easy to remove? will something like these hold up as well as a specific product like Wheel Wax?

any suggestions or can you recommend a more user friendly product? how about that Poorboy's wheel sealant?

 

The only question I'd have about the Wheel Wax is how much product were you using? Difficult removal is often a sign of over applying a product. You basically want to apply as thin of a layer as possible when it comes to any protective product since only a microscopic layer actually bonds to the surface.

Wheel Wax & Poorboy's Wheel Sealant are designed specifically to withstand some of the higher temps that brakes can produce. This, combined with their slick surface left behind makes them a better alternative than most sealants.

Personally, I have access to both Wheel Wax and the Poorboy's Wheel Sealant and I don't have to think for a second to grab a jar of Poorboy's Wheel Sealant. I feel that it is a superior product, works on more surfaces, and is easier to work with. I have yet to come in contact with someone who said this product did not meet up to their standards. I'd say we sell the Wheel Sealant 12:1 over Wheel Wax.

In general if any product starts to become difficult to remove, try misting your towel with a quick detailer solution or some distilled water. This will usually aid in product removal.

Hope this helps.

George

 

Can you post a pic of your wheels before and after if you have some?

I plan on doing the same thing to my wheels.

(detailed image)

I have axis shines on my car and I want my lip to stand out more since they are machine polished.

Do you have any suggestions on what I can do?

I want them to stand out like my old wheels in the last pic or close to it.

Thanks

 

DRG35R - this same thing happened to me when I first started using wheelwax(there's a thread in here somewhere about it). Too much product is definitely the first start. But around lugs and crevices I started using a small rubber detail tool, surrounded by the mf towel. This helped TREMENDOUSLY so I could still ensure I was getting good coverage on my wheels but then also get it all off. I started shooting the towel with a little Z6 as well and that worked great too. But adding the tool inside the towl as a reaching mechanism was the trick...