Removing the antenna

yellocoyote said:

Why?

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Great way to grind the fine dust into your clearcoat.

Even when you're good about clean/new towels and clean water ahead of time?

Hmmm...

I always thought that about the automatic car washes with the brushes... or the coin-op spray bay with the hand brushes. Not about doing it in my driveway.

yellocoyote said:

Even when you're good about clean/new towels and clean water ahead of time?

Hmmm...

I always thought that about the automatic car washes with the brushes... or the coin-op spray bay with the hand brushes. Not about doing it in my driveway.

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Unless you pressure wash it before touching the paint you will cause damage.I never use those brushes at coin-op car washes either,just alot of high pressure hot water and soap.Before I wax my KJ I wash it real good then wipe off carefully with a high tack cloth before waxing.

I use a wash mitt, dip in a clean bucket after every panel....no scratches in my clear, and I spend a half hour looking for swirls every week....

HoosierJeeper said:

I use a wash mitt, dip in a clean bucket after every panel....no scratches in my clear, and I spend a half hour looking for swirls every week....

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Lighter colors like your KJ don't show swirls very easy like darker colored paints.

Glad I have 8 coats of clear on my paint.

No scratch and shine for me. Every Sunday I fill it up get a news paper and wash the jeep unless it snows then as soon as the roads get cleared I will wash it, then again on sunday. If its cold o-well so I get cold. If I have to clear the snow when it gets cold I am going to do my truck when it gets cold out.

tjkj2002 said:

I never hand wash,the worst thing you can do to your paint.

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Its the worst thing that 99% of the people out there can do for their paint.. If you do it correctly swirls will never occur. Im that 1%.. Pressure washing should never give swirls like you said though. I usually pressure wash mine before hand washing it if its really dirty.

Some people can wash their paint without even using the water hose. Its not good to do it if the paint is really dirty but personally Ive washed my Jeep without spraying it off. I like to pressure wash it then hand wash it in the garage. Takes 5min to pressure wash it then an hour or so to use a water less wash in the garage.

Autopia.org is a great site if anyone is interested in how to properly wash your paint.

tjkj2002 said:

Lighter colors like your KJ don't show swirls very easy like darker colored paints.

Glad I have 8 coats of clear on my paint.

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I know that, and I spend hours checking, I would've noticed something by now.

On the LR, once I remove the swirls from the old owner, it will have none...even though it's black...

budke said:

Mine is scratched all to hell, and I could give two sh*ts.

Its just gonna get scratched again when I go riding. lol

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X A Gazillion!

My thoughts exactly before I got to the fourth page. Guys, IT'S A JEEP! It's supposed to get dirty. I can't believe how much babying you guys give to your Jeeps. I have no problem with extra attention to the inner workings of the Jeep but as for a wash...some water, soap and a wash mit w/ bucket it all I need. Dry it? Sure, down the road at 50MPH.

BTW - It went through with the antenna on no problem. I couldn't get it off so I figured if I can't the wash won't be able to either.

Now to find some deep puddles to "pressure wash my undercarriage".

peterenegade said:

speaking of antenna's, does anyone know how to get an aftermarket on for a renegade liberty - i have tried 7 auto stores, turns out the jeep threads are twice the size of any replacement antenna made - its starting to drive me nuts having that factory antenna so long it looks like it could get a signal from mars swinging around all

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Walmart actually has what you need, a mini-antenna kit that comes with a bunch of different adapters, it's like $3 for the kit. I've bought a couple of them, wheeling in tight areas is no good for antennae.

I care because I plan to keep this vehicle as long as it will let me. Around here in the salt belt if you don't take care of your exterior, it'll degrade a lot sooner than the engine/driveline/etc will. So (for me) it's not that I'm being picky about washing it so it looks good... it's more about prolonging the life of the vehicle.

tjkj2002 said:

X2.............

Even washed mine in a blizzard where it was -30 degrees with 50+mph winds(every setting had hot water),took about 3 hours before I could feel my hands again but my KJ get's washed every sunday no matter what.

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And let me guess, it was uphill... both ways.

tjkj2002 said:

I never hand wash,the worst thing you can do to your paint.

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That is incorrect, sir. This is the worst thing you can do to your paint.

jnaut said:

That is incorrect, sir. This is the worst thing you can do to your paint.

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Why didn't let me know you were on the way to my house?

I think everyone that has any amount of land to play on finds a spot like that.

Warren.fischbeck said:

Why didn't let me know you were on the way to my house?

I think everyone that has any amount of land to play on finds a spot like that.

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One of the reasons I don't put plastic doo-dahs on my vehicle such as rain or wind deflectors. My friend broke two KC light covers that day and bent his whole lightbar back.

jnaut said:

That is incorrect, sir. This is the worst thing you can do to your paint.

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And he still had his antenna at the end!

You know what ***** about roads like that? Backing out if you're not lucky enough to fine a fork in the road like they did.

jnaut said:

One of the reasons I don't put plastic doo-dahs on my vehicle such as rain or wind deflectors. My friend broke two KC light covers that day and bent his whole lightbar back.

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Everything is all fun and games until someone pokes and eye out...

I've got a welder and some angle iron that can fix that bent back light bar.

budke said:

My vent visors have yet to get ripped off going through Ocala.
The branches just slide over them.

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Then you're not doin' it right.

Those are just key marks from your last "girlfriend"... Real trail rash starts when a tree stops you...

budke said:

My vent visors have yet to get ripped off going through Ocala.
The branches just slide over them.

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Even in reverse?