Suggestions for cleaning these wheels.

**hot rod** · 02-04-2002, 12:36 PM

Can someone please help by listing the 3M products based on aggressiveness starting with SMR and going more aggressive? Also a good on-line source for the products.

Thanks in Advance,

Matt

**Preachers Sheets** · 02-04-2002, 01:04 PM

http://www.3m.com/US/auto_marine_aero/aad/

That is 3M`s web page...

About the product listing, it`s kind of time consuming, if you can tell us what you are thinking of using 3M products for, I am sure we can tell you exactly which products of the 3M lineup will suit your needs and give you details of each from there.

3M makes alot of stuff.

**hot rod** · 02-04-2002, 01:13 PM

I plan on getting a PC very soon. My Wife has a black car with some swirl`s. I am hopping to take care of it with SMR.

I am getting the feeling after reading here that the SMR may not be enough. I need to know the next more aggressive step(s).

I am willing to accept so swirls to avoid getting to aggressive.

**Preachers Sheets** · 02-04-2002, 01:23 PM

Well, the "weak" 3M product your talking about is:

3M Swirl Mark Remover

Manf part #: 39009

With this product you`ll be there for quite a while, it is used for very minor swirl marks.

Your best bet would to use:

3M PerfectIt-II

Manf part #: 39002

I had light to medium swirl marks on my car, two passes of this product with my PPorter Cable buffer machine and the yellow pad and 99.99% of my swirl marks were gone, it was really impressive how well it worked.

Ask away, I know this message was brief.

**hot rod** · 02-04-2002, 02:06 PM

The fact that 3M has so many products is the problem.

I see the finesse IT line the Perfect IT line.

I have searched for "Swirl Marks" and keep finding some take about Finesse and some talk about PerfectIT.

I guess I need to state my goals.

I use Klasse with a Collinite topper.

I am not a perfectionist. Thought I was until I met you guys

My white VW is fine.

I want to significantly reduce the swirls on my Wife`s black Subaru.

Here is what I would like to do to the black car.

1. Wash with ABC

2. Clay (if needed)

3. PC with what ever 3M product I need to reduce Swirls. May be a number of steps here I understand.

4. Klasse

5. Start using Souveran for topper

**Preachers Sheets** · 02-04-2002, 02:50 PM

Just to save yourself the headache, go with the two products I informed you off.

Use the stronger one to get rid of the main swirls and the weaker one to get rid of the smaller swirls.

Those two products ..... after clay will get your paint 100% perfect in regards to swirls. I know what your saying with the other 3M products, I have them ............ I don`t use them. Those two will be all you need. Espically if you have a Porter Cable machine. Like I said before, after these two products your paint will look perfect and the Klasse AIO and Glaze will really give you the shine your looking for.

Ignore all the other 3M products.

P.S. The rubbing compound "Finese It-II" is for the really bad swirls, I would only recommend this if your paints pretty bad... yours doesn`t sound close.

**Preachers Sheets** · 02-04-2002, 02:51 PM

my aol im is : davulis
my e-mail is : joedavulis@hotmail.com

those products are very easy to find at a store since the part numbers are right on the front of them.

**hot rod** · 02-04-2002, 04:27 PM

Thanks for you help.

**Chuckmotor** · 02-04-2002, 05:24 PM

The FI-II is safe to use. It works, and especially if it`s a black car where swirls thrive, I`d use the FI-II. It`s not gonna burn the clear coat or anything, unless you really abuse it.

**vettefan67** · 02-04-2002, 05:39 PM

SMR should work fine...why use a product that is stronger than what you need? Try 1-2 apps of SMR #39009 and it will remove all of the swirls for sure, do hand applications of FI-II on the stubborn deep swirls and re-do the area with SMR to remove hazing if needed.

**imported_Intermezzo** · 02-04-2002, 05:59 PM

<blockquote class=`ipsBlockquote` >

Originally posted by joed1228 [/i]
Well, the "weak" 3M product your talking about is:

3M Swirl Mark Remover
Manf part #: 39009

With this product you`ll be there for quite a while, it is used for very minor swirl marks.

Your best bet would to use:

3M PerfectIt-II
Manf part #: 39002

I had light to medium swirl marks on my car, two passes of this product with my PPorter Cable buffer machine and the yellow pad and 99.99% of my swirl marks were gone, it was really impressive how well it worked.

Ask away, I know this message was brief. [/b]</blockquote>
Those are two excellent products. However, there is also the Finesse-It II PN 39003 which is in between those two in terms of abrasiveness.

**hot rod** · 02-04-2002, 06:07 PM

<blockquote class=`ipsBlockquote` >

Originally posted by puterbum [/i]
SMR should work fine...why use a product that is stronger than what you need?[/b]</blockquote>

I don`t want to use more than I need that is the reason for the question.

3m is worse than a fisherman with a vest full of patches.

As a non-professional I am sure I only need one maybe two products.

Going from SMR to something that will leave a haze sounds aggressive to me. I don`t mean no disrespect. I would rather error on the side of still have a few swirl marks than go throught the clear.

**vettefan67** · 02-04-2002, 06:15 PM

I`m saying try SMR first and if and only if it does not work for you, move up to FI-II. This way you use the least agressive product needed. I too left behind a couple of heavier swirls rather than keep removing clear with abrasives - I actually don`t even see those few much at all now that I`ve Klassed over the car!

Please keep in mind I hold a minority view on this matter and most others would recommend FI-II, which I haven`t even used because I had good results with SMR - except for one thing. I got pretty bad hazing from this when using it by hand, but since you`re going to be using a PC you should be fine.

**dengelson** · 02-04-2002, 06:25 PM

<blockquote class=`ipsBlockquote` >

Originally posted by 4mo [/i]
Can someone please help by listing the 3M products based on aggressiveness starting with SMR and going more aggressive? Also a good on-line source for the products.[/b]</blockquote>
To get rid of swirls and light scratchs you want to start with the mildest abrasive. Only if the mildest doesn`t work will you need to go a step more abrasive.

Lighting can make a HUGE difference in what you can see. Try to work under flourescent or halogen lights. That way if your lighting is constant you will be able to make a more scientific comparison of different products.

When you get to a level of product that removes the scratchs then use that product followed by the next mildest and the next mildest. For example if you had to start at the bottom of the list of products in this post, you would then work your way up to the top, before waxing or sealing the finish.

I like 3M Products for tasks like this because they have a graduated scale of abrasive products which will allow you to choose the right product for the job. The first item the SMR is not classified as a rubbing compound because it is so fine and it has the added benefit of leaving a very smooth glazed looking surface.

From mild to abrasive here`s a list of 3M`s products.

clic pics[/i]