Pad selection for an AIO.

M

mbkintner

New member
All,



What pad should I use when working an AIO by hand? The vehicle needs very little if any correction. Use of an AIO will basically be for the removal of minor water spots and as a base for the next steps. Products I'm using are:



ZAIO

Polishing Pal w/ LC pads



I'm leaning towards the black finessing pad since it has no cut. I feel like the ZAIO itself will be adequate to remove the water spots. Thoughts?



Mike
 
By either hand or machine, for cases like this I'd recommend a pad with not cut of its own (as you've already decided on). But note that plenty of polishing pads would also qualify, and their generally more open/porous nature can sometimes be better for jobs like this, if only because they don't seem to have as many issues as finishing pads if/when they get loaded up with the product and the stuff AIOs clean off the paint.



So, I usually use gentle polishing pads. My favorite for AIOs is probably Griot's polishing pad (it's firm and colored orange, but don't let that alarm you). I just used one with KAIO on the MPV, worked fine, per usual. And if it matters to you, they wear like iron with no velcro issues.



I just don't care for the very soft, more closed nature of most finishing pads, so unless I *need* to use one, I don't. But that's just a personal preference.



I've only done a little experimenting with the ZAIO, but it has a bit of cut to it so I wouldn't be surprised if it gets the water spots off, assuming they're just *deposits* and not *etching*.
 
I'm pretty sure it's not etching. I'm leaning towards the finessing pad because I'm concerned that hand use of a pad with cut could lead to the creation of defects. If I was using a machine I wouldn't shy away from a polishing pad since the machine can work the product better.
 
mbkintner- OK, but by hand *or* machine, a pad either *will* be soft enough to be functionally nonabrasive or it won't. FWIW, and it's just a personal preference, I'd use a MF-covered sponge if I were doing an AIO by hand, especially if it's an AIO (like Klasse) that's used with a damp applicator. Clean it out regularly (or switch to a new one) as it becomes soiled/loaded up.
 
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