1. Welcome to 4Runners.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all 4Runner discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other 4Runner owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Black paint polishing

Discussion in '3rd Gen 4Runners (1996-2002)' started by Gator, Jun 28, 2025.

  1. Jun 28, 2025 at 5:11 PM
    #1
    Gator

    Gator [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2025
    Member:
    #47309
    Messages:
    10
    Gender:
    Male
    upload_2025-6-28_19-1-56.png

    Does anyone have experience with polishing black paint? My clearcoat has the typical oxidation, but the paint looks to be in great shape. I have a few orbital polishers and want to give it a shot. Tips and advice on what pads and products would be helpful.
     
  2. Jun 28, 2025 at 7:44 PM
    #2
    TrueTexas

    TrueTexas New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2021
    Member:
    #21753
    Messages:
    580
    Gender:
    Male
    The Woodlands, TX
    Vehicle:
    2021 Magnetic Grey 4Runner TRD ORP
    I do on a Honda Accord. I did the following
    1. Decontaminated the paint with Adam's Iron remover. I don't think it really did much but there were a few spots that turned purple indicating fallout. If you live near industrial areas or a railroad, definitely do this step.
    2. Clay bar. Take your time and get all the junk out of the clearcoat. After doing this rhe paint will look better but will still have quite a bit of oxidation
    3. Mechanical polish with a polishing compound with no fillers. I used another Adam's product here and an Adam's rotary polisher. You can use a buffer but results won't be as good. Make sure to do a small section ar a time and don't linger or you can burn the clearcoat. It's easier than it sounds. Lots of good videos on YouTube.
    4. Wax, ceramic, graphene top coating of your choice. I used Adam's graphene.

    Paint still looks great after 1.5 years. Really flattens out the clearcoat. You may want to use a water spot remover between steps 1 and 2 above if you have hard water mineral deposits in the clear.
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2025
    Gator[OP] likes this.
  3. Jun 29, 2025 at 6:57 AM
    #3
    morfdq

    morfdq New Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2022
    Member:
    #27196
    Messages:
    1,450
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Derek
    Vehicle:
    2022 SR5 Premium
    TRD Wheels, exhaust, Eibach, Cali Raised Skid Plate, Diode Dynamics fog, Sherpa Crestone rack.
    Perfect instructions. All those steps are critical to a nice looking detail.
     
    TrueTexas[QUOTED] likes this.
  4. Jul 18, 2025 at 5:43 PM
    #4
    jataga

    jataga New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2022
    Member:
    #25754
    Messages:
    10
    Gender:
    Male
    Great advice TrueTexas with the process. I would advise a similar process
    1. Use Mcguires or similar car wash and get your 4Runner spotless
    2. Then a clay bar kit like Mothers or Meguiar's and remove all the contaminants
    3. Finally, with an orbital buffer on low, use 3M Machine Polish to remove any scratches and polish it back to new. Be VERY careful to do only a small area at a time and move constantly to not burn your finish.

    I have a few orbital buffers but my favorite is the M18 Fuel 15mm random orbital polisher b/c it is battery powered, easy to maneuver, battery last a long time and no cords to worry about. Expensive but "buy once, cry once" I always say.

    The 3M finish is not cheap but last a very VERY long time. Again, you get what you pay for. I still have the bottle I purchased 15+ years ago and I've polished my 4Runner a couple time and have done spot removals a number of times over the years.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top