GM Clear really that hard?

A

AmF_15

New member
I am working on a Red 99' Chevy 1500 Pickup and it has some pretty ugly oxidation and hevy swriling.



List of polish/cleaner:



-SSR 2.5/1

-Megs SCG FCC #2

-Menzerna 106ff



I have spent a good part of the day focused on just the hood. I started out with 106ff then went to SSR 2.5 but still didn't break threw the oxidation easy at all, I came back to autopia and read a little about using a polish cleaner and all I had was Megs FCC, that worked great but I could only work it in small areas at a time. I got done with the hood but you can still see water spots but I think they are water etching. I went to my Menzerna 106ff thinkin that would be a good product on harder clear coats then SSR, I finished the hood using the 600-1200-600 technique I pulled it out in the sun and their where still a lot of swirls and scratches. Whats wrong? :wall :help:



Used the LCC green pad with Megs, and a white LCC pad with the 106ff.



Thank You
 
The problem you're experiencing is very common when trying to use a PC to remove heavy oxidation and heavy swirling. The PC just doesn't have alot of correcting ability. In order to get the most correction possible out of your PC, you have to use some pretty agressive products. It's impossible to say exactly how aggressive you're going to need without being able to see the truck in person, but if your description of heavy oxidation and heavy swirling is correct, I'd imagine you would want to go with a very aggressive compound (Menzerna Power Gloss, High Temp Extreme Cut, Optimum Hyper Compound are all examples of aggressive compounds) with a 4" (no bigger than 4") orange LC foam pad. AFter working your paint until all the oxidation and swirls are removed, I'd go with a white 4" LC foam pad and several applications of your Menzerna PO106FF.



The compounds and pad combination listed above are about as aggressive as you can get with a PC. If they aren't capable of getting out your oxidation and swirls, then what you are trying to do is beyond the correction limits of a PC.



Having said that, please be careful with the above products. They are serious juju, and are capable of damaging your paint.
 
Heck I have used black edge wool, Strada 1000 polish and a metabo at 1800 and did not get out 100% of deep water spots, at least what looks like pitting remains. This was on a black ford hood.



Fbody, I have no luck getting HTEC to work with any wool. Presta/strada polishes work very well with wool.



AMF, Like Bee said, a PC is not going to cut much in your case.
 
SuperBee364 said:
The problem you're experiencing is very common when trying to use a PC to remove heavy oxidation and heavy swirling. The PC just doesn't have alot of correcting ability. In order to get the most correction possible out of your PC, you have to use some pretty agressive products. It's impossible to say exactly how aggressive you're going to need without being able to see the truck in person, but if your description of heavy oxidation and heavy swirling is correct, I'd imagine you would want to go with a very aggressive compound (Menzerna Power Gloss, High Temp Extreme Cut, Optimum Hyper Compound are all examples of aggressive compounds) with a 4" (no bigger than 4") orange LC foam pad. AFter working your paint until all the oxidation and swirls are removed, I'd go with a white 4" LC foam pad and several applications of your Menzerna PO106FF.



The compounds and pad combination listed above are about as aggressive as you can get with a PC. If they aren't capable of getting out your oxidation and swirls, then what you are trying to do is beyond the correction limits of a PC.



Having said that, please be careful with the above products. They are serious juju, and are capable of damaging your paint.
Click to expand...





I am using a Rotary buffer as I also have the PC. sorry if I was unclear. I did a number of passes.
 
yeah the gm clear is really that hard. i work at a chevy dealership and detail all the trade ins. i have had my best luck using megs #83 with wool then follow it up with 106ff with a white or green ccs pad. i can usually get about 85-90% defect free with this method. i start with the wool/83 at 1000 rpms for about 2 passes then crank it up to about 1500-1700till it starts to go clear and then a couple more passes at 1000-1300. then follow up with the 106ff with a white or green ccs starting at 1000 for 2 passes up to 1500 till it goes clear then back to 1000 for a few finish passes. I have had great success with this combo.



I do a lot of contractor and farm trucks being that we are located in the sticks, a lot of them have horrendous scratches and swirls but this combo does a whale of a job bringing them back. I wish i could have gotten pics of the black tahoe i did today so you could have a better image of what i have been able to do with it. Sorry for the long reply, i dont post much and when i do i get carried away. Best of luck, James.
 
swirlnuts said:
yeah the gm clear is really that hard. i work at a chevy dealership and detail all the trade ins. i have had my best luck using megs #83 with wool then follow it up with 106ff with a white or green ccs pad. i can usually get about 85-90% defect free with this method. i start with the wool/83 at 1000 rpms for about 2 passes then crank it up to about 1500-1700till it starts to go clear and then a couple more passes at 1000-1300. then follow up with the 106ff with a white or green ccs starting at 1000 for 2 passes up to 1500 till it goes clear then back to 1000 for a few finish passes. I have had great success with this combo.



I do a lot of contractor and farm trucks being that we are located in the sticks, a lot of them have horrendous scratches and swirls but this combo does a whale of a job bringing them back. I wish i could have gotten pics of the black tahoe i did today so you could have a better image of what i have been able to do with it. Sorry for the long reply, i dont post much and when i do i get carried away. Best of luck, James.
Click to expand...





No need to apologize, great info...... what wool pad should i be using, as there are a few I have but dont know if they are any good, 2 came with my Makita Rotary and another came with my CCS pads so im unsure what one works. Also when using wool are you using more product/same/less? Thanks again



EDIT: 7" H&L Wool Compound Pad

7" H&L Blended Polishing Pad
 
AmF_15 said:
No need to apologize, great info...... what wool pad should i be using, as there are a few I have but dont know if they are any good, 2 came with my Makita Rotary and another came with my CCS pads so im unsure what one works. Also when using wool are you using more product/same/less? Thanks again
Click to expand...





I use a schlegel white wool pad, dont know a part number or anything off hand. i get them from a guy hat comes around on a truck. they have a real thick tuft of wool on em. They are the only ones ive ever used so i cant compare them to anything else. i have heard 3m makes a good pad to but they are pricey. i dont know what kind of pads would have come with your buffer but chances are its some nasty twisted wool and if it is, it could possibly leave some swirls that 106 ff cant take out.



when it comes to amount of product i generally use more with the wool than i do with the foam. today i did a tahoe and did the fender in two parts and used about an 8 inch line of polish where if it was foam and 106ff it would have only been about half as much. Also, maybe you already know this but it is a good idea to spur or clean wool very often, i often spur after each section i buff. hope this helps some. let me know how it goes.
 
I found what wool pads i have, crazy how you have to use wool.....lol



7" H&L Wool Compound Pad

7" H&L Blended Polishing Pad

6" WolfGang White Lambswool Knitted Polishing pad
 
ive got to imagine that wolfgang pad is probably a nice one, they seem to have quality products. i would try that with ssr 2.5 if you havent already, but if its as swirled up as you say you may want to loook into a more aggresive product. I like megs 83, its powerful yet finishes nice and isnt too pricey. Menzerna Intensive polish is another good one. Hope it helps, James.
 
Cool, Its already too late here to do anything tonight I will have to pick back up tomorrow, but I will prolly pick up the IP but Ill give the SSR 2.5 a go :waxing: . Thanks brotha
 
FWIW, on GM clear H-T EC works OK for me (rotary/foam). I've used 3M PI-III Extra Cut 05936 too, but that stuff's like liquid sandpaper. I've been able to get out anything I was willing to (I do err on the side of caution) using foam, but it can take numerous passes.



swirlnuts- That's a great example of how much of a difference wool can make. To think that you affect that sort of correction with #83...sounds like a good aggressive combo.
 
Danase said:
A rotary would do wonders.
Click to expand...



I used a rotary and the paint just laughs at me. Just woke up from getting off of graveyard I will give the wool a go here in a few hours.
 
amf no offense but if the paint laughs at your rotary usage perhaps youre not using it correctly or working the product correctly. i work on gm paint more than any other and yes it is hard, but no i have not "needed" a rotary on any one of them regardless of defects. it's been great for me working on so many of them because when i come across the likes of a honda or any other soft paint it makes my day soo much easier. alot of times water etching in gm paint needs a few go overs with agrression followed by milder polish with pc.
 
You are prolly right as I am still learning with the rotary, I just used a white wool pad on the truck and nothing still. I think my problem is im not using a enough speed(RPM) I know im breaking the polish down properly, im only working a 18" x 18" section at a time. The technique I use is I start off at 900rpm to spred the polish then turn it up to around 1200-1400rpm with 5lbs of pressure in 1 pass of each (up and down and left to right), I let up using the weight of the rotary with a number of passes as I then slow back down to 900rpm to finish. Im not sure what im doing wrong I like to think I don't have the right product for that kinda paint. :nixweiss Help me autopian gods
 
This is a classic example of why you need to keep your options open when correcting paint, one go to method does not always work. This is even the case with the same manufact, just a different model car....not all fords react the same to similar methods.



This is why people that detail for love of the car, really turn out the best results vs. your local car wash and their fillers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top