View Full Version : Ford Paint- hardness ?
How hard is Ford paint (tri coat) ? I looked at my paint and noticed a few swirls. I thought I was being careful during washing. I always do a hand wash. I have to step up my process.
wdmaccord
05-09-2015, 09:13 PM
Pretty hard in my experience. May depend on the year and color though.
Ccrew
05-09-2015, 10:39 PM
What wdmaccord said. Some of the new three stage paints tend to run soft though.
The Driver
05-10-2015, 06:51 AM
Old stuff like explorers is soft, new age metalics are hard.
It`s their 2014 Focus Ruby Red metallic tri-coat (three stage). A very nice color that shows dirt more than I would like. Some swirls were on the hood that I don`t remember. It could be the fillers they used when they detailed it for sale ? I had it back there once and I think they might have washed it then, it`s usually pretty clean. Who knows. I am usually pretty careful in washing. So how many towels do you suggest I use when doing a rinse-less wash? thanks
The Driver
05-10-2015, 09:02 AM
It`s almost guaranteed that they used fillers, the paint is hard. Just give it a quick polish with 205 an then a coating, after that you should be set.
For rinseless, the rule of thumb is if you can`t remove all grime with a quick swipe of the finger you need water. Make sure your folding those towels in 8th`s an flipping them over after 1-2 uses. I probably go through 4-5 a car. I have about 80-100 high end towels so I might as well use em right? Don`t ever be shy on towel usage, the more the better. Just don`t go using high quality towels on brake dust. (Also be wary of road tar on the fenders, if it gets in to the high gsm towels they`re toast!)
Accumulator
05-10-2015, 11:12 AM
My only Ford experience is with Crown Vics, and those were medium. Softer than my GMs and Audis.
..For rinseless, the rule of thumb is if you can`t remove all grime with a quick swipe of the finger you need water....
Not that anybody would ever *PERFORM* a finger-swipe on dirty paint, lest they cause marring ;)
The Driver
05-10-2015, 12:00 PM
My only Ford experience is with Crown Vics, and those were medium. Softer than my GMs and Audis.
Not that anybody would ever *PERFORM* a finger-swipe on dirty paint, lest they cause marring ;)
Who cares about rocker panels anyways :D
Or a little xpel ultimate self action is in order ;)
Accumulator
05-10-2015, 01:32 PM
Who cares about rocker panels anyways..
Heh heh depending on how they`re finished, well.....I do ;) OK, textured Gravelguard is one thing, but regular paint down there gets treated just like the paint on the middle of the hood. Plastic rocker covers like on the Crown Vic are great in this regard, no need to pamper `em like that.
And yeah, that xpel stuff sounds great, oughta get some on a few vulnerable areas some day.
The Driver
05-10-2015, 03:05 PM
Heh heh depending on how they`re finished, well.....I do ;) OK, textured Gravelguard is one thing, but regular paint down there gets treated just like the paint on the middle of the hood. Plastic rocker covers like on the Crown Vic are great in this regard, no need to pamper `em like that.
And yeah, that xpel stuff sounds great, oughta get some on a few vulnerable areas some day.
Seriously, I have it on my SR an the S7. It`s pretty wild to watch it heal in the sun. Polishing be gone!
Accumulator
05-11-2015, 02:35 PM
Seriously, I have it on my SR an the S7. It`s pretty wild to watch it heal in the sun. Polishing be gone!
Aw man, every time I hear how good that stuff is I wish I had somebody nearby who could do a good install for me.
Eh, I could maybe DIY it, but, well....I never put any time into the whole idea other than posts like these.
01GreyStangGT
05-11-2015, 09:35 PM
Mustang paint has always been on the hard side.
Ccrew
05-12-2015, 08:04 AM
It`s almost guaranteed that they used fillers, the paint is hard.
As the owner of two tri-stage painted 2014 Fords I have to call you wrong on this. Both my Tangerine Scream and Green Envy colors are very soft. As was Performance Blue before it.
I detailed my neighbor`s 2013 Ford F150 and the paint on it was HARD. It took a lot of time ~9 hours just to complete the compounding using Megs Ult Compound on a maroon cutting pad @5.5 on the PC and I was still left with a few light swirls and RIDS. I think what it needed was a MF cutting disc and some M101 instead of the UC/foam cutting pad.
He thought it was perfect though and in the end, it IS a work truck, and he has already installed some new swirls and light scratches, such is life ... but yesterday he asked me if there was an easier way to wash the truck ... I had washed my car the day before and it rained, so I hosed the car off and he saw me using Ult Q Detailer to dry the car and he wanted to know what I had done and what I was using and if he could do that to his truck.
Accumulator
05-12-2015, 09:20 AM
I detailed my neighbor`s 2013 Ford F150 and the paint on it was HARD. It took a lot of time ~9 hours just to complete the compounding using Megs Ult Compound on a maroon cutting pad...
Huh, and here I thought my Crown Vics were softer than that, but it still might`ve taken me about that long to do the compounding. Eh, I work slower than Pros have to, spend as much time inspecting as I do correcting too.