cleaning bumpers by hand or DA

[Show 'N' Shine Car Detailing]

What's the best way to polish/wax bumper? Should they be done with the da or by hand?

[Murr1525]

Re: cleaning bumpers by hand or DA

Can do either, but may need hand or smaller DA pads or both for the various nooks and crannies.

[Detailing by M]

DAp is fine.

[wesleyoh]

Re: cleaning bumpers by hand or DA

im using the DA power system with 4 inch pad and it works great!

[Show 'N' Shine Car Detailing]

I have the smaller 3" adapter and pads for the da buffer. I'll probably do both. Well see.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: cleaning bumpers by hand or DA

You can use full sized pads on a DA, or the smaller pads with the appropriate backing plate. Just keep the pad moving over the paint and don't use heavy pressure in one spot for an extended period. Too many people have read on the Internet (so it must be true, right?) that it's impossible to damage paint with a DA. In truth, while extremely difficult to do so, it's definitely NOT impossible. In fact, the easiest place to damage paint is on urethane bumper covers, but even then you've got to get really aggressive for damage to occur. The most common way damage is done is by using small pads, generally a foam cutting pad, max speed on the DA, a lot of pressure, and dwelling in the same spot for an extended period of time. The urethane substrate does not dissipate heat as efficiently as steel or aluminum panels do and, combined with the flex agent used in the paint on these flexible panels, that extreme heat buildup can actually cause the paint to twist off the panel.

This is incredibly simple to avoid, however, by simply touching the panel with your bare hand while buffing. If you have a bad scratch that you want to concentrate on, go ahead and work it for a bit but move the buffer out of the way and just place your bare hand on the spot. If it's getting hot, stop buffing. Remember, using smaller pads on DA concentrates all that energy into a tiny spot so heat can and will build up.

We don't say this to scare you, but rather just to make sure you continue to think while changing process on different parts of the vehicle. Creating this sort of damage is extremely rare, but certainly not unheard of. It usually happens when someone isn't paying attention, or actually believes that line they read on a forum somewhere - that it's impossible to damage your paint with a DA buffer. It certainly is possible, but fortunately it isn't very likely.

[Top Gear]

Re: cleaning bumpers by hand or DA

I'm using the 6.5 pads and can even do the small lip of my front spoiler just by using more of the edges of the thick pad - it's all in the wrist

[goldenlight]

Most of the bumper i use the da. For hard to reach areas i use the foam pad