Clay bar fail?

[SteveB]

So today I finally had a nice overcast day to where I could start working on my car. I had a Meguiar's Clay Bar kit that I had purchased before I learned of Adams. I washed the car as usual with foam gun and Adam's Car Shampoo and did the baggie test and could feel a little grit so I decided to give the clay a try. The kit came with Meguiar's Quick Detailer spray so I thought I would just use it up.

Anyway, it seemed to take a lot of the spray to keep the clay from dragging on the paint. I did get residue on the clay so I know it was doing it's job but when I finished I did the baggie test again and I could still feel about the same amount of roughness as I did before the clay. If it matters the clay was white.

Did I do something wrong? I felt that while I was doing it if I applied any more pressure the clay would just drag, or leave clay, on the paint. I've watched the videos and my process looked the same as the Junkmans or Adams. Should the paint be perfectly smooth after claying? Am I just expecting too much?

I hope the weather holds for me tomorrow because I plan on waxing with FMP and if time allows a coat of Americana.

[Junkman2008]

ok, so we have to think all clay is the same. Let's go back to my original post. Did I just not put enough pressure on the clay? I had to have used enough spray as I used over half the bottle. Is possible that the surface of my paint just isn't that smonth?

 

Here's a better idea that should drift through your head. You didn't use both clays at the same time, but at different times. Thus, different variables could have come into play. That could be affecting your judgment. Also as someone else pointed out, AGE can be a major factor. With the amount of clay that Meguiar's as a company buys, there's no telling how long they had the clay you bought.

[don0fthedead]

Perhaps the age of the clay or the environment it was stored in had an adverse affect on it?

[Z71_Denali]

i had the same experience as the OP with the meguiar's clay bar.

 

ordered the real stuff from Adam's yesterday and can't wait to try it out next weekend!

 

and eventhough you say all clay bar is the same, they are still packed and delivered from different brands... once they get there hands on it, no telling what happens after that!

[Doug123]

Only ever used Adams clay bar, always worked great, never fell apart. Also only ever used Detail Spray as the claybar lubricant. (get lots of DS, you will go through it when claying). I clay a spot and then test. The Baggie test tells me how well I am doing getting the impurities off the finish. Sometimes some areas may require several tries with the claybar to get them like glass. But getting it smooth as glass is worth the effort - gives you a smooth surface for more shine, and an amazing feel after the wax is on.

[Dwaino]

I discovered the benefits of clay bar cleaning just a couple of years ago, using someone elses bar. While the results did give me a cleaner vehicle to polish, I didn't really see a benefit in using it again.

 

Shortly after, I made my first Adams kit purchase. Started with the hand polish kit, then made the plunge and bought the polisher and machine products. Deciding to run with the full meal deal (complete cleaning/polishing method), it didn't take long to realize the clay bar Adams sells removes more contaminates than the previous bar I used, and a whole lot easier.

 

If everyone sells the exact same stuff, I would be surprised. I can tell you that I won't replace my clay bars with anything but Adams. I am amazed how it takes off pitch and tar, even overspray from the painted surfaces. And I agree, can't use too much detail spray with the clay bar.

[NightMare Silverado]

quoted from junkman of another forum since no1 wants to believe me( its ok lol)

 

Meguiar's and Adam's attend a lot of the same events and when we have sold out of clay, I have went over to the Meguiar's semi and gotten some clay from them. Their clay performed exactly as ours did. I still have some right now and the consistency and cut are no different.

 

 

I will still buy from adams because 1 you get more clay and 2 I prefer to buy from a company that cares about its customers.

[Junkman2008]

To add to what I said, the Meguiar's clay came in 4-5 flat slabs. I couldn't do anything with one of those little flat slabs so I combined the entire soap box of clay that they sold me. It worked a lot better for me once I did that. I need a big chunk of clay to get the results I want. Adam's sells twice the size of clay when compared to the competition.

[SteveB]

ok, so we have to think all clay is the same. Let's go back to my original post. Did I just not put enough pressure on the clay? I had to have used enough spray as I used over half the bottle. Is possible that the surface of my paint just isn't that smonth?

[duramaxsky]

It was not even close to the same. It was too soft and fell apart. It did not work as well. It comes in a nicer container though.

[Chewy]

Yeah, while I know all clay in the US comes from one company, they are NOT all created equal. Griots clay is NOT the same as Adams. Adams Blue is NOT the same as adams gray. Well not the gray I have anyway... The Griots was yellow and got SUPER soft in my hands and melted all over the place. I have a brand new bar in my basement that I won't use because it's so different.

 

These are the only observations I have as they're the only ones I've used in the past.

[Z71_Denali]

all i can say is i hope Adam's has been R&D their own bar for awhile and once that patent expires we will all be amazed at how well it performas compared to old!

[SteveB]

Junkman,

I only used the Meg's clay bar. I haven't used the Adam's yet. I'm waiting for the heat to give me a break so I can get back to the car again. I think I'll just go over it with the Adam's to see what results I get.

[Nordgrey]

Could the Adam's DS vice other company's lubricating liquids be a factor in the performance of the clay?

[Chris@Adams]

Could the Adam's DS vice other company's lubricating liquids be a factor in the performance of the clay?

Sure, you need just enough lube to keep the clay from sticking, too slick the clay can't do its job!

[Junkman2008]

I don't know if there is such a thing as "too slick" because I use a lot of detail spray when I clay. I also apply heavy pressure too, which is why I use so much. I think the consistancy of the detail spray can make the claying experience very difficult or very easy. So yes, different detail sprays may affect how easy or hard the clay job may be but the clay will do what it does regardless.

[duramaxsky]

Yeah, while I know all clay in the US comes from one company, they are NOT all created equal. Griots clay is NOT the same as Adams. Adams Blue is NOT the same as adams gray. Well not the gray I have anyway... The Griots was yellow and got SUPER soft in my hands and melted all over the place. I have a brand new bar in my basement that I won't use because it's so different.

 

These are the only observations I have as they're the only ones I've used in the past.

 

:iagree:That is what I was trying to say. I threw mine away. The yellow stuff is junk.

[NightMare Silverado]

All clay is not the same. I dropped my Adams bar so I needed more that day to finish the job. I live near the guy who claims to have a garage in Tacoma. I went there and got some. It was garbage. I only had a little left to do and using Adams spray with it I had to do it 3 times to get the results I wanted. When I wad finished I tossed it and will add Adams clay to my next order.

 

In the US all consumer clay is the exact same. body shops can buy a heaver grit clay to speed up the process but every piece you buy at autozone is the same. you can thank claymagic for that.

[SteveB]

Ryan,

You're right. Too many acronyms for me. I meant MSW followed by Americana.

Moot point since it rained off and on all day so I got to do nothing at all.

[duramaxsky]

All clay is not the same. I dropped my Adams bar so I needed more that day to finish the job. I live near the guy who claims to have a garage in Tacoma. I went there and got some. It was garbage. I only had a little left to do and using Adams spray with it I had to do it 3 times to get the results I wanted. When I wad finished I tossed it and will add Adams clay to my next order.

[The Ryan]

I hope the weather holds for me tomorrow because I plan on waxing with FMP and if time allows a coat of Americana.

 

FMP is not a wax at all. Its purely a polish used to remove fine imperfections (swirls) in the paint, it has no protective properties at all. If you polish your car with FMP you have to follow up with Americana or Buttery to get some protection on that paint!

 

Same goes for claying the car, you must follow up with a coat of wax after claying the car as clay removes all the wax.

[NightMare Silverado]

Don't look at it as wasting money, you will be getting a quality product that will do its intended job and you won't be wasting your time using the other clay.IMHO! Happy Detailing!

 

The clay is the same either way, you just get a bigger bar with adams.

[GXPaycheck]

Remember that you should a TON of lubricant (Detail spray) while you clay. can't use too much, IMHO.

[GTAHVIT]

Something I found that is relevant I hope.

 

absolutely. clay is clay, we make no illusions that ours is different than anyone elses as all clay currently sold in the US (legally) is made by AutoMagic (they hold a patent that expires in 2011) We give you a large bar and an air tight storage jar, but outside of that ours is comparable to any other bar you can get.

 

I found this while I was searching for an answer on, "can you clay your car too much?"

 

Hmm, I woudn't completely agree with that statement. "Wearing" the paint happens no matter what, washing drying, polishing, waxing, etc.

 

Still, pulling contaminants off of a finish with a light to moderate effort would require some serious effort to 'wear' the paint down.

 

If you clay your car, and follow with the polish, then wax, I wouldn't say that you are wearing your paint, as much as you are removing contaminants, correcting the finish, and applying protection.

 

Using a rotary buffer on a regular basis will 'wear' the paint, absolutely. Clay, not so much.

 

My $0.02:)

 

[SteveB]

Well, it's been raining off and on all morning so I haven't been able to do anything. That detail spray does a good job of beading up the water.

[Chris@Adams]

Should I do the clay again before I wax? I do have the Adam's clay, I just wanted to use the Meguiar's rather than waste the money. It's looking like rain do I may not get to do anything today.

Don't look at it as wasting money, you will be getting a quality product that will do its intended job and you won't be wasting your time using the other clay.IMHO! Happy Detailing!