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303 aerospace Protectant for cladding and interior ASk HERE

I actually received a bottle of 303 last week. I'm hoping the weather is good this weekend so I can give it a try. I'll let you know how it works.
 
303 is a very good PDMS based protectant. I have used it on the cladding for UV protection and you will like it very much.

Now I use another similar product which I feel smells better.

here are some equals:

Vinylex
Zaino Tire Dressing
Black Magic Semi Gloss Dash protectant.
Eagle one concurs tire dressing ( replaced recently by something I do not know the name of)

Make sure you clean the cladding properly before applying. And use 303 on the interior components as well. Does great on tires giving them that satin sheen brand new look.
 
I use 303 and have been for the past 2 yrs

Places i use it

engine compartment on all plastic pieces
from bumper
rear bumper step
side molding
nerf bar step pads
tailgate protector
bedliner

Stuff is great a little pricey but worth it. Much better than armor all which leaves streaks when it rains :(
 
I don't like to talk bad about any product, but Armor All is nasty stuff. I'll confess to using it on occassion when I've needed something and it was all I could get (say at a high pressure you do it car wash). I know that if you use it constantly on your tires they'll start to turn brown and you have to increase the number of times you use it.

Armor All does make an All Purpose Cleaner though that I do like. It is great for taking stains out of carpet or cleaning floor mats (rubber, carpet, etc.). In tiny amounts it is safe to take that baked on crusty dead bug that won't come off any other way.
 
Use the Armor All inside the wheel wells on the plastic...Cover tire with towel first...This is a great detailing step makes it llok brand new and helps to keep dirt from sticking.

Other than that do not use it anywhere else as AA has the bad silicones in it that cause damage in the long run.
 
If you go to the "303" site in the above post,they will send a free sample.
Here is a really good buy on 303: www.campingworld.com has a special on the GALLON size.It is $43.97 and shipping is only $1.00.I was gonna try Zaino,buy for this price?Anyone used both that can compare them?
 
I just receive my gallon of 303 from CampingWorld today. Ordered it 2/12/02. Really fast service.
 
A gallon should last over a year or more...good find!
 
303 Products Now At Participating True Value Hardware Stores NATIONWIDE

303 Products, Inc. is proud to announce agreement to supply True Value Hardware stores though the Tru-Serve parts distribution system.

Tru-Serve Corporation supplies True Value Hardware Stores throughout the U.S. from its 17 regional warehouses. Regional warehouses provide participating True Value Hardware stores with these 303 products:

303 Aerospace Protectant
303 High Tech Fabric Guard
303 Convertible Top Kits - For Fabric Tops
303 Convertible Top Kits - For Vinyl Tops & Tonneau Covers
303 Wiper Treatment
Look for any of these quality 303 Products at your local True Value Hardware store. If they are out of stock or don't yet carry the 303 product you want, ask them to order it for you from their regional warehouse.

FYI

But then again, maybe everyone already knew this.
 
Just finished appling 303 Aerospace Protectant to my Avalanche. It took two hours. I put it on everywhere that there was plastic on the outside. I used about 10 ozs for the whole truck.

When some got on the paint, I used Zaino Z6 to remove it from the paint.

The skin on my hands now feel slick and water proof. :)

The cladding really looks nice now.
 
That seems like too much 303 for the exterior.

I hope you buffed off the excess other wise when it rains or morning dew drips you will get streaks on the paint.

With 303 apply it using a foam or terry cloth applicator. Apply it thinly letting it set up for a while then buff off any excess.

For satin tires apply one coat and let it sit for 10 mins then buff out excess. For shinier tires after the 10 mins apply another coat and let that sit for 10-15 mins then buff.

As with any car care product using less is better.
 
Applied 303 to my tires and some of the cladding.It seems to be really good stuff(I'll be interested to see how long it lasts).It adds a little gloss,but not like Armor All types (silicones).I much prefer it's satin sheen.
Since it is water-based,you can experiment with diluting the product.I wiped it on instead of spraying.It seemed to go on to the tires more easily if some water was added (up to 50/50).Definitely worth playing around with.
Can anyone compare 303 to Zaino tire protectant?
 
Frule they are very similar products the 303 and Z tire dressing. I feel the Z has more of the PDMS resins in it and has a better smell.

For more shine let the 303 or Z dry on the tire then wipe some more on and let this dry then buff with either a dry towel or the foam app you used to apply.

I do not reccommend spraying the stuff on anything as you will waste product. It is better to apply it to your applicator then apply to the cladding and tires. A Little will go a long way.

Diluting it will give less of a satin shine and many do this for their dashboards and interior. For the exterior I rec. full strength as it is exposed to the elements and rain.

Expect the stuff to last about 2-3 washings or heavy rain pours on the tires and amaube 3-4 for the cladding as it sees less grime then the tires do.
 
ygmn, you were right about the dew causing streaks on the paint. I just finished scrubing the excess 303 off the top and back cladding and then washed the whole truck again.

Next time I will apply from cloth only and use very little. Lesson learned. :(

 
Darkeye,

Let it sit on the cladding for a while then when it looks dry buff the remaining off. This will help prevent the drips and allows the resins to set.

A littl goes a long way. I bet I use no more than an ounce for all the cladding and bed covers. The gallon should last a long time.
 
We were in a discussion (sort of) on this stuff under the topic "Car Was 911 - ARGH!" but I thought it should come under a new heading related directly to 303 product.

Here is the scoop - I put the stuff on at Noon yesterday. Looked great! ;D Last night it rained and today the cladding is all streaked looking like some of the 303 has run-off. :mad:

Anybody got any ideas? Do I need to put another coat of this stuff on? I hope this stuff doesn't wash off that easy. Perhaps I put it on too thin. Any similar experiences or ideas? Thanks! :)
 
Here are some tips. Wash truck dry etc.

Then apply 303 to a foam or terry applicator and apply thinly to all the cladding. Let it sit for about 10-20 minutes. Then buff with clean towel to remove any excess.

For a shinier look apply another coat after the 10-20 minutes but let this coat sit for about 20-30 minutes. Then buff with dry towel.

You can use a towel slightly misted with 303 to buff but I find this leaves a little too much the streaking continues.

303 is a water based product. The water carries the resins (PDMS) and these resins have to be set by the buffing action. The buffing also removes any excess that may drip from the when it gets wet again. If applied to thick the resins take a while to set and any water that gets on it will start to dissolve it and make it drip.

Remember a little goes a long way. So experiment on how much and when to buff.

HTH
 
ygmn - You gotta be kidding! I followed all of the steps you outlined except buffing this stuff out. I put it on so thin that I thought it was not even covering the cladding. I was trying to avoid having to go back and buff it out. It took an hour and a half just to get in on all the cladding and plastic stuff without buffing. Now - on top of all that you have to go back after waiting 15 minutes and buff the whole thing out again? Sheesh - I need an army of young arms and backs to put this stuff on my Av. Too much work! I got other stuff to do with my time besides spending hours on plastic cladding. And then it only lasts for 4 to 5 washings? Give me and my back a break! What else can be used that doesn't require so much buffing? :mad:
 
hmmmmmmmmm.

Let me think. The problem is the plastic is not porous and has all those bumpies otherwise I would say use a sealant. Other choices would be to go back to the Armor all type products that have Dimethyl Silicones but those are not good in the long run and will attract dust like crazy.

Hmmmmm.

Let me do some searching but I am not sure there are many other products out there that have Uv protection which is what the 303 mainly gives you.

You could try to apply some Z in a hidden spot to see if you can buff it out of the cracks but I dunno I tried and it was a PIA. I will check into it for ya.


BTW
When I say buff I mean just dry off the excess with a towel. I can do all my cladding applying waiting and buffing in about 30-40 mins.
 
I spent an hour and a half on mine due to the fact that I did the top of the bed covers and then I removed them and did all the rubber weatherstripping underneath and around the drainage channels and the back window. I also did a lot of the weatherstripping around the doors and windows - which took some additional time. If I was just doing the exterior cladding - and none of the bed covers or weatherstripping - then perhaps 45 minutes would be about right. If all I have to do is lightly rub a dry towel over the stuff to buff it then perhaps I can tolerate that. I'll do another light coat when the weather gets nice again and "buff" it out this time. Thanks :)
 
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