cladding screw "weepers"

ok, is the "drain stain" left behind on the cladding, coming from the "socket" that the screws set into. they gather water, then drain, and "stain" the cladding. is this just a reaction between the water, and the protectant,(i use meguiers endurance), or is it a reaction with the screws and water???
I ask because i am thinking of painting the cladding screws, and wonder if this would lessen the streaking. and also just to ask if many others have painted the screw heads to match body, and what people think.....i cant decide if i like the idea or not. got one painted, and now im all confused.
anyway, if you painted, do you still get the streaking as bad, or is it just in the water running down the sides?
hope this all makes sense.
thanks for the help
david

I use meguiers as well and I get the streaks, but before I ever used meguiers I didn't see the streaks. I think it is just water running down the side from the screw holes because I also get streaks in other areas where there are no screws, like on the back in random places.

I don't know if that helps, but I think it's just the water running down and streaking the meguiers coating on the cladding.

I had a friend notice that the other day. He said, "Dude, what's the deal with your VX's stigmata?"

I've always figured it's the Zaino's mixing with water, and bleeding from the inlet. Nothing a little more product can't fix! I kind of use the 'weeping' as a gauge as to when it's time to detail again...

-biju.

Yeah, I notice after several washings that the VX traps water ALL OVER THE PLACE, like around the hood insert, in all the callding screw holes and grooves, around the side back window glass, inside the tailgate on the rear cladding, on the cladding under the hood and above the grill, just everywhere! Makes washing the VX take like an extra 10 minutes just to sop all all the trapped water....

But what can I say? This is a small price to pay for such good looks!!!

:eek: Bart

Quote:

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Originally Posted by biju

"Dude, what's the deal with your VX's stigmata?"

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:laughgray :laughgray :laughgray :laughgray :laughgray

I doubt I'll ever be able to look at the streaking on mine again without thinking of that line -- That's funny!

Okay, two tips to VX cleanliness:

1) Either go over your washed VX with a chamois or good quality terry towel to get the excess water off.

2) After applying Meguiar's Endurance to the cladding, wait about an hour then go over all the cladding lightly with an old t-shirt. Takes like 5 minutes.

No runs or streaking. Period.

biju,
yes,Dude, what's the deal with your VX's stigmata, will go down as a classic quote.......

Joe, yes, i always re wipe the tires,(for spin off,) and the cladding, after product sits for a while, and i do also use the stigmata as a gauge on re application, weather permitting.
I guess i was wondering if the , what seems like aluminum screws were reacting with the water, and leaving streak, thus, painting them to encapsulate the screw, no more reaction.
the streaking isnt terrrible, you all know, seems i noticed the same back in the "back to black" days, and didnt stick with the "ice" long enough to notice.

any pics of foxfires out there with painted screw heads? im just want to do something to make the vx my own, kinda. even though it may have been done many times before, i doubt that there is another vx, with painted screw heads within 300 miles...lol
thanks for the responses......
God bless you all,
david

You can use a leaf blower to dry your vx off and get the water from the hood and bolt holes.

Hmmmm... I'm like in one of the rainiest places there is and I've never had that issue on any of my VX's, which aren't garaged.

Maybe you've got serious acid rain. :p

The cladding screws are either black oxide coated or painted, I've seen both, so you could easily have a set powder-coated. Or better yet, go to a local Grainger or fastener supply and take one of yours to match up with an equivalent in stainless or titanium. At an average of $1 - $3 a fastener depending on material you'd have an inexpensive and cool mod.

mark,
My leafblower is mother nature, going about 70 mph down hwy 37 on a beautiful 4 mile stretch, then theres a pull off in the trees, and i wipe er down. then i can cruuuze back thru town dry to my house to detail. I cant get enough speed on my road to dry off. your truck cleans up Very nicely!!! I truly believe that the ebonys got darker cladding from the factory!!! just looks so nice. I was thinking going to work today that " that one guy" just painted his cladding, and thought you painted your screws.
looks sharp, and distinct. its so hard to decide on changes, on a vehicle that is so nicely designed from the start. im leaning on doing it, if i dont like it, i can get new screws!!!

mark,
My leafblower is mother nature, going about 70 mph down hwy 37 on a beautiful 4 mile stretch, then theres a pull off in the trees, and i wipe er down. then i can cruuuze back thru town dry to my house to detail. I cant get enough speed on my road to dry off. your truck cleans up Very nicely!!! I truly believe that the ebonys got darker cladding from the factory!!! just looks so nice. I was thinking going to work today that " that one guy" just painted his cladding, and thought you painted your screws.
looks sharp, and distinct. its so hard to decide on changes, on a vehicle that is so nicely designed from the start. im leaning on doing it, if i dont like it, i can get new screws!!! seems i saw a proton with screws painted also recently....have to search on that.
thanks
david

On my VX the weeping would start above the screw, from the recess between cladding and metal. I just assumed that with rain, the residue from wax runs down and stains the cladding whitish. I notice more staining below the screws but always thought its because the water channeled more toward and over them.

I get the streaks too with Meg. Endurance. I now use a can of air (computer cleaning kind) to blow the water out of the screw holes and lip after I wash it. Seems to help.

But a leaf blower is waaayy cooler!! hmmm.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kenny

I now use a can of air (computer cleaning kind) to blow the water out of the screw holes and lip after I wash it. Seems to help.
But a leaf blower is waaayy cooler!! hmmm.

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Nothing beats the air compressor and a long hose for removing the excess water. I blow it out of the cladding bolt holes, the hood insert, the mirrors, the side marker lights, front and rear light recesses, the door handles, the rear license plate, and the wheel lugs. No streaking for me. I also use Ice on my cladding.

A little off the "stigmata" topic, but maybe useful...
I bought a sheet of almost black (VERY dark bronze) reflective film from a sign/graphics shop & covered all my cladding screw heads with that, then punched out the center with a torx bit & trimmed the edges...gives a nice effect in flash fotoz & at night when hit by lights.
Now that I've seen Marks, I'm thinking of re-doing them all in silver reflective film.
Again, my two cents...

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/VX_3_R_E.jpg