What have you done to your ride lately?
- Thread starter jdmcq
- Start date
Someone shattered one of the trailer lights and bent the fuck out of the license plate & 3/4" backing plate. Haven't been able to figure out who did it.
So I ordered a new LED trailer light and replaced it. I also put the license plate vertical instead of horizontal so it'll stop getting broken.
So I ordered a new LED trailer light and replaced it. I also put the license plate vertical instead of horizontal so it'll stop getting broken.
How did that happen?
AlienXtx
Nignog
Dissimilar metal weld. Head snapped off flush when I tried to remove it. Logan laid the bike over the other day (hauling ass on gravel) and broke off the bar end ones I had on.
At least he got that done with now.
AlienXtx
Nignog
Yep, learned a lesson with minimal damage. The crash bars I put on did their job and no damage to engine covers/tank at all.
balakay
BabyMax
After a couple hours of rain this morning, it was time for a bath. Not knowing what had been dont by the previous owner, I chose to use some strip shampoo and take it all the way to clear coat. After that, I took the clay bar to it and did another round with the strip shampoo. Dried it with a fine mist of detail spray to knock out water spots and any dust that blew on since the clay bar and then put on a coat of cherry wax. Not perfect but it’s smooth as butter and is way better than before. Found a couple spots that probably need machine polishing so I’ll plan on that when I strip it before winter.
balakay
BabyMax
The results I’ve had with it are great. Gets rid of all the grit. Paint will be so smooth you won’t even feel friction running your fingers down it. But it will strip everything off down to the clear coat so make sure you go back with wax, ceramic, or some other coating afterward.
AlienXtx
Nignog
Pretty sure its already there after being baked on the w-tx heat for the past 9 years.
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
You would be surprised what clay bar can remove.
balakay
BabyMax
Yep, with a “heavy” bar it will strip just about anything. Especially if you do a wash with some specialized stripping shampoo before hand.
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
I had not washed the Taco in like 3+ years.. it had RUST from metal grindings flying through the air from various projects. Paint was SHIT. Clay bar removed it all.
balakay
BabyMax
If it’s swirls in the wax, it will get rid of it when it removes the wax. If it’s swirls in the clear, you’ll need to polish it after claying and before waxing. If not, you’ll just have the swirls you can see under the wax. Depending which wax you use, it will hide some of the clear imperfections but not all of it.
@tex is the best person to give advice on this stuff
MatthewMay1
amateur professional
Clay bars are great tools! Something so simple can make a huge difference
tex
That's Mr Asshole to you
Clay and wax won't take out swirls. If they are light enough then wax can help fill the swirls in and hide them. The only true way to remove the swirls is with polish and an orbital buffer. I have never gone down this road, mostly because it's a little intimidating and you can really fuck up your paint if you are not careful.
CowboyTaco
Well-Known Member
Pretty much what Aaron said. Clay will remove contaminants from on top of the surface, but won't do anything to fix swirls or scratches. I've used it to remove paint overspray and rail dust pretty successfully. You can also use an iron remover as a second step. Just spray it on, wait for it to turn purple and run off, then wash again. Just make sure you do that in the shade as you don't want it to dry.
For removing swirls, get a good polish and a DA buffer with the right pads. It can be intimidating and expensive to get setup, but the results are worth it.
As for protecting the pain after doing a correction, there have been a lot of new products on the market that are actually really good! From the $14 bottle of Meguiars hybrid ceramic (lasts about 6 months), to the slightly more expensive 303 graphene spray on coating (about 9 months), all the way up to true ceramic or graphene coating (typically 3-5 years, up to 7 with proper maintenance). Can be as easy as spray it on while the paint is wet and rinse again, or more like a traditional wax.
Use a pH balanced soap after applying any coating, as a non-pH balanced soap will strip it off. Some chemicals will also strip a coating.
I'm not sure what we drove through, but there are spots on the hood that do not have the same hydrophobic properties as the rest of the car. Best I can tell is that something hit the front of the hood and then ran up toward the windshield. Can't tell with the naked eye when dry, but you can certainly tell when it gets wet.
For removing swirls, get a good polish and a DA buffer with the right pads. It can be intimidating and expensive to get setup, but the results are worth it.
As for protecting the pain after doing a correction, there have been a lot of new products on the market that are actually really good! From the $14 bottle of Meguiars hybrid ceramic (lasts about 6 months), to the slightly more expensive 303 graphene spray on coating (about 9 months), all the way up to true ceramic or graphene coating (typically 3-5 years, up to 7 with proper maintenance). Can be as easy as spray it on while the paint is wet and rinse again, or more like a traditional wax.
Use a pH balanced soap after applying any coating, as a non-pH balanced soap will strip it off. Some chemicals will also strip a coating.
I'm not sure what we drove through, but there are spots on the hood that do not have the same hydrophobic properties as the rest of the car. Best I can tell is that something hit the front of the hood and then ran up toward the windshield. Can't tell with the naked eye when dry, but you can certainly tell when it gets wet.
