Help to get this scratch out

[nysimonsez]

I`m having no luck trying to get the scratch out (circled in red in pic below). It’s a 2004 blue toyota 4runner. My technique has been using the UDM at speed 6 with 5.5� orange pad and SIP. I did 4 passes and all the swirl marks on the panel is 99% removed (the pic is before any polish, as you’ll see the swirl marks around the scratch; they were removed after the 4 passes). I’ve gone over the area really slow and applied pressure but it doesn’t work. I can’t feel the scratch with my fingernail so I assume it can be taken off with a PC. I’ve worked on it so hard that I can feel some heat on the panel (some of the heat may’ve been from the halogen lamps though), and the orange pad actually started to turn dark. I think there may be some paint transfer so I stopped, afraid I’d make it worse. Most of the swirl marks were removed after just 1 pass with the UDM but this scratch no matter what I do I can’t get rid of it.



What am I doing wrong? Any suggestions? Would getting 4� pads and maybe use yellow before orange pad help? I’m planning on getting 4� pad anyways as there are other areas on the truck where I’m not satisfied with the results the current pads are giving me. I’m also thinking of wetsanding the area a little with 3000 grit and then go over with orange to see if it works.



thanks



http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm83/nysimonsez/DSCN35801.jpg

[EdLancer]

That is a deep "clearcoat" scratch. There not much you can do, but to round out the scratch so its less noticable.

[nysimonsez]

That`s what I fear. I`m thinking of using touch up paint and the wet sand/polish to get it out.



thanks for taking a look.

[Accumulator]

That`s what I fear. I`m thinking of using touch up paint and the wet sand/polish to get it out.



thanks for taking a look.



I think that I`d recommend you try filling it with clear touchup paint and then leveling it with Langka/etc. At worst the Lanka will just remove the clear touchup with no harm done, and I *think* you`d be happier with how it turns out if it goes OK. Note that "going OK" in this case means "a little better" as opposed to "really nice", but trying to use basecoat/clear touchup, and wetsanding (without the benefit of 4" pads) is, IMO, much *less* likely to turn out OK for you.



I myself would hit it with a 3.5" PFW pad, then something milder, and I`d just live with the rounded-over remnants. I`m just guessing (not being there to see it in person), but I`m pretty sure I wouldn`t do any touchup at all on that one if it were mine; I`d just make it so nobody else will see it all that readily. I have just-polished-not-touched up scratches that`re a lot worse than that looks, and they don`t bother me at all (and I`m pretty particular to say the least ;) ).

[2002 Z06]

I have a question, can`t you just fill it with touch up, let it setup, wet sand, then buff it out?

[Accumulator]

I have a question, can`t you just fill it with touch up, let it setup, wet sand, then buff it out?



Doing that such that it turns out nice with metallic paint is *infinitely* harder than one might expect (I`d say maybe 10% chance of a great outcome). And doing the whole basecoat/clearcoat thing on a scratch that`s not down to basecoat is opening a can of worms that could just stay shut IMO. Hence the advice to just touchup with clear, and safely leveling that is IMO, easier for most people with Langka.



Also, while I wetsand just fine (with Meguiar`s/Nikken or Mirka stuff), it *is* a little risky and people often have an "oops!" or six before they get the hang of it. This forum is always getting "hey, I wetsanded...how do I fix this?" posts.



Overall, I`d bet on the side of polish-and-ignore, as opposed to touchup-and-wetsand, almost every time.

[2002 Z06]

Doing that such that it turns out nice with metallic paint is *infinitely* harder than one might expect (I`d say maybe 10% chance of a great outcome). And doing the whole basecoat/clearcoat thing on a scratch that`s not down to basecoat is opening a can of worms that could just stay shut IMO. Hence the advice to just touchup with clear, and safely leveling that is IMO, easier for most people with Langka.



Also, while I wetsand just fine (with Meguiar`s/Nikken or Mirka stuff), it *is* a little risky and people often have an "oops!" or six before they get the hang of it. This forum is always getting "hey, I wetsanded...how do I fix this?" posts.



Overall, I`d bet on the side of polish-and-ignore, as opposed to touchup-and-wetsand, almost every time.



Oh ok....I was just curious. Thanks

[nysimonsez]

Thanks Accumulator. I`ve tried several passes with 5.5" orange pad and it got a little better, but still visible. Would you think a 4" orange pad with SIP be noticeably better or is the improvement not worth spending on new pads/backing plate?



The reason why I ask is this is not the only scratch (of similar severity) I have on the car and if using 4" pads will be a marked improvement over 5.5" pads then I`ll invest in some. Otherwise I`ll just do more passes with 5.5" pads.



btw -I`m really happy with the results so far with udm and orange pad/sip and white/106ff. It took out 99% of the swirls. Just want to get better at correcting scratches.



thanks.

[DW849]

Just wetsand it with some 2000 grit.

[EdLancer]

I have tried filling it with basecoat and it fills out nicely, just that basecoat does not take well to polishing and leaves a more metallic flat look, using to fill with a clearcoat does not take well to Langka as clearcoat have a tendacy to come off fairly easily. I would try mixing a little clearcoat with the basecoat and try to fill it in and Langka it and then polish.

[Accumulator]

Thanks Accumulator. I`ve tried several passes with 5.5" orange pad and it got a little better, but still visible. Would you think a 4" orange pad with SIP be noticeably better or is the improvement not worth spending on new pads/backing plate?



IME the 4" pads work a *LOT* more effectively than ~5" pads. And the smaller 3.5" LC PFW pad will remove anything that`s safe to remove. I guess it`s easy for me to spend your money ;) but yeah, I`d invest in the 4" pads. Orange and a polishing pad at least, and if you can get a UDM backing plate for the 3.5" PFW pads you might want to consider those too.



If you do wetsand it, get the Meguiar`s/Nikken or Mirka paper. Seriously, there are some batches of 3M 2000 grit that will kill your paint and that`s the stuff that`s most commonly available.