2017 F-150: Am I applying Ceramic Coating Properly?

LethalLimited

LethalLimited

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I have a 2017 F-150 Limited White Tri-Coat white metallic.
Truck is 5 months old since I purchased it, I do work in refineries so there is alot of contaminants in the air as well as a train (rail dust)
I installed a Suntek Clearbra on the front end of the vehicle can the film be ceramic coated?


Anyways I purchased 2 Cquartz 50mL bottles non-UK version to ceramic coat it and this is what I did to prep the surface


> Pressure wash
> Microfiber Hand wash with Adams Soap
> Microfiber dry
> CarPro Iron X metal decontaminant
> Pressure wash rinse
> Quick detail spray and Clay bar
> Meguiars Ultimate Compound
> CarPro Eraser Wax remover/cleaner
> Cquartz Ceramic Coat


Once I applied one coat of Cquartz ceramic coating, waited ~ 5 minutes, wiped off and then applied a 2nd coat.

Am I applying 2 coats properly or how long should I wait between coats? Should I polish after the compound? The paint on the truck has never seen a brush, 0 swirl marks and just by using the compound I get an almost mirror finish so I saved the time from polishing.


Also since I daily drive the truck I've been working sections at a time. I first did the passenger side fender, front door and rear door. Then the full bed. Today I'll be doing the driver side.

But since I work in construction (refinery) our parking lot is about 1/2 mile of nothing but a mud road and there is a water truck that sprays it to prevent dust. My truck having a lift and aggressive offset on the wheels it slings mud all over the truck.
Should I be worried about the ceramic coating not healing properly on the treated areas? In the morning they are wet from the humidity and then I have to rinse them off after work to get all of the mud off.
I've been prepping and applying the coat after work and get done with each area around 7pm, when I wake up at 4am the truck is wet from the humidity and it's slinged with mud by 5am. So basically it only has 10 hours to heal. I do have a pressure washer and I rinse it off daily after work since I've owned it.

Regardless the Ceramic Coated are has made a DRASTIC difference in the way the mud sticks to it. Here is an example of yesterday.
The passenger side is coated and the mud just beads on it while the drivers side non treated area gets everything stuck.


View attachment 62954

View attachment 62955
 
Appears you need a beater as a daily driver or get another job (location) LOL! I feel for you, my friend.:cry:
 
Rsurfer said:
Appears you need a beater as a daily driver or get another job (location) LOL! I feel for you, my friend.:cry:
Click to expand...

Well'p I bought this to retire my AMG. First 1000HP Procharged Corvette (built engine, trans, diff etc.) which is dropped on coil-overs, got a Mercedes E63 AMG to retire the Corvette and now I got this to retire the other 2 as daily's lol. The GT-R and Hellcat stay as Toys.
 
LethalLimited said:
Well'p I bought this to retire my AMG. First 1000HP Procharged Corvette (built engine, trans, diff etc.) which is dropped on coil-overs, got a Mercedes E63 AMG to retire the Corvette and now I got this to retire the other 2 as daily's lol. The GT-R and Hellcat stay as Toys.
Click to expand...

Wow, nice rides, but based on the environment that your job is in.. get a beater
 
The answer to your question about coating film, the answer is yes the film can be coated.

Tough call on whether you should polish after compounding. Ideally yes to refine the finish more. But if you are happy with how it looks after compounding then I don't see why you can not go straight to coating, especially with white paint.

The answer to your other question about wait time between coats, CarPro recommends 45-60 minutes between coats.

Here are the directions pulled from CarPro's site

Directions:

•Apply in shade only and not on hot surfaces
•After polishing your vehicle use CarPro Eraser to wipe down the surface to ensure no oils are left from polishing
•Wrap a mf Suede (included) around the applicator block (also included)
•Wrap Suede over the gray side of the foam applicator block.
•Shake bottle well
1.Drag one or two lines of product down the applicator.
2.Wipe across surface in a crisscross pattern. Add more product as needed.
3.Wait between 1-5 minutes depending on temps, humidity, and paint and find the right window to wipe when you’re doing your first panel. Generally in summer temps 2-3 min. Too soon and it will still be oily. Too late and it becomes hard to remove.
4.Switch out the 4" Suedes every 2+/- panels
5.Additional coats may be applied with 45-60 minutes or wait until the following day if you are beyond 60 minutes. CarPro recommends 2 coats

After Tips:
•Keep surface dry for at least one hour after application
•Wipe any water off the surface during the first 24 hours after application
•Avoid washing with soap for the first 5 days

Maintenance:
•Reload may be applied one hour (in cold) or 40 minutes (in hot) after CQuartz is wiped off
•Wash with Reset regularly
•Treat with Iron X every 3-12 months
•Treat with Reload or Hydrofoam as you wish
 
What's the best method to clean the water-spots on the windows/glass? Can glass be ceramic coated as well?
My moon roof has a lot of water-spots that are very difficult to remove, it's hard to tell they are there when dry but if you wipe the glass with a damp towel you can definitely see them for a few second.
 
First...

Welcome to AutogeekOnline! :welcome:


Second, I edited your original post and turned your process into a bulleted list if for only for ME to read it easier and comprehend the process flow - hope you don't mind.

As such, now I've quoted you below and cut out everything but the points I want to address...




LethalLimited said:
I have a 2017 F-150 Limited White Tri-Coat white metallic.
Click to expand...

Nice!


LethalLimited said:
Truck is 5 months old since I purchased it, I do work in refineries so there is alot of contaminants in the air as well as a train (rail dust)
Click to expand...

My first question is - I wander what's in the mud? Is it possible there are foul contaminants or substances in the mud and dirt on the road from any of the chemicals used at the refinery that make their way out into the local environment?


LethalLimited said:
Anyways I purchased 2 Cquartz 50mL bottles non-UK version to ceramic coat it and this is what I did to prep the surface


> Pressure wash
> Microfiber Hand wash with Adams Soap
> Microfiber dry
> CarPro Iron X metal decontaminant
> Pressure wash rinse
> Quick detail spray and Clay bar
> Meguiars Ultimate Compound
> CarPro Eraser Wax remover/cleaner
> Cquartz Ceramic Coat
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with what you did above but I could have and would have cut out a couple of steps...

Pressure wash - remove chunks of dirt
Hand wash and rinse
IronX
Hand wash and rinse
Clay while truck was wet but rinsed and clean - would have also used a Nanoskin towel or mitt
Rinse and dry truck
Compound
Chemically strip
Coat

Same results, more of the lazy man's approach on my part.

As to whether or not to polish after Meguiar's Ultimate Compound? If it looks good you can skip compounding, the Megs UC finishes down on most paints with foam pads really nice. Plus white paint is very forgiving in that it's a lot harder to see micro-marring if there is any after compounding only. Might not be able to get away with this same approach on a black or dark colored vehicle.



LethalLimited said:
Once I applied one coat of CQuartz ceramic coating, waited ~ 5 minutes, wiped off and then applied a 2nd coat.
Click to expand...

As long as it was easy to wipe-off any high-spots or excess coating 5 minutes works. If the coating becomes difficult to wipe-off then reduce waiting time. Hard to see high spots/excess coating on white paint.

Applying the second coat right after the first coat would be wrong procedure according to the manufacturer. It could be the second coat dissolved the first coat and left you with one uniform coat. I think the reason there's a waiting time for any second application of any product is in THEORY you're supposed to be layering the second application on top of the first application or why do it?

If you apply to soon, it could be, (and I'm not a chemist so I don't know, thus the reason I used the word "could"), it could be that the first application was completely solidified, cured, polymerized, cross-linked, etc., whatever the MAGIC is that make the product work and by applying the second application to soon the carrying agents in the product dissolved the first application and basically mixed it in wit the second application to give you one thorough uniform single application.

Just guess.... I've written directions for label copy for car care products for a living and when I did this I started with a meeting with the head chemist to get their directions since they created the formula and thus they know how the products should be applied.


LethalLimited said:
Am I applying 2 coats properly or how long should I wait between coats?

Should I polish after the compound? The
Click to expand...

See my answers above...


:)
 
My jeep is the same way, but i wouldn't bother with the polish. Skip, It'll still gloss! +1 for the mud enviroment.
 
Mike Phillips said:
First...

Welcome to AutogeekOnline! :welcome:


Second, I edited your original post and turned your process into a bulleted list if for only for ME to read it easier and comprehend the process flow - hope you don't mind.

As such, now I've quoted you below and cut out everything but the points I want to address...






Nice!




My first question is - I wander what's in the mud? Is it possible there are foul contaminants or substances in the mud and dirt on the road from any of the chemicals used at the refinery that make their way out into the local environment?




Nothing wrong with what you did above but I could have and would have cut out a couple of steps...

Pressure wash - remove chunks of dirt
Hand wash and rinse
IronX
Hand wash and rinse
Clay while truck was wet but rinsed and clean - would have also used a Nanoskin towel or mitt
Rinse and dry truck
Compound
Chemically strip
Coat

Same results, more of the lazy man's approach on my part.

As to whether or not to polish after Meguiar's Ultimate Compound? If it looks good you can skip compounding, the Megs UC finishes down on most paints with foam pads really nice. Plus white paint is very forgiving in that it's a lot harder to see micro-marring if there is any after compounding only. Might not be able to get away with this same approach on a black or dark colored vehicle.





As long as it was easy to wipe-off any high-spots or excess coating 5 minutes works. If the coating becomes difficult to wipe-off then reduce waiting time. Hard to see high spots/excess coating on white paint.

Applying the second coat right after the first coat would be wrong procedure according to the manufacturer. It could be the second coat dissolved the first coat and left you with one uniform coat. I think the reason there's a waiting time for any second application of any product is in THEORY you're supposed to be layering the second application on top of the first application or why do it?

If you apply to soon, it could be, (and I'm not a chemist so I don't know, thus the reason I used the word "could"), it could be that the first application was completely solidified, cured, polymerized, cross-linked, etc., whatever the MAGIC is that make the product work and by applying the second application to soon the carrying agents in the product dissolved the first application and basically mixed it in wit the second application to give you one thorough uniform single application.

Just guess.... I've written directions for label copy for car care products for a living and when I did this I started with a meeting with the head chemist to get their directions since they created the formula and thus they know how the products should be applied.




See my answers above...


:)
Click to expand...


Thanks for all the help, I completed ceramic coating the truck this weekend. One thing left to do is the windows, moon roof and wheels.

I wanted to do the windows but I found it extremely difficult to remove the water spots on them. If the window is fully dry its almost impossible to tell there is water spots.. But if i was to just grab a damp towel and rub it on the window you can definatly see the water marks amplify.
Any inputs on getting rid of those?

Also what's the best approach to coat my wheels. I have Billet aluminum forged wheels. They're a pain to clean/polish and same issue with the dry water stains. Would you recommend coating an aluminum finish? Would it give the wheel a non-natural look?
 
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