I have read about using a clay bar to remove the gook that the world imbeds into the finish of our trucks. So, I went and bought one and it works GREAT. My problem is I have rheumatoid arthritis, especially in my hands, and doing this tonight, well lets just say my hands are "rejecting" the clay bar. Meaning I will be taking extra pain meds and likely not doing much coding the next 3-4 days.

Sooo, are there any reasonable alternatives that would not involve using your hands quite as much yet still do good job? Maybe even something that I could use with my orbital buffer? If not I will just live with doing this once a year or, well, not at all... (this getting old crap sucks big time...body parts are falling off faster then they were on my old [as in previous] Ranger.)

 

are you saying body parts are falling off of you??? lol.. i don't ever want to get that old!!

as for the question... i don't know myself... but i understand what you mean with your hands killing becuase of the arthritus and all.

 

Unfortunately, there is nothing available to take the place of what a clay bar, properly used, will do. If you keep you vehicle up, meaning waxed twice a year, you should only have to do the clay bar that very first time.

 

i have never seen anything work as good as the clay bar, best thing to do is keep it well waxed, maybe use a cleaner wax first.

i only clay bar mine once or twice a year just because it takes so much time to do...

 

In the worlds of Indiana Jones "...it's not the years, it's the mileage..."

Not that gawd awful old it's just I have done a bit too much pushing the envelope over the years. Plus I think I have an H1 body on a Yugo frame... :D

I was gonna wax it tonight too but I have to wait until tomorrow afternoon. Plus I did a bit more reading on using a Clay Bar and I might have been folding it over a bit more then needed. It was more like I was kneeding dough then just rubbing the bar across the surface (and yup I use the lube stuff). I think I might be able to still use it more often if I don't have to fold the bar over as much as I was.

I was folding it over every 3-4 swipes...and, um apparently that might be too often? D'oh!!!

 

zach:

Thanks for the info. I was thinking I would need to do this every other month or so. To be honest the last time I wax a vehicle was when TR3 was the big new thing. And apparently finishes are much different now.

See I convinced my last Ranger that rust was actually a real color.

My concern was because we do not have a garage or even covered car port that the finish was going to need more attention to make it last.

I did get some of the Meguiar's Cleaner Wax and some NTX too. They looked pretty easy to use and if need be I can use them with a buffer.

Reading about the enthusiasm you guys all have for your trucks sorta give me the energy to actually run out and take care of mine. To keep up around here, I might need to resort to trechery to over come youth and energy.

But I know there are folks older 'n me around here though so that makes me feel better...

 

THAT is GREAT to read! I plan on waxing at least monthly and washing weekly. Hopefully that will be enough to keep the finish another decade.

 

NTX is really easy to remove, i do that once a month if i can find the time.

something i notice the most to keep your paint up is a weekly car wash whether it needs it or not.

 

you beat me to it

 

HAHAHA...old age and trechery will do it everytime!

Have Gooder One!

 

I'm not sure what all the clay bar does, but I just use 3M's Perfect-It 3000 Series Rubbing Compound, Swirl Mark Remover, and Glaze.

If you already have Meguire's paint cleaner and wax, you don't have to use 3M's last two, just the Rubbing Compound will work fine to get all grit and scratches out. Use Meguire's cleaner wax to remove the swirl marks and some wax to "glaze" it and wax it all in one step.

I only mention it because you said something about using an orbital buffer instead. Just my .02

 

Yeah, that is entirely too often. I dont fold it over until my fingers start to rub through the clay. I also rinse the flat side off before I kneed it back into a ball. That helps keep the clay clean, which makes it last longer.
At most you shouldn't need to clay bar but once a year, if that. If you keep it washed and waxed you can probably get by with only doing it once every 2 years.
The way you can tell is by the feel of the paint. After you wash the car/truck and the water has all dried of just run your fingers over a few places, a door, hood, roof and see if they its all smooth. f you feel some stuff that kinda feels like sand, but cant see anything then use a cleaner wax on the paint. That should take care of it. If not, then claybar it.
I claybarred my Cadillac when I got it in June 05. Its been washed weekly, and waxed monthly since, and it still feels the way it did right after I did the claybar.

 

Bug and Tar remover is like a claybar in a can...I use it to remove overspray from painting my frame and it works just like the claybar. Any brand will work, i used the turtle wax brand.

 

"Sooo, are there any reasonable alternatives that would not involve using your hands quite as much yet still do good job?"

Don't you, or your neighbors, have kids! LOL

 

I like the idea of not needing to do this more then once, twice max, per year. That I can do hopfully for at least the next several years...and with enough pain killers perhaps even longer.

I have to say the finish is now soooo smooth and looks awesome w/o waxing yet. I am gonna use the Cleaner Wax and then when it's all dry I'll put on the NTX. Those steps should be easy. I think I can get at least the Cleaner Wax done today part right now and the rest later this afternoon. Tomorrow We'll see how it feels and I can get the NTX done. Heck, gives me lots to look forward to everyday. :)


PW01:

KIDS? ME? HOW DARE YOU SWEAR AT ME!! NOT ON A BET!! Neighbors, yes, but, well, ummmm...no. The kids around here simply will not work for decent money. I paid a kid to work in my yard and was paying a fair $10/yr based on how long I thought the job would take...about 2hrs. I had several small jobs I needed done and once I found a good kid I figued I could branch him/her out to more things. WRONG. I paid a kid $20 to weed my yard, he did a wonderful job and got it done in just over 45mins but I gave him the $20 I promised. He never came back and simply did not want to work. Oh, well, so I get it done just slower.

I even paid a kid who just got out of mechanics school, who I have know since he was like 5. But I paid him to do my brakes, replace some pully thing on the front of the crankshaft, a new serpentine belt and a couple other small things. Paid the kid $400 + parts and he never finished the job to relace the fuel filter. I thought it was fair since he was not working and they really needed the money plus I really needed the work done on my old truck. Kid acted like I killed his dog when after a week I asked him when he could finish. Sigh, even his mother was PO'd at him but made oodles of excuses for him. He is A GOOD KID just needs to realize he's full grown man now and ya just have to do the things you say you will. But they are a super family and wonderful neighbors still. I think he is coming around too...he has lots of family pressure so in a way I could understand...

Sooo, I now do my own stuff...screw it...

 

You can always add a liquid to it.... I have added Poorboys Spray n Wipe to the mix, this will allow the clay bar to slid over the vehicle better. I found that without any luburcant (sp) that using a clay bar can be hard on anyone's hands. Give this a shot on a small section to see how you like it.

 

A buddies father uses a 6 step process on his mercedes. its an older mercedes in MINT condition, he wins awards and stuff with it all the time. Anyways, hes got this blue stuff that works absolutely amazing.... he did a my gas door last year and it was WAY shienier than anything I have used. made meguirers look like crap. anyways, this stuff is blue, and really easy to put on, feels like meguires leather cleaner when u rub it between ur fingers... he says hes never use a claybar, or anything other than what hes got, and his results show whatever hes using is awsome.

anyways the 6 step doo hickey is like $120 but has lasted him 5yrs now so thats a decent price.

 

my dad has tryed this once but he was too frustatied and just gave up and did it by hand but he is sure you could get it to work .... http://classic-motoring.stores.yahoo.net/popadclap.html good luck

 

it took me 45min to clay bar my hood and wax it afterwards and it is hot it is like 75 degrees out

 

Isnt it the cardinal rule that you always ALWAYS use a lubricant with the clay bar ? Never done it myself but I just picked up the Meguiars clay bar kit and will be hittin my truck as soon as all this damn snow melts.

 

You must use a lubricant with a clay bar.

 

Ok novice question, when you do use the claybar do you use a back and forth motion, or a swirling motion?

 

^ dont think it matters, your just trying to pick up any debris so coverage is all you want...

 

k thanks

 

Zymol Cleaner wax FTW! This even makes my caddies paint POP. It is no harder than waxing it, you can even use a Buffer. I highly recommend this stuff.

Also, Do what I do, Twice a year get your car proffessionally detailed, it is pretty reasonable and if you are a stickler like me, you'll just have to do touch ups all summer. I store the cars I care about in winter so your on your own for that.

~HJ