Is it really necessary to clay bar a new truck? The body guy in our facility says it's not really needed, opinions?

 

Make your own judgement...

After you've washed/dried your truck, go out and run your hand across the painted surfaces... mainly the ones that face upwards (hood, roof).

If they feel rough, clay may be the answer to get them back to new. Rail dust seems to be the main issue with brand new vehicles from what I've read on the boards over the past few years.

Your paint should feel like GLASS. No small bumps or anything like that... it should be smooth.

RP

 

I would say yes and it never hurts. Claying will get any embedded particles out of the paint. One of the main reasons some will clay is if there vehicle was transported by train. It can get what is called “rail dust” very tiny metal particles from the train rails they embed themselves into the paint.

One way to check if you need to clay is to wash your truck and then rub your hand over the entire paint surface. It should all feel as smooth as glass. If there is an area that feels a little rough then there is possible tiny particles embedded into the paint. If you clay that area you will find it to be nice a smooth afterwards.

Possible problems that can happen by leaving tiny metal particles embedded into the paint is it could after time begin to rust in that area, since the tiny metal particles embed themselves into the paint they can possible go through the paint coats into the metal of the quarter panel and thus a one-way ticket to future rust.

You can also possible get particles embedded into the paint if your truck was transported by truck, also normal daily driving after time can embed brake dust particles into your paint as well. So it is always a good practice to check the paint surface at least once every 6 months or once a year and feel that it is nice and smooth like glass…

 

RockPick,

Damn, this is like the 3rd time today we have posted back to back with basically the same message. I didn't know until I posted since I wrote it up in word and then posted it...

 

If I'm going to use a good polish, or SMR, I usually skip the Clay step, and save the clay for light touch ups.

 

I clayed both of my vehicles after taking delivery. They were detailed at the dealer, the Cobra even more so, to remove the above mentioned rail dust, & I still noticed a night & day difference before & after. I did the Cobra right before I did the truck. I had the wife feel the truck first, she said it feels good. Then I had her feel the Cobra, she said "when are you doing the truck?"

Do it, you won't regret it. Just be sure to put your polish/wax on right away after claying, it strips all contaminates & wax from the vehicle. Best to get something on it right away.

 

Great minds think ali.... well, ya know, I think you're just lucky.

 

Hmm...I definately want to clay my truck now.

 

Hey,

i need to ask. I just bought an '03 in black and have been trying to keep it clean. What is this clay you are talking about......i did notice that the dealership did a crappy job at detailing..ie they even left the sticker marks on the bumper and didnt even take the sticker off the window. I know with black that im going to have a hell of a time with it. Im just not familiar with claying.

thanks
joe

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2003 F150 Supercab 4x4
5.4L
K&N intake system
Superchip Programmer
Ram air induction Hood (SS150 from ABCexclusive.com)

 

A clay bar is an item used to remove 'stuck on' contamination such as tar, rail dust, and other forms of fallout. It effectively removes embedded particles from the paint giving it a silky smooth feel.

This is one of the begining processes used by a majority of detailers on a neglected finish.

I must disagree with 01 XLT in his earlier 'it couldn't hurt' statement because, indeed, if you don't need to do it, you CAN hurt your finish. Then again, you can hurt it even if you do need to clay. I say this because you're using an abrasive material against the paint. Yes, you lubricate the paint but, there is still a certain level of friction encountered when you perform this process. For that reason, don't clay unless you need to. The friction generated by the clay can and typically does leave very small scratches that have to be dealt with using other products such as abrasive polishes (like Meguiars #9).

SOOOOO, with that being said, only clay if you need to do it.... no need to cause the tiny marks without the need.

RP

 

I did clay my 2002 Supercrew and found quite a bit of "stuff" and made me a believer. The windshield had small droplets of tar on it as well. I custom ordered my truck and picked it up from the dealer on the day it was delivered.

The clay also helped to locate a few blemishes on the paint that I would have never seen had I not clayed it, noting to worry about.

Try it and check the clay.

 

how careful do you have to be with the clay? i don't mean for the paint, but for any decals. the striping on my kr is definatley on top of the clear, can the clay peel it off?

 

Thanks for the info. I think i will just have to take it to a detailer every so often and have them do a proffesional job. What do you guys think about the touchless car washes that use high pressure water instead of brushes as a method in between details?

 

Hello MM...

Typically, you won't need to clay areas on the sides of your vehicle (I hesitate, however, to say 'never'). Most all of the contamination that you'll be dealing with will be on the hood, and roof (and maybe rails) of your truck. I'm not sure what year your KR is but, I know it's, at worst, a 2001 (sorry, I'm too lazy to dive into my database of KROC members). With that being said, I doubt that you have much to worry about along the sides of your truck unless you have copius amounts of tar buildup or similar. Mind you, the clay can be useful in removing those pesky bugs that just don't seem to wash off.

As for pinstriping, you are correct. The KR stripe down the side that seperates the 'two-tone' paint is definately a stick on type. Many of the KR folks mentioned wanting to get them painted on but I failed to hear of anyone actually following through with this... anyway, you would want to be careful around stuck on emblems or striping as it would have the potential to remove them. I say this would really be the case around the narrow little pinstripes that many add to their vehicle to break up the color.

Clay is a very effective way to prep your vehicle for polish/wax however; I don't think it should be done too often because of the aformentioned reasons (mainly steming form abrasion).

RP

 

Glad to help chinook. For some, a professional is the way to go but, there are many of us that handle the detailing from A-Z at our houses using products that are available and being used by the professional detailers. It's all a matter of time and choice. All up to you!

Touchless car washes are a god-send for some folks that simply don't have the resources available to them to wash their own vehicles. I definately prefer touchless to the brush type however, I've never used either.

The chemicals, as you well know, that are used in the car washes of America are VERY caustic and are VERY detrimental to surface protectants like wax. Does this mean that you're finish will suffer dramatically in a short period of time? Probably not but, over a long period of time, you will begin to notice that the clearcoat feels chaulky and/or lacks the depth that it once had. This is because the vital oils that are in the clearcoat have been stripped by pretty agressive chemicals (like the ones found in car wash chems).

My first opinion is to tell you to hire the neighborhood kid to come over and wash your truck for you if you're unable to do so or simply don't want to. Provide him with the materials that he needs to do the job right. He might not use the best washing technique in the world but, he won't be utilizing highly caustic chemicals either. My second choice would be the touchless (unless you have two neighborhood kids to choose from that could wash your truck). I'd increase your trips to your detailer if you're using the car wash on a frequent basis however. Two times/year simply won't cut it to provide the level of protection or level of shine that someone that is an enthusiast demands.

RP