ok guys 99 expedition

[jclt12003]

My dad has a 99 expedition. Now the paints been weathered and not treated horribly over the years but has not been taken care of the best. Here is a list in order that I will be helping him complete tomorrow. Please tell me anything you think i am missing or if there is something i should add. I want this to come out the best i can for him the color is blue. I will be taking pics before and after so you guys can see the work in progress.

1.) Wash with dawn dish soap
2.) Clay bar
3.) Wash again ( not sure what car soap i`m going to use)
4.) Paint cleaner (Mothers) comes with the clay bar kit.
5.) Scratch X the hole truck.
6.) Two coats of NXT

This is the list i have made so far please feel free to add anything to it if you think it should be done. Now the truck is pretty dirty it has never been clay bared before. Its been waxed a few times since he got it but not that often. So i`m starting with a pretty dirty base here. Thanx for any information guys.


Jason

[Beemerboy]

On the wash if you can find some car wash soap that would be better...while doing the clay are you going to use quick detailer spray? if that is the case and you are working in small sections at a time. I see no need to re-wash the truck again, I never do.

The rest seems to be in line for each step

[jaybs02]

Hi Jason,
First why would you want to use Dawn? Just use a quality car wash like NXT, it is available locally.
If I remember right, the cleaner that comes with the mothers kit is a cleaner wax, so you may want to put that on after you use the ScratchX.
ScratchX may take some time if you are doing an Expedition by hand, because it has to break own, you will very likely be real tired after that.

Good Luck on it
"J"

[jclt12003]

Yes i will be using the quick detalier spray as my lube. I would use dawn to strip all the wax on the vehicle that have been there over the years. This would take it down to just paint and nothing else. Is this correct or am i wrong on this one thanx. So use the scratch X then the paint cleaner that comes with the clay bar kit. Also how long should i let the scratch X cure for. Like an hour or so.

[jaybs02]

ScratchX it meant to be worked into the paint, like I said it has to be broken down.

"J"

[Beemerboy]

The clay is going to take everything that is on the truck off...I would still use car wash soap..if that`s not around the dish soap for this once will be OK...Don`t use after that it will wash off your hard work...Check the wax that comes with the kit and see if its a body cleaner or cleaner wax? if its the later of the two then use that after the scratch X....I have not used this in a while but from what I remember you want to work this product so that it breaks down...then follow the directions on the label I can`t remember if there was a cure time.

[JeffM]

Where do i find this wax that lasts years?

[jclt12003]

ok thanx guys i will be taking before and after pics and i will post them for you to see. I have a feeling it`s going to take us a pretty long time. The truck is pretty dirty from over the years. Hopefully it will turn out the way i want it to. What do you guys mean by breaking down. Rubbing in deeply. Thanx

[jaybs02]

JC, what is meant by breaking down is that the polish starts out as larger abrasives and breaks down to become smaller ones, kind of like having sand paper that will be corse when you start and fine when you finish. Meguiars calls it diminishing abrasives.

HTH
Good luck with the truck
"J"

[jclt12003]

thanx so it pretty much means rubbing in or waiting a longer time.

[Beemerboy]

The term breaking down refers to the products starting to become very transparent or disappear..Heat is what causes this but since you are working by hand its going to take some elbow grease...I would work in small areas like 12 x12 inches at a time you can control the product and get the action / heat that you need to break it down and take the swirls out or reduce them