last night i got some bug/tar remover that is safe on clear cloat and i put it on those spots on the ground effects behind my tires... it got alot of that stuff off, but not all... i think when I got get my new hood painted, im gonna have him repaint those and my front bumper all at once...

anyway, i bought a few different things at autozone... i got the bug/tar remover, eagle one wet wife and shine and meguiars gold class clear coat liquid car wax...

the truck is freshly washed so i put the wax on in a circular motion and then let it sit for about 15mins... then wifed it off and i did use elbow grease.... i got it all off, but i dont think its ANY better than before... actually probably worse... it looks cloudy!!! is this cuz i dont have an orbital buffer?? what did i do wrong?

laugh all you want, but iv never waxed a care before..

 

no laughing here scott015! honestly, waxing a car sucks...it takes time to do, a lot of time to do it right and it really pisses you off when it rains the day after you're done (which seems to happen everytime i detail mine)....If your car hasn't been waxed in a long time (like 6 or 8 months) then you may need more than one coat of wax...more like 2 or 3...yeah it's a pain in the a$$, but you WILL see the difference. Also, you should use a cleaner wax first, right after washing your L...this takes off oxidation, removes small scratches and gives the real wax something to bond to.

Waxing your L is an all day affair...seriously, there have been times when i took a whole weekend to go through the whole truck.

And for the tire wet....just my .02, When spraying it on, take a large piece of cardboard and block the overspray from getting on your fenders (which will spot and streak). Then, using a cloth, wipe in the tire wet and LEAVE it overnight - don't drive it....this way you don't have to worry about getting the stuff all over the truck when you take it out...

Hope this helps....sorry for the ranting...

 

I have used Meguiars products for over ten years and tried many many other brands. If you apply them properly they will make your L's paint look showroom.

Do not use the orbital to apply the cleaner, wax, polish etc. etc. unless you know what you are doing - for future reference.

Buy Meguiars swirl remover and show glaze - follow the instructions, buy the orbital and only use it for the final step.

Apply by hand, remove first layer by hand then finish with the orbital for the third step - for both the swirl remover and show glaze - I guarrantee you will not be disappointed!

If you are concerned about the cloudiness call Meguiars and ask their advice - they deal with this everyday.

Nothing to be embarrassed about, it is really easy to get poor results from different finishing products. What ever you buy I recommend you stick with the same brand name for the entire process.


Good Luck

D-Day

 

Not to disagree with Dan, but there are better ways of getting that showroom finish. If you want to invest some money and do it right, I would start with a Porter Cable 7336 or 7224 (they are both the same , but the accesories are different). You can get the 7336 at Lowes for about $110.00 (you'll need some pads) or you can get this kit:

http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/S...e5a+1069344083

Here are the items I use:

Porter Cable PC
2 Lake Country Yellow cutting pads
2 Lake Country White finishing pads
Several yellow foam applicators
10 Microfiber Towels (Pak Shak)
Mothers Clay Bar Kit or equivalent
Meguiars DACP
Meguiars #9 swirl remover
S100 Shine Enhancer and
S100 wax (they can be purchased at a Harley Davidson Motorcycle shop)

I use the PC for the DACP and the #9, but will do the other steps by hand. Using a PC is very easy and also very safe. No chance to mess up your paint if you follow the directions.

The next step is the most important. Go to this website:

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/

This is the best website to learn about products and procedures for getting that show car finish. I've learned tons there and still learning everyday. Look for information from a member named Scottwax and visit his gallery. He does incredible details. Do a lot of searches and ask questions. You will be blown away from all the information available to you and with practice and patience, your truck can look incredible.

Here is my Mustang I did this summer and it's a 94'.






The steps I used were:

Good wash and dry
Clay bar
DACP with PC
#9 with PC
S100 Paint Enhancer (polish) by hand
S100 wax (by hand)

Good luck and have fun.

 

learn something new every day - Max is going to put the pro shops out of business, I'm off to Lowes.

D-Day

 

I found the perfect cleaner for our ground effects. "Greased Lightning" cleaner/de-greaser .... I spray it on, let it sit for about 3 mins or so...then pressure wash it off.... EVERYTHING comes off...probably the wax too but who cares...just re-apply the wax afterward if you want.

I **** you not, it is the BEST product I have come across in a long long time.. it cleans your engine bay and exhaust tips with ease also.



This is the only pic I could find...it comes in a purple bottle now....I got it at discount auto

 

maxtorque02....great detailing site...looks like i now have to take a whole week to get the L clean!!!

 

Konig:

I'll try some of that stuff based on your comments.
Thanks.

MaxTorque02:

Some solid info there....appreciate it.

 

A clay bar works wonders!!! It takes alot of time but it will be smooth after. Then apply your favorite wax.

Mike

 

If your lazy like me, and have better things too do with your time than spending all day waxing......

Try 3M hand glaze part # 05990. Wipe it on, and wipe it back off FAST, BEFORE it dries. Use back and forth motion NOT circular. The paint soaks it up like wood soaking up oil. About a 30 minute job when starting with a nice clean dry truck. Make sure there is no wax on truck to begin with or the paint wont suck up the oil in the hand glaze.

 

If you want to take the lazy way out...Try Maguires scratch &
swirel remover. Stuff does wonders.

 

The problem with just using a glaze, it offers no protection for the paint and many contain fillers that hide the swirls but don't remove them. You need to have a wax to protect the finish from surprise snow storms like we had today.

The main thing in cleaning and waxing your truck is to make sure the surface is in good shape to begin with. Once you get the prep work done, then maintenance is very simple and takes very little time. There are products that give a decent shine, but some of the products use a lot of fillers that will wash away and leave you with swirls all over again. You need to get the swirls out and polish the paint to a nice glass finish to get the most out of the finish. Then it's just a matter of using a quick detailer (I use Meguiars Final Detail) after a wash and dry and an occassional coat of wax. The PC, DACP and swirl remover are probably only needed once or twice a year.

 

Maxtorque02,

Yeah that snowstorm was really unexpected. Thank goodness my truck was nice and cozy in the garage.

My reference to the hand glaze was for lazy folk who want FAST painless results.

What you say about the glaze is true, ...not much protection, nor does it last too long. .... BUT it looks really good on a paint job that is in great shape to begin with.

 

Not to rain on any parades...but I wouldnt advise using "Greased Lightning" on any painted surface. It gets used at my job for hard to clean spots on a waxed floor. It will take the wax off...but it also eats paint. Not sure thats something you want to put on the ground effects.

 

except for that I use it all the time like that, my truck is always "show" clean if I can help it. If you're worried you can dilute it with water....but I dont...and I have had zero problems. It probably does take the wax off, but thats not a big deal... as far as eating paint goes... maybe it would have an effect on a latex paint...but not a clear coat enamel, doesnt hurt plastic either as I have used it in the engine bay