Disadvantages to claying a car\truck?

Mitch7c

Mitch7c

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Are there any bad things about claying a car? All in all using the proper technique and enough lube? Can you Clay to much with a medium grade and damage paint or clear coat? I only usually use medium and light on my truck.

Thanks in advance
 
Chemical guys or a local detailers brand.
 
The one disadvantage if you will is that you do not want to clay unless you intend to polish as the next step. If you're not planning on getting out the polisher, forget claying.
 
I always Clay before I wax. That a bad thing?
 
Mitch7c said:
I always Clay before I wax. That a bad thing?
Click to expand...

You should change it to claying only if your paint fails the baggie test. Otherwise, there's nothing to gain by claying an already smooth surface.
 
Mitch7c said:
I always Clay before I wax.
That a bad thing?
Click to expand...
Relatively speaking:
Clay is an abrasive product/tool.

As such:
Is it then "bad" to be rubbing any
abrasives across vehicles' surfaces,
prior to each and every Waxing event?

Just to note...
When I clay; I polish.


Out of curiosity:
Do you also perform "The Baggie Test"
prior to each and every claying session?


Bob
 
I've never heard of the baggie test until a couple days ago and haven't tried it
 
That may be your key, Mitch. I always do the baggie test before i then clay, or not. I do mine about twice a year and probably could do it more but avoid the abrasion effort if its a minimal gain. As Bob mentioned, claying is an abrasive effort and you want the benefit to outweigh any schedule of performance. Basically what i do is simply wait for the eventual accumulation of stuck surface debris to clay. I also agree with the practice of machining the paint after i clay.

I won't say you don't need to clay before every wax re application...i don't know your paints condition or your vehicle's operating environment but just remember that it is an abrasive function. However, i would be machining with at least a pre wax cleaner after i clayed and before applying a fresh layer of wax.
 
@puckman thank you for clearing that up. But what about applying wax and having particles come off into the pad when waxing?
 
Actually, I try to clay before every polish if I can. I'm also not sure the Baggie test works to pick up all the debris, and I'm not conducting the Baggie test on every nook and cranny either. If I'm going to spot polish, I might skip the claying step, but that's hard to do when you're doing the whole vehicle. I always wash or use Iron X prior, clay and then polish.

Usually I find myself grabbing the clay before wax, when I want to remove a few tar speckles or spots on a relatively clean vehicle or use Tarx of some sort. If I'm doing a vehicle of the "unknown" without clay, a glaze of some sort might be in order before a wax. However, with the time spent I might as well use a good AIO such as HD Speed.
 
MikeC78 said:
Actually, I try to clay before every polish if I can. I'm also not sure the Baggie test works to pick up all the debris, and I'm not conducting the Baggie test on every nook and cranny either. If I'm going to spot polish, I might skip the claying step, but that's hard to do when you're doing the whole vehicle. I always wash or use Iron X prior, clay and then polish.

Usually I find myself grabbing the clay before wax, when I want to remove a few tar speckles or spots on a relatively clean vehicle or use Tarx of some sort. If I'm doing a vehicle of the "unknown" without clay, a glaze of some sort might be in order before a wax. However, with the time spent I might as well use a good AIO such as HD Speed.
Click to expand...

Wait.... uh... now I'm confused. "I'm also not sure the Baggie test works to pick up all the debris" :dunno:

AFAIK, the "Baggie Test" isn't used to pick up ANY debris.

It *is* used to determine if there *is* debris. (And to what extent it rears it's head whilst doing said "baggie test".)

I'd say that claying will lead to polishing more often than not. To clay, and NOT NEED TO polish may be more rare than you think, easily perhaps being 8 out of 10 that'd end up with marring, needing anywhere from light to medium polishing to correct . (Providing you're not always doing the *same* vehicle of course, that is intimately known *not* to mar when claying.) ;)

So getting back to "disadvantages"....

Surely #1 on that list would be the induced marring that most often occurs when claying.

Advantages.... (providing there is a paint that can be attacked, with a product such as clay or pad/mitt type clay alternative that can be used without marring) would be excelled slickness prior to application of, and increased gloss after applying ones favorite LSP:)
 
Sorry. I meant, that the Baggie test is spot limited to testing the paint if you need to clay or not. I honestly don't believe in this test and feel it's best to clay no matter what. No all clear/paint will mar with clay, and I usually don't have many issues even on black paint.

I guess the better question is, do you Baggie test the whole vehicle or just a spot on the hood and say, ohh your paint is good enough not to clay?
 
IMO claying your ride is a GOOD thing. But you do not need to clay you ride all the time. A good way to check is to do the "Baggie Test". If it is rough then clay away. As for marring; if you have plenty of lube that should not be an issue at least that is what I have experienced. No need for clay every time you wax.
 
Just my thoughts. I don't believe the spot bag test really gives a clear idea on how the whole vehicle is. Especially, when a majority of the of the above surface contaminants can be around the wheel wells, lower body panels, etc. I'd rather clay, then wonder what if? Always safer, IMO.
 
MikeC78 said:
I guess the better question is, do you Baggie test the whole vehicle or just a spot on the hood and say, ohh your paint is good enough not to clay?
Click to expand...

You do a little area on the hood, roof, trunklid, fenders, and on a small piece of the door. Takes about a minute total. Usually if the door is smooth the whole sides of the car are fine.. If the hood is rough, odds are the roof and trunk are too. If you've done a great job and applied/maintained the proper protection [wax, sealant, coating] all surfaces will stay smooth and you won't need to clay.

There's no faking the baggie test.. It's like if you were to debate on wearing a shirt more than once, it's either clean, or it smells. Lol.
 
Let's see...So far we have:

1. You doing something detailing related
2. You asking for people to comment
3. You ignoring their comments... unless
they validate what you already did

Yes: it seems you have "the advice technique"
nailed! :props:



Bob
 
I understand. I just feel like that alone isn't good enough for me. Too generic, I guess. :)

Case in point, you could do that test on my truck and you'd think everything is great! Upon further inspection, you'll find miniscule amounts of tar in certain areas. I have to usually go around with a fine tooth and comb, to remove such with either clay or Tarx.
 
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