clay bar process

[needham]

So I order came toda and I wanted to start claying my truck

 

2003 chevy avalanche with 155000miles, doubtful it has every been clayed.

no real need for baggie test as I could feel it with my bare hand (did the bag test anyway though)

 

I didnt know the clay was going to be so tacky.

anyways....shot detail spray around the hood and away I go...

 

scrub , scrub, scrub along half my hood. feels really smooth to the bare hand, grab the bag and still feels rough in many spots

 

scrub more, use more DS, scrub more with more DS

 

recheck great with bare hand, still rough by the bag.

 

what am I feeling here? do we just draw the line and call it good?

or is it really going to take me 8+ hours to clay?

[txredgt]

Were you going in different driections with the clay ie side by side and up and down? You shouldn't have to use a ton of pressure to remove contaminants but it may be that if it hasn't been clayed ever that its there in the clearcoat and the only thing that would remove it is wet sanding/repaint.

 

If you can't get it perfectly clean then I would say call it a day if its your DD.

[So.Chi.Goat]

Lots of lube...if the clay looks dirty fold,stretch, fold stretch...reflatten on glass..it could be a lot of contamination if its never been clayed in 155000 mi..

 

Spreadin pimpin mobile from tapa son...

[needham]

Tx- yes I went side to side, up and down, and around and around.

I am thinking it is DEEP imbedded or even pitted, both I am not sure a clay bar can help. I think you are right, since it is my DD call it a day and shine as best as possible.

 

Sochi- yes I kept it VERY slippery. I also noticed clay turned somewhat pink, as it was soaking up the DS. I also find it hard to work with only 1/3 of a bar, seems to thin out and hard to fold and strech.

 

thanks guys

[Ralfy]

You may be feeling pits in the clear. Try doing the doors, you will notice a huge difference. With that many miles I'm sure all your feeling is the damaged clear

[scociny]

I am by far no expert, but I just clayed my car for the first time a couple of days ago. My thought is that the baggie REALLY amplifies EVERYTHING sitting on the paint. I too clayed my heart out only to have the baggie test tell me that there was still "stuff" on my paint. I think it could even be dust that has settled in the time you went to go get the baggie. My neighbor was using a leaf blower when I was claying...I am sure that junk blowing around was settling on my car.

 

I would just get it as good as I could and call it good.

[Team Adam's]

if its been as neglected as you described it could be other issues beyond what the clay is going to address (etching, pitting, etc)

 

if you feel an adjacent section after a claying I'm sure the clayed area will feel DRAMATICALLY better than where you started.

 

don't feel you have to get to 'baby butt smooth'... there might just be more issues there than you realize.

[needham]

thanks guys...

 

Yes, with a bare hand the clayed panel feels slick and smooth , while a unclayed panel feels ROUGH, even to a bare hand.

 

I figured it was more than clay could handle. Which is ok, cause I do not know how much longer I will keep the truck, but I do want to make it look as good as new before I sell it.

I will test on other panel today, since I figure the hood is the roughest part of a vechicle.

[needham]

did the rest of the truck today, and the other panels clayed just fine.

 

only the hood, and front fenders (mostly the hood) had anything not clayed out.

Whick I am thinking that is to be expected since it is the front and has the first chance to hit rocks, sand, ect.