Those of yo with white trucks already know what I am talking about.

Little orange/brown spots that stick to your paint. Waxing, buffing, polishing none of these work to remove the little spots.

Well I have had my truck for 2 years and come to some conclusions.

1. Spots are surface rust and are from the brake rotors.

2. All Gm trucks have these spots they just are easy to see on white trucks.

3. Acid wash is not a good method of removal.

4. Clay bar with provided lubricant is the best method of removal.

5. Wax really turns out nicely after using the clay bar.

Damn my arm is tired. Good thing I only do this once a year.

mine has it too....what to do?.......does gm cover this on warranty???

Those of yo with white trucks already know what I am talking about.

Little orange/brown spots that stick to your paint. Waxing, buffing, polishing none of these work to remove the little spots.

Well I have had my truck for 2 years and come to some conclusions.

1. Spots are surface rust and are from the brake rotors.

2. All Gm trucks have these spots they just are easy to see on white trucks.

3. Acid wash is not a good method of removal.

4. Clay bar with provided lubricant is the best method of removal.

5. Wax really turns out nicely after using the clay bar.

Damn my arm is tired. Good thing I only do this once a year.
Most (90%) of the rust spots are caused from the steel plow truck blades when they are clearing the roads of snow.

Case in point... most socal white vehicles do not exhibit the rust dots... .and up here in the frozen north a white vehicle is bad hooey..... because we use both plow trucks and SALT!-:t

I figured it was from the rotors becasue the highest concentration is behind the wheels. However if it is coming up off the pavement then it could be behind the wheels as well.

I tell you it has not snowed here much this year and I do not drive behind to many plows. I think some of it could be coming from the rotors?

Boys, boys. Its rail dust, plain and simple.

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

My ’98 Arctic White Corvette had it big time and I have yet to put a plow on it……yet.

<o:p></o:p>

Unfortunately for me ’99 was the last year they shipped Vettes by rails. The rail dust problem being just one of the reasons. They are all shipped by truck now.

<o:p></o:p>

Couple clay bars and a lot of elbow grease is what took care of the problem for me. The idiots at the dealership wanted to do everything from wet sand, to repaint the car. I said “No thanks” clay barred the entire car twice and started my Zaino treatments.

<o:p></o:p>

GM should take care of the problem. Not under warranty because there is no stipulation for “rail dust” but as a customer convenience. GM does offer a 1 time buff out for acid rain damage and other environmental problems that damages the paint. Most dealers will use this to charge back GM for the service to remove the rail dust.

I bought a 2004 Black Tahoe in september Turns out it had rail dust on it as well .THey used the clay bar and everything Gm told them to still on the tahoe so I refused the tahoe and they got me a new one . But it turns out it was dealer traded about half a dozen time nobody wanted it go figure Turbo6600

I had the same problem with my truck... but only once. It happened while I was behind a bunch of semi's on a 2 lane for about an hour. I got home and my truck was completely covered, I mean completely. It almost looked like it was repainted to a nasty orange/brown color. I never knew what it was, but I used bug and tar remover on it, and with a lot of elbow grease it came off. I haven't had it since and sure glad, because that was some hard scrubbin and took me damn near 7 hours to get it all off.

Dan

clay bar is one of the most effective treatments I have found as well.. Lots of theories on whats its from, I think the brakes is the most accurate to me. Metallic pads, hot pads/rotors, small particles from brakes flying back when you hit the brakes and the pieces are hot and burn themselves into the clear coat... That my theory anyways.

Boys, boys. Its rail dust, plain and simple.

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>


I dont know if that is a joke?

My truck was first acid washed by the dealer. It did an okay job. I immediatly claybared and waxed. Every single last spot of rail dust was gone!

That was last summer. So here we are today, orange/brown spots all over it again.

No train, no shipping, no trailer. Just driving down the road. So I do not think spots that come 2 years later have anything to do with how the truck was originally shipped.

I do agree with you though, a clay bar and elbow grease is the only way to clean a truck up.

So where can I find a clay bar? I've never heard of one.

Dan

I have seen clay bars on the internet from various sources.

I get a kit from the local Advanced Auto parts store. It is 14.00 dollars and MOTHERS makes it. It comes with a clay bar and a spray bottle of lubricant. Also instructions.

You must wash your truck. Don't want to be spreading around grit.
You spray a small area with lube.
You then lightly rub the claybar over the surface. It will lift off any imbeded contaminents.
You then fold the bar over and reshape it.
Start over in the next area.

It is a time consuming process but the results are hard to acheive any other way.

Thanks Bronco!

Dan

If you run out of the lube, put a few squirts of dish soap in the bottle with some h20 and your good to go........if you dont plan on waxing it after you clay it ....liquid dial works great too.//

I second demaxalliTech's theory.
Hot metalic brake bad dust hitting the cold clear-coat. It only happens in winter.
Every spring, I clay my wife's white car, (last weekend), and my white truck, (this afternoon).

I purchased mine at a Automotive Paint Store. A 8 oz container, (not full), cost around $15. I've polished car and truck last four springs. It's getting old and I'll replace it before next use.

Those of yo with white trucks already know what I am talking about.

Little orange/brown spots that stick to your paint. Waxing, buffing, polishing none of these work to remove the little spots.

Well I have had my truck for 2 years and come to some conclusions.

3. Acid wash is not a good method of removal.

4. Clay bar with provided lubricant is the best method of removal.

5. Wax really turns out nicely after using the clay bar.

Damn my arm is tired. Good thing I only do this once a year.
I am surprised you guy never heard of Zaino. This is not a shameless plug, I do not work for Zanio bros, it is just the best polishing system for painted vehicles ever! I have used this on my S-10 PU ever since new, and now 3 1/2 years later, it still looks new. 95 % of vehicles are delivered by rail cars and they all have it, unless they use those plastic wraps. Claybar is the answer to the question and when I get a chance I will post some pics. It is simply amazing. My pics are on the old HD. http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

It's not just a GM thing, either. My white 91 and 98 Explorers both had it as well.

I have a buddy with a white 2001 that went around and around with his dealer on this issue. They also claimed rail dust, gave him the free "special" wash job and buffed it for him. Then, I'll be darned, it came right back. So, it obviously can't possibly be rail dust. Another buddy of mine is a Chevy service manager and I asked him about it. He agreed that the whole rail dust thing is bull and that it's brake pad dust. He said they see it even more with these trucks because of the high metallic content of the brake pads. Once you've got it off, keep on top of a great wax job and it should be much easier to clean the next time around.


DmaxAlliTech/Eric....I have a little argument with your signature rant. ):h
The correct spelling is masturbation, not masterbation.

As for rail dust, it's very common on white vehicles and in 2001 when I bought my 2001 (white) Chevy 2500 Duramax, the dealer told me I would have to wait one day to take delivery as they automatically run EVERY white vehicle through the body shop to remove "rail dust" - under warranty. I had never heard of it but the dealer pointed out the rust on the hood and front fenders and said I wouldn't even see it after they were done...and that it would never give me a problem after that. He said some dealers ignore it and hope the customer never notices it...but that they were proactive and did it automatically once the vehicle was sold.

Needless to say, I was a little worried about it so stopped by when it was in the body shop to see what they were doing with it...the shop manager was very gracious and invited me into see what they were doing with the truck as as to alleviate my concern. Clay bar and a liquid...said it wouldn't hurt the paint and would still get the rail dust off. They gave me some rubber gloves and invited me to give it a try...man, that was slick and gave me 100% confidence in the dealership. Wish more of them were that friendly and forthright as it would save alot of customer anxiety. Anyway, it worked like a charm and I was very happy. The guy I sold the truck to is still driving it and it looks like the day it was new...no rust, no spots, nothing. I just saw him last week and was asking how it was running, looking, performing....all he did was grin and give me the old "I pity the fool that drives an 8.1"....yeah, yeah, yeah.

After reading all responses, seems like clay bar is the best method of removal. Also seems like there are multiple sources of surface, metal contamination. This contamination is easier to see on white vehicles.

http://www.zainostore.com/

Funny this thread should pop up, I just spent the day yesterday giving my truck the claybar workover. Just looking I wasnt sure if it needed it, but just run your hand over the lower door panels and rockers and you can feel what you can't see. Used up a whole clay bar, full of crap it took off, now it's baby smooth..

If you care about your finish, do it once a year. My .02