Variable contour Lake Country pads, swirls, dodge, lots of ?`s

[Asmodaus]

I`ve used Lake Country Variable Contour 7.5" pads exclusively because I`m new to the PC and this is what I bought. Any opinions post them here. I need more info.



I have a 2004 dodge durango. Black. it has cobwebs and swirls in the direct sunlight, otherwise it looks great.

I used the white at first with Meg #7. 7 didn`t break down well and didn`t do anything. Greasy. Love it my hand, didn`t like it with the PC. Just went on forever.

I used a white pad with Meg #9 2.0 swirl remover. Really nice polish. Didn`t do much but shine it up.



I then used a white pad with #83. At first I stated it removed about 50% of the swirls, but this was overstated. Maybe 15 to 20%. And I have some scratches I`ve never seen before pop up. Maybe, I`ve just never looked that hard. But, It shined it up like a diamond in a cat`s ***.



So I then go to #83 with an orange pad. I started early today. I thought this was really going to solve my swirl problem. I had no success. I really worked it too. I spent 3 hours just on one portion of the truck. I felt like I was going to damage the paint and finally backed off. I start out at speed 2 coat with product, then move up to 5. I worked it hard. I let it work under its own weight, I applied pressure, i even used the edge of the pad because the contour pads don`t hit it as evenly. So then I start thinking, maybe its my pad! I need a regular old flat pad. I finally gave up and just finished off the job.



Like I said I used #83 with an orange. It really didn`t leave any micromaring, but I went over it with a white pad and #9 anyway. It really shined it up. 9 seemed to work better with the swirls anyway. Maybe it`s just an illusion. But like I said, it`s only a year old. It shines well anyway. Finished it off with Klasse using the pc and a black pad. Had the hang of Klasse about a 1/4 of the way through the job. Thin layer, rub it off quickly. Produced the best results.



I`m at a loss. I`m guessing the Dodge clear coat is really hard. I didn`t budge it. Advice on anything is welcome gurus of polish and paint. :bow

[6']['9]

dodge clear can be pretty hard. I ended up using 3m rubbing compound to take out swirls cause the menzerna didnt budge em either.

[C. Charles Hahn]

I would go to a bit smaller pad. The one time I used a PC with a 7.5" pad on it, I felt like the machine was bogging down much more than it does with the 6.5" meguiars pads I usually use. Also for spot repairs maybe look into some 4" pads also. I`m going to order some along with the new Lake Country Constant Pressure Pads to try on both my PC and my new rotary which should be arriving soon :D

[imported_themightytimmah]

A 7.5 on a PC is not going to give you any power. If you switch to a 4" pad, you will see a night and day difference in speed and efficiency. Also, don`t bother to polish on less than 6, you`re just wasting time. Switch to a 6" or 4" (preferably) pad and crank it up to 6, and your faith will be rewarded :). 7.5" pads are really made only for an experienced user + a rotary.

[Black240SX]

FYI:



Megs #7 has no abrasives, just oils and fillers. It`s useful after you`ve got all the swirls out.



Megs #9 has mild abrasives, oils, and fillers. Despite the name, it won`t remove swirls.



They are alternatives; you wouldn`t use both of them.

[buellwinkle]

The VC pads from LC are made for rotary buffers to control splatter, not for the PC. Also, it`s way too big of a pad, use 4" or 6" like mentioned before. #7 is just a glaze to use between polishing and waxing for a deeper shine. If #83 isn`t doing it, try a more aggresive small pad, if that doesn`t do it, a rotary buffer is the way to go. Also, try Malco`s Rejuvenator or Foam Pad Polish, is more aggresive than the #83 and doesn`t break down as quick and I get the small bottles for about $5 so it`s cost effective.

[Asmodaus]

I know 7 is just a polish, but I had it so I used it. I loved #9`s polishing ability but it is not a swirl remover. #83 is even better, it polishes just as good as 9 or better. Minor swirls were removed.

How about the other meg products more aggressive than 83. Are they a no no with a pc?



Thanks for all your help. I`ll try the 4"pad. I sould sell all these VC pads I have.



That dodge clear coat is hard!

[buellwinkle]

#7 is not a polish by any stretch of the imagination, #9 is very, very mild, closer to #82 neither of which I would ever use, too mild to do much. Both are milder than #80 and #83 is the most aggresive product I would use with a PC. If you enjoy adding swirls to your car, try #84 or #85 as they are their most aggresive products, although they are for rotary only, the PC will do a good job of adding more swirls ;)



It could just be that besides improper pad and product selection, you don`t know how to use the PC, are you adding enough pressure (4-5 lbs is recomended by Meguiars), are you going slow enough (unlike the rotary, the PC has to be worked extremely slow). If #83, the proper pad and the proper technique doesn`t work, save that 7" VC pad and buy a rotary buffer and learn how to use that.

[Accumulator]

It doesn`t help matters that Meg`s uses terms like "polish" and "cleaners" differently from how most of us would...#7 is a "pure polish" (i.e., nonabrasive), while #83 has "cleaners", meaning "abrasives". [Sigh] As if this weren`t complicated enough.



[quote name=`Asmodaus`]

How about the other meg products more aggressive than 83. Are they a no no with a pc?

... I`ll try the 4"pad...QUOTE]



An alternative you might try is the *new*, *reformulated* #2. This is more aggressive than #83 and, *unlike the familiar, old #2* it can be used by hand/PC. To make sure you get the new version, I`d call Meg`s and specifically ask for it when you talk with the rep. Other than that, I wouldn`t use anything more aggressive from the Meg`s line with a PC.



The 4" pads will help quite a bit, but unless you want to try a different line (Hi-Temp comes to mind), I`d get some of the *NEW* #2.

[buellwinkle]

#2 is not a diminishing abbrasive like #83 so you have to be more careful using it, but #2 is rated as being less aggresive on Meguiar`s scale (printed on the front label) than #83. The next step up in their scale is #84 which is more of a traditional rubbing compound used with a wool pad on a rotary to remove sanding marks and then followed up with a less aggresive product. My guess is that if you used something so aggresive with a PC will leave swirl marks in the shape of it`s orbit pattern. Personally, when #83 doesn`t cut it, I go with Malco Foam Pad polish or their Rejuvenator but I use a rotary.

[Asmodaus]

Is a diminishing abbrasive pretty much what it sounds like? I`m guessing its abrasive ability diminishes the longer you work it.



I`ll try the 4" pads closer to the fall. I`m wore out and it`s been high 90`s here. Maybe I`ll get the itch sooner.



I must say the Klasse AIO is awesome. I see less swirls in direct sunlight than ever before. It did more with one application to hide the swirls then all my pc work. Some cobwebbing is still there but, I went over the hood a second time just to ensure even coating and it looks wet. A+ product there. I want to try the p21 with it.



As for my technique, yeah I think it`s good. I`ve been practicing a lot! I used advice from these forums and my own experience. Some people say let the wieght of the PC work, you say apply 4 pounds of pressure. I`ve done both.



As for a rotory, I don`t think so. I could really mess up my paint with that. I don`t trust myself.