Questions about removing Collinite 476 with Klasse AIO

[saralee]

Last fall I prepped the car with clay bar, Klasse AIO and a coat of Collinite for winter protection.



Now the summer is almost here, how can I effectively remove Collinite 476 to start from a wax-free surface? I read on the back of Klasse AIO that it can remove old wax. It just seems funny because I have 476 sitting on top of Klasse AIO over the winter and now I am going to remove the wax by putting Klasse AIO on top.



Please let me know if Klasse AIO would work, and if it wouldn`t, what other choices of paint cleaner do I have? My car is still relatively new so I would like to avoid abrasive cleaner. Thank you all.

[Accumulator]

saralee- If you only applied one coat of Collinite, then what`s left oughta be pretty well on its last legs and the KAIO oughta remove it. Try a small area and see how it goes...if it does *NOT* work, you`ll get a sorta smeary residue when you go to buff off the AIO.



If that happens, an OTC solution would be Meguiar`s Deep Crystal Step #1 cleaner, or just more work with the KAIO.



Claying when you do the wash might also help compromise the remaining Collinite, but don`t get so aggressive about it that you risk marring the paint.



I myself would use a *VERY* mildly abrasive polish...something almost functionally nonabrasive, but not quite. That wouldn`t remove an appreciable amount of clear but it would, *IMO*, be a) the most user-friendly approach, and b) the one most likely to give the best look. With a mild polish you could use it as often as you`d *ever* want to, and never remove enough clear to measure ;) If you`ve seen my "Thinning the Clearcoat" thread, you know that I`m not one to risk taking off unnecessary clear ;) so I`m pretty certain that this wouldn`t ever bite you.

[imported_Denzil]

Accumulator, is it safe to assume that just about all the AIO`s, pre-wax cleaners, and Dawn can be used to remove all protection to start with fresh paint? I`m aware that the heavier polishes can definitely remove any and all paint protective products but what other products are out there similar to your recommended Meguiar`s Deep Crystal Step #1 cleaner?



I guess I should really know the answer to this already but I feel much better hearing it from you than from myself, LoL.

[saralee]

Accumulator, I will try the AIO since I already have it. There is still one thing I don`t understand, if AIO removes the old wax, then theoretically I can put the Collinite 476 back on after for summer protection, right?



In other words I would use AIO then Collinite alternately and repeat that procedure every season or 1/2 year to get fresh wax on my car for protection. Does that sound right?



When you say you would use a *VERY* mildly abrasive polish, isn`t AIO a form of polish already?

[itb76]

When you say you would use a *VERY* mildly abrasive polish, isn`t AIO a form of polish already?

KAIO is a chemical polish, not an abrasive polish. As such, it will remove a thin layer of old wax, oxidized paint, and some dirt. An abrasive polish will remove scratches and swirls also.




In other words I would use AIO then Collinite alternately and repeat that procedure every season or 1/2 year to get fresh wax on my car for protection. Does that sound right?

Yes! Collinite has no cleaners so it will go over the KAIO without removing it, and is among the most durable waxes available.

[Accumulator]

Accumulator, is it safe to assume that just about all the AIO`s, pre-wax cleaners, and Dawn can be used to remove all protection to start with fresh paint?



Yeah, both will work for that, but I`ve never had *great* success using Dawn as a wax-stripper. Plus, IMO the more mechanical action of doing the vehicle with AIO can usually do a more thorough job.




I`m aware that the heavier polishes can definitely remove any and all paint protective products but what other products are out there similar to your recommended Meguiar`s Deep Crystal Step #1 cleaner?



Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion is probably my fave. Or the supposedly PIA Zymol HD Cleasnse, SW Cleaner Fluid, even P21s GEPC.



Pretty much any very mild polish oughta work...just go with something close to nonabrasive (and any chemical cleaners would be a plus). Often the very mild abrasives in such products don`t do much of any actual cutting, but rather just make the products easier to use. While products like KAIO and P21S GEPC aren`t strictly nonabrasive, they`re so close to *functionally* nonabrasive on most paint that the cut simply isn`t a factor.



Or you could go with a purely chemical/super-shampoo approach like AutoInt`s "A".




Accumulator, I will try the AIO since I already have it. There is still one thing I don`t understand, if AIO removes the old wax, then theoretically I can put the Collinite 476 back on after for summer protection, right?



Yeah, that oughta be a good (and quick/user-friendly) approach :xyxthumbs






In other words I would use AIO then Collinite alternately and repeat that procedure every season or 1/2 year to get fresh wax on my car for protection. Does that sound right?



As itb76 noted, that will work fine and the Collinite won`t cause any problems over AIO. Also, the Collinite will build up/layer, which gives even better durability.



I do like to clay *very gently* with Sonus green Ultra-fine clay every now and then before adding another coat of Collinite. Sometimes it`s surprising how much stuff the clay cleans off.



In the ~18 months that I had my Blazer, I polished it once (when I first got it) and then just reapplied the Collinite from time to time, sometimes claying with the Sonus green. Didn`t even use AIO/etc..nothing but washes with the occasional clay/Collinite refresher.

[saralee]

I just read from the Klasse website that you can actually wash you car with AIO by putting in a cap ful of AIO into your bucket. Would this be a better idea/alternative to remove Collinite?

[SuperBee364]

I doubt it would be strong enough when used as a carwash to remove old wax.

[Accumulator]

I doubt it would be strong enough when used as a carwash to remove old wax.



Agreed, and it might be just strong enough to make a big mess instead.

[3puttjay]

I just got my UDM in the spring and I wanted to work on my car`s swirls and scratches. It had 3 layers of 476S, on as its winter protection, that needed to be removed. I didn`t have any Klasse AIO, prep-sol, or any other wax remover. I just used palmolive dish detergent to remove the layers of wax. It did a good job of getting rid of the wax, heck I used it to get rid of the polishing haze and oils. I finally got it polished to where I`m going to be applying DWG and 476S in alternating layers x 3 for its final detail before the fall application of 476S. I say go with what you already have (KAIO) instead of going out to buy a specialized wax remover.

[SuperBee364]

I have yet to see an LSP that can survive a good IPA wipedown. It might take two applications to get all of it up, though. My pre-polish wash is still: Chemical Guys Citrus Wash N Gloss mixed at paint cleanser strength, followed by two hits of an IPA wipedown. Paint always ends up literally squeaky clean.



Note that CW&G does have a rinsing agent in it. Afer washing, the rinsing agent makes it feel like it didn`t get all the LSP off, but what you`re really feeling is the rinsing agent. The IPA wipedown gets rid of the rinsing agent as well as whatever LSP might still be clinging on.

[imported_paradigm]

my process would be:



--IPA wipedown (as SuperBee said)



if that doesn`t do it...



--quick super mild polish with FPII or similar