To clay bar or not?

can i skip the orbital step? Or is it imperative after claying.

 

I have used meguiars quick detailer, but you can save money and use soapy water as well. I have for many years and it works just as well as the overpriced detailer that meguiars recommends.

I used meguiars with great results but got some griots on sale recently:

$28 Griot's Garage 11153 Paint Cleaning Clay 8oz

http://www.amazon.com/Griots-Garage...pebp=1434475083084&perid=1SQV2C2NM5EZECDX605S


You should wash, clay , POLISH, then wax.

The clay is important for sure, but a good polish before waxing makes ALL The difference.

I use this:

$11 Meguiar's Ultimate Compound - Pro-Grade Car Scratch Remover, Paint Correction Compound That Removes Defects While Adding Gloss and Shine, Single Stage and Clear Coat Scratch Remove, 15.2 Oz

http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G172...id=1434475286&sr=1-3&keywords=meguiars+polish

 

its pretty foolproof. make sure to wash truck thoroughly, use plenty of lubricant(detail spray), make sure to knead it frequently and if you drop it trash that piece and use a new one

 

so it'll come out like crap if i dont polish? Will i be scratching my paint in any way by claying? if so, i just might skip it.

 

clay is not abrasive

 

Nanoskin autoscrub.

$46 Nanoskin AUTOSCRUB 6" Surface Prep Pad Fine Grade- Patented Clay Bar Replacement Tool to Remove Embedded Contaminants Before Wax & Coating | Safe for Painted Surface, Glass, Plastic, Metal & More

http://www.amazon.com/Nanoskin-AS-0...=UTF8&qid=1434816650&sr=8-3&keywords=nanoskin

Use one and you'll never use clay again. Even if you use it by hand instead of on a DA, works fantastic.

There are other shapes and sizes than I linked as well.

 

Regarding not polishing:

No it will look great without polishing. But polish helps to restore the paint, removes swirls and smaller imperfections. If you have the time I would definitely polish, if not claying then waxing will make your truck look like new again as well.

Claying:

If you ever drop the clay, if it falls out of your hand and lands anywhere other then the truck.... THROW IT OUT! The only way you can scratch the truck from claying is if; 1) you didnt wash the truck well enough it before hand, 2) the clay itself somehow picked up an abrasive material (pepples, plastic, etc)

 

If you skip the polish step it will still come out nicely, just not AS nice as it could. The clay bar will remove dirt/impurities from the paint, but it does not remove scratches/swirl marks. If you do it correctly (wash the truck thoroughly, use proper lubricant with the clay) you will not scratch the paint with the clay bar (even if you do it wrong, it's still unlikely you'll scratch the paint).

Also, be sure to re-wash the truck after you clay bar, before you polish/wax, there will be a bunch of dried lubricant and dirt that is left on the paint.

Personally, I always wash my vehicles with Dawn dish soap instead of auto soap before I clay/polish/wax because it's safe for paint but will strip all the old wax off.

 

Definetly clay bar!Do a small section and feel the surface you've done and then feel the surface area you havent done.Both you and your Tacoma will be all smiles!LOL!The fall out/contaminants that adhere to surface of the vehicle will only make the detail process harder if you dont clay bar!I recommend at least once a year although i do it twice!If the surface isn't as smooth as glass then you definetly need to clay bar!Especially on the hood and roof!Good luck!

 

Lol; I haven't been worried about scratching my truck since my first 4x4 adventure; that ship sailed so long ago that I had forgotten what it felt like to be concerned with paint. At this point I figure

 

Thanks for all the thorough answers. Wash, clay, wash, wax it is!

 

Hey. I have also done the clay bar. It's a lot of work lol. If you drop the bar you have to throw it away. Get on youtube and watch ammo NYC. The guy shows you how to do everything with detailing, usually he's showing you on a Ferrari or some really expensive car. Check him out sometime. I learned a lot for the videos

 

Soapy water is fine as a lubricant. You have to weigh the cost of detail spray vs. the cost of the clay. Clay will break down faster using a dishwashing liquid soap but it is a whole lot cheaper than detail spray. I would wash with Dawn or an auto soap that will remove any previous waxes and polishes. Then clay with a lubricant. Polish and wax. People with black cars: The polish and polish and probably polish some more then wax or sealant.

 

What he said

 

My trucks silver. Pretty forgiving.

 

For the question about the random orbital polisher, I would not skip this as I use the orbital with various foam discs to apply the polish doing small (approximately 2' by 2' sections).

Google Griot Auto Supplies and watch their video. It does a great job of explaining and demonstrating the benefits of correctly applying the polish and buffing your paint.

You will like the results.

 

subbed good info guys. I've never clay barred, polished or waxed a vehicle but I have a couple of small scratches I wouldn't mind getting taken care of.

 

Regarding this post... I was just looking at clays on autogeek and it appears there are several different grades of clay. Some for newer paint jobs, some for older paint jobs in worse condition. Some labeled "agressive", some "fine", some "super fine". This leads me to believe there is an abrasive component to the clays. Maybe someone can comment?

 

Like others have said on here. If done properly (IE using the lube that comes with the kit) you will not scratch the paint. Wash the truck very well. Dry, spray lube (included in the kit), Knead the clay bar often, and use the clay all over the truck. IIRC there should be two bars in you're kit. I recommend doing all this in the shade as you don't want the lube to dry before you hit it with the clay bar. After the truck is done I usually use a damp microfiber cloth to remove most of the lube left over (not really necessary but I do it anyway). Then wax you're truck as usual. You will not believe the difference it makes in the paint. You will not be sorry you did it since it removes all the contaminates from the paint that you didn't even know were there.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

To give you a idea of how OCD I am with my truck

I take it off road all the time believe it or not.












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To clay properly is a lot of work but worth it. I do it once a year. Don't park under trees, wash regularly, and keep a good coat of wax. If you follow these steps you really shouldn't need to do it more often.

Don't worry about scratching your paint. As long as you are liberal with the lubricant (quick detailer) you'll have zero issues. Also, throw away your clay if you drop it on the floor as it will pick up dirt, gravel etc. it's a simple process just a lot of elbow grease.