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Polishing The Avalanche

In regards to remiviing the Zaino polish off the caldding, here was theire response.

If you get Zaino on rubber or trim or any porous, textured surface...... it is
no problem just try you
remove it before it completely dries....

To remove any residue on plastic parts. Use some
lighter fluid or isopropyl alcohol on a soft rag or with a tooth brush. Rub
lightly on the spot to be cleaned. Repeat if neccessary. Then rinse the area
with water. The lighter fluid will not hurt the plastic. Do not use gasoline.
It will soften and
damage the plastic. It must be lighter fluid or you can try isopropyl
alcohol.... Also, believe it or not Peanut Butter also works great.... No
kidding it really does work....

And the easiest Zaino product to use to remove the residue, is Z-16 Perfect
Tire Gloss....

Hope this helps.....
 
Hi everyone, I`m a new owner of a 2003 Avalanche and a new supporting member of this club. Here`s my first question, I have seen the shine that Zaino makes on dark colors but how is it for the color white. If anyone has pictures I would like to see. Thanks
 
I've been reading this thread and it seems like everyone likes Zaino. I have never used the product myself and I was very unsatisfied with Meguiar's Gold Class. That turned out to be a waste of money. I never thought my Green Ave had that deep shine that I see a lot of Ave's with. I have since moved over to Zymol. I'll tell you this stuff works incredibly. It leaves your dark colored paint swirl free. With Meguiar's Gold Class the swirls were still present. Zymol puts like a clear coat on top of your paint. It's very deep looking and is not that expensive. I need to clay bar the truck. I have also wanted to try other paint treatments that have been tossed around.
 
Something for all to rmemeber....there is no shine like freshly cured paint........it does not get better.....

Zymoml is good stuff but very expensive and there are other products out there for less money to do the same....

Powersurge have you tried a glaze then a carnuba....the glaze will hide the swirls you have....

Or have you tried a swirl remover and some elbow grease to remove them swirls......

PAINT prep is the key to an awesome looking truck
 
I've tried so many things over the coarse of the years that I can't recall if i have ever used a Carnuba or not. In terms of what I have used on the Avalanche I've mostly stuck with mothers and McGuires products. My buddy who's a vette enthusiest was using Zymol when I stopped by one day and he told me to try it out on my Ave. I was sold when I compared my freshly waxed truck with MCGuires against one quarter panel of Zymol. I get Zymol for 14.99 at my local Auto Zone. If that's what i ahve to pay I'm fine with it. DOn't get me wrong if you say there are as good products out there for less I'm all ears.

I bought this swirl remover by 3M. It's a Polishing compound. The darn thing requires that you have a buffing wheel and that I do not have. Guess I got to get one. Clay bar is another must. I guess I can't really complain. It's not like I have exhausted all options and am still unsatisfied with the end result. With all the products out there I'm sure I'll be happy sooner or later, It's just a matter of using them. I guess if it stopped raining that wouls also help.
 
THe zymol you are buying is a cleaner wax......it has mild abrasives and chemicals to clean the paint.....this is not something you use all the time....

Try this.....

Buy meguiars #9 swirl remover.....and follow directions....if you have use a random orbital....or buy a cheapo...and remove them swirlssssssssss......

then apply some Meguiars #7 or 3M Imperial hand glaze.................follow directions....rub on buff offf....

then top with Meguiars or Mother Carnuaba....

All this will remove some swirls and hide the rest and shine......on a cheap budget..........

IF ya want expensive then we attack the swirls more and then cover with synthetic for protection and thentop with some better carnuaba waxes.........

ORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRr

Keep doing what ya doing ;D
As long as ya a happy av driver
 
ok... on the zaino web site they say that when using the clay bar do it in a cool area......

I live in the desert... does this mean I can only zaino my truck in the winter?
 
Grey_Av said:
ok... on the zaino web site they say that when using the clay bar do it in a cool area......

I live in the desert... does this mean I can only zaino my truck in the winter?

it means do not apply in direct sunlight. if you have a garage that would be perfect. if not, tree shade from the sun would work as well.
 
i use Super Glaze polish. it dries clear. this prevents it from showing on the cladding, cracks, and crevices of the truck. and it has a nice shine. nicer than Zaino... i am not saying that. it is a nice shine with the work put into it.
i have used one of those California drier things to shield the cladding from the area that needs to be waxed before. just take the drier and place it in the groove between the cladding and sheetmetal. if you go a little wide with the applicator all you will do is hit the drier. this may be a good idea for all you die hard Zaino guys. or any other wax users for that matter. just thought it may make it a little easier for you. it worked for me when i used Meguiar's. good luck and happy Zaino-ing. ;D
 
Grey_Av said:
ok... on the zaino web site they say that when using the clay bar do it in a cool area......

I live in the desert... does this mean I can only zaino my truck in the winter?

ZAINO sealants can be applied in direct sunlight and it will dry quicker,,,,,....

When claying do it in the shade,,,because you do not want the lubricant to dry up then the clay will streak.......HTH
 
ygmn said:
leather chamois may scratch due to the leather being old and cracked which will hide dirt ... synthetics are pretty good and do not scratch if used properly.

It will be the dirt you drag across the paint that will scratch the paint. I suggest blotting with a synthetic.

Or do as I do bust out the leaf blower and have fun blow drying your AVY. Then I follow up with my micro fiber towels. but you could then use a synthetic like the absorber etc.

After drying I use a quick detailer to bring out the shine and ensure I pick up any grime or water spots that may be left.

The avy is large and takes about 3 hours to properly wash the exterior including the tires, wheels, wheel wells, and bed.

Take the sprayer off the end of your hose. By just using normal water pressure to rinse the AV you allow the water to sheet off. You'll be amazed at how little water there is left on your AV. ;D
 
ygmn said:
Grey_Av said:
ok... on the zaino web site they say that when using the clay bar do it in a cool area......

I live in the desert... does this mean I can only zaino my truck in the winter?

ZAINO sealants can be applied in direct sunlight and it will dry quicker,,,,,....

When claying do it in the shade,,,because you do not want the lubricant to dry up then the clay will streak.......HTH

Grey,

like YGMM said before, you will want to clay the AV in the shade.
The nice thing about claying is, if you perform the "Dawn" wash just before, you don't even have to worry about really doing a good job wiping off the water after washing. After you clay, you will remove all of the impurities in the paint, as well as any left over water spots.
After claying you wash it again, with the Zaino wash, then start of the Z1/Z2 loc/polish combo.
In Phoenix it is a waste of money to get the ZFX, as you don't need it. The humidity here is normally next to nothing, so the stuff dries very quickly.
You can start Z2 on any part of the AV, and within a few minutes, that area is dry enough to wipe off. When we put another coat of Z2 on the AV, we do the entire AV, than come back to the start and wipe it all off. We can usually put on a coat over the whole Av in about 15 minutes.
PM if you need any other info, as I am just up the road from you.

Malcolm
 
the_wifes_av said:
I would guess he is talking about the California Water Blade.

Our local Costco usually has a few boxes full of them for around 12 bucks.
them water blades really will only work on our hoods....as the rest is not really large enough to benefit from them...plus it scares me if a piece of dirt is left behind that it will scratch the paint.....

I will stick to leaf blower with follow up from MF towel
 
Argggggggggg...I was outside polishing the avy with S100 paint cleansing lotion using my Porter cable buffer when I get to the last part my hood......and awhen about to remove the stuff it starts to rain..........arggggggggggg

Man the truck was filthy.......After this when the rain stops I am gonna put on some carnuaba wax for a bit....to break up the monotony of ZAINO......some S100 carnuaba I bought from local HArley Davidson store......NOw when will it stop raining
 
Big_Don said:
Visit http://www.meguiars.com/. They have a great deal of information on cleaning, polishing, and waxing. There is even a video demonstrating the proper methods. Great site.


i have to agree. this site is great. they have many products to care for almost anything you can think of. products for inside the the AV as well as out.
i researched their 1-2-3 step paint cleaning, waxing, and polishing products. i tried it on my wifes dark green colored truck. it suffers from swirl marks, light oxidation, and stains in the paint. i used it today. it got dark on me while i was using it. i did notice that the fender was noticeably cleaner/ more shiny than the door. when i did half the hood i noticed that one side was very different compared to the other. all this after only doing step 1. i figure i will do step 1 again during the day so i can see what i am doing. then i will follow it up with steps 2 and 3. i am sure the results will be satisfactory.
once the test vehilce is done i will put it on the AV. from what i am seeng so far the AV will look real nice. maybe i will attend the Savannah GTG with a nicely polished AV to show off.
 
Just brought home a new baby! An 04 Z71 in black.

How soon can I Zaino the thing?? Id love to get a couple coats on this weekend but I remember hearing something about factory paint needing to cure for a while before you can polish....any ideas??
 
rgramjet said:
Just brought home a new baby! An 04 Z71 in black.

How soon can I Zaino the thing?? Id love to get a couple coats on this weekend but I remember hearing something about factory paint needing to cure for a while before you can polish....any ideas??

Zaino whenever you want...just follow their instructions...and make sure you use body clay too....

hth
 
My head hurts... I've read so many differing opinions on how to clean, clay, polish & wax a black truck that im getting completely lost..

This is my first black vehicle, ive only had it a couple of weeks, ( 07 Avalanche ) and the paint finish is absolutely horrible close up ( from 5 feet it looks pretty good though so at least its still shiney :) ),
close up however, scratches swirls, chips rough surfaces you name it its bad....

All my previous vehicles have been beaters and I never really cared how they looked only that they ran well and were legal... time to change..

I know everyone has their own opinions as to the best products but the following is what I have in my garage ( mostly gifts ) so this is my plan..

1/Wash using 2 bucket method using unsented DAWN dishwasher detergent ( well diluted ) to remove the worst of the nasty stuff ( new sponge )
2/Rinse off entire vehicle "sheeting" method
3/Wash again using car shampoo ( generic brand ) using microfibre cloth
4/Rinse again
5/Leaf blower to dry the trims and water gaps to try and avoid the worst of the water marks
6/Use meguires clay kit plent of lube & gentle side to side sweeping of well kneeded clay bar as per instructions on "clay kit"
7/Wash again with shampoo with microfibre cloth ( new clean one ! )
8/Polish using Turtle Wax Color magic and small hand buffer ( Harbour freight $16 ) using the smooth pad that came with it
9/Once white & hazy change to wooly buffing mop and remove extra polish ( these last 2 stages a panel at a time )
10/Wax with spray liquid Turtle Wax ( not sure exaclty which one think it is 1-Step ? ) its the type that doesnt need "buffing"
11/Allow to dry for an hour ( drink some beer.... talk to girlfriend so she doesnt disown me.. )
12/Wax again with Turtle wax "Super hard shell paste" with hand palm buffer smooth pad
13/Buff up wax with wooly pad ( again 1 panel at a time )

Its a hell of a list and sounds like its gonna take me forever on such a big vehicle.. can I drop any of these steps or is this the best way to go ?

I know someone is gonna tell me not to use turtle wax products cause they suck, but I have them and they were gifts so the least I can do is try them out......

I'd really appreciate your opinions..

Thanks

SS
 
speedysteveabz said:
My head hurts... I've read so many differing opinions on how to clean, clay, polish & wax a black truck that im getting completely lost..

This is my first black vehicle, ive only had it a couple of weeks, ( 07 Avalanche ) and the paint finish is absolutely horrible close up ( from 5 feet it looks pretty good though so at least its still shiney :) ),
close up however, scratches swirls, chips rough surfaces you name it its bad....

All my previous vehicles have been beaters and I never really cared how they looked only that they ran well and were legal... time to change..

I know everyone has their own opinions as to the best products but the following is what I have in my garage ( mostly gifts ) so this is my plan..

1/Wash using 2 bucket method using unsented DAWN dishwasher detergent ( well diluted ) to remove the worst of the nasty stuff ( new sponge )
2/Rinse off entire vehicle "sheeting" method
3/Wash again using car shampoo ( generic brand ) using microfibre cloth
4/Rinse again
5/Leaf blower to dry the trims and water gaps to try and avoid the worst of the water marks
6/Use meguires clay kit plent of lube & gentle side to side sweeping of well kneeded clay bar as per instructions on "clay kit"
7/Wash again with shampoo with microfibre cloth ( new clean one ! )
8/Polish using Turtle Wax Color magic and small hand buffer ( Harbour freight $16 ) using the smooth pad that came with it
9/Once white & hazy change to wooly buffing mop and remove extra polish ( these last 2 stages a panel at a time )
10/Wax with spray liquid Turtle Wax ( not sure exaclty which one think it is 1-Step ? ) its the type that doesnt need "buffing"
11/Allow to dry for an hour ( drink some beer.... talk to girlfriend so she doesnt disown me.. )
12/Wax again with Turtle wax "Super hard shell paste" with hand palm buffer smooth pad
13/Buff up wax with wooly pad ( again 1 panel at a time )

Its a hell of a list and sounds like its gonna take me forever on such a big vehicle.. can I drop any of these steps or is this the best way to go ?

I know someone is gonna tell me not to use turtle wax products cause they suck, but I have them and they were gifts so the least I can do is try them out......

I'd really appreciate your opinions..

Thanks

SS

I'm retired and dabble in detailing.  I just read your post and I'll comment on each section and hopefully you haven't started yet..

1.  Dawn should remove most of the old wax from your truck
2.  No comment.
3.  No need to wash again.  The truck should be clean.
4.  Same as #3.  skip it.
5.  I use my blower to dry the whole truck then follow with a dedicated drying towel.
6.  Good - the clay will remove contaminants from the paint.  Use micro fiber towels to remove the residue from the lube and you won't have to wash again.
7.  I don't wash after claying though some people do.  I don't feel it's necessary. The Dawn wash is the only wash you need but after you've waxed the truck do not use Dawn as it will remove all wax from the truck.
8.  I'm not familiar with color magic but your small buffer is considered a "wax spreader" as it won't remove scratches or swirls.  If it says it's a filler and will cover the swirls it's actually a glaze and not a true polish.
9.  No problem - you're removing the product in #8.
10.  Once again I'm not familiar with this product though it would appear that it should be applied after the Color Magic.  A one-step is a product that contains a polish and wax or sealant like Poorboys Polish with Sealant.  It saves you a step but should be applied with a dual-action buffer.
11.  Good idea to keep the GF happy.
12.  No problem.

If you're interested in a complete system by hand I'd recommend Mothers or Mequiars systems and you can find information on these systems on their websites.  Though you're using that small buffer it's still what detailers would consider "by hand" as it has no power to correct the paint.  Want to learn more go to Auto Geek Online, Meguiars Online, or Autopia Forums.
 
I can feel some little bumps on my hood if I run my hand across it although it looks really smooth, it most be a build up of crap over the years and I would like to claybar it down to get it clean and start the polish process again to get that smooth, glassy, morror look finish. What's the best method on the claybar, I've never done it before.

Side note- what's your opion on that new waterless carwash with ION's in it. A guy came to our warehouse and did a demo on one of the big trucks, it looked pretty good, amazing difference infact, however I would not really consider using it on my AVY. I found it on EBAY for like $35 a qrt. Looks like this..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dri-Wash-n-Guard-Ultra-Ion-Waterless-Car-Wash-32oz-Refill-FREE-Shipping-/251180614235?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a7b88025b&vxp=mtr#ht_2420wt_1152
 
The little bumps you feel are contaminants you've picked up over time.  If you really want to feel them put your hand in a sandwich baggy then run your hand over the paint and you'll be amazed how bad it is.  My Mustang feels really good to the touch of a human hand but it's also failed the baggy test in the past.  Use the really cheap baggy that folds over the top and not the zip-lock style.  Both Mothers and Meguiars sell a claybar kit in most auto parts stores with good directions.  Make sure you use plenty of the lubricant which is actually a detail spray.  back and forth motions are the best - don't go in circles.

I don't know anything about this particular waterless wash but I did watch their video tonight.  I personally wouldn't wash a really dirty vehicle with a waterless wash but I would consider using a rinseless wash on it but I would not use a circular washing motion.  Use the same method as claying your vehicle and use multiple microfiber towels changing frequently to a clean side.  In my opinion he may be cleaning the vehicle but may also be introducing scratches and swirls into the finish.  I use a waterless wash on my Mustang if it's been in a rainstorm that I didn't see coming and it's slightly dirty.  I try to drive it in only good weather (three months on one tank of gas this winter!) but sometimes Mother Nature wins.  I go by the following:

1.  Light dust - California Duster then Detail Spray
2.  Very light dirt - Waterless wash
3.  Heavy dirt - Two bucket wash.  One for soap and one for rinsing and I use a grit guard in each bucket.  Sometimes I'll use only a wash bucket but six to eight different microfiber wash mitts so I'm not dragging dirt over the paint.
4.  Some guys use a rinseless wash on a dirty vehicle especially if there are water restrictions in their locale.  Google rinseless wash or Optimum Rinseless Wash and you should find some videos.  There are quite a few waterless and rinseless products on the market now.

The Avalanche gets the multiple wash mitt rinse as it gets really dirty in the wet Northwest.
 
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