Need Some Information Please ?

Hi guys,

As most of you know, I am giong to try my best to keep my new Denali looking new for the remaining time that I own it.

I have a few more questions.

1. I live down a dirt/gravel road and the wheel wells tend to become dirty very quickly. What is the best process for keeping them clean? Keep in mind that I will have to do this very frequently so I can`t use anything that is going to fade them out.

2. Where is the cheapest place to buy the Porter Cable? =)

3. Which clay bar is the best? Or is there one that is the best?

4. Underbody, is spraying off enough?

5. Rims-- They are polished alluminum, what is a good process for them? I am clueless w/ this. Currently, I am using my used Car Wash(Zymol) w/ the mit.

I think that`s all the questions I have for now,


Thanks!

James.

1) if its jsut dust then I would just wash with a sprayer on the end of the hose, duringhte week. For the weekend cleaning, I use a degreaser from Costco, you can find it for 3 bucks a gallon in the housecleaning area. I use it straight but you can add water to strech it out.
2) Costal Tools online that I have seen
3) I have used mother and megs and both seem to do the job.
4) I`d have to say yes on the undercrage
5) Are your rims coated or jsut polish bare alluminum, if they are not clear coated you should look at a good alluminum polish and do that about once a month, if not then any good polish or AIO will keep the clear coat looking nice

Agree with Beemerboy. I also like claymagic which is available everywhere.

In addition to Beemerboy 5),
If your rims are clearcoated put a sealant like UPP on them after polishing ... It sure makes them easier to clean and you can just use car wash shampoo then instead of a harsh chemical. I learned that trick here on DC a few months ago and it sure cut down on my work over the winter months on my daily driver !!! Isn`t DC great! ?

How do I know if they are clear coated?

Northwest Power Tools had the PC7424 for $109 with $9 shipping.

Im happy with Claymagic - works very well esp for the money!

My 2 cents -

1. I second the recommendation to put a sealant on the wheels to make them easier to clean (see #5). In between washes, you could use something like Poorboy`s Spray & Wipe to clean off the dust.

2. The PC kit from Coastal Tool is a very good value. You could also support our forum sponsor and purchase from Premium Auto Care (remember the 10% discount for DC members). For a local vendor, Lowe`s hardware stores usually have the 7336SP for $109.

3. I prefer clay bars manufactured by Erazer (e.g. Mothers, Poorboy`s, etc.) though Clay Magic bars work just as well. The Erazer bars are just a little easier to knead.

4. Rinsing with a normal hose nozzle should be enough.

5. Do you have regular stock wheels, or are they aftermarket? You need to determine the type of material and coating in order to choose an appropriate polish.

They are stock Polished Alluminum wheels.

Ive had great results with clay magic, however i`d like to mention two points that you should keep in mind.

#1: The clay gets hard to shape and knead after the first initial uses

#2: That little lube spray bottle runs out damn quick. Personally, im looking for ordering a bulk container of premium clay lube to avoid this problem in the future.

LoL, i always find my sefl answering a question....then following up with a question.

Anyone recommend a premium clay lube that i can buy in bulk, or atleast in largeer containers than the claymagic ones?

If they are stock polished rims I`d bet that they are clear coated. Got some polish and rub the rims a bit, if the rag turns black they are not clear coated. Again I think that they are, and the polish, with UPP sounds like something that I`m going to try!

BaDm0theR
I use Meguiar`s #34 Final Inspection as a clay lube with Clay Magic and it works great.
After you are done with a panel or two just wipe down with a MF and you are ready to polish.

does polishing remove light survace scratches? it has some light scratches I guess from drying with a towel.

A polish CAN remove light swirls and scratches - depending on how it is applied PC or by hand -