Technical Service Report concerning removal of Tropi Care TC-2 Wax & TC-3 Sealant

Discussion in 'Detailing Tips and Tricks' started by Steve@Tropi-Care, May 2, 2008.

  1. Steve@Tropi-Care

    Steve@Tropi-Care New Member

    Messages:
    62
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2007
    Location:
    TX
    We at Tropi Care strive to provide the best surface treatment products to provide excellent results and the customer satisfaction of all our users.

    In recent weeks, it has come to our attention that there is only one known removal method for Tropi Care. All customers, body shops and paint establishments must be advised that there could be major refinishing and adhesion issues if this process is not followed.

    We received the following statement from a local paint finishing facility concerning the use of these products on the customer's vehicle.

    Product: Tropi Care
    Title: Product Testimonial
    Subject: Product Durability
    Company: DuSold Enterprises LLC

    In March of 2008 one of our customers returned his restored 1970 Pontiac Catalina station wagon to our shop for us to repair the roof, hood and driver’s side front and rear doors. The station wagon had been restored in 2004 by DuSold Designs and features custom, show quality, paint. Since the restoration, the wagon has been awarded multiple Pontiac National level event “Best of Show†and “Best Paint†awards and has been featured in High Performance Pontiac Magazine.

    Photo courtesy of Randall D. Allen
    [​IMG]

    When preparing to repair and repaint damaged surfaces, we routinely use PPG’s line of surface cleaners. Traditionally, PPG DX330 is used to remove polish and wax and for more durable premium waxes and polishes, PPG developed DX440. Once the polish or wax is removed and the panel is ready to be primed or painted, the surface is given a final cleaning with PPG DX394 before being painted.

    After all three professional body shop products were ineffective in removing the wax or polish we contacted the customer to find out what brand of polish or wax was on the paint. After learning that Tropi Care Sealant xP and Tropi Care Premium Liquid Carnauba Wax had been applied, we experimented with additional cleaners to no avail.

    We called the manufacturer Tropi Care for a recommendation on how to remove the product. It was suggested to use a clay bar. We then used a Clay Magic blue "mild" clay bar to remove the polish after several attempts and set up a meeting with Tropi Care to discuss our results. Had the polish or wax not been removed, the “paint†would not have adhered to the panel.

    We are currently working with Tropi Care on the development and testing of a Tropi Care specific Polish/Wax remover. Although each of the products listed below would “reduce the shine†of the product, they would not remove it. This indicated that the product durability was well beyond any other wax or polish that we had encountered before. In addition to a deep, lustrous shine the Tropi Care products prove to be very durable. After further talking with the customer, we learned that the Tropi Care products had been applied approximately twice a year; the beginning and end of the car show season. This indicated that the polish wasn’t being applied on an aggressive schedule as is needed with so many other products in order to maintain their “gloss levelâ€.

    After working with the Tropi Care products at our restoration shop, we are very impressed with the ease of application and the amazing results. The color enhancing characteristics of Tropi Care versus other products that we had previously used is impressive. As a result of this experience we are now a dealer and stock the full line of Tropi Care products.

    Regards,

    Dusold Enterprises LLC
    David DuSold
    Stephen DuSold
    http://www.dusoldenterprises.com/

    At DuSold's, the following products were used in an attempt to remove the polish, all proved to be ineffective.

    1) PPG DX330- Acryli-Clean, Wax & Grease Remover- Contents: Naptha, N-Heptane, Methylcyclohexane, Touelene
    2) PPG DX440- Ditz-O, Wax & Grease Remover- Contents: Xylene, Ethylbenzene, Naptha
    3) PPG DX394- 1.4 Low VOC Cleaner- Contents: Isopropyl Alcohol, Butoxy Ethanol, Ammonia, Surfactant
    4) 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner- Contents: Xylene, hydrated heavy naptaa, ethylbenzene, trimethylpentane, toluene, benzene
    5) Denatured Alcohol- Contents: Ethanol
    6) Isopropyl Alcohol, 70%- Contents: Water, Propylene
    7) Formula 409 Glass and Surface Cleaner- Contents: Isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol), 2-propanol, dimethyl carbinol

    Note: On freshly painted vehicles, it should be noted that since the paint has to “outgas†for a period of 90 days before it is fully cured, no wax or polish should be applied.

    Feel free to contact us with any questions.