Help! Wax? Build up on jeep steel bumpers
- Thread starter kak39
- Start date
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
I`d start with APC and a toothbrush.
rlmccarty2000
Active member
McKees sells a wax remover for plastic that might work on that. It’s made to remove dried on wax on plastic trim, but I don’t see why it would not work on painted metal trim. It’s a good product that everyone should keep around anyway. As Setec stated you will need the toothbrush too.
Accumulator
Well-known member
kak39- Welcome to Autopia!
I`d just wipe it down with a prep solvent if it`s painted metal, don`t see the need for a specialized Wax Remover (which I have on the shelf but doubt I`d reach for in this case). Or does some Jeep-Sensei have a reason not to try that?
I`d just wipe it down with a prep solvent if it`s painted metal, don`t see the need for a specialized Wax Remover (which I have on the shelf but doubt I`d reach for in this case). Or does some Jeep-Sensei have a reason not to try that?
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Perhaps I misunderstood the issue
, that looked like some gray textured trim that I presumed was on top of a steel bumper...I`m devoid of Jeep knowledge 
Accumulator
Well-known member
Perhaps I misunderstood the issue
I`m in the same boat, zero Jeep-knowledge. But unless it`s something that you need to keep solvents away from....and plenty of plastics and even rubber are able to stand up to such products just fine anyhow.
We`re not getting into how that much product could end up on anything anywhere
Guess I`ll get up on my soapbox..kak39- That last bit probably sounds really snarky-critical, but I`m always going on about how people use a gazillion times more product than is optimal, so please don`t take it personally
But for future reference, waxes/etc. should generally be applied so thinly that you can`t readily see them on the surface; once you have a "clearly visible white haze" it means you really overdid it, which has no upside other than being visible, and plenty of potential negatives.
When applying to "odd surfaces", like...something other than paint/chrome, I always find it best to use a Wipe-On-Wipe-Off ("WOWO") approach, buffing it off before it flashes/dries. Yeah, that will slightly impact the durability sometimes, but never as much as I`d expected. Fogging the surface with your breath while buffing off usually helps a bit too due to the little bit of moisture, and that`ll help ensure than you get all the extra product off (and the "extra product" that gets buffed off is basically 99.999% of whatever you apply).
I`m in the same boat, zero Jeep-knowledge. But unless it`s something that you need to keep solvents away from....and plenty of plastics and even rubber are able to stand up to such products just fine anyhow.
We`re not getting into how that much product could end up on anything anywhere
kak39- That last bit probably sounds really snarky-critical, but I`m always going on about how people use a gazillion times more product than is optimal, so please don`t take it personally
But for future reference, waxes/etc. should generally be applied so thinly that you can`t readily see them on the surface; once you have a "clearly visible white haze" it means you really overdid it, which has no upside other than being visible, and plenty of potential negatives.
When applying to "odd surfaces", like...something other than paint/chrome, I always find it best to use a Wipe-On-Wipe-Off ("WOWO") approach, buffing it off before it flashes/dries. Yeah, that will slightly impact the durability sometimes, but never as much as I`d expected. Fogging the surface with your breath while buffing off usually helps a bit too due to the little bit of moisture, and that`ll help ensure than you get all the extra product off (and the "extra product" that gets buffed off is basically 99.999% of whatever you apply).
No worries! Thanks! I did try to give this knowledge to my 7 year old daughter who was helping me wax....but there was some disconnect!
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Perhaps I misunderstood the issue
It’s a steel painted bumper that is textured.
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Accumulator
Well-known member
So glad I didn`t give offense! That`s great that your daughter is helping out, and a perfectly reasonable explanation for all the wax.
I do think the solvent approach would work OK, but since you have the Wax Remover ordered anyhow you can just use that if you don`t have any Prep solvent. And you`ll have it for the next time..sooner or later I bet it`ll come in handy
Ron Ketcham
Active member
Solution Finish---it is what professional detailers use these days. Web site-solutionfinish.com Shows product and how simple it is to use, lasts for in excess of a year.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Ron Ketcham- That`s the second time in recent memory that you`ve posted about the Solution Finish! Any reason to use that on black trim that`s still in good shape? (Other than the durability...)
Ron Ketcham
Active member
If just fine, want to keep it black and not have whatever wash off in a rain or such--just use Wipe-New.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Ah, OK...just wondered if I was missing something with the Solution Finish.
I`m just using Ultima TTG+ on the good cars, which I maintain with a SprayWax as my Drying Aid (so nothing really extra), and the not-special vehicles just get the SprayWax period (which is plenty good enough IME).
Interesting that you like the Wipe New though, I`ll pass that along as 1) I`ve never tried it but 2) your opinion is good enough for me
Ron Ketcham
Active member
Easy to grasp if one understands the difference between a "dressing" and a true "coating".
Coatings=crack
Active member
I’d recommend a little more aggressive brush if tooth brush doesn’t work.... that keep trim can be stubborn
These from mothers are pretty cheap and worked well with the black fire wax remover....
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These from mothers are pretty cheap and worked well with the black fire wax remover....
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rlmccarty2000
Active member
I never thought of using Solutions Finish on powder coated metal. I always thought SF was only for plastics. Good to know!
Accumulator
Well-known member
The only "Dressing" I`ve used on the exterior since..I dunno, early `80s maybe..is Autoglym Bumper Care on the Tahoe`s utterly trashed running boards (especially the metal parts that simply need refinished).
Q: Is the Solutions Finish tolerant of imperfect surfaces/prep? The reason I use the Bumper Care is that it "evens out" the areas that are still black with the rest of the surfaces that are in really bad condition in a way that nothing else ever has, but I dislike having to redo them at every wash (it`s not some quick half-hour job to do them right).
Q#2: How can you clean the Solutions Finish off if its results aren`t pleasing? Does it wipe off with something like New Car Prep or 3M Adhesive Remover?
I probably have enough Bumper Care and UTTG+ to last this lifetime, but ya never know...
rlmccarty2000 said:
FWIW, the Ultima TTG+ works well on that too. I`m using it on wiper arms, underhood black-finished metal, you name it...pretty much any black surface on the `93 Audi and the Crown Vic (and I`ll probably do the others with it too). Utterly forgiving of prep/application/etc. at least if things aren`t as bad as those Tahoe running boards. Lasts for ages, easy to maintain with a SprayWax as the Drying Aid.
Now if the Solutions Finish is as easy, and works as well on imperfect surfaces, and lasts longer, well that`d really be something!
Ron Ketcham
Active member
It is NOT a dressing so not easy to wipe off. I suggest one follows the same process as a bodyshop does for painting. Think base/clear. Clean, apply by directions, then when dry, apply a coat or two of WipeNew and no worries for a couple of years. The company also has a gray, and you can tint it using the black to obtain the shade required.