Going down the detailing rabbit hole!

Shine Supply has better options in my opinion. Clean n Shine is what I use on interior plastics. It is a cleaner as well as a protectant. I don’t like my interior plastics being very glossy, and Perl had to be diluted to avoid it.
On exterior plastics, I use Shine Supply Trim Shield. It’s pretty expensive, but outlasts everything else by a huge factor. Even with the high price, I have to use so little of it that it’s worth it to me. I have to use it MAYBE twice a year per vehicle.
If the exterior plastics are faded badly, I use Solution Finish, but it’s only necessary on a vehicle that’s been neglected for a long time.

I only use IronX on wheels that are really bad. It’s pretty harsh, so I avoid using it too often. It does work very well when needed though. Maybe use it the first time you do a deep cleaning, then move on to something more mild on future cleanings.
I’ve honestly not found a wheel cleaner that separates itself from the pack. P21S and Poorboys Wheel Cleaner work pretty well, but considering I have to agitate the wheels anyway, I mostly use P&S Brake Buster. It’s cheap and safe for all wheels.
Though several brands advertise “spray and rinse”, I haven’t found any that actually work that way. I still always have to scrub. If I ever find one that actually works that way, I’ll buy the hell out of it. I hate doing wheels.
Once you get them clean, putting a wheel coating in will help make them easier to clean in the future.

 

Though nothing will keep it from happening, Beadmaker does a much better job than anything else I’ve tried. The slickness is unparalleled in the industry, so it collects less than others. It also makes it much easier to rinse off.

 

thanks. So there isnt a charged particle polymer or something like that?

 

Wheels and glass are my two nemeses. I appreciate all the wide info. I will order up some shine supply asap. I spent my chem money for a couple weeks lol. The only reason wife gives me no grief is because I keep her ride looking good. Here is a snap of my next big project. It’s my 2007 fj with 300k miles on it. It sits outside and needs a lot more then a da will do for it but I’m gonna give it hell.

 

If that is single stage paint, which I'm guessing it is.....Mike Phillips has a post over on Autogeek about using Meguiars no. 7 and what he calls the rubdown technique. It might help you breathe some life back into it.
here's a link:

https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...r-7-rub-down-technique.html?highlight=rubdown

For what its worth, I've yet to find a wheel cleaner that's better than Sonax full effect for really dirty wheels. They also make a version for wheels that aren't super dirty. Once you get them clean, coat them and you'll never need more than soap and water to get them clean

 

Thanks for the response I have no clue if it’s single stage paint. It original Toyota fj factor paint what’s left of it. The rest of the truck can be brought back to life no problem just some good time with my da

 

Just ordered brake buster and solution finish. Thanks @War Machine i will order the shine supply stuff when I use up the pearl I have or at least some of it. The price is right on the brake blaster compared to ironx.

 

Brake Buster and Iron-X are two vastly different products. While some folks use Iron-X for wheels, it's primarily a decontamination product for paint, where Brake Buster is for wheels and tires. I'm one of the few people (that I know) that didn't have a positive experience with it. I could never seem to get the dilution just right.....likely user error or defective product. The majority of people on the web seem to really like it, and it is definitely very economical. Best of luck with your purchase(s) and that FJ. Post pics of your progress if you wouldn't mind.

 

Will do.

 

Ok so I ordered the brake blaster and the sonax full effect let the comparisons begin.

 

The hood of my fj really needs a repaint but idk what to do. I’m half tempted to wet sand it down and apply vinyl to it. Anyone have any experience with this. Totally a guessed approach on my part.

 

Wrap it. Satin black or maybe white to match the roof? I haven't wrapped a surface that large so I can't give pointer unfortunately

 

I was thinking satin black. I don’t think it will be that hard might just want another set of hands to hold the far side when I go to lay it on. Might be a start to a new thread lol I have no clue what product I should use. Back to YouTube I go

 

Although I've never used it, folks seem to like Plasti-Dip. Comes in a bunch of colors, and I've seen some very imaginative things done with it

 

The Solution Finish is outstanding for reviving faded trim. It’s basically ink, so be careful not to get it on your clothes and whatnot. Shine Supply Trim Shield is top notch for keeping it from fading to begin with. It does revive plastic to a point, but not the way Solution Finish does.

 

I recommend Brake Buster for the economy of it. It’s not the strongest cleaner by any means, but it’s cheap, versatile, and safe for all wheels. Since you still have to scrub / agitate no matter what wheel cleaner you use, may as well go with the cheaper and more all around product in my opinion.

There’s definitely more effective cleaners, but I don’t feel like the difference is enough to warrant the expense.

Brake Buster is 20 bucks a gallon.
Poorboys is over 40 bucks a gallon.
P21S is nearly 100 bucks for a little over a gallon.

Sonax is outstanding, but I haven’t checked the gallon price. I know a bottle is over 20 dollars compared to 15 for Brake Buster.

One thing I haven’t tried yet is Shine Supply’s new version of Wise Guy. They’ve reformulated it to clean wheels also. It is the best tire cleaner I’ve used by light years, so I’m hoping the change hasn’t negatively impacted that.

 

Plasti-dip has a place but I’m not the biggest fan. It doesn’t have great longevity especially for a vehicle that is left outside. My experience is only with black but it fades and even with multi coats it tends to scratch off around the edges after time.

 

Keep us posted on that......I've simplified my life by going with an APC (Optimum Power Clean) for wheels and tires....i keep multiple dilutions available depending on the task. I only every break out a true wheel cleaner when I run into a particularly dirty set of wheels. The last dedicated tire cleaner I had was McKees Tire and rubber Rejuvenator.....not money well spent there.....very disappointing

 

Quick question. Did you notice any shading difference in the paint underneath the clear bra? I have a 2008 and the clear bra has some pitted spots. I’m thinking of removing it but I don’t know what to expect.

 

With the acrylic polish, check to see if there's a cure time prior to applying anything else. Some have acrylic fillers that take a while to fully cure (over 24 hours). That's if you want to take advantage of the acrylic component.....if you're really only looking for the benefit of the polish, you should be able to apply your LSP straight away.

 

I just got a notification about this post...I went back and read through the thread again and its got me very excited to detail my truck. I found a decent touchless wash at a gas station that seems to do a good job and my wife likes the multicoloured bubblegum soap so we go there every week or 2, but I miss washing by hand!

 

Sorry i never came back and updated. So taking that clear bra was a royal pain the azz. Problem was it wasn't on the metal of the car but the fiberglass. It was stuck like nothing I had ever seen. I tried everything including the erase wheel which did the job in some spots but on the curved pieces it went right thru the paint to the abs plastic. Ended up getting a new bumper and having it painted. Never again!!!

 

Have heard similar stories from others trying to remove it.

 

It was a nightmare but it came off. Fender pieces came off whole but the hood was in small pieces. Had the truck detailed after and everything blended.