U.C. making swirls worse?

[Mudwalker]

I've washed and clayed my truck and have gone over it with Ultimate Compound. The water spots and oxidation are gone, but I can see swirls in the exact circular pattern that I've applied the U.C. I'm using clean foam and terry applicators, and I'm wiping down each area with Quick Detailer before applications.

What could I be doing wrong? U.C. is supposed to get out the swirls, not add more.

Please help. Thanks.

[Sal329]

Re: U.C. making swirls worse?

Are you doing the work by hand or machine? What you are seeing sounds like marring from the Compound, UC needs to be followed up with a less abrasive polish.

[Mudwalker]

Re: U.C. making swirls worse?

I'm doing it by hand. What kind of polish do I follow with? I have Deep Crystal Polish as well as SwirlX.

Why doesn't the U.C. bottle say anything about this?

[1970judge]

Re: U.C. making swirls worse?

You can follow it up with some DC2 polish.

[Murr1525]

Re: U.C. making swirls worse?

Are you working with the palm of your hand/across your fingers, or finger tips?

And yes, I would expect some marring from the terry.

[Mudwalker]

Re: U.C. making swirls worse?

I'm applying pressure with the length of my fingers.

It isn't from the terry applicators. The foam is doing the exact same thing.

I don't know what DC2 polish is and I don't want to have to buy more stuff that doesn't work as advertised. I have SwirlX and Deep Crystal Polish. You can probably sense my frustration. Nowhere on the bottle of U.C. does it say that it will cause more problems and that you will have to follow it up with more products that may or may not work. I'm using the proper technique and the proper supplies. Perhaps a terry applicator isn't the best thing to use, but the foam pads are giving me the exact same problem, so the terry isn't to blame.

I don't understand why U.C. would cause marring when it's supposed to take out these blemishes.

[Shawn T.]

Re: U.C. making swirls worse?

Remember what UC stands for: Ultimate Compound. It may be one of the best compounds around but it is still a compound with a very fair amount of cut. Now, your paint may be very soft and UC may be too agressive and may be marring the paint. Mike Stoops saw this on a Honda at a Thursday Night Open Garage and his technique was to follow up UC with two applications of Swirlx. That remedied the marring and he then knew that he could remove the defects via a less aggressive method.

Use some Swirlx applied gently to remove any of the marring and then see if Swirlx and a foam applicator will take care of your swirls. Remember, least aggressive method.

[Mudwalker]

Re: U.C. making swirls worse?

Okay. I'll try that. Thanks.

[akimel]

Re: U.C. making swirls worse?

Right! Apply the SwirlX with a foam applicator. That should remove the marring left behind by the UC. It's not unusual for a compound to leave behind some marring, which is one reason why Meguiar's also sells SwirlX.

[Sal329]

Re: U.C. making swirls worse?

Bottle does not say it but that's why you have us. A compund is always followed by a finer polish. Use a foam pad and swirl x and tell us how it works? Adjust pressure accordingly as well you don't always need a lot of pressure

[Mudwalker]

Re: U.C. making swirls worse?

I'm still seeing alot of swirls. I'll try going over it again with more pressure, but I think this is going to be a job for a DA.

Isn't it best to work out swirls with up-down, side to side motions?

[akimel]

Re: U.C. making swirls worse?

Please take some photographs of the area for us. I'm sure the gurus can help you get this right and see you through to success.

[paul.segovich]

Re: U.C. making swirls worse?

Just keep in mind that most of Meguiar's products have 'diminishing abrasives' and need to be worked until there's seemingly no product left, to reap the full benefit of the product.

[Mudwalker]

Re: U.C. making swirls worse?

Just keep in mind that most of Meguiar's products have 'diminishing abrasives' and need to be worked until there's seemingly no product left, to reap the full benefit of the product.

I wasn't aware of that. Both the U.C. and SwirlX seem to turn into powder if I work with it too much. I thought this might be a bad thing to do.

I'll get some pics up as soon as it's sunny enough.

[akimel]

Re: U.C. making swirls worse?

Just keep in mind that most of Meguiar's products have 'diminishing abrasives' and need to be worked until there's seemingly no product left, to reap the full benefit of the product.

Both UC and SwirlX contain non-diminishing abrasives. You only work them as long as you need to.