New guy with a black truck

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strokinpower

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Hello all my name is Keith and I have a 2014 F250 that is Tuxedo Black metallic. The truck is in pretty good shape. Every time I wash it I find new scratches though. Seems like it scratches if a bird flies by it to close haha. Anyway, I just ordered the Porter Cable kit Porter Cable 7424xp Value Kit and some menzerna 3 in 1. I welcome any tips or advice. Thanks. Have enjoyed browsing around on here.


 
strokinpower said:
Hello all my name is Keith and I have a 2014 F250 that is Tuxedo Black metallic. The truck is in pretty good shape. Every time I wash it I find new scratches though. Seems like it scratches if a bird flies by it to close haha. Anyway, I just ordered the Porter Cable kit Porter Cable 7424xp Value Kit and some menzerna 3 in 1. I welcome any tips or advice. Thanks. Have enjoyed browsing around on here.





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How do you wash your truck now? Do you use 3 buckets. Grit guards, what are you using to wash it, how are you drying it, if drying it with a WW or Microfiber towel, are you using a drying aid? Basically your steps in how you wash, what you use and how you dry it. Black is always a tough color to own.
 
I have been using two buckets. Need to get some grit guards. I typically use Duragloss wash and aquawax or some kind of quick detailer as a drying aid. I use a very plush microfiber drying cloth. I ran out of the duragloss wash and picked up some megs gold class wash the other day. The only products I have put on it so far are a couple applications of duragloss 101 and I tried some Majestic Solutions wax.
 
What I'm struggling with now is water spots as the sun dries it before I get to it. Wasn't a problem but now the weather is getting warmer.
 
You will want to invest in at least 6 more pads to cover all that acreage. :buffing:

3 Orange / 3 White should get you started.

I like Buff & Shine Flat Pads or LC.

HD Speed would be a great AIO and for added gloss and endurance HD Poxy. Poxy with it's Montan Wax would really make that bad boy pop.

3D Professional Detailing Products, HD car care, 3D HD

As far as the water spots, get up super early and hit it before the sun becomes a factor.

This is HD Apapt Polish topped with HD Poxy:

 
Well I was hoping the Menzerna I already ordered would provide a nice finish. What pads are coming with the machine I ordered? I figured I would wash the truck with dawn, clay bar the truck, dry it and then polish it with the white pad thats coming in the kit I ordered which says good for AIO's. Like I said the truck is in pretty decent shape. The worst is the tailgate which I assume is from the previous owner going through car washes with it. I'm planning on ordereing a few more things today like a couple of grit guars, a new wash mit and some new towels.
 
My wash procedure is:

Wheels first with a separate bucket

Rinse car down with water

Now I don't have a foam cannon, so I mix 1oz of ONR and 1oz of wash soap in a 32 oz bottle filled with distiller water and spray each panel with it before I wash that panel

Use the 2 bucket method with grit guard in each bucket I wash the car

I use 2 wash medias to wash the car (1 for the top half, the other for the bottom half/side skirts, front and rear bumpers). Do not use a lot of pressure when washing the car. Just use light pressure. I don't go over the same area more than 2X while washing

After I wash each panel, I rinse my wash media with the hose and squeeze it out then agitate it in the rinse bucket w/ grit guard

Inspect the wash media to see if there is any type of dirt/debris left behind

Continue with washing until done

Give the car a final rinse down with the hose

Spray my drying towel down with water and squeeze out

Lightly mist the car with a quick detailer or spray wax. If your getting water spots, you might be better off using a quick detailer

Give my drying towel a couple of sprays

Then I lay the towel flat on the roof and drag it across it as well as the hood and trunk. Then finish drying the rest of the car. Again using very little pressure. While drying, constantly check your towel to see if you have picked up any dirt, etc.

To avoid getting water spots, either coat your car or use a quality sealant like Wolfgang 3.0 or Menzerna Powerlock.

What drying towel are you using and how do you wash it?
 
strokinpower said:
Hello all my name is Keith and I have a 2014 F250 that is Tuxedo Black metallic. The truck is in pretty good shape. Every time I wash it I find new scratches though. Seems like it scratches if a bird flies by it to close haha. Anyway, I just ordered the Porter Cable kit Porter Cable 7424xp Value Kit and some menzerna 3 in 1. I welcome any tips or advice. Thanks. Have enjoyed browsing around on here.
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Welcome and nice truck! You'll enjoy the kit. As noted, you might want to pick up some extra pads. If you're using an AIO green pads work really well. I don't think based on what you are showing that you'll need the orange cutting pads. Any light scratches will come out with white or green. For a truck that size, you'll want 4- 5 pads when you detail. swap them out after ever two panels or so.

Lots of good suggestions on products here. One that I've begun to use a lot and love it Chemical Guys Blacklight glaze/sealant. Put two coats of that on there and seal it up with Montain as noted and it will POP like never before. I just put two coats on our minivan and it really made a nice difference in the depth and clarity.

Looking forward to seeing more.
 
strokinpower said:
Well I was hoping the Menzerna I already ordered would provide a nice finish. What pads are coming with the machine I ordered? I figured I would wash the truck with dawn, clay bar the truck, dry it and then polish it with the white pad thats coming in the kit I ordered which says good for AIO's. Like I said the truck is in pretty decent shape. The worst is the tailgate which I assume is from the previous owner going through car washes with it. I'm planning on ordereing a few more things today like a couple of grit guars, a new wash mit and some new towels.
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Sorry, I missed that. I have Menzerna 3-n-1 too. I use HD Speed LOL.

Skip the Dawn, that's an urban legend.

I would go with the orange pads for more correctibility with the 3-n-1. Do a test spot with both. It finishes out really well with an orange pad.

I used LC orange pads on this BMW with 3-n-1 topped with WG 3.0 Sealant. Where Speed outshines 3-n-1 in my opinion is working time and removal. On the removal side their is no comparison. I give the Menz a 3 and the Speed a 10 on a 1-10 scale.





 
Great thanks for all the advise thus far. I have in the cart right now 2 grit guards and 4 more orange pads and 1 more white and 1 black and the HD Poxy which I assume you would apply with a black LC pad.
 
That's really a beautiful truck! Bad A$$.

Yeah the black or blue pad is what I use. You should be able to seal that bad boy in a half hour or so, let it cure for about 45 minutes then wipe off. The key thing to remember is Poxy goes a long way. You should use about 1 oz to no more than 2 oz. to do the entire truck. Thin is in. And keep in mind, it builds up in the pad as you go along so you need to back off how much you put on as you go along. I use 5 small pea sized drops to start. No priming. Then when I reapply I go to where I didn't apply before.

Or you can go like this, keep in mind this is a 4" pad.



Try and get a pattern like this going:



 
Thanks, whats the best way to clean around all the emblems and lettering? Makeup brush?
 
Optimum no rinse, will greatly reduce marring from washing and drying.
 
strokinpower said:
Hello all my name is Keith and I have a 2014 F250 that is Tuxedo Black metallic. The truck is in pretty good shape. Every time I wash it I find new scratches though. Seems like it scratches if a bird flies by it to close haha. Anyway, I just ordered the Porter Cable kit Porter Cable 7424xp Value Kit and some menzerna 3 in 1. I welcome any tips or advice. Thanks. Have enjoyed browsing around on here.



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Thanks for the compliments. That is beading up like crazy. Good looking car.
 
sorry, I don't know what happened to the rest of my response. But I said that I would recommend using sonax polymer netshield for a sealant. That's what I use on my daily above and it beads amazingly. I top if with sonax brilliant shine detailer.

This would help with the drying process because if you use these you can get a leaf blower or equivalent and blow dry your truck dry. that will get it 85% dry so minimal drying with a towel done.

Hope this helps
 
Yea your response showed up in the email notification but not on the page
 
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