When I clayed my truck two weeks ago, it was the first time I had ever done that. I used light pressure and it did remove quite a bit of surface contaminants. Before winter really sets in down here (sometime in mid to late dec) I plan to clay it again. How much pressure should one put on the clay and how much lubrication to match that pressure?

I sprayed areas about three times and then clayed. I went side to side. Someone around where I live said up and down is better. True or not?

My first experience was fun and educational, but I want to make sure I have the process mastered a little better before I do it again.

 

Here is my 2 cents.

I use very light pressure when I clay and lots of detail spray for lubrication. With a nice wet surface, the clay just glides over the surface and you can actually feel the difference after a couple of strokes over the same area. You DO NOT NEED to apply very much pressure for the clay to do it's job.

As far as the direction, I don't see how that makes any difference. I just go in whatever direction feels natural for the panel I am working on. Remember that the clay is only removing the surface contaminants. It is not polishing the surface in any way.

 

Yea it doesn't take very much pressure. Just use lots of lube, and it just glides. It's amazing how much of a difference it makes.

 

dry hand, to determine how much stuff is stuck to your paint first. Then, spray your lube liberally on both panel and clay, have to keep the panel and clay wet at all times, so you wont mar it, and use back and forth strokes on long straight panels. How much pressure you put on the clay is something you have to experiment with, but as everyone else has said, less is better than more. If the panel is really dirty with stuff stuck to it, you can actually hear the clay pulling it off, and then the clay starts to glide really easy over the wet surface. Look at the clay and you should see all the crap you pulled out. Change the clay surface each time, so you dont rub the stuff you just pulled out on the paint and risk scratching it. If its really cold, I sometimes like to run alot of hot water over the clay to soften it up and clean out the dirty spots, leaving a soft, clean bar to use. Then dry the panel, with a clean towel, dry your hand if your are not using rubber gloves, and feel the panel again. If there is stuff still stuck to it, then go over it again. Look closely, and make sure you are not trying to clay a rock hit in the paint that usually raises up the paint and leaves an edge.. I clay my vehicles every time I put on a few more coats of Zaino, and it really helps. Good luck with your project. DanF

 

Exactly.

Light pressure is all that you need. In fact, I typically advise folks to simply allow the clay to glide across with only the weight of your hand actually applying downward pressure.

You can over lubricate but, in my opinion, it's a bit difficult. More so than over lubricating, you're just wasting your lubricating spray.

The point is to make it such that the clay glides on the paint and doesn't snag or grab.

RP

 

If you run low on the lubricant that comes with the clay bar...you can use any of the "quick detailers" from Mothers, Meguires, or...

Using the detailer with the bar will enhance the wax already on your truck.

 

yep just do it lightly, & keep the bar & surface lubricated

 

Usually just a little pressure does it like everyone said, but you definatly always want to do it in straight lines that follow the flow of air when your driving. For example straight up and down on the hood form grill to window and straight lines from front to back along the body panels from fender to tailgail (obviously a little bit at a time though). This way at least if a peice of grit sticks in the clay and scratches you wont have nasty swirl marks.

 

...but you'll have up and down scratches.

While swirls are microscopic scratches, claying from side to side won't cause 'swirling' as in the common description of swirls.

 

sorry what I ment was, just that claying in the direction the way the air moves over the truck in motion is safer in that you'd rather have a straight scratch than one that goes in a circular motion. Just a precaution that in a worst case scenario that something gets stuck in the clay and messes up the paint.