Thanks Coleton for having me out to answer all of your questions and hopefully lend guidance to our customers and those interested in protecting their Cybertruck. We have made updates to the Cybertruck Specialty Kit based on your suggestions.
Thanks Jackie and Colton for doing this. Question: Jackie, would it be possible to use the ProtectaClear MATTE finish that you guys sell? I really love how that finish looks and I think it would look insanely great on the Cybertruck.
@@PabloCubarleyou could do the matte, but it can sometimes look too white. And it is difficult to hand apply evenly on a large flat panel like this. So I would be hesitant to suggest it. If you really want to try it I would suggest trying a 4oz on a small panel first to see how you like the finish.
Prepping the Cybertruck: 17:47 1. If the truck is very dirty, wash it first and make sure it is completely dry, including in all the seams and crevices. 2. Tape off the plastic and rubber areas of your Cybertruck, as well as your lights, using painter's tape. Take extra care taping off the soft rubber areas around the bottom of your windows. 3. Put on gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints. Note: Perform steps 4-6 on each side of the truck before moving on to the next side of the truck. This keeps the acid from the Barkeeper's Friend from sitting too long in any one area. Then, perform step 7 on the entire truck. 4. Apply Bar Keepers Friend to a towel you folded twice, and apply it to the entire truck, working panel by panel. This will remove any tea staining, fingerprints, and impurities to create an even bright silver finish. Although Everbrite prefers the spray+foam spray bottle version of Bar Keeper's Friend, Out of Spec Detailing/Clear Detailing prefers the soft cleanser compound (bottle) version, which includes microabrasives that could be more powerful at cleaning your cybertruck. [My personal view is that the soft cleanser version seems to do a better job.] 5. If you Bought Everbrite's Cybertruck kit, put Stainless Steel Rust Remover in a metal pan (e.g., aluminum disposable loaf pan), and dip a new towel in it. Also, put EZ Prep in another pan (mixing 1-2 ounces of EZ Prep per gallon of water). Apply the Stainless Steel Rust Remover to the entire truck, and as you apply it, within 30-60 seconds go back over each spot with the EZ Prep/water mixture (i.e., wipe it first with the Stainless Steel Rust Remover, and then wipe on top of it with the EZ Pre/water mixture). 6. Wipe down each panel with Windex to further clean your truck and neutralize the pH. 7. Wipe the entire truck with 99% isopropyl alcohol to ensure the surface is completely clean, dry, and residue-free before coating. This gives you a more even finish, but the main reason why it's important is that it removes any remaining water to allow the ProtectaClear to properly bond to the metal. Applying ProtectaClear: 43:50 Note: You want to install ProtectaClear in a shaded area and not in direct sunlight. A garage is the best place to do it. If there are a lot of things in the air near you (e.g., pollen, bugs, etc.), consider installing ProtectaClear in a different environment (e.g., a parking garage). Apply it with a temperature of 40-100 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity below 80%. You want to have the best lighting possible, so consider bringing extra lights to better see what you're doing. 1. If you don't have them on already, put on "nitrile" gloves, which provide you with better protection than standard gloves. They are included in Everbrite's Cybertruck kit, and they are also available on Amazon. 2. Pour about 4 oz of ProtectaClear into a solvent-safe container like a metal pan (e.g., aluminum disposable loaf pan). Do not use a plastic pan (unless it is solvent-rated), as the coating will eat through it. 3. Before you use the applicator, hit it against something for 30 seconds to get some of the lint off of it (1:07:53). Dip one of the special microfiber applicators provided in the ProtectaClear kit into the coating. Saturate it, but squeeze out the excess so it is damp but not dripping wet. 4. Work on one full panel at a time; quickly apply the coating to the Cybertruck in a thin, even layer using light pressure and long, overlapping strokes. It's better to put it on too thin than too thick. Use only the bottom of the applicator to apply it while avoiding touching the sides of the applicator to your Cybertruck. Use long wipes across the entire panel (e.g., all the way from the top left to the top right, then down slightly, then back all the way to the left, etc.). Start at the top of the panel and work your way down. When you remove the applicator from a section, go "up and away" (i.e., wipe the applicator to the edge as you remove it) to avoid leaving a circle of bubbles (e.g., by directly pulling it away). As you apply ProtectaClear, inspect the coating and quickly smooth out any drips, runs, or missed spots before moving on. Some slight rainbowing is normal. However, if more than about a minute has passed since you initially applied ProtectaClear to a section, wait for it to dry (at least 30-40 minutes) before you go back and fix it. Although you will likely see streaks after you apply ProtectaClear, it typically levels out as it dries. After you apply it, it is 1 millimeter thick, but after the solvent evaporates, it is only 3-4 microns thick (i.e., a very thin coating). Do the hood before you do the front of the frunk; this is because you don't want to have to lean over a section that's wet that you just completed and risk rubbing against it. 5. If you take a break in between applying ProtectaClear to different panels, wrap the applicator tightly in aluminum foil to keep it from drying out. However, if the bottom of the applicator is firm when you take it out of the aluminum, throw it away and use a new one. 6. Allow the first coat to dry for at least 30-40 minutes until it is dry to the touch. 7. If you see rainbows, it means more coating is necessary. For these areas, after waiting 30-40 minutes to allow the previous coating to dry, apply a second coat using the same method. Move the applicator faster this time. The second coat will help even out any rainbowing or imperfections. 8. Allow the coating to cure for 24 hours before driving, if possible. Wait a week before washing. The coating will fully cure in 4-5 days. Fixing imperfections: 1:21:09 Note: ProtectaClear consists of a solvent and resins, and the solvent is what melts the resins. After you apply ProtectaClear, the solvent evaporates, and the resins remain. Therefore, when you apply another coat of ProtectaClear, it will mix with and melt the existing resins from your previous application, and after the solvent evaporates, you will have a uniform coat. 1. If you notice any drips, runs, or areas of coating you aren't happy with, you can remove them after the coating dries using xylene or acetone on a lint-free towel. Xylene appears to work the best because it takes a while to evaporate, whereas acetone almost immediately evaporates. However, the following U.S. states typically do not allow consumers to purchase it: California, New York, Colorado, and Maryland. Make sure you are wearing gloves during this step, and have plastic areas taped off before you use it. 2. Use a shop towel, which is like a paper towel but is less likely to leave lint behind (e..g, from Amazon, CostCo, AutoZone, etc.). Wipe the solvent on the problem area using circular motions to dissolve and liquefy the coating. The coating will start to ball up or streak as you work the area. If it starts to feel sticky, switch to a new shop towel. Continue wiping until the coating is spread into a thin, even layer. The way to know that you're done is that you no longer feel any significant stickiness/tackiness when you wipe. However, if you're going to re-apply ProtectaClear, it's fine if there's still a small amount of stickiness. 3. You do not need to remove the coating completely down to the bare metal. Your goal is to spread out the imperfection and create a thin, uniform base layer for the new coating to blend into. Some slight streaking is normal and will not affect the final result. 4. Once you have the problem area evened out into a thin, smooth layer, stop wiping and discard the towel. Then, using your applicator, reapply a thin coat of ProtectaClear over the area you just leveled. The fresh coating will melt into the existing layer and self-level as it dries, blending invisibly with the surrounding finish. Some useful insights and tips: - Prepping properly is the most time-consuming part but also the most important for good results. Take your time and do it right. - Having adequate lighting is very helpful to see what you're doing when applying the coating. - Avoid installing in direct sunlight, high humidity over 80%, or temperatures below 40°F or above 100°F. - Keep your applicator damp but not overly saturated to avoid drips and runs. Squeeze out excess and rewrap in aluminum foil between sections. - Start with smaller, easier panels first to get a feel for the process before tackling large panels. - Applying in thin coats is better than thick - you can always add another coat to fix imperfections, but drips and runs are harder to fix. - Don't stress over small imperfections; the coating is very forgiving, and you can always fix problem areas later by removing them and reapplying them. - Use the small round applicators to get into tight spaces around mirrors, handles, etc. - Have patience, take your time, and don't rush it. Walk away and take breaks as needed, especially during the curing phase.
Thank you Colton and Jackie for the team collaboration, very appreciative and although no product is 100% perfect, this gets us right up there and glad it offers very good protection with no fingerprints, TY for making this video!!!
I’ve had Everbrite on my truck for over 3 months now and I love it. I take my cybertruck through a super tunnel car wash at least 4-5 times a week and no issues besides getting 1 scratch that only scratched off the everbrite coating so I cleaned the area and applied another coat over the scratch and it blended in and went away 😊
Great video I don’t care how long it is. It was an excellent video with good detail and great explanations and questions answered thoroughly enjoyed it.👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My impression is that it can be a pain in the ass to put on but if you get it right it looks fantastic. I like how it keeps the silver look of the stainless and doesn’t turn it orange. Secret seems to be put the first coat on super thin so it almost all rainbows then ‘correct it’ with another coat. That’s essentially what she did with the frunk. Can’t wait to try this out. Will be interesting to see how it holds up over time/weather conditions. Colton, if I ever get my truck I may drive it out to you from Iowa to put this on. How much would you charge? Shout out to Kyle sneaking around in the background!
I wish you would have parked the two trucks side-by-side to directly see the difference between the two coatings. Even in the original video I preferred the way the ProtectaClear kept the fresh/just cleaned SS color and didn't alter it like the DIY ceramic coat did.
Our truck left midway through the shoot to go to another shoot. That was my intention of having both trucks there. Unfortunately out of my control. Both will be together soon in a one month update! Stay tuned
This is only one of the options out there. And arguably the most complex for a DIYer. It is also not necessary to do anything to the CT if you don't want to. Just like with any vehicle, you can wrap, coat, seal, other options, or do nothing. Pluses and minuses to each. It's like everyone on the internet forgot that detail shops and all these treatments have been around forever and that all vehicles get dirty, get water spots, get fingerprints and have other paint and finish issues if you don't take care of them 🙄
@@gfleck466 well aware of all of that. But with my OCD and need to protect any vehicle I own, I’d just wrap it. The other coating options turn stainless an orange tint which I don’t care for.
@snomofilms Fair. One of the reasons I haven't made a final decision myself is the orange-ing. Actually, why Everbrite is still in the running for me. Apparently, it does not do this.
Thanks for sharing Carlton. Here are my thoughts for what it's worth. Their product is cool if you have a specialist applying it in a lab type cleanroom. There is no way an average Joe (like me) will prevent dust or fluff from settling down while it's drying. Maybe if you can do the front of the Out of Spec Cybertruck (just the bug collector panels) and see how it holds up.
I think they rush the market to surf the Cybertruck wave, but there experience is more "industrial" stuff where it migth not be important to be "perfect" or small stuff where imperfections don't show up, but car (trucks) detailling is about to try to be "perfect"
Coleton, I love the team work with you and Jackie. I assume the product works really well; however, I am not a professional detailer, and this seems to involve too many steps and “what if’s” for me. I would still not feel comfortable applying this product. I would need a professional to complete this process for me.
Windex At about 33:04 they cover how the use of Windex on the Cybertruck is controversial. Although they don't cover this in the video, here are some related data points. I saw in a RU-vid video from another content creator who performed a metal assessment that determined Tesla likely used 304 stainless steel in the Cybertruck (i.e., with the "X" in 30X being a 4). If this is the case, then Windex should be fine. However, if Tesla had used a different type of stainless steel (e.g., 420), then Windex would have been an issue. That being said, Windex can damage window tinting. Stainless steel is generally resistant to corrosion from ammonia, but the extent of its resistance depends on the specific type of stainless steel and the concentration of the ammonia solution. Austenitic stainless steels (e.g., 304 and 316) have excellent resistance to ammonia corrosion due to their high chromium and nickel content. These types of stainless steel are commonly used in applications involving ammonia, such as refrigeration systems and fertilizer production. Ferritic stainless steels (e.g., 430 and 444) have lower corrosion resistance compared to austenitic grades. They may be suitable for use with low concentrations of ammonia but are more susceptible to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in the presence of chlorides. Martensitic stainless steels (e.g., 410 and 420) have the lowest corrosion resistance among the three main types of stainless steel. They are not recommended for use with ammonia due to their high susceptibility to SCC.
We have a Samsung fridge that seems to have a acrylic or resin coating on the surface and it doesn't fingerprint like our Samsung dishwasher. Curious what Samsung uses on the newer 2020+ refrigerators.
Great video Coleton, planning on sealing mine soon, your video will be very helpful. I live in Florida and was planning on doing this in my garage with AC too keep humidity low, how bad are the fumes from the sealer. Thanks Coleton
In general, clear epoxy does not do well in daily hard sunlight. What a is known about this Everbrite product when applied to cars sitting in the SoCAL sun on a daily basis? Will it yellow, get brittle and eventually needs to be scrapped off? Though it may initially look good, it seems a disaster down the road
The yellowing that occurs in traditional lacquers and other clear epoxies is caused by the breakdown of nitrocellulose. ProtectaClear and all other Everbrite Coatings do not contain nitrocellulose, therefore they will never turn yellow. When the coatings need to be reapplied you will see a dulling of the finish, this tells the user that it is time for reapplication.
Makes me nervous (doing it myself) but I feel like it's an option to consider now (and that Iprobably could make it work myself). That said, I probably would leave it to a pro if there was one close by I trusted to really take the time to learn to do it well. Also wouldn't want to be their first 1,2, or 3rd 😅
It was the smart PR / Marketing move. Not only keeps the CT market open to them but all this has also been good for general company / market awareness. Still undecided on what to use for my CT but this is back in the running now and, having not really known of them before, if I have any other stainless or metal coating needs I'll be looking into what options they have.
@@gfleck466 true! Did they tell what the product look like after 5-10 years. Do you just have a coat over the top, do you have to use acetone to remove it?
Hey, I might have an idea for your rags .. could always sign them and sell em :) hell I bought dirt from Jerry RIg Everything :) ... tried to get dirt from Furze also
I have a CyberTruck reservation and I have to tell ya I'm very concerned at how complicated it might be to keep this vehicle clean. I like cleaning my vehicles frequently but if a traditional wash by hand or automated wash isn't going to keep the CyberTruck clean of so called industrial surface rust spots and fingerprints I'm more than a lil concerned. 🤔
I think things seem a bit exaggerated on the internet given anything CT gets so many clicks, and the more negative the more clicks. I'm haven't done any coating or wrapping yet and am not really finding it much different from any other vehicle I've owned. Fingerprints are a bit worse but I carry a microfiber and DIY waterless wash for quick touch up's and it's fine. I've also started looking closer at all the other cars on the road and honestly, most look dirty and with all sorts of paint and rust issues. Everyone seems to think all these things are CT unique and vehicles never got dirty or needed any care before clean or maintain.
@@gfleck466 Thanks! I feel a lil better after your experience thus far because everything ive read or seen makes it seem like a nightmare to keep clean 😉👍
It took it off where it dripped onto another panel, but that is because the coating hadn't cured yet. Once ProtectaClear cures, the BKF won't take it off. It will damage it though, so be careful. It's best to clean with mild soap and water once coated.
I don’t care how well protectaclear worked, the way the company responded in the comments of the previous video is very immature and won’t ever have my business
Yea, that first reply to the first video wasn't well thought through at all. Even one of the comments just above made the marketing professional in me cringe. Coming onsite with Colton was absolutely the right move, and Jackie did a good job rolling with some of the challenges and Colton being a bit repetitive lol, but someone doing some of the online responding needs some current day media training.
Depends on the towels & the areas cleaned. Interior towels, wheel towels, coating towels all get tossed. I still have piles of towels I wash with every detail.
Forever grateful for being the guinea pigs for a product released before it’s ready. The video is just a glimpse of my 3 month battle with Protectaclear. Here are my thoughts: 1. Yes, the drips on the side of the hood is now on the plastic inside and will not come off without acetone which discolors all plastics 2. Did not have to tape before, yup drips all over the bumpers, trims, rubber trims, and inside the frunk. My loss for following the original video and directions. 3. Installed in sections, panel by panel as recommended before, nothing matched or blended in between 4. Do not get it on the glass, it is as hard to get off as stainless steel. The rubber seal on the windshield will be white after the acetone 5. Bugs love this coating and bug spots for not clean up or self anneal with second coat 6. Rainbowing was a HUGE no no before and now acceptable? Just coat and walk away she said. We are all learning at customers expense? 7. Did the whole truck with the original suede applicators, not possible to avoid drips. Thank you for the gaslighting between February and today. Seems like it’s just the product and not the customer? 8. Even the all mighty Jackie ended up with “sags?” It’s dripping and sagging that WILL happen. The frunk coated by Jackie in perfect conditions was what my entire truck looked like ….and it was my fault according to them. I did not know what I was doing. 🤣 9. LMFAO! It’s getting tacky and not self leveling?!?! Imagine that! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Get ready for three or more coats! 10. Try it to see if you like it? There is NO refunds typically but they will make an exception and give you a 40% refund if you pay for return shipping 11. Stripped the entire truck and coated it with DIY metal ceramic coating at 20% of the time with zero issues 12. Buy Acetone by the gallon and gloves by the case if you want to try 13. Anyone want to buy a barely used ProtectaClear kit for $100? 😭 It’s amazing, in today’s environment of instant customer feedback, Everbrite still thinks they can treat their customers like old school companies. Gaslight, deny, and ignore. Glad I have stripped my entire truck and rid myself of this fiasco forever. DIY Metal Ceramic Coating is 100% perfect for me both in application and results. Thank you Colton, for not taking sponsorship dollars and exposing the fraud behind this crap product.
How many times has Tesla sent updates to your truck since you have had it? And recalls? We have made changes and included more accessories in the Cybertruck Kit as we have learned in this process, in an effort to ensure our customers have the best possible experience. How can you fault us for that?
Yeah, no matter how good it may look and protect when you get it perfect, it doesn’t seem worth it because it’s so hard to get perfect. Seems like less of a DIY coating and more of a professional coating… and even then, it seems like there needs to be some type of training and certification process for the pros.
@@ProtectMetalFirst hand feedback, my experience was horrible. Please don’t compare yourselves to Tesla. They’re changing the world, your only motivation is pure profit. How about refunding all of your dissatisfied customers 100% of what they paid for being the guinea pigs of your “beta” product?
Geez better things to do with my time than spend it trying to make my car look like a mirror. Way too involved. Then again, even if I could afford it I wouldnt have a CT
I would be concerned about the wear and tear on the fairly soft resin on the front valance from road debris like rocks, gravel, etc. I plan on applying clear PPF to this area and the frunk lid and leaving all other panels el natural.
