How Important is Claying?

adidasprof

adidasprof

New member
I'm very new to all of this and wanted to detail my new (1990 Landcruiser FJ-62). I have access to a buffer and pads and all that stuff. The thing I don't have is a clay bar. I was wondering how important it is to use one on a detail. This car looks like it hasn't been waxed in a while. The paint is not slick or shiny. I did hand wax it when I first got it in July but I didn't see any results. I could tell in spots where I would rub really hard would be much whiter than other spots. As I said, I have no knowledge of detailing whatsoever and have been trying to read up on it here. Just looking for a few pointers. I could post some pictures of my car if that would help you to "diagnose" my problem. Thanks.
 
I think it safe to say that you should definitely clay that Landcruiser. The minimal amount of time it will take will greatly help in improving your finish. It will be worth it.
 
Cheap and local --> Claymagic. It's $9.99 at AutoZone. Comes with a clay lube. You can use the lube or clay while washing the vehicle. I won't try and tell you which is better. You could always just follow the instructions on the box also. Either way, the Claymagic is fine stuff.
 
You definitely want to clay. I did it on my new Honda after only 2 months and it pays off. Remember, you are washing the car first and then later on you are either polishing it or prepping it for sealants with PB PP or Klasse AIO or similar products. You want to make sure that you did a GOOD job cleaning and while the wash takes away 90-95% of the "big stuff" the claying gets the rest. Also, it takes away stuff you can't see inside the paint grooves -- you'll note that after claying the car is noticeably smoother than after you washed it.

Also, clay bars are great for removing tar and bugs. Much better IMO than bug & tar remover.

Claying takes me 45 minutes to an hour, but it's worth it. I also think once you've clayed your car once, you're OK for the year if you have multiple layers of protection on. Outside of claying tar and bugs, you won't really need to go over the entire car to get rid of trapped dirt, grime, and microscopic embedded stuff in the paint and clearcoat for another year or so (it can't hurt to do it, but I think the pros will agree it's not necessary).
 
I'm going to try to detail my car this weekend. I'll be sure to post some pics and let you guys critique a first timer. Thanks.
 
Your toyota has a single stage paint job on it. When you clay it you will notice yhe clay turning kinda milky. I personaly dont like to use the clay lube on your finish. I like to use an all purpose cleaner a weak mix of it. This helps remove the oxidation so you spend less time polishing. I do this process after I wash while the car is wet. I rinse with the water after I finish each section.

Good Luck.
 
I heard somewhere that clay strips wax, is this true, or do I have to use dawn to prep the Sebring Convertible for it's winter sealant coats?
 
tubafeak said:
I heard somewhere that clay strips wax, is this true, or do I have to use dawn to prep the Sebring Convertible for it's winter sealant coats?
Click to expand...

Clay can diminish a wax/sealant coating, but I would not use DAWN (I ONLY use DAWN on a first time ever, very nasty car, detail). You're better off using a good paint cleaner, then polish. It's MUCH better for the paint and trim than DAWN
 
You know nothing about detailing, but you have access to a buffer and ....Man, you are headed for trouble. If you mean a rotary (spinning pad) buffer, all I can say is - Don't. just don't. Wash, clay and use some Poorboys Polish with Carnuba by hand and let it go until you have studied enough to know what you are doing. If you like, use a paint cleaner first like Meguires paint cleaner, available in most auto stores. There is a lot of information here and you need to study before you start using any power tools on your vehicle. I don't mean any offense, believe me. I'm just trying to save you a lot of grief. :notpossib
 
Ace, thanks for the concern. I had my father in law come over and help me out with the buffer. He used to work in a detail shop so he showed me how to use it. It wasn't as tough as I thought it might be, but it did take me a lot longer than I thought it would. So I washed, clayed, compounded and polished, now I still have to wax. I should be getting to that today. It already looks 100 times better. The claying alone made such a huge difference. I'm looking forward to the finished product. I'll try to post some pictures tomorrow.
 
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