How Many Passes is too Many?

[DTrem13]

I recently got my first buff on my car. And yesterday I tried completely buffing it out. I gave it like 7 or 8 passes of SSR on the 4" pads and didn't get the results I wanted. Can I keep going? Or is it just a waste of product and counter productive? Thanks!

[BRZN]

4" pad? on the PC? You'll get much better and faster results using the 7" pads. You also need to finish the polishing (not buffing) with FMP on the White pad.

 

Do a test area first, find what it takes to get your desired results and move on from there.

 

Pictures would help to determine where you need to go from where you're at.

[DTrem13]

Maybe "buff" wasn't the best choice of word. I backed into a wooden garden boarder and it scuffed my bumper a bit. That's what I'm trying to get rid of. Not buff the entire car with 4" pads

 

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[BRZN]

Gotch ya

 

Perhaps you will have to buff?

 

Any pictures? Does your finger nail catch in any of the scuff marks?

[DTrem13]

I can get current pictures when I get out of work.

 

My fingernail doesn't really catch it, but it feels a little rougher than usual (since it's damaged of course)

 

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[XQIZT]

You may need to step up to the 4" pads on a drill instead. Be very careful with this setup, as you essentially have a rotary in your hands.

 

Also, don't doubt the results of any polishing adventure until you have completely worked down through the products. SSR, SHR and FMP all have to be used to see the final result.

[DTrem13]

How come switching to a drill would make much more of a difference?

 

I'll definitely be careful. I've heard of a few stories. But the area was getting pretty darn warm with just the PC. So I didn't go as long as I probably could have because I didn't want to risk damaging my paint any more

[Doug123]

Maybe we need a little more information.

What makes you think that the polishing isn't working? I.e. what are the symptoms - what is still remaining?

 

Is it just paint transfer you are trying to remove, or trying to remove something more substantial than swirls or moderate marring? If you have deep scratches or some removal of the surface bumper material, you might not be able to get them out (i.e beyond simple polishing). If the plastic is scraped or scratched deeply, it might be beyond the efforts of a polisher.

 

If you go to a 4" pads on a rotary drill, be ready for a repaint job if you go too deep. It is much more aggressive than the PC, and you felt how the PC heated up the bumper. The drill can burn through the paint if used incorrectly.

 

7 or 8 passes of SSR is a good amount of work already. You will need to give it a pass of SHR/Orange pad and a pass of FMP/White pad after that SSR work, so you know what you've accomplished.

[Team Adam's]

If you're just working with SSR right now, do one pass of SHR and one pass of FMP. You'll be surprised at the results.

[DTrem13]

Now that I have the car clean. I can really get a look at how bad the area really is now. I'm pretty happy with it's current condition. No, it's not all gone, but pretty close. And you really can't see it unless you get really close and are actually looking for it.

[Fit08]

Now that I have the car clean. I can really get a look at how bad the area really is now. I'm pretty happy with it's current condition. No, it's not all gone, but pretty close. And you really can't see it unless you get really close and are actually looking for it.

 

 

If it is a DD, I would call it a day then.

[randyfox]

If you're just working with SSR right now, do one pass of SHR and one pass of FMP. You'll be surprised at the results.

 

This. The SSR is a miracle worker, but you still need to use it in conjunction with the other two polishes.