Underhood Pad.....

[Don2000g]

Always thought it was laughing. Guess not.

[YoSteve]

i can get mf material (not the mt super plush kind) in any size (even in rolls). imagine draping a huge car cover size towel and just letting it soak it all up

[Jngrbrdman]

<blockquote class=`ipsBlockquote` >

<em class=`bbc`>Originally posted by YoSteve.Com [/i]
<strong class=`bbc`>i can get mf material (not the mt super plush kind) in any size (even in rolls). imagine draping a huge car cover size towel and just letting it soak it all up [/b]</blockquote>
Yup. And then try imagining wringing it out without letting it touch the ground. :)

[ISLANDSBEST]

LOL -- Good point, Jngrbrdman

Let`s see. Obviously, to avoid having the MF whole-car-blotter touch the ground, we need to design and construct, and have placed in our backyards, a suitable "MF drying cloth gantry" for lowering the MF on to the car and lifting it off after blotting. See pic at http://www.usamach.com/gantry%20cranes.htm (`http://www.usamach.com/gantry%20cranes.htm`) for suggested beginner`s model gantry crane.

After lifting the MF blotter off, the gantry would trundle the MF blotter over to the industrial-sized washer we have installed, because although the car was just washed and the blotter, ostensibly, picked up clean rinse water, only, we can take no chance and must wash the MF blotter after each use.

I would guess such a system would not cost more than $1,500,000 to $3,000,000 and that is with installation (but does not cover the industrial washer, and, oh, and the necessary dryer). YoSteve, I think you should immediately offer this most needed product on your site.

[Edited by darbh on 08-13-2001 at 09:55 PM]

[YoSteve]

I guess I`ll just hang strips of the stuff from my garage door and drive in and back out of the garage until it dries. That way it won`t touch the ground.

[ISLANDSBEST]

Ahh, and, it would be cheaper than the gantry crane!

[imported_Luster]

Many customers have asked me to clean the pad under their hoods. Many have tried with little or no success.

My method is unconventional to say the least...

First let me tell you the methods that DIDN`T work:

APC scrub
Soap & Water wash
Dry brush
Upholstery cleaner
Carpet cleaner
Just about everything else on my shelf

Here`s what does work... and it stays looking like this for months:

Armor All Tire Foam!

The first picture is typical of underhood pads... white mineral deposits, soap scum, dirt, mud, etc.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/bluster/02_white_gt/IMG_3366.jpg

In this picture, I didn`t even TOUCH the pad. I simply saturated it with Armor All Tire Foam and let it dry. Not perfect, but clearly much better.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/bluster/02_white_gt/hoodpad.jpg

On every other product I used, the white crusties came back within a few days... The Tire Foam keeps it looking like this for months.

As far as flamibility, I sprayed some Tire Foam on the driveway and threw a match in it. The TF put the match out.

I`ve had hood pads that were much worse than this one, and I`ve scrubbed the Tire Foam into the white deposits. Worked even better.

I`ve been using this method for almost 10 years.

[Tuck91]

You got me Bill,

I once spent thirty minutes on a detail cleaning one of those with APC, soap and water and a tire brush. And I swear it looked the same afterwards. I honestly never thought of dressing it either. I cant believe I never thought of it until reading this. I actually have a lot of Tire foam too after buying those Meguiars kits at Target.

Thanks Bill :thumbup:

[dino]

Here`s another one a little out of the box...just remove it. Over time it gets brittle and nasty looking it looks better off.

I`ve heard it`s used as a sound dampener and acts as a fire retardant (in the event of an engine fire). Anybody else know?

[imported_Jokeman]

Here`s another one a little out of the box...just remove it. Over time it gets brittle and nasty looking it looks better off.

I`ve heard it`s used as a sound dampener and acts as a fire retardant (in the event of an engine fire). Anybody else know?

Also works as a heat sheild to insulate the hood. You`ll end up with paint/clear failure sooner or later without one.

[imported_doctordon]

Bill,

Thank you for sharing that tip. It`s posts like this that help everyone.

Doc

[rockymountaindetail]

one you can add to the list of things that don`t work is a pressure washer. Many years ago I tried rinsing one and it cut through it like a knife.

[imported_User Name]

Great thread Bill!!!

I`ve worked on mine and have tried all of the above (not the tire foam), including the pressure washer and NOTHING cleans those bad boys.

Where`s the brain trust to tell us how to PERFECTLY clean these things? Your method is a 85% improvement Bill, but do you think we can find a way to get it to 100%?

[imported_Luster]

Great thread Bill!!!

I`ve worked on mine and have tried all of the above (not the tire foam), including the pressure washer and NOTHING cleans those bad boys.

Where`s the brain trust to tell us how to PERFECTLY clean these things? Your method is a 85% improvement Bill, but do you think we can find a way to get it to 100%?

One thing I`ve done is to spray it with Tire Foam and then scrub it with a carpet brush, then wipe with an old towel and re-apply the tire foam.

I think by scrubbing with a brush you can achieve about 90-95%.

Important: I`ve used other brands of tire foam and they don`t work. ArmorAll is the only one I`ve found that works...

[imported_Stokdgs]

Thanks for the idea, Bill !
I have had perfect results with my trusty pressure washer, starting at the top of the hood, cleaning all the metal including the latch, and then going in horizontal straight lines, all the way across and down to the bottom or back of the hood, and seen all that mucky stuff drain out the bottom of the pad.
It probably takes longer, and you need to leave the hood open to let gravity work the water all out. I also hit it with my leaf blower in the same pattern, to further move water down and off the pad.
Just finished a `03 Cadilliac Escalade EXT Truck with a pad similar to your picture and it came out perfectly clean.
Of course, you have to be extremely careful with pressure washing that you dont damage the material; I open up the pressure washer so I have the widest fan possible.

DanF