How to Clay Bar

[Pireboi251]

Difficulty- 1 out of 5

Time- Depends how long you take

Tools needed-
clay bar
detailer spray or water
A clean car ( dry or wet)
(optional) Hose & Bucket for washing your car
(optional) wax or polish to finish the job

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/Kasai-kun/paint009.jpg

What is a Clay bar?
Literaly a bar of clay :hammerh:

What does it do?

It removes containmatants and debris waxing and washing cant :tup2:


do not do this in direct sunlight

Bar-ing Process on a dry car

Step 1- Feel the surface, it should feel rough and dry

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/Kasai-kun/paint010.jpg

Step 2- Spray some detailer, just enough to make the bar slide smoothly

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/Kasai-kun/paint011.jpg

Step 3- Slide the bar along the surface, if the bar starts to stick spray some more detailer.

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/Kasai-kun/paint012.jpg

Step 4- buff dry...and contuine with the rest of the car,

Step 5- BE SURE TO RE-SHAPE THE BAR ON EACH SECTION.

This is because the bar picks up alot of things as you will see, so it is important you re shape it to make sure a clean surface mkes contact with your paint.

when re-shaping, turn bar into a ball and shape in your hand and flatten untill you get a generally clean surface.

Process with wet Car

NEVER use dish saop to wash you car

Step 1-After soaping the car, perform the above steps, but with just the bar on the soap water. You could do it with just water but it might leave marks when drying so best if you use dulited car soap.

Step 2- Rinse and dry.

Once finished with the entire car using ethier process, you can ethier leave it as is, or apply some wax / polish to finish the job.

If done correctly not only will the paint last longer and have more sheen:headbang:

This will happen alot....

ePNMPAwc8AA

:five:Thats right, things will slide off really easily:five:

Hope this helps

[Neccros]

You can also use diluted car wash soap in water to slide the clay over.... DO NOT use dish soap!! it WILL break down the clay!!!

[Pireboi251]

Fixed...

[BLACK 1.8T]

You can also use diluted car wash soap in water to slide the clay over.... DO NOT use dish soap!! it WILL break down the clay!!!

Yepp. To save time when I detail a car, I clay it right after I soap up the car so the soap acts as a lubricant. I just now need to find claybar by itself and at a reasonable price. I've got like 8 unused bottles of Mother's Detailer and about 6 of the Carnauba Cleaner Wax too. HAHA.

[Pireboi251]

oh yea i should mention to...

PLay-doh is not the same thing..... ive tried it to doesnt wrok as well >_<

[Neccros]

I would use the diluted soap method because if it was remotely warm, the soap on the car starts to dry, so I would just spray the area I was claying and keep it wet...

[FunkTron]

lmfao!!! playdoh.........

but yeah...i use the "slide shit off of it" technique to see how i did.

HAH!!!

[aquabat911sc]

I don't want to be an a--hole or anything, but just a few things.

Clay removes wax, so always wax the area you just clay barred.

Polish and wax are two different things, so if you polish your car after clay barring it, then you still need to wax it.

Instant detailers have lubricants in them that car wash soap doesn't so you are still better off using it.

I am not trying to be a smart ass, but I just spent a day at Meguiare's headquarters learning all about detailing methods.

[Neccros]

I don't want to be an a--hole or anything, but just a few things.

Clay removes wax, so always wax the area you just clay barred.

Polish and wax are two different things, so if you polish your car after clay barring it, then you still need to wax it.

Instant detailers have lubricants in them that car wash soap doesn't so you are still better off using it.

I am not trying to be a smart ass, but I just spent a day at Meguiare's headquarters learning all about detailing methods.

I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!!! hehe Well I just used the soap method because I didnt have anymore of their "solution" and t worked wonders...

Yes the method I use to clay a car is:

Wash really good, rinse, dry, clay, rinse or wash again, rinse, then dry, wax really good...

[TOYr32]

I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!!! hehe Well I just used the soap method because I didnt have anymore of their "solution" and t worked wonders...

Yes the method I use to clay a car is:

Wash really good, rinse, dry, clay, rinse or wash again, rinse, then dry, wax really good...

I just have the mobiel detailer come and do it for me . . . not worth my time . . . then I can walk out, get my keys and admire . . . plus, since I have it done at work, I feel like I'm saving money . . . better to earn and spend at the same time, than spend and wait.:D

[stereooptions]

I just have the mobiel detailer come and do it for me . . . not worth my time . . . then I can walk out, get my keys and admire . . . plus, since I have it done at work, I feel like I'm saving money . . . better to earn and spend at the same time, than spend and wait.:D

Wow someone understands that time is money :)

[Southpaw]

i just did this too my car...

soo sick..thanks for the write up man!

[Kelly Girl]

I've used this place.. http://www.showcardetailing.com/eshop/shopdisplaycategories.asp


His ClayBar system is awesome!!

and he offers detailing clinics

[MrFast4Ward]

I would add that you should clay in straight lines, not circles. and I would always do a "Dawn" (Dawn dish soap) wash before and a nice coat of wax and Zaino sealer after.

[Kelly Girl]

* cough *

2 coats of wax

*cough*

[carcrazy699]

i usually wash it with car wash soap and then dry really good clay bar entires car polish it then 2-3 coats of wax. it usually takes me most of the day because i do the interior and engine bay also but depends on how anal i am that day lol

[bugzy]

i emailed my friend at Mothers

Very cool. Thanks for passing this on to us. 8)

BTW, I wouldn’t suggest using water or soapy water to lubricate the surface you are using the Clay Bar on....ALWAYS use the Showtime Instant Detailer. Also, aquabat911sc is correct with his statements...and people may want to listen. ;)


Sincerely,

Shane

[FaLLeNAn9eL]

I read that it's better to rip small, dime sized, pieces off the clay bar and it until it gets dirty and throwing it away. It may seem wasteful but it's better than using the entire piece and then trying to clean it.

Also read that drying after you wash is not necessary if you're going to clay.

[Rento_VW]

Doing more than 1 coat of wax is overkill and very wasteful... downright wasteful.

Also, a coat of wax needs atleast 24 hours if not longer to fully set, putting another coat of wax before that time period is like using a ton of wax at one time... very wasteful...

All you gotta do is wax the car... wipe it down with rubbing alcohol (IPA wipedown) this will take out all oils and previous waxes off all the way down to the clear. Claybar could be another way to take it off, or you can clay bar after an IPA...

But when you wax, if you wax it with some good stuff like Klasse AIO and than finish it off with a layer of P21S Carnauba, you should be the shiniest vehicle on the road... Hands down. All you need is like a nickel sized drop of Klasse to do almost a whole car...

I read that it's better to rip small, dime sized, pieces off the clay bar and it until it gets dirty and throwing it away. It may seem wasteful but it's better than using the entire piece and then trying to clean it.

Also read that drying after you wash is not necessary if you're going to clay.

As long as you knead the clay bar good, you shouldn't have to do that... It'll just make the process take a lot longer than it should for the same amount of time. Regardless you'll have to re-knead the bar every panel you do. If it starts getting dirty, buy another bar... *shrug*