Rust??
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: St. Louis, MO
Rust??
The last couple of times I have washed my truck, I have noticed little orange spots that appear to be surface rust on the paint. With a little work they will come off pretty much. Anyone else have this problem and is it something to worry about down there road? My truck is also one that seems to be affected by the orange peel issue as well.
I might be worrying over nothing, as I've never had a white vehicle before and it seems like this type of stuff probably shows up easier on the white.
I might be worrying over nothing, as I've never had a white vehicle before and it seems like this type of stuff probably shows up easier on the white.
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Murrieta, CA
White is the most notorious for showing this off-fall out. Its the stuff in the air that lands on your paint, then begins to oxidize.
You can buy kits at any parts stores or even detail shops that include clay and some type of spray wax. Wash the truck, spray some wax (it basically acts as a lube) on a small area, work the clay back and forth (not in circles). Wipe dry. Repeat until the spots are all gone. You will then want to polish/wax the whole truck. DONT DROP THE CLAY-you'll throw it away if you do, as its a magnet for dirt, grit, etc.
Its a never ending battle that is very evident on white finishes. But you get a "smooth as a babies butt" finish when you're done.
To prevent it at all from happening, keep your truck covered all the time. Not real practical? Keep up on your regular waxing, so the fall out will have a harder time bonding to your finish. Good luck!
You can buy kits at any parts stores or even detail shops that include clay and some type of spray wax. Wash the truck, spray some wax (it basically acts as a lube) on a small area, work the clay back and forth (not in circles). Wipe dry. Repeat until the spots are all gone. You will then want to polish/wax the whole truck. DONT DROP THE CLAY-you'll throw it away if you do, as its a magnet for dirt, grit, etc.
Its a never ending battle that is very evident on white finishes. But you get a "smooth as a babies butt" finish when you're done.
To prevent it at all from happening, keep your truck covered all the time. Not real practical? Keep up on your regular waxing, so the fall out will have a harder time bonding to your finish. Good luck!
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 584
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From: NJ
yup get used to it hehe, its just rail dust or whatever, crap in the air that lands on the truck an rusts, just dont let it get too much on their or else it takes forever to clean.... this is my 2nd white vehicle ...ive gotten used to it lol
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From: The Bluegrass State
Hey kstateskier...
What ke said is exactly correct. What you are experiencing is a result of oxidation however; most likely, it's not your truck.
You see, the atmosphere that we're all accustomed to contains oodles and oodles of contaminants which will bond to our paint and, ultimately, cause our finishes to rapidly oxidize, dull, or simply begin to look bad.
What you are experiencing, most likely, is just what ke said...
Tiny flecks of some type of metal have bonded to your paint. These may have been caused by railroading, brake rotors from vehicles in front of you, or any number of other things. These tiny flecks typically bond to your vehicle by 'melting' into your clear coat and ultimately oxidize and produce those tiny rust specs that you've seen.
Clay is the answer.
Here's a brief summary of clay...
Clay is designed to remove stuck-on surficial contamination like rail dust, industrial fallout, light paint over spray, and other items that sit ON TOP of your paint.
It, in no way, will offer any protection for your vehicle's paint.
Clay is a very well kept secret within the automotive detailing world and is a MUST for any serious enthusiast.
On average, I clay my vehicles 4-6 times per year immediately before I am applying a last step product (LSP) like wax or a synthetic sealant.
To clay, start by hitting your local Auto Zone or similar. Oodles of companies make this stuff and, more recently, it's trickling into the consumer markets versus the automotive paint and body shops. I recommend going with either Meguiar's Quik Clay system, Mother's Clay system, or Clay Magic's system. All three of these products come with everything you need in the box (a clay bar and a bottle of lubricant).
Feel your paint with your dry hand. Feel that rough texture? Like it has lots of tiny rough spots? Remember those in your mind...
Naturally, follow the manufac's directions to the 'T' but, all of them will generally say to mist the lubricant on (typically a Quick Detailer type of product that offers great lubrication across the paint and also will leave a decent shine behind) and utilize the clay bar back and forth across the paint using only the weight of your hand as downward force. NEVER press a clay bar with aggression against your paint. It can and will mar your finish!
Another hint is to chop your clay bar into two pieces. Place one of the pieces in a zip-lock bag and sit it aside. I tell you to do this because, you will drop your clay one of these times. When you drop it, it's typically a real hard choice to throw it away because you have spent probably around $10 on a kit and you just can't see tossing it in the garbage. By having the other piece, you can toss it easier. Be reminded, one TINY grain of sand that was picked up off of the ground when you dropped it or when you clayed a dirty area can spell utmost disaster for your finish. Unfixable damage. Damage that will drive you nuts because you have to have the vehicle repainted to repair it. I've seen it in this business and actually consulted with a customer a few months ago who appeared to have some of this damage. I'm versed with a rotary buffer and I can assure you that these scratches WERE NOT going to come off!
So, back to clay.
Feel the paint again with that same dry hand you used earlier. Feel the difference? Does it now feel like GLASS? It should. If not, keep going with the same routine.
I typically will clay a single pass times two or three passes. In 99% of the vehicles I detail, this will remove everything and leave the surface prepared for my choice of polishes or waxes (typically both).
Once you've clayed the vehicle, it's ESSENTIAL that you go back over the vehicle with some type of LSP. Choose your weapon. There are OODLES of them on the market and most all of them are pretty good stuff. I have utmost faith in Meguiar's products as they are what I use when I detail but, there are lots of good ones out there.
The bottom line is this... the surface preparation that you do before you apply your wax (surface prep = clay, polish, wet sanding, compounding, etc...etc...) will make or break the way your vehicle looks when you're done...
Detailing questions beyond this? Just ask... I'll be around.
RP
What ke said is exactly correct. What you are experiencing is a result of oxidation however; most likely, it's not your truck.
You see, the atmosphere that we're all accustomed to contains oodles and oodles of contaminants which will bond to our paint and, ultimately, cause our finishes to rapidly oxidize, dull, or simply begin to look bad.
What you are experiencing, most likely, is just what ke said...
Tiny flecks of some type of metal have bonded to your paint. These may have been caused by railroading, brake rotors from vehicles in front of you, or any number of other things. These tiny flecks typically bond to your vehicle by 'melting' into your clear coat and ultimately oxidize and produce those tiny rust specs that you've seen.
Clay is the answer.
Here's a brief summary of clay...
Clay is designed to remove stuck-on surficial contamination like rail dust, industrial fallout, light paint over spray, and other items that sit ON TOP of your paint.
It, in no way, will offer any protection for your vehicle's paint.
Clay is a very well kept secret within the automotive detailing world and is a MUST for any serious enthusiast.
On average, I clay my vehicles 4-6 times per year immediately before I am applying a last step product (LSP) like wax or a synthetic sealant.
To clay, start by hitting your local Auto Zone or similar. Oodles of companies make this stuff and, more recently, it's trickling into the consumer markets versus the automotive paint and body shops. I recommend going with either Meguiar's Quik Clay system, Mother's Clay system, or Clay Magic's system. All three of these products come with everything you need in the box (a clay bar and a bottle of lubricant).
Feel your paint with your dry hand. Feel that rough texture? Like it has lots of tiny rough spots? Remember those in your mind...
Naturally, follow the manufac's directions to the 'T' but, all of them will generally say to mist the lubricant on (typically a Quick Detailer type of product that offers great lubrication across the paint and also will leave a decent shine behind) and utilize the clay bar back and forth across the paint using only the weight of your hand as downward force. NEVER press a clay bar with aggression against your paint. It can and will mar your finish!
Another hint is to chop your clay bar into two pieces. Place one of the pieces in a zip-lock bag and sit it aside. I tell you to do this because, you will drop your clay one of these times. When you drop it, it's typically a real hard choice to throw it away because you have spent probably around $10 on a kit and you just can't see tossing it in the garbage. By having the other piece, you can toss it easier. Be reminded, one TINY grain of sand that was picked up off of the ground when you dropped it or when you clayed a dirty area can spell utmost disaster for your finish. Unfixable damage. Damage that will drive you nuts because you have to have the vehicle repainted to repair it. I've seen it in this business and actually consulted with a customer a few months ago who appeared to have some of this damage. I'm versed with a rotary buffer and I can assure you that these scratches WERE NOT going to come off!
So, back to clay.
Feel the paint again with that same dry hand you used earlier. Feel the difference? Does it now feel like GLASS? It should. If not, keep going with the same routine.
I typically will clay a single pass times two or three passes. In 99% of the vehicles I detail, this will remove everything and leave the surface prepared for my choice of polishes or waxes (typically both).
Once you've clayed the vehicle, it's ESSENTIAL that you go back over the vehicle with some type of LSP. Choose your weapon. There are OODLES of them on the market and most all of them are pretty good stuff. I have utmost faith in Meguiar's products as they are what I use when I detail but, there are lots of good ones out there.
The bottom line is this... the surface preparation that you do before you apply your wax (surface prep = clay, polish, wet sanding, compounding, etc...etc...) will make or break the way your vehicle looks when you're done...
Detailing questions beyond this? Just ask... I'll be around.
RP
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 71
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From: Pleasant Garden N.C.
you guys must be way better than me with the clay, I tried it and couldn't get anything going on the particles, The best thing I've found is tru-grit polish to get all the particles out then NXT wax. I'm just not doing something right with the clay.
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From: St. Louis, MO
RP,
Thanks for all the info. I am not very familiar with clay, though I'm going to go out and pick up a bar and get working on it this weekend. It sounds like a pretty easy process and 3-4 times a year doesn't seem too bad. I'm used to waxing my boat about once a week from April to November due to using a vinegar/water mix for spots, so this seems like an easy chore. Hopefully it takes care of the problem. I'm been using Meguiars Gold Class liquid wax. Any better suggestions for a white finish?
Thanks for all the info. I am not very familiar with clay, though I'm going to go out and pick up a bar and get working on it this weekend. It sounds like a pretty easy process and 3-4 times a year doesn't seem too bad. I'm used to waxing my boat about once a week from April to November due to using a vinegar/water mix for spots, so this seems like an easy chore. Hopefully it takes care of the problem. I'm been using Meguiars Gold Class liquid wax. Any better suggestions for a white finish?
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From: The Bluegrass State
Originally posted by kstateskier
RP,
Thanks for all the info. I am not very familiar with clay, though I'm going to go out and pick up a bar and get working on it this weekend. It sounds like a pretty easy process and 3-4 times a year doesn't seem too bad. I'm used to waxing my boat about once a week from April to November due to using a vinegar/water mix for spots, so this seems like an easy chore. Hopefully it takes care of the problem. I'm been using Meguiars Gold Class liquid wax. Any better suggestions for a white finish?
RP,
Thanks for all the info. I am not very familiar with clay, though I'm going to go out and pick up a bar and get working on it this weekend. It sounds like a pretty easy process and 3-4 times a year doesn't seem too bad. I'm used to waxing my boat about once a week from April to November due to using a vinegar/water mix for spots, so this seems like an easy chore. Hopefully it takes care of the problem. I'm been using Meguiars Gold Class liquid wax. Any better suggestions for a white finish?
About the clay, check out THIS THREAD where I constructed a brief novel on washing, waxing, dancing with rabid turtles, drying and, as an added/free bonus, swirl removal.
As for your wax selection...
Meguiar's Gold Class is pretty good stuff. I personally find it to be one of the 'wettest looking' waxes available out there. Unfortunately, many find it to dwindle in effectiveness over varying amounts of time which tend to be short. Personally, I've never allowed it the opportunity to dwindle as I wax about once per month typically but, it may be the case.
There are oodles of great products out there. Collinite, Meguiar's, Victoria Wax, Adam's, Poorboy's, Pinnacle Wax, Four Star Wax, 3M, P21S, Menzerna (polish up on your German skills before visiting this site), Diamondite, and Klasse are all tremendous products. While I've not sampled each, individual type from that half-way inclusive list, I have sampled many of them.
The key to it is to find a product that you like and use it often. As we both know, many products are commonly available at 'Mart' style stores. Meguiar's, Mothers, and Turtle are all very common. They all make pretty good stuff and some average stuff. In my experience with this market, you get what you pay for for the most part.
If you're looking for a pretty solid wax that you can pick up pretty readily, I'd look into Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax (available everywhere from Target to Pep Boys to most Wal-Marts). If you're looking for a different type of system that is not so readily available, you might check into Zaino or the aforementioned Klasse.
It's entirely up to you on which route to go with your LSP (last step product).
****
SURFACE PREPARATION IS 99% OF THE BATTLE TO OBTAIN A SLICK, DEEP, AND SHINY PAINTED FINISH!!!!!
****
Surface prep is covered in the post I mentioned up above.
I hope this helps out but, if you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or post back to this thread. I'll be glad to help out in any way shape or form that I can!
RP
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Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 31,440
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From: The Bluegrass State
Originally posted by kstateskier
RP,
Thanks for all the info. I am not very familiar with clay, though I'm going to go out and pick up a bar and get working on it this weekend. It sounds like a pretty easy process and 3-4 times a year doesn't seem too bad. I'm used to waxing my boat about once a week from April to November due to using a vinegar/water mix for spots, so this seems like an easy chore. Hopefully it takes care of the problem. I'm been using Meguiars Gold Class liquid wax. Any better suggestions for a white finish?
RP,
Thanks for all the info. I am not very familiar with clay, though I'm going to go out and pick up a bar and get working on it this weekend. It sounds like a pretty easy process and 3-4 times a year doesn't seem too bad. I'm used to waxing my boat about once a week from April to November due to using a vinegar/water mix for spots, so this seems like an easy chore. Hopefully it takes care of the problem. I'm been using Meguiars Gold Class liquid wax. Any better suggestions for a white finish?
Originally posted by kstateskier
RP,
Thanks for all the info. I am not very familiar with clay, though I'm going to go out and pick up a bar and get working on it this weekend. It sounds like a pretty easy process and 3-4 times a year doesn't seem too bad. I'm used to waxing my boat about once a week from April to November due to using a vinegar/water mix for spots, so this seems like an easy chore. Hopefully it takes care of the problem. I'm been using Meguiars Gold Class liquid wax. Any better suggestions for a white finish?
RP,
Thanks for all the info. I am not very familiar with clay, though I'm going to go out and pick up a bar and get working on it this weekend. It sounds like a pretty easy process and 3-4 times a year doesn't seem too bad. I'm used to waxing my boat about once a week from April to November due to using a vinegar/water mix for spots, so this seems like an easy chore. Hopefully it takes care of the problem. I'm been using Meguiars Gold Class liquid wax. Any better suggestions for a white finish?
About the clay, check out THIS THREAD where I constructed a brief novel on washing, waxing, dancing with rabid turtles, drying and, as an added/free bonus, swirl removal.
As for your wax selection...
Meguiar's Gold Class is pretty good stuff. I personally find it to be one of the 'wettest looking' waxes available out there. Unfortunately, many find it to dwindle in effectiveness over varying amounts of time which tend to be short. Personally, I've never allowed it the opportunity to dwindle as I wax about once per month typically but, it may be the case.
There are oodles of great products out there. Collinite, Meguiar's, Victoria Wax, Adam's, Poorboy's, Pinnacle Wax, Four Star Wax, 3M, P21S, Menzerna (polish up on your German skills before visiting this site), Diamondite, and Klasse are all tremendous products. While I've not sampled each, individual type from that half-way inclusive list, I have sampled many of them.
The key to it is to find a product that you like and use it often. As we both know, many products are commonly available at 'Mart' style stores. Meguiar's, Mothers, and Turtle are all very common. They all make pretty good stuff and some average stuff. In my experience with this market, you get what you pay for for the most part.
If you're looking for a pretty solid wax that you can pick up pretty readily, I'd look into Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax (available everywhere from Target to Pep Boys to most Wal-Marts). If you're looking for a different type of system that is not so readily available, you might check into Zaino or the aforementioned Klasse.
It's entirely up to you on which route to go with your LSP (last step product).
****
SURFACE PREPARATION IS 99% OF THE BATTLE TO OBTAIN A SLICK, DEEP, AND SHINY PAINTED FINISH!!!!!
****
Surface prep is covered in the post I mentioned up above.
I hope this helps out but, if you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or post back to this thread. I'll be glad to help out in any way shape or form that I can!
RP