A couple clay bar questions

I've had my GT for a year. I kept reading about clay bar work so I ordered some and followed some instructions I found. I did it on my 10 year old Tacoma though, since I wasn't afraid of scratching it. It was amazing to say the least.

So I'm fairly confident about trying it on my GT but I don't really know if it needs it yet. At what point do you decide to clay the car? And what kind of risk is there for scratching during the process? I figured I would wash it a couple times, and then wash it with dish soap to get my Klasse glaze off there. Then I should be looking at completely clean paint.

Is there different levels of clay quality? The bar I ordered last time was like 10 bucks on amazon.

FYI..That Klasse sealer glaze is pretty stout. I have a spot on the bumper I missed when rubbing it in back in November and I can't get it off there still, just from regular washing with some extra elbow grease. It's like a smudge frozen in time. If it's the same way in the fine imperfections in the clear coat, I'm very impressed.

Run your fingers over the paint. Is there any "roughness" or bumps? Now put your hand in a plastic sandwich bag and do it again. Most likely these is going to be some level of contamination if you car has never been clayed. I would say that any time you touch the car there is a risk of scratching the paint. The question is, will it be a level that you can see. You can minimize the chance and the extent of any marring by using a lubricant generously whether it is a detail spray, designated clay lube, or quality car shampoo. You want to use a fine grade clay or clay alternative, but I'm guessing your asking about brand. What did you order?

Dish soap doesn't strip wax or sealants like you think. That's a myth. The best way to strip wax and sealants is to add an ounce or so of all purpose cleaner to your bucket of soap. Preferably not the plain simple green... although the Lemon simple green works fine. LA Totally awesome is a simple AP cleaner you can find at a lot of dollar stores. You could also use a light degreaser like Zeps citrus degreaser (find it at home depot).

You don't even need to strip anything before you clay. The claying process will strip that stuff anyway. Main thing is keep your surface lubricated. I prefer to use a detail spray or clay lube over soapy water. You could also pick up a bottle of ONR, dilute that, and use that as a cheap clay lube. Let the clay glide across the surface and do the work. If you use a fine grade clay, you shouldn't have any issues marring the surface.

Also, look up nanoskin. They make some nice clay alternative products that are 95% as good as clay, but they last longer, easier to use, and are quicker.

PJR202 said:

Is there different levels of clay quality? The bar I ordered last time was like 10 bucks on amazon.

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There are grades, usually labeled as Heavy, Medium, or Fine. Fine is what you'll want which I've never had problems with it scratching the paint. I believe heavy and medium are used to get rid of tough paint contaminants or used to remove overspray and need polishing after.

PJR202 said:

I've had my GT for a year. I kept reading about clay bar work so I ordered some and followed some instructions I found. I did it on my 10 year old Tacoma though, since I wasn't afraid of scratching it. It was amazing to say the least.

So I'm fairly confident about trying it on my GT but I don't really know if it needs it yet. At what point do you decide to clay the car? And what kind of risk is there for scratching during the process? I figured I would wash it a couple times, and then wash it with dish soap to get my Klasse glaze off there. Then I should be looking at completely clean paint.

Is there different levels of clay quality? The bar I ordered last time was like 10 bucks on amazon.

FYI..That Klasse sealer glaze is pretty stout. I have a spot on the bumper I missed when rubbing it in back in November and I can't get it off there still, just from regular washing with some extra elbow grease. It's like a smudge frozen in time. If it's the same way in the fine imperfections in the clear coat, I'm very impressed.

Click to expand...

I wash my car thoroughly, then use a 3:1 mix of water to isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle to remove any way or sealant still on the car.

Working in a 2 foot by 2 foot or so section at a time, spray the isopropyl mix on the panel and wipe dry with a clean microfiber towel. Then spray down the panel with a crap ton of lubricant, a quick detailer product works great. Pull off a small amount of clay from the main block, spray some lubricant on the clay bar as well and knead/fold several times until you have a nice pancake about 2" in diameter. Use light pressure in a back and forth motion along the panel. If you feel any resistance in the clay, spray some more lubricant. Wipe the panel dry with another clean microfiber towel. Chances are the clay is pretty dirty at this point, so fold it a few times and check if it still shows dirt. If so it's time for a new piece. Continue onto the next section following the same process.

If the clay bar falls on the ground at all, throw it out and pull off another small piece from the main block. If your microfiber falls on the ground, grab a fresh one. The key is keeping the clay bar as clean as possible to prevent it from scratching the paint.

After you're done with the whole car, put at a minimum a nice coat of wax. A sealant is preferred because it will last longer and offer more protection. Obviously, if you are doing any polishing, do the polishing after clay bar and before sealant.

PS. use the clay bar on the windows as well. It works wonders.

Edit: Use a fine clay bar, that should be enough. You can use a medium without polishing afterwards, but really pay attention to the clay and make sure it isn't grabbing at all. A heavy clay should be followed by a polishing.

scoggy_doogan said:

I wash my car thoroughly, then use a 3:1 mix of water to isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle to remove any way or sealant still on the car.

Working in a 2 foot by 2 foot or so section at a time, spray the isopropyl mix on the panel and wipe dry with a clean microfiber towel. Then spray down the panel with a crap ton of lubricant, a quick detailer product works great. Pull off a small amount of clay from the main block, spray some lubricant on the clay bar as well and knead/fold several times until you have a nice pancake about 2" in diameter. Use light pressure in a back and forth motion along the panel. If you feel any resistance in the clay, spray some more lubricant. Wipe the panel dry with another clean microfiber towel. Chances are the clay is pretty dirty at this point, so fold it a few times and check if it still shows dirt. If so it's time for a new piece. Continue onto the next section following the same process.

If the clay bar falls on the ground at all, throw it out and pull off another small piece from the main block. If your microfiber falls on the ground, grab a fresh one. The key is keeping the clay bar as clean as possible to prevent it from scratching the paint.

After you're done with the whole car, put at a minimum a nice coat of wax. A sealant is preferred because it will last longer and offer more protection. Obviously, if you are doing any polishing, do the polishing after clay bar and before sealant.

PS. use the clay bar on the windows as well. It works wonders.

Edit: Use a fine clay bar, that should be enough. You can use a medium without polishing afterwards, but really pay attention to the clay and make sure it isn't grabbing at all. A heavy clay should be followed by a polishing.

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You pretty much detailed exactly how I did the whole process with my truck, including the sealer application, etc, so that makes me feel better about my technique. I don't touch my car with ANYTHING if it touches the ground.

I didn't try it on the glass but it did help my headlights a bit. Years of bug gut residue came off for sure.

Thanks!

Broz6 said:

+1 on Nanoskin

Once you use these, you will never go back to normal Clay. They are a little pricier, but 100 times easier to use and last much longer. No more folding and kneading the bar and no more throwing away if you drop it.

They come in Medium and Fine grade and in all different types of applications. I personally love the mitts as well as the pads that go directly onto a DA polisher making it even easier!

Here ya go!

Mitt:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...et-20&linkId=ed916085b47f234dc43140d1626f524d

DA Pad:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...et-20&linkId=a0f1af12dc845ded72a4a604f7c73e5a

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I got a DA polisher for christmas but haven't tried it yet. I've heard to learn on a vehicle you aren't afraid to damage, so I'll have a go at my truck with it first.

That nanoskin stuff looks good. Pricey though for sure.

Labradog said:

Run your fingers over the paint. Is there any "roughness" or bumps? Now put your hand in a plastic sandwich bag and do it again. Most likely these is going to be some level of contamination if you car has never been clayed. I would say that any time you touch the car there is a risk of scratching the paint. The question is, will it be a level that you can see. You can minimize the chance and the extent of any marring by using a lubricant generously whether it is a detail spray, designated clay lube, or quality car shampoo. You want to use a fine grade clay or clay alternative, but I'm guessing your asking about brand. What did you order?

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Whatever I ordered was generic. I see a bunch of sellers on amazon that appear to be selling the same product. It was just a standard blue brick about 3 x 5 inches or so. I think it worked fine, but for the mustang I might splurge on something better or on one of those synthetics mentioned above.

I can say again, with regard to the klasse glaze. My stupid trash cans kept blowing into the car under the carport. Happened three or four times before I started using a cover. I also accidentally rubbed against one of them pulling in one day. I've had not a single scratch occur and I think the klasse glaze is the reason.

plc268 said:

Dish soap doesn't strip wax or sealants like you think. That's a myth. The best way to strip wax and sealants is to add an ounce or so of all purpose cleaner to your bucket of soap. Preferably not the plain simple green... although the Lemon simple green works fine. LA Totally awesome is a simple AP cleaner you can find at a lot of dollar stores. You could also use a light degreaser like Zeps citrus degreaser (find it at home depot).

You don't even need to strip anything before you clay. The claying process will strip that stuff anyway. Main thing is keep your surface lubricated. I prefer to use a detail spray or clay lube over soapy water. You could also pick up a bottle of ONR, dilute that, and use that as a cheap clay lube. Let the clay glide across the surface and do the work. If you use a fine grade clay, you shouldn't have any issues marring the surface.

Also, look up nanoskin. They make some nice clay alternative products that are 95% as good as clay, but they last longer, easier to use, and are quicker.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I was mostly just thinking if I didn't strip it first it would dirty up my clay much faster as it came off.

PJR202 said:

I got a DA polisher for christmas but haven't tried it yet. I've heard to learn on a vehicle you aren't afraid to damage, so I'll have a go at my truck with it first.

That nanoskin stuff looks good. Pricey though for sure.

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Nanoskin may be pricey, but so is regular clay. And regular clay doesn't last as long. Clay is still nice to have around if you're claying tight areas though.

PJR202 said:

I didn't try it on the glass but it did help my headlights a bit. Years of bug gut residue came off for sure.

Thanks!

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Yea, claying is pretty much the only way I can get bug guts off. A regular wash never gets it, and I never feel comfortable scrubbing at them to get it off.

If you can't get bugs off without claying, there are some pretty serious issues.

One of which is the lack of a proper paint sealant, which surely isn't being helped by being stripped off with clay/clay substitute. Another of which is product, your car wash soap should be able to handle this. And finally, hydration... if you don't rehydrate the dried bugs they are difficult to remove so spray them down well before washing that section and/or place a wet towel over them a few minutes before washing.

PatrickGT said:

If you can't get bugs off without claying, there are some pretty serious issues.

One of which is the lack of a proper paint sealant, which surely isn't being helped by being stripped off with clay/clay substitute. Another of which is product, your car wash soap should be able to handle this. And finally, hydration... if you don't rehydrate the dried bugs they are difficult to remove so spray them down well before washing that section and/or place a wet towel over them a few minutes before washing.

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:shrug:

Some bugs are easier to remove than others. I don't clay the bugs off that often, but when I do, I do reapply sealant. A normal soap car wash doesn't do much to remove these stubborn guts... even when I thoroughly soak the area in ONR first.

It doesn't bother me that much though. My car's a daily driver, and I don't go crazy with the detailing on it. 10 foot clean is my goal. :lol:

Seafoam Bug B Gone is the best I've ever tried. I have some turtle wax brand right now and it's second best, but the seafom is top notch.

Does anyone know if its safe to use a clay bar on vinyl stripes?

MustangGuy said:

Does anyone know if its safe to use a clay bar on vinyl stripes?

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You'll scratch the Hell out of it