Cleaning Rocker Panels

K

kustomsol

New member
Has anyone a quick method or tip for cleaning rocker panels? I have a '91 Reatta with black rocker panels which are covered with accumulated grime, road tar, etc. In the past this has required a lot of elbow grease etc. Any suggestions and/or products to make it easier would be appreciated.

Thanks,

HRP
 
I too had a dealer car last night that was COVERED in tar, and I used BUG and TAR, but I need somthing better. The tar was dried and taking it off I still scratched the paint. I want something that is QUICK.
 
Nothing will match the power of lacquer thinner. Try a test spot to be sure the lacquer thinner doesn't whiten or peel the paint (1/1000 cars--usually fresh repaints) first. Then spray directly on the tar, wait 10 sec, and wipe off. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Don't forget inner wheel lips.
 
Lacquer thinner is potent stuff! Use it only as a last resort. I've used it on stubborn adhesive (after removing 10 year old vinyl graphics from my race car) but haven't had to use it for anything else on the body of a car. Mineral spirits are milder and should remove most tar.
 
I'd sure hate to use lacquer thinner and find out the rockers had been repainted ;)



I use a regular solvent to get the worst off, and then use something like AIO via PC. I'd rather let the PC do the work.



Be careful using cleanerwaxes, some rockers will get white stains from them.
 
The product I use is a clinging solvent. From what I've read, Meguiar's Body Solvent is similar in its approach.



The product I use is a spray on, allow to dwell, and blast off with a pressure washer for maximum effectiveness. Sometimes a second or third application is required before pressure washing off.



Whatever remains is usually able to be washed off when soaping the rest of the car. If it's still on after that, you'll need to use a prep solvent or pick at it with a thumbnail or clay.
 
WD-40, a cheap microfiber, and elbow grease will take the tar right off of your rocker panels. I learned this from drag racers who use this method to clean off burnout rubber.
 
BlackSunshine said:
I use Griot's Car Wash full strength...
Click to expand...



Despite Richard's ad-copy, it never works well for me :think: Maybe the tar used in my area is just, uhm...special :o but well, :nixweiss You're the first person I can recall saying that it really does work.
 
Accumulator said:
Despite Richard's ad-copy, it never works well for me :think: Maybe the tar used in my area is just, uhm...special :o but well, :nixweiss You're the first person I can recall saying that it really does work.
Click to expand...



I get a little, uhm, aggressive on my rocker panels and behind the wheels with a bug scrubber type pad and the Car Wash. I can't imagine it working too well with just a microfiber cloth, but it does take a certain amount of self convincing to use the scrubber, and I usually only do it if I'm going to be polishing the area out anyways like after a long road trip. The reason I like the Griot's is because it provides a really nice SLIPPERY medium between the paint and scrubber, moreso than any other car wash I've tried.



Another member here has suggested using Z7 car wash mixed with water which for whatever reason I never thought of so I'm going to be trying that next time as Z7 does seem to cut through the grime pretty well.
 
BlackSunshine said:
I get a little, uhm, aggressive on my rocker panels and behind the wheels with a bug scrubber type pad and the Car Wash..
Click to expand...



Ah, maybe that's it. And yeah, the Griot's sure is some slipperly stuff :xyxthumbs
 
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