best way to clean off the bottom of the side sills after removing

[darkostoj]

well i just pulled my side sills to do some exhaust work, and the bottoms of them are looking really dirty, stained, and dingy....almost to the point where i feel that it would be close to impossible to get a nice finish back out of them. They are off the car and I want to do the best job possible cleaning them up. I'm just wondering if anyone has gone through this and has any tips on how to go about it.

heres a crappy cell phone pic i took in the garage so you can get the idea.

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[plumcrazy]

i used degreaser a few times, then clay bar, then wash and a lot of wax. they came out nice but it doesnt take long on silver to mess them up again. i kinda gave up on the bottom of the sills.

 

[LiquoRT/10]

Off the car is the best way to pound out the dings and freshen the paint.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Gee, I wonder what the bottom of my side sills look like.

 

[okloneranger]

I've used kerosene to remove bugs and tar and after that a good soap wash and rinse. Almost everybody's side sills get that way to one degree or another-crap and little stones pound them when you drive. Just like the front of the car, when it gets so bad you can't stand it, repaint is your option. A clear protective film can be applied to various parts of the body to protect it, but with the heat generated inside the side sills, I don't think you can use it on them. Someone straighten me out if I'm wrong.

 

[PittsburghRT]

I've used kerosene to remove bugs and tar and after that a good soap wash and rinse. Almost everybody's side sills get that way to one degree or another-crap and little stones pound them when you drive. Just like the front of the car, when it gets so bad you can't stand it, repaint is your option. A clear protective film can be applied to various parts of the body to protect it, but with the heat generated inside the side sills, I don't think you can use it on them. Someone straighten me out if I'm wrong.

I have the bottom of my side sills covered with 3m paint protection film and they are holding up well with the heat. Also, the bottoms of the sills are easier to clean in my opinion with the film on it.

 

[dave6666]

I put black side splitters on. They are already the color they turn. Brilliant!

But I agree with what plum said. Degrease and then claybar.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

I plan when mine are trashed, to have them sprayed body color rock guard. which is thicker than the clear bra and almost indestructible.

 

[Sweet Ride]

I plan when mine are trashed, to have them sprayed body color rock guard. which is thicker than the clear bra and almost indestructible.

+1!!!

I just did this to the bottom of my front fascia. It's a great product and is holding up well so far (2 weeks). The rock guard does leave a somewhat rough finish but if you're doing the underside of the sills no one will notice anyway.

 

[sdaddy]

Gee, I wonder what the bottom of my side sills look like.

Maybe better than the top side of your GTS!

 

[ViperGeorge]

dave6666, how come you put on black side splitters instead of white.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

.... underside of the sills no one will notice anyway.

That's my plan.

 

[Dom426h]

Just worked on mine last month while working on my exhaust. I used some speaker stands to set them on to make em easy to clean. Sprayed some bug/tar remover(the stuff that smells like kerosine)(WD40 will also work) on the bottoms and let sit for a few min to penitrate the grease. then scrubbed them down with multiple dryer sheets to cut through all the crap without being abrasive to the paint.

Next, i hit em up with a random orbit buffer to make em shine like new.
Lastly i appled a coat of synthetic wax(sealant)

I am planning on eventually painting the bottoms with that ruberized stoneguard, bedliner material as some suggested.

Make sure to THOROUGHLY clean all the bug/tar remover residue off with something like dish soap. otherwize wax will not stick if your planning on waxing.

 

[dave6666]

dave6666, how come you put on black side splitters instead of white.

Anything below 6" should be black.

Jokes using that thought:

1. __________

2. __________

3. __________

 

[Phun70]

Either the clear guard or the truck liner spray is a great idea, some of the places that spray on bedliner material can custom tint it to match your paint, so that may be an option halfway between bedliner (black) and clear covering (black when dirty anyway). You will of course still have to clean the crud off of them, but if you do it everytime you clean the rest of the car, the build-up shouldn't be too bad. As far as heat goes, I would recommend buying some header wrap and wrapping the exhaust pipe with two layers from front of the cover area to the rear of the cover area and then leave the factory heat shields in place as well. I did this and even after extensive driving I can place my hand against the side covers and they are barely warm.

 

[darkostoj]

Either the clear guard or the truck liner spray is a great idea, some of the places that spray on bedliner material can custom tint it to match your paint, so that may be an option halfway between bedliner (black) and clear covering (black when dirty anyway). You will of course still have to clean the crud off of them, but if you do it everytime you clean the rest of the car, the build-up shouldn't be too bad. As far as heat goes, I would recommend buying some header wrap and wrapping the exhaust pipe with two layers from front of the cover area to the rear of the cover area and then leave the factory heat shields in place as well. I did this and even after extensive driving I can place my hand against the side covers and they are barely warm.

when i pull the cats i do plan on wrapping everything up with exhaust wrap to help cool everything off.

 

[Dom426h]

If your going catless, there is nothing more needed to cool the sills. You can leave your hand on catless sills even on a hot day.

i'd forget about the wrap.

 

[-FROG-]

....the bottom?

 

[ViperGeorge]

Anything below 6" should be black.

Jokes using that thought:

1. __________

2. __________

3. __________

I don't have anything below 6".

 

[Vman455]

Anything below 6" should be black.

Jokes using that thought:

1. __________

2. __________

3. __________

I think you mean anything above 6"...

 

[plumcrazy]

removing the cats is all thats needed. mine were yellowing with HF cats. removed cats all together and not a bit of yellowing. heat is gone.

 

[gen2lover]

a bunch of wet BOUNCE sheets and that crap will MELT off..not joking..try it,you will be AMAZED!