Swirl Removal 2015 Ram 1500 - Black

AaronE

AaronE

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Hey Everyone!

I wanted to bounce a "battle plan" off yall. My dad asked me to get the swirl marks out of his Black 2015 Ram 1500.

The swirls are not severe but definitely not light grade (pictures to come soon).

My plan of action will be to wash the car top to bottom and immediately get into the garage. I'll clay bar with a fine grade clay and upgrade clay aggressiveness to medium if needed. After, I plan to use Meguiars M09 Swirl Remover (in a test spot) using my Griots 6in Orbital with the orange cutting pad. If that is not enough, I planned to move to Meguiars M105 if the M09 failed to remove the swirls (at the recommendation of the Meguiars customer care). I plan to finish polishing with Meguiars M03 (if needed).

After polishing is complete, I plan to apply Meguiars Ultimate Wax (even though its really a sealant) and then apply a carnuba wax over the top of that.

Does this seem like a good battle plan to everyone? Also, is the M105 too aggressive an approach if the M09 fails to perform?
 
AaronE said:
Hey Everyone!

I wanted to bounce a "battle plan" off yall. My dad asked me to get the swirl marks out of his Black 2015 Ram 1500.

The swirls are not severe but definitely not light grade (pictures to come soon).

My plan of action will be to wash the car top to bottom and immediately get into the garage. I'll clay bar with a fine grade clay and upgrade clay aggressiveness to medium if needed. After, I plan to use Meguiars M09 Swirl Remover (in a test spot) using my Griots 6in Orbital with the orange cutting pad. If that is not enough, I planned to move to Meguiars M105 if the M09 failed to remove the swirls (at the recommendation of the Meguiars customer care). I plan to finish polishing with Meguiars M03 (if needed).

After polishing is complete, I plan to apply Meguiars Ultimate Wax (even though its really a sealant) and then apply a carnuba wax over the top of that.

Does this seem like a good battle plan to everyone? Also, is the M105 too aggressive an approach if the M09 fails to perform?
Click to expand...

How many days have you set aside to do this work?
 
The GG6 and orange pad combo is what you need. Ram clear coat is on the medium/hard side.

If the swirls are not too bad as you say, the Megs may work great.

On my Ram, I have found HD Polish+, or Griot's Correcting Cream to be a much better option though.
 
Aarone
I would be interested in knowing what you think about this statement(Ram clear coat is on the medium/hard side) when you're done. I also have a 2015 black 1500 ram and always considered the clear coat/paint to be soft. or at the very least as thin as it could possibly be. I can't seem to wash or dry it with out leaving swirls. I'll keep an eye on this post to see how you make out. I'm not worried about be able to get all the swirls out. I'm more worried about running out of clear coat while getting all the swirls out. I'm training myself to live with a few swirls in order to not do damage. I was told the clear coat was water base and therefore soft. I've subscribed to this post, so good luck & keep us posted.
hmardown
 
hmardown said:
Aarone
I would be interested in knowing what you think about this statement(Ram clear coat is on the medium/hard side) when you're done. I also have a 2015 black 1500 ram and always considered the clear coat/paint to be soft. or at the very least as thin as it could possibly be. I can't seem to wash or dry it with out leaving swirls. I'll keep an eye on this post to see how you make out. I'm not worried about be able to get all the swirls out. I'm more worried about running out of clear coat while getting all the swirls out. I'm training myself to live with a few swirls in order to not do damage. I was told the clear coat was water base and therefore soft. I've subscribed to this post, so good luck & keep us posted.
hmardown
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Have you ceramic coated your paint? It won't stop the swirls, but it will add a few microns of glass protection to your paint.
 
You might be able to save yourself a step by eliminating M03. M09 has some of the benefits of M03 in the formula already.

I actually used M09 last week on a Town & Country. Wasn't going for defect removal, just some light cleaning and gloss. I remember loving that stuff back in the day..
 
hmardown said:
Aarone
I would be interested in knowing what you think about this statement(Ram clear coat is on the medium/hard side) when you're done. I also have a 2015 black 1500 ram and always considered the clear coat/paint to be soft. or at the very least as thin as it could possibly be. I can't seem to wash or dry it with out leaving swirls. I'll keep an eye on this post to see how you make out. I'm not worried about be able to get all the swirls out. I'm more worried about running out of clear coat while getting all the swirls out. I'm training myself to live with a few swirls in order to not do damage. I was told the clear coat was water base and therefore soft. I've subscribed to this post, so good luck & keep us posted.
hmardown
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Is your Ram a Crew or Quad cab?
 
dlc95 said:
You might be able to save yourself a step by eliminating M03. M09 has some of the benefits of M03 in the formula already.

I actually used M09 last week on a Town & Country. Wasn't going for defect removal, just some light cleaning and gloss. I remember loving that stuff back in the day..
Click to expand...

I'm not familiar with Meguiars products other than UP. But is M09 an option if the defects on the paint is so you can be needed to use a compound instead of a polish? I just go from the description of the M9 that says it's a cleaner polish that are non abrasive. Would not something like M205 or any other polish be a better way to correct the swirls with? Instead of cleaning and shave of the edges of the swirls to make them non visible. Just a thought and if you have another experience with the M9 it's great.
 
I would never trust the “they have hard/soft paints” comments. Paints vary a lot. I had a Ram and it had some of the hardest paint I have ever seen on a vehicle. I have also corrected Rams with softer clears. It’s why a test spot should always be done!
 
Dr Oldz said:
I would never trust the “they have hard/soft paints” comments. Paints vary a lot. I had a Ram and it had some of the hardest paint I have ever seen on a vehicle. I have also corrected Rams with softer clears. It’s why a test spot should always be done!
Click to expand...

I haven't done many Rams but I have noticed the same thing on GM trucks and cars,I don't worry about hard or soft,I do a test spot and see what works.

What is a real hoot is when 1/2 the car has been repainted and you have to switch pads,compounds and process to deal witht he varying hardness levels on just one car,,multiple repaints in different areas of a car can just plain make you mad .

even different painters using the same materials can alter the way the clear feels when buffed.
 
hmardown said:
the same as your Avatar. short bed reg. cab
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Ok, was just asking because the regular cabs are made in the Mexican plant, and the 4 doors in the Michigan plant.

I guess the clear coat is different on the newer years.
 
PaulMys said:
The GG6 and orange pad combo is what you need. Ram clear coat is on the medium/hard side.

If the swirls are not too bad as you say, the Megs may work great.

On my Ram, I have found HD Polish+, or Griot's Correcting Cream to be a much better option though.
Click to expand...

I'll take a look into the HD Polish!
 
hmardown said:
Aarone
I would be interested in knowing what you think about this statement(Ram clear coat is on the medium/hard side) when you're done. I also have a 2015 black 1500 ram and always considered the clear coat/paint to be soft. or at the very least as thin as it could possibly be. I can't seem to wash or dry it with out leaving swirls. I'll keep an eye on this post to see how you make out. I'm not worried about be able to get all the swirls out. I'm more worried about running out of clear coat while getting all the swirls out. I'm training myself to live with a few swirls in order to not do damage. I was told the clear coat was water base and therefore soft. I've subscribed to this post, so good luck & keep us posted.
hmardown
Click to expand...


I'll definitely keep you posted. What is your wash and dry technique like?
 
dlc95 said:
You might be able to save yourself a step by eliminating M03. M09 has some of the benefits of M03 in the formula already.

I actually used M09 last week on a Town & Country. Wasn't going for defect removal, just some light cleaning and gloss. I remember loving that stuff back in the day..
Click to expand...

I'll keep that in mind! Do you think the M09 will handle swirls pretty well like they claim or do you think the 105 will be needed or even a completely different polish/compound?
 
Dr Oldz said:
I would never trust the “they have hard/soft paints” comments. Paints vary a lot. I had a Ram and it had some of the hardest paint I have ever seen on a vehicle. I have also corrected Rams with softer clears. It’s why a test spot should always be done!
Click to expand...

I agree completely! Even day to day temperatures can change the paint hardness/softness.
 
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