Can someone in the know please explain to me how you are supposed to use a clay bar ? I tried the meguiars clay bar kit last night and didn't seem to be getting great results. I sprayed a small portion of a body panel (2' x 2') with the lubricator provided and then rubbed the bar back and forth overlaping each pass. Then I wiped off the excess spray, buffed, then waxed. I really could tell no difference from the parts I had done to the parts I hadn't. I was expecting to see some sort of contaminents on the clay bar but could see nothing. Am I doing something wrong?
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clay bar
- Thread starter bigb
- Start date
83GMCK2500
Active Member
Sounds right, I use circular rubbing patterns. Then wipe off with terry cloth. Immediately I can run my hand across the paint and feel a difference.
Duranali
Pullin' The Trigger
yep your doing it right. you will be able to tell a difference if you take the cellophane off of a pack of cigarettes put your fingers in it and rub it across your paint (pay no attention to the accidental inuendos lol). run your fingers across it before and it will feel like sand, and after it will be smooth as glass. i know it sounds weird but it really works.
psyco66
Pimp
I use the 3M clay bar. I feel it works better. I use water as my lube. I just clay bar the whole truck then dry it and wax it.
Duranali
Pullin' The Trigger
i agree. i would definately wax or polish it right after you get done to protect it again
you are doing it correctly. you want to continue to stay in an area until it feels smooth. if the clay is starting to leave remnents or streaks add more of the lubricant to the area. dont move to the next area until the surface feels smooth. If you listen as you claybar, you will hear as it removes impurties. once all the impurities, ie oxidation are gone you will no longer hear anything and the surface will be very smooth, so move on.
Work in small areas so you dont miss any spots. a 2x2 section sounds about right. if you have a dark truck, ie black like mine, dont use a circular pattern this will leave swirls in the clear coat. i use a back and forth motion instead of circles.
Also make sure you continue to kneed the clay ocationally. Also if the clay hits the ground through it out and get a new one. when i take a brake i put the bar on my windshield resting on the plastic because i feel it is a clean and there are few impurities there. also it wont leave a mark there either.
AND very improtantly make sure after you clay bar you wax the truck. when clay baring you are taking off the wax and a small part of the clear coat so you need to wax it to add back a protective layer. i think of it like shaving. after i shave i use aftershave to protect. just think of the clay bar as shaving and the wax as the aftershave. if anyone has a better analogy please let me know.
Work in small areas so you dont miss any spots. a 2x2 section sounds about right. if you have a dark truck, ie black like mine, dont use a circular pattern this will leave swirls in the clear coat. i use a back and forth motion instead of circles.
Also make sure you continue to kneed the clay ocationally. Also if the clay hits the ground through it out and get a new one. when i take a brake i put the bar on my windshield resting on the plastic because i feel it is a clean and there are few impurities there. also it wont leave a mark there either.
AND very improtantly make sure after you clay bar you wax the truck. when clay baring you are taking off the wax and a small part of the clear coat so you need to wax it to add back a protective layer. i think of it like shaving. after i shave i use aftershave to protect. just think of the clay bar as shaving and the wax as the aftershave. if anyone has a better analogy please let me know.
jim87vette
Gimpy
- Messages
- 378
- Reaction score
- 2
What he said^^.Was a big difference when I did my 03 Honda.
saratoga
Unpaid Help
If your truck stays inside and doesn't get parked under too many trees, there may not be too much to remove. You can look at the clay bar after rubbing an area and usually see the discolored areas on the bar... contaminates that have been taken off the paint.
i have to agree with that as well. my truck is a garage queen and i thought i would have to remove a lot but infact it was quite easy and i did not have much contaminants on my truck. I am fairly certain the previous owner never clay bared it and it was still very smooth especially for a 6 year old truck.
another thing is you should not clay bar the truck that often. when you clay bay you take off a small layer of clear coat. i have heard you should do it no more than once a year.
CtChevy427
Fuc*ed over by head admin......
X2 on the 3M clay bar. Its the easiest to use. Try this test. Wash and dry your vehicle. Place your hand inside a plastic sandwich bag and lightly run your fingertips over your car's paint. It should be smooth-as-glass. If the paint has a rough, gritty or pebble-like feel, you have some type of contamination on the paint.
I guess I was doing it right. I was just surprised that I couldn't notice much of a difference. My truck is not garaged, and I thought it would be in worse shape than it was. I do try to wash my truck at least once a week because it is black and the slightest amount of dust or dirt makes it look terrible. It is not a daily driver though so it doesn't get all of the road contaminents that many vehicles do. Thanks for the helpful info.