Technical Service Report concerning removal of Tropi Care TC-2 Wax and TC-3 Sealant
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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
![](http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z110/tropi-care/catalina_may2/1970455PontiacCatalina.jpg)
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 level”.
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.
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
![](http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z110/tropi-care/catalina_may2/1970455PontiacCatalina.jpg)
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 level”.
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.
Last edited by Steve@Tropi-Care; 05-02-2008 at 10:03 AM.
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I'm not sure if this is a good thing. How is someone supposed to be able to use other products on their car without adhesion problems? I mean, it's great that it adheres that well, but what I change my mind and want to apply a sealant rather than the TropiCare wax I just put on? As we know, a sealant will not bond to wax. But, if the wax can't be removed by any of these things (especially those containing Xylene... wow) how is this fair to the consumer? In essence, future products could be compromised due to the inability to remove yours.
To be honest, I don't know what could possibly be in these that a body shop could not remove them with any of those given products. I'm aware of nothing that can survive those products, not even baked on tar.
To be honest, I don't know what could possibly be in these that a body shop could not remove them with any of those given products. I'm aware of nothing that can survive those products, not even baked on tar.
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The Dusold facility is very deliberate in their paint preparation process as evidenced by the vehicle pictured. As stated earlier in their testimonial, the protection can be removed by mechanical means vs. chemical.
During their use of the products listed, I suggested the use of the clay bar. They told me the "mild" composition needed several passes to remove the protection from the surface. In contrast, their use of the red Clay Magic "medium" needed just one pass to remove the protection. The red bar did inflict some micromarring which would need to be buffed from the surface.
During their use of the products listed, I suggested the use of the clay bar. They told me the "mild" composition needed several passes to remove the protection from the surface. In contrast, their use of the red Clay Magic "medium" needed just one pass to remove the protection. The red bar did inflict some micromarring which would need to be buffed from the surface.
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Now, I'm not familiar with Tropi care products, but I'm an organic chemist and routinely deal with solubility. I gaurantee I can remove it after I did a few tests on tropi care to see if it was polar or non polar, acid or base. It's not rocket science. Most waxes / sealants are some type of crosslinking polymer, so it's simply a matter of finding out what it's soluable in.
I commend you that your product line is very tough, which is admirable considering it doesn't necessarily benefit you if people have to use less of it (brings to mind the new gum commercial where it lasts so long people don't need a second peice).
I bet either methanol, acetonitrile, or acetone would remove it. You're not really concerned about the clearcoat in this case if you're planning to touch up the paint.
I commend you that your product line is very tough, which is admirable considering it doesn't necessarily benefit you if people have to use less of it (brings to mind the new gum commercial where it lasts so long people don't need a second peice).
I bet either methanol, acetonitrile, or acetone would remove it. You're not really concerned about the clearcoat in this case if you're planning to touch up the paint.