*Official* Ask A Detailer Thread

If you are new to detailing, make sure you wash your vehicle with a product stripping soap (and not Dawn), and clay bar the vehicle before laying a sealer.
Also you need sealant safe soaps to wash your vehicle with or the sealer will just get washed away. And remeber absolutely no autowashes. They strip products.

This sealant may not last long but you’ll be able to tell when it does because washing a vehicle with a sealant feels different than washing ones whos product is gone.

The fact that it has fillers just means the product may not last long.

I’m not sure how large the bottles are that you bought but a 16oz bottle should last a few years if you apply every 6 months. 3 bottles will last you like 15 years haha. So no need to load up.

 

So...
Step 1. Car soap
Step 2. Clay bar
Step 3. Top coat
Next wash
Step 4. Sealant safe soap
(~6 months)
Step 5. Sealant safe soap
Step 6. Top coat
?

 

Yeah sounds about right

 

thanks

 

I wouldn’t use it as a cleaner especially if you mean like a water less wash. There is no substitute for a good hand wash.

 

Invest a couple of evenings watching detailing vids on YouTube, and read the detailers blogs on sites like AutoGeek.com and Detailedimage.com. Well worth the investment of your time. No replacement for experience, but it will get you off on the right foot and at least knowing the right questions to ask going forward. You could always pay a detail shop $100 to let you hang around for a day, shadow a professional to observe and ask questions. It's a journey. Enjoy the enlightenment.

 

@mShu7 what's your opinion on rain x glass cleaner?
What type of materiel do u suggest for cleaning glass?

 

User hasn’t been on board since April 2018. Pick up some Invisible Glass and quality microfiber.

 

Is that stuff better than the duragloss listed on the first page?
I've been using rain x for years but if theres something better I want to switch

 

You do realize first page is over 10 years old. A lot has changed product wise since then. Invisible Glass is the second cleaner listed.

Are you looking for a cleaner or repellent?

 

No, I didnt look at the date it was posted..
Looking for both. Or a 2 in 1 if possible

 

I claybar to get the containaments off, then go to invisible shield cleaner.

 

With cleaning glass having two cloths is the key way more than the product. Use one microfiber LIGHTLY misted with cleaner and the second microfiber to buff out all the streaks and smearing of the first pass. If doing a lot of glass or too much product was applied replace buff microfiber with a dry one. Obviously a more aggressive approach will be needed if the it's been neglected, clay, polish etc.

As for protection there numerous glass sealant/coating products available, search them out at Autogeek. Aquapel is a good one and it's been around for a while and has worked great going on 8 months for me. I rarely use the wipers particularly when the rain is heavy or moving at a decent speed.

 

I tried Aquapel years ago. I believe it lasted longer than the Rain-X that I had been using. Now, I use Rain-X 2 in 1 Windshield Washer Fluid. At less than $3.00 a gallon at Walmart, it's just too easy to use, compared to anything else. It makes the wiper blades last longer, makes Ice not stick to the windshield as tenaciously. My windshields don't need to be polished or sealed, because I never use my wipers on a dry windshield, never.
John

 

Any automotive painters in here? Searched around and I don't think there is a thread for it.. If this doesn't belong in this thread feel free to let me know and Ill remove it.

Just had a question, I have been painting motorcycles and auto parts for a few years now, Im getting decent at it.... I have a project coming up where I need to clear over some decals on an early 90s Kawasaki Sportbike, just wondering what proper procedure is while allowing for appropriate bonding between coats. Off the top of my head I thought : Paint base and clear, then wetsand clear with ~600 grit, then put on decals, then re-clear over that. Or is there a technique to putting on decals before any clear goes on? Thanks!

This is what bike looks like fwiw

 

Any tips on cleaning suspension? Specifically King shock bodies and then maintaining them? Sorry if its deep within this thread already.

 

Pressure washer is the way to clean them, maybe a bent adapter if needed to get into tighter spaces. As far as protection pretty much any sealant/coating that is good for more than just paint (many are all surface safe). However since it's likely to be a bitch to get in there and apply/wipe go with one of those spray on rinse sio2 products like or .

 

Check out Shine Supply beadlock. I follow them on Instagram and he uses on suspension along with UTVs. Seems like a durable product.

 

$105 is steep for 80ml. Not saying the product isn't worth it. It's just an Sio2 based product.
So, If you clean your wheels often and wipe them down after a cleaning, you could easilly use a cheaper spray ceramic or something like McKees wheel coating or Adams guard and gloss every few washes or couple months.

 

My understanding is it is more durable than the spray on spray off. I have not tried it yet. Is on my next to buy product list. Beadlock is at least a year vs 12 weeks for the others.