So I decided to try out some clay bar on my truck. It didn't work.

So I bought Mother's Clay Bar Kit at O'reilly's, and decided to test it out on my tailgate. I washed it, rinsed it off, then sprayed some of the lubricant spray that came in the kit. Rubbed the clay bar gently across the tailgate, up and down and side to side.
All I managed to do was create some new dust-sized chips in the paint. Didn't even make the small scuffs, swirls or imperfections in my paint any better.

So did I go wrong right off the bat by buying the Mother's kit? Or do I just suck at this lol. Tips?

 

A claybar is not designed nor meant to correct clear coat or paint imperfections. It's purpose is to shear off contaminants that are embedded into the clear coat (and sometimes the color coat). You should clay and THEN polish. Otherwise you will simply grind the contaminants into the clear coat.

To correct swirls, scratches, and other defects, you need a dual-action polisher.

Did you read the detailing stickies?

 

If you aren't into reading, at least watch a couple of these vids to get the basic idea of what product to use and when.

http://www.adamspolishes.com/t-videos.aspx

But shotgunz is 100% right, clay is not supposed to reduce scratches, swirls, haze, etc., it simply removes particles that washing alone could not remove. If you want to make your vehicle look better you need to either use corrective measures (swirl and haze removers) or cover ups (various types of fillers and waxes).

- NCSU

 

as the two said above you are doing it wrong. You dont rub it back and forth. Rub it one direction and then fold it over.

 

thanks for the tips guys.
no, i didn't read any stickies before doing this. i'll give them a read now, though.
so any ideas why i got those tiny chips in my paint from doing this?

 

If I had to guess, I'd say you had something embedded in the paint and the claybar sheared and pulled it off. Unfortunately it must have been embedded all the way to the color coat.

Before and after pics would help.

 

Not enough lube. The clay should glide over the surface.

 

Twss.

- NCSU

 

Hah. Ill snap a pic to show what im talking about, that makes sense about there being something imbedded in the paint