Just bought my first Clay Bar and looking to use it today. What are some of the best methods to achieve the best results?

Thanks guys.

 

make sure you keep the surface lubricated. did if come with anything else? if it did, use it liberally. if not, soapy water works just as well.

also, when you are working with it, make a ball out of the clay, and then smooth it out so it's a flat circle a little smaller than your palm. i then just apply pressure from my fingertips and go at it. you don't need to press hard. just enough to keep it on the car. once it gets a litle bit dirty (after each panel or something, depending on the contaminents), ball it up again and then flaten it out so you get a clean surface.

but other than that, it's kinda up to the individual. i have read that it takes some people 15-20 minutes for the whole car. but for me to clay the max, i don't see how i can do it in less than 30-40. i may not be the most efficient, but when i'm done, the paint feels amazing. plus, if i set aside a whole day to wash and detail, i don't care how long it takes, really.

oh, if you drop the clay on the ground, it's done for. it'll pick up too much sand and dirt. if you go back to the car with it, you will do more damage.

 

Cut the bar into 3 or 4 pieces so that if you drop it, the whole thing wont be ruined

 

You'll be able to feel/hear a tick, tick, tick noise when it's picking up particles from the paint. When it feels smooth and is silent as you rub it across the panel you're done.

 

Thanks for the tips guys. I bought the Mother's version that came with the lube spray and the carnuba wax. Spent a couple of hours with the Clay Bar and the wax. Here's a couple of shots. Sorry for the lack of scenery.

 

nice looking white car! i miss my car so much! finally this weather is cooperating

 

looks like you did a good job on it, I can't imagine doing the car in 15 minutes though, I think it took me about 45. Did you wash it with dawn first? Just curious, I did. Some say to use dishwashing liquid to remove the old wax, others say hell no.... I chose to and was satisfied with how it turned out. I used the NXT wax after the 1 and 2 meguiars 3 step process. anyway, good job bud!!! and where the HELL are your rock chips?

 

Thanks man. Who said 15 minutes? Took me a couple of hours. I used a car wash product prior to the clay bar and wax.

Rock chips? You should see the car up close -

 

86maxima96
Just referring to claying it. lol It took me 6 hours to go through all the steps when I did mine.... fixing to do it again first nice weather we have here, won't be this weekend though. lol stupid weather, nice all week, then weekend gets here and storm central and cold air......sigh.

 

Looks like you did the claying correctly, Tim. One step you could have done was to polish before the wax. Polishing is what makes the paint glossy.

What type of wax did you use?

 

Yeah...washed mine yesterday...rain.

4 hours on it today getting ready for an OhioNissans.com meet for tomorrow...rain.

Maxima's parked in the garage with the g/f's car being driven tonight...priceless.

 

Just used the wax that came with the clay bar. There was a nasty residue that came off the car (kinda dirty) when I was using the clay bar...is that normal? I'm assuming it's the contaminants in the paint.

 

Yup, it's normal. The clay bar will get dirty like that, especially if this was the first time your Max was clayed. It's amazing how much crap is on/in the paint that we can't even see. But getting that stuff off is the first step to getting a great looking finish.

 

Tim, nice job with the clay. Tell you what. PM me.

 

I've had pretty good luck with the clay bar

 

mmmm enkei rp-02s. The car sparkles!!

 

clean car Tim. i just do what everyone here says...lube...and wipe area with the bar. keep the surface moist when claying, and just go at it.

 

Use the clay bar with any spray wax, ur gona need to clay below the molding alot more as there alot more build up down there. Use ur hand to feel the surface u are working on and when its smooth, ur done.

 

Hes good lol

 

Yup, the reason I didn't even respond until now. Good response.

 

very nice, tim! I was also thinking about your lack of paint chips....even in the pictures, mine show up! ::jealous:: Anyway, way to represent the glacier pearl! your max looks great!

 

LOL...when I get the car back tomorrow from Nissan (stuck caliper) I'll get some close-up pics of the hood so you can see my "lack of paint chips"

 

forgive me for my noobness, what is a clay bar?

 

It's a bar, of clay. Seriously.

 

Nice job! Can you use the clay bar again on a different car?

 

Yep. You can use the bar on a different car provided it hasn't touched the ground or isn't heavily contaminated.

 

If one is going to do a machine polish for swirls, is there a need to clay first?

 

I did. I had a couple days to myself so I did a claybar then maguires polish, yesterday the turtle wax color cure for black cars and cleaner wax from maguires and then tomorrow im going to do the clear coat wax from maguires lol but I use the 6in random orbital and think its 10x better then any other orbital ive used . I havent used a PC yet but for the price of the 6in orbital its def. worth it.

 

So after clay bar you directly apply the wax? Like NXT?

 

it helps

less crap on the paint = less of a headache polishing




I just clayed the Corolla, just used water.

 

Actually you want to wash the car again after clay bar then wax. The clay leaves the paint oily because clay is oily by nature.