brake/rail dust

[MikaTheLhasa]

Hi guys I had a someone detail my car last summer with clay bar, klasse AIO and black fire crystal seal. I admit I didn't do any maintenance to the sealant because i didnt know I had too.

I live in canada so the salty winter is playing a toll on my car. I just washed her last night and its covered in brake dust(white subaru). Would this escalate to something worse if left this untreated until this spring, where I can get another detail? Would it be a waste if I claybar'd her and apply the crystal seal in the winter?

 

[Desertnate]

What you're seeing now on the white paint probably isn't bake or rail dust. That's usually seen on a new car that was just unloaded from the truck/rail car at the dealership. Paint will pick up general crud over time; especially in the winter. I see it and I clay my cars twice a year.

At this point, unless you have a heated garage, I'd wait until the weather warms up and then just put yourself on a Spring/Fall maintenance schedule.

 

[MikaTheLhasa]

Thanks for the reply, the car is a 1998 so it's fairly old. I bought this 2nd hand last summer. My work does have a heated wash bay maybe I can ask if I can get the car in there for a few hours. I also bought 500ml of ironX just incase.

IF these brown specs are brake/rail dust, is there any serious consequence if it was left alone?

 

[LSNAutoDetailingLSNAutoDetailing is verified member.]

What you're seeing now on the white paint probably isn't bake or rail dust. That's usually seen on a new car that was just unloaded from the truck/rail car at the dealership. Paint will pick up general crud over time; especially in the winter. I see it and I clay my cars twice a year.

At this point, unless you have a heated garage, I'd wait until the weather warms up and then just put yourself on a Spring/Fall maintenance schedule.

True, rail dust will happen on new cars because the vehicle is transported via rail. However, rail dust and iron deposits do not just happen on new cars. Industrial fall out is in our environment (i.e. acid rain, etc...) It's more prevalent on white cars. While clay is ideal for removing contaminants bonded to the clear, it's also used to make the finish smooth to move forward with a "next step" application.

Using a product such as CarPro's IRON-X will "chemically decontaminate" the vehicle. On a white car, it will make it bleed like a stuck pig.

See Mike Phillips article The Aggressive Approach to Washing a Car

For my customers Iron-X and Clay are part of the detail event.

To some extent, probably once if not twice a year it should be part of the wash process if it's a daily driver.

"the car is a 1998 so it's fairly old. I bought this 2nd hand last summer. IF these brown specs are brake/rail dust, is there any serious consequence if it was left alone?"

Obviously if the car has survived this long without issue, odds are as long as you maintain it, it will be ok. Most cars from the mid-90's on have been galvanized, dipped in primer, coated and clear-coated and last much longer than any car from the 60's, 70's and 80's (for those that are old enough to recall the malaise era cars - 1973 to 1984.).

Read Mike's article, keep the dirt and grime off... Remember after you do your aggressive wash, you need not clay or Iron-x with every wash. An aggressive wash should be once or twice a year for a DD that is exposed to snow/salt/etc.. Laser touchless car washes are ok too for getting off the grime when the temps are too low outside.

 

[Kamakaz1961]

IMO using a product like CarPro Iron X or equivalent should take care of your situation. I would give that a try.

 

[MikaTheLhasa]

True, rail dust will happen on new cars because the vehicle is transported via rail. However, rail dust and iron deposits do not just happen on new cars. Industrial fall out is in our environment (i.e. acid rain, etc...) It's more prevalent on white cars. While clay is ideal for removing contaminants bonded to the clear, it's also used to make the finish smooth to move forward with a "next step" application.

Using a product such as CarPro's IRON-X will "chemically decontaminate" the vehicle. On a white car, it will make it bleed like a stuck pig.

See Mike Phillips article The Aggressive Approach to Washing a Car

For my customers Iron-X and Clay are part of the detail event.

To some extent, probably once if not twice a year it should be part of the wash process if it's a daily driver.

"the car is a 1998 so it's fairly old. I bought this 2nd hand last summer. IF these brown specs are brake/rail dust, is there any serious consequence if it was left alone?"

Obviously if the car has survived this long without issue, odds are as long as you maintain it, it will be ok. Most cars from the mid-90's on have been galvanized, dipped in primer, coated and clear-coated and last much longer than any car from the 60's, 70's and 80's (for those that are old enough to recall the malaise era cars - 1973 to 1984.).

Read Mike's article, keep the dirt and grime off... Remember after you do your aggressive wash, you need not clay or Iron-x with every wash. An aggressive wash should be once or twice a year for a DD that is exposed to snow/salt/etc.. Laser touchless car washes are ok too for getting off the grime when the temps are too low outside.

IMO using a product like CarPro Iron X or equivalent should take care of your situation. I would give that a try.

Thank you for the helpful link! I will have to look for a nanoskin towel to do an aggressive wash! I can't wait to see the ironX work on my car.

I can't stand looking at the brown spots. I may use IronX on one panel to see how it is on the weekend.

EDIT: is it better to wash/soap the car before IronX? or can I do rinse-> IronX then soap/wash/rinse?

 

[forrest@mothers]

in the winter time, snow plow blades on a road surface will throw off minute pieces of metal, in effect the same as rail dust.

On your white vehicle they'll be little orange dots.

 

[MikaTheLhasa]

in the winter time, snow plow blades on a road surface will throw off minute pieces of metal, in effect the same as rail dust.

On your white vehicle they'll be little orange dots.

Good to know thanks! I had to go outside to double check and you are right. They are orange in colour.