Any painter people on here who can advise on a product, or procedure, that removes flaking clear coat? Obviously without hurting the paint....I'd like to apply a silicone-based wax over the paint afterward....

Pressure washer....Otherwise carefully with fine sand paper.

Al stated exactly word for word what 3 painters have told me. Seems 90's and early 2000's there was an issue with clear. Everything we have that is in that year range or painter then has a problem with clear.

Last year, I took my 05 Ram through the car wash and watched a big sheet of clear blow off the hood when it got to the dryer. You might get a decent start helping a peeler shed the clear by going through an aggressive washing/drying. good luck.

Very very dificult to remove without tearing up basecoat worked for GM in the 90s did way to many to count try high pressure spray or air may take some off we use razor blades-not a good deal for saving base color-good luck

I've always just blown it off with an air hose. It doesn't stop flaking though and whatever you do, if you decide to repaint it, strip it down to bare metal before you do.

Sorry to say, it's probably toast.
There is absolutely no way to substitute clearcoat with a wax.
I spent nearly 30 yrs of my life playing myth busters within the autobody field and nothing will last longer than a car wash or three. Seriously, I've tried it all.
Certain colors will look better longer than others but the end result is always the same.

Post a pic or two, lets see what we're dealing with.

I recently helped a buddy with a peeling GMC hood and roof, dark metalic green. He prepped it and I shot it with the cheapest products we could find, in a barn !!!. I just saw it the other day for the first time and it looks damn good outside

With a little effort it can be fixed decent .