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Removing Scratches 101

Discussion in 'Detailing' started by topgun155, Aug 15, 2009.

  1. Aug 15, 2009 at 7:56 PM
    #1
    topgun155

    topgun155 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    RIP to my 08 Prerunner DC
    About a week ago my truck was keyed on the side of the road, with some reasearch I noticed there wasn't really a good thread with good info on removing a scratch.

    Products Used:
    1) Meguiar's ScratchX 2.0
    2) 2 Microfiber Foam Applicator Pad
    3) Comfortable Stool
    4) Microfiber Cloth

    [​IMG]

    Step 1
    Wet the microfiber cloth and clean the area around the scratch, then dry it off.

    Step 2
    Apply a decent amount of the ScratchX to the foam pad.

    Step 3
    Find a good section to start on and start working it all over. Use a good amount of pressure(think of it as spanking a baby you want to scare them not hurt them) but some times you so have to get nasty and push hard. Be sure to take plenty of breaks a cramp really sucks.

    [​IMG]

    Step 4
    Take the other clean pad and check your progress on the spot every couple of minutes. This stuff will take a while to work longer than you migh think. Be sure to keep plenty ScratchX on your pad this stuff is your friend let it do work on the scratch. I found that going 90 degrees to the scratch works the best a first then after a while go 45 degrees. When you feel it getting better towards the end switch it up do 45, 90, 45, 90, then circles and repeat. DO NOT USE ON ANY THING PLSATIC!!!! Remember to read the directions as well

    Step 5
    Keep on going down the line and working it in good or in my case down half the passenger side:(.

    Step 6
    Now that you have removed the scratches to your satisfaction wash your truck and wax it. Especially the areas where you have been working.

    Now the best I can tell this stuff is a light abrasive and kinda sands down the clear coat untill the sharp edges in the scratch round out and blend in much better. I don't think that you can ever fully get it to disappear but I got mine extremely close. I have a hard time finding exactly where they were.

    I have some before and after pics.

    This one is from going mudding and was pretty deep and noticeable.
    Before:
    [​IMG]

    It just turned in to little low spots in the clear coat that nobody in their right mind could notice
    After:
    [​IMG]

    This one starts at the back of the cab and goes almost to the mirror, but it isn't deep at all just long.
    Before:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    It is gone to the naked eye you can't see it without a very close up look. If I catch it in the right light I can see it but someone looking at the truck would never notice.
    After:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Ignore the line at the top of the pic it is a power line not a scratch
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    If anyone has some other info please share. I thought this might make a good sticky since we will all get one sooner or later.
     
  2. Aug 15, 2009 at 7:58 PM
    #2
    HSG100

    HSG100 Well-Known Member

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    I have 2 i need to get rid of ..nice ;)
     
  3. Aug 15, 2009 at 8:38 PM
    #3
    topgun155

    topgun155 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    RIP to my 08 Prerunner DC
    They really suck. And it takes so long one big pain in the butt.
     
  4. Aug 15, 2009 at 9:00 PM
    #4
    c2thegreat

    c2thegreat Well-Known Member

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    that stuff worked pretty good
     
  5. Aug 15, 2009 at 9:31 PM
    #5
    Gsquare

    Gsquare The G stands for smooth

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    x1 Nicely done, sir.
     
  6. Aug 15, 2009 at 10:37 PM
    #6
    rb11701

    rb11701 Oh yeah!

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    Nice Job! ScratchX 2.0 is a must-have for any vehicle owner. Ultimate Compound is of the same technology and a little bit higher on the cut scale which can help with some real nasty scratches. If you need more firepower. M105 is great. Just needs to be followed up with a finer polish. Just a few things I would like to add to a great thread is that using some detail spray or better yet a waterless car wash is always better to wipe clean before polishing. The best thing to order are some 4" buffer pads. 1 Yellow (cut) and 1 White (polish). By using these by hand along with any of said products will yield awesome results as a spot scratch fixer. Remeber to wax what you just polished! Great thread!
     
  7. Aug 16, 2009 at 9:23 AM
    #7
    tacoman101

    tacoman101 Well-Known Member

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    does anyone know if this stuff will last or if its kinda like a wax and just washes off
     
  8. Aug 16, 2009 at 9:30 AM
    #8
    rb11701

    rb11701 Oh yeah!

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    Once you give a final wipedown, you do not want any polish residue on the paint. Think of polishing a scrtatch out like sanding wood. The polish is the sandpaper. When you polish a scratch out, basically what you are doing is removing clearcoat to remove the scratch. The deep the scratrch, the more clear you need to remove. Just like sanding, you go one direction and then another and then criss-cross. This way, you are minimizing the scracthes rough edges to make the scratrch go away. We see scratches due to the scratch reflecting light in a different directions due to its ragged edges. Smooth those edges and you smooth the scratch.

    Polish does not fill or hide scratche. You can then top with a wax to further minimize the appearence.

    Hope that helps.
     
  9. Aug 16, 2009 at 9:50 AM
    #9
    tacoman101

    tacoman101 Well-Known Member

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    ok, thanks
     
  10. Aug 16, 2009 at 10:12 AM
    #10
    topgun155

    topgun155 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Bingo you got that one perfect. Just a little to add inside the scratch there are still little chips of clear inside and the polish will get all of those out. I found that using the clay bar before you wax will make a difference but isn't neccesary.
     
  11. Aug 16, 2009 at 10:16 AM
    #11
    tacoman101

    tacoman101 Well-Known Member

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  12. Feb 20, 2010 at 2:35 AM
    #12
    Airwolf NSX

    Airwolf NSX Well-Known Member

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    when the car gets dirty and the wax starts fading, will the area that was fixed using meguiars start hazing up?:
     
  13. Feb 20, 2010 at 10:07 PM
    #13
    topgun155

    topgun155 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    No. It looks perfectly normal.
    The haze in the pictures is just leftover scratch x that I didn't wipe off.
     
  14. Feb 21, 2010 at 5:31 PM
    #14
    TacoSupreem

    TacoSupreem Dirty Trucker

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    cool, good thread! im gonna hafta try that scratch x stuff.
     

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