If you are doing this by hand, I don't think you want to use ScratchX on the whole truck. It's designed more for spot treating. However, I WOULD use something between the claying and waxing - maybe Megs Ultimate Compound or Polishing Compound.

ok thanks glc. i'll pick up some compound. i just want it to look the best. lol this site is so helpful.

Be careful what "compound" you get - the wrong stuff could damage the clearcoat.

i'll probably get the megs ultimate compound. is it about like waxing? apply, wait, then wipe off?

hard to tell because the sun cant seem to poke through but here we go, paint feels smooth as class and looks good i think, good enough for me atleast.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...ar-wax-job.jpg

Wow! very cool truck :rocker:

You don't see to many reg. cabs anymore.

You did a great job, by the looks of things on the pics. Black is tough to maintain man! lol

If you need any tips or some tricks let me know, i'm always cleanin mine. :lol:

thanks man:beers:

yeah black is biotch but when its clean, you cant beat it! lol

i'll keep ya mind if i have any emergencies. :thumbsup:

Guess I must not have been paying attention during my IICAR certification, because I got a dumb / noob'e question.

What happens to the contaminants picked up by the clay bar? At some point these have to increase the grit of the clay itself to the point it eventually will be harmful. When is the clay so contaminated that it is used up?

I don't recall talking detailing at all during IICAR aside from the color sand / buff stuff which frankly is nearly an art form in itself. It can't be taught in an afternoon.

Dan,

Have to know more about your problem that you are thinking about using scrath-x on.

As others have posted, I would recommend not removing any more clear cost than is absolutely necessary and consider not removing any material unless it is a scratch you just can not live with. I am leery of consumers experimenting with liquid abrasives in just about every case.

Generally speaking you would use your compound (scrath x, abrasive, etc) first, then clay bar, then wax. But scratch - x is marketed like a very fine polish, like a consumer version of a fine cut cleaner. It probably has oils in it that hide the scratches in addition to a very fine grit abrasive. When you come behind it with the clay bar, those oils will get picked up and you'll see the scratches return. Then you'll wax and the scratches will get filled back in again.

Good old Meguiar's Cleaner Wax might be just the solution you need. Have to know a lot more about your truck's color and finish blenish you are trying to correct to really provide useful advise.

Other way around. If there are contaminants in the paint the compounding process is just going to make more scratches.

The life of a clay bar is totally dependent on how bad the paint it when you use it. You may not even get the whole truck done with one piece, or it may last 4 or 5 jobs.

i used both bars for extra assurance since it was just otc stuff