Product questions for AG folks...

C

cookiexd40

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Ok so 99% of all detail, cleaning products I've ever used have been big chain store counter products.

Looking for some guidance for mainly a couple of places on my truck. My truck is black and shines like a diamond, no swirls no dull spots, few very few scratches.

My questions mostly lies in what product /products are best for wheels, tires and wheel wells? Also I use spray wax/detailer about every third wash, is there a better brand than meguires and is there a better timeline of when to do it or not?

Just a little info, I use the 2 bucket wash setup in my driveway. Pull the nozzle off and run water over the body panels after rinsing to make for better water-spotless drying with a chamois that is washed after every other wash. Tire shine used rarely, wheels are hand dried and cleaned but I've never used a wheel cleaner. Inside is detailed with air compressor, armour all wipes followed by a microfleece towel.

Pictures for reference, and because I like to ##### out my pics.

2011 GMC Sierra

7088f26c3d0224fb3b4138bb611249ad.jpg


aa50040cd02837ae11a233f58a0c719f.jpg


sent from my rotary cell phone...
 
Do you use one of the quality chamois/shammies
that the AGO-store has in stock? TIA.


Bob
 
FUNX725 said:
Do you use one of the quality chamois/shammies
that the AGO-store has in stock? TIA.


Bob
Click to expand...
Negative it's just an "Absorber", just light touch, clean and maintain religiously. Used on paint only not bumpers ect.

sent from my rotary cell phone...
 
cookiexd40 said:
Negative it's just an "Absorber", just light touch, clean and maintain religiously. Used on paint only not bumpers ect.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply.

I have several of "The Absorber" type of chamois.
The ones from S100 (@H-D dealerships) are still my favorites.

Bob
 
Meguiars apc diluted 1:3 is one the best tire cleaner IMO.. you could use it straight without diluting it like some people do but a dilution of 1:3 works best for my daily driver.

Use waffle weave towels instead of chamois.. there is a much lesser risk of swirling your paint with waffle weaves..
 
Quik wax can get expensive at $14 a pop for a small bottle, I would suggest replacing with Synthetic Express Wax AKA D156.
 
Charleston said:
Quik wax can get expensive at $14 a pop for a small bottle, I would suggest replacing with Synthetic Express Wax AKA D156.
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Yea 14$ a bottle is a bit steep, and I'll look into wheel coating any specific brand ?

sent from my rotary cell phone...
 
Drop the spray wax and use collinite 845
Tires and wheels Megs APC to clean
For dressing you have a couple options depending on your budget
Cheap Wolfgang black diamond tire gel
Cheaper Carpro perl
Cheapest megs hyper dressing

Hyper dressing though can be diluted to achieve different levels of shine and goes a long way and can be used on all plastics, rubber, and wheel wells. Also invest in a soft brush. For the wheel wells clean with APC and soft brush then rinse. After rinse just spray with Megs hyper dressing and walk away. At first it will be white but it will dry glossy.
 
brondondolon said:
Drop the spray wax and use collinite 845
Tires and wheels Megs APC to clean
For dressing you have a couple options depending on your budget
Cheap Wolfgang black diamond tire gel
Cheaper Carpro perl
Cheapest megs hyper dressing

Hyper dressing though can be diluted to achieve different levels of shine and goes a long way and can be used on all plastics, rubber, and wheel wells. Also invest in a soft brush. For the wheel wells clean with APC and soft brush then rinse. After rinse just spray with Megs hyper dressing and walk away. At first it will be white but it will dry glossy.
Click to expand...
Megs as in meguires correct?

sent from my rotary cell phone...
 
allenk4 said:
I am surprised you finish is swirl free, using a chamois to dry

You mud have a gentle touch

Please take some close-up, sun shots:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum.../68135-how-photograph-capture-swirls-sun.html
Click to expand...


:dblthumb2::iagree::dblthumb2:


I'd use that absorber on glass, and even on the bumpers, wheels, inside the bed, under the hood..... but NEVER on paint! :eek:

Of course we may be a bit more OCD that most, (IE non-AG types) ;) but I don't even like to wipe ANY drying towel on a painted surface. I tend to put a big guzzler or Korean waffle weave, or 530GSM microfiber flat on the surface and gently either pat or wipe my hand across the back of it without actually moving the towel across the surface. After the drying process I'll then go to some sort of LSP.

And speaking of LSP, this is when I'll actually wipe the surface. Only when using a spray wax, QD spray, or polymer spray etc. will I actually wipe the surface.

As you already know Kyle, seeing shiny black, or reflections in black doesn't mean it's swirl free. ;) I'd like to see the results of the linked Mike Phillips post, or Swirl Finder lighting photos.

cookiexd40, beautiful truck there dude! :props:

Hitting the undercarriage and fender wells you should get Meguiar's Hyper Dressing. Mix you a bottle at 3:1 and one at 5:1 and see which one you like best. I tend to go for 5:1 and 3:1 as 1:1 is a bit too glossy for me. You can use 1:1 or even straight but that seems like a waste to me.:dunno:

Depending on how shiny you like your tires there are several options. The above, Hyper Dressing @ 1:1 would be darned shiny, although it doesn't have any decent durability.

I tend to like Optimum Opti-Bond, DP Tire Gel, or Blackfire Tire Gel. You could try Meguiar's Ultimate "purple" tire gel (as long as you let it sit for several hours afterwards to keep it from slinging). To me it seems more like a silicone tire shine which I just can't deal with. All of these need to be applied with the Carrand Tire Gel applicator brushes for the best look, using less product, and much better ease of application.

Then of course there are the newer tire coatings. For something super affordable there is one from Turtle Wax that has been getting good reviews. They have both a tire coating and an exterior trim coating. The trim coating is good for pebble grain plastic like fender flairs, running boards, tops of bumpers etc. You will need gloves (it comes with el cheapo plastic gloves but you should be using nitrile gloves). It also comes with a sponge applicator. It's a good idea to get a short bristle paint brush to help. You can buy one and cut it down if you need to, or you might try the Carrand tire gel applicator brush. Just make sure you rinse out the sponges and brushes after use as they'll get a bit crusty. ;)
 
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