Help,first critical detail

U

UK2TX

New member
Hi,

new user here :) Great Site BTW.

Ok, just bought a Harley F150 2 Tone (black/silver) 2003.

Am member of other forums and pretty much convinced with Zaino products (daily driver/have no garage to park/store in).



Am planning on,

Dawn wash,

Clay Bar,

Dawn Wash,

Zaino Wash,

Z2/3 with ZFX,

Z6.



Now, reading some posts here PREP. seems the main thing. What do I need to do before Zaino???? I thought Dawn/Clay stripped everything?



Am open to all advise as Zaino will set me back $100+, Ford paint sucks and wanna do best job I can.



Please give me any/all advise suggestions on how to make this beautiful vehicle even more beautiful and stay that way.

Thanks,

Nick
 
You don't need to dawn wash the car twice, once will do fine.



If you have any swirls or spider webs in the finish (which black shows easily) you might want to try #9 or SMR to remove those.



Other than that, sounds like a good attack plan.



You don't need Z3 for a clear coat finish like on your truck, so I hope you didn't buy it.



When you use Z6, treat it like it's liquid gold, as a little goes a long way, much like most Zaino products.



Oh, and there's alot of useful information here, try doing searches for information, as it's been covered about a hundred times before here!



:welcome



and



:showpics





also, here's a Zaino Manual to read over
 
LOL, thanks Blue-Sun.

Z3 was typo, meant Z5.

Found (for first time) it is recommened to polish before dawn wash to "prep" vehicle. Never heard before this board. What would you recommend?
 
I just finished my Corvette a week ago and I did not polish before dawn.



2 dawn carwash sounds right because after the clay will need to remove any oil left behind. I am not saying the clay will leave oil.



One trick I did and help me was to spray the car with water using a soft mist (using spray) and look for beads. Then you can spot some wax left over.



Try to see if your truck has small scratches if there are some you should try Z5 one or two layers. When you are happy how it looks you can switch to Z2.



Use Z6 after each Z2 layer. I applied 3 Z2 layers that afternoon.



I was a maq. fanatic but after I changed to Zaino I am not going back.



I will use a combo this weekend. I will wash my car and apply 3 more layers of Z2 and Z6 and then P21S to give a deeper look to my car.



I will keep you posted how this looks.



:cool:
 
By polish, most people here are referring to a swirl remover. Something like DACP if you have heavier swirls, but looking at that picture of your truck in that other thread, you probably don't need anything like that.



I think a good investment for you would be a PC. If you don't have one, and don't want to buy one, I would recommend using Meguiar's #9. If you have a PC, I would recommend 3M SMR.



If you have absolutely no swirls, then I would just go with a paint cleanser like PPCL, S100/P21S, Mother's, Meguiar's, whatever. Most people here like PPCL and S100/P21S



I personally would not Dawn wash twice. After all, all you need to is remove the oils just prior to Z application, not at each stage.



Here's what I would do:



1) Wash with car soap (any decent car soap)

2) Clay while the car is wet with a car soap (you said it's outdoors, and a daily driver, so this would be a critical step)

3) Polish with a swirl remover or paint cleaner

4) Dawn wash



Then continue with your Z routine. I am a Klasse user, so I don't want to comment on the Z routine. I'll let others do that.
 
Gary,

excellent! Just the details I was looking for.

Darn, my old (not so pro. routine) used to take me about 6 hrs.! this will be a loooooooong detail LOL. Least after first one it gets alot easier, so am told.

BTW, last ride was a Supercrew 4x4 with 35's and a 3" lift, hence looooong job lol.



OK, so no swirl remover (few light on black hood is all) but Meg #9 or P21S? Heard alot about P21S, it a better bet than Meg.? or not if light swirls? Thanks for ALL the great advice. Was VERY confuzed there for a while :)

Any clay tips you have? never clayed before (oops :)).

Nick
 
Gary,

have few swirls on hood (black so theres a surprise lol). have some Meg. #9, how about using that and then some PS21S on top (or somthing similar) before dawn/clay etc.? Good Idea?

Nick
 
If you're really anal, you can go #9, and P21S. But I would just #9 to remove the light swirls on the hood that you talked about. Make sure you use linear motions, and not circular ones.



P21S is really good, from all that I read (Never tried it, I use Mother's plus mostly heavy paint cleaners on client cars). Most people say it has great brilliance. However, you are going to Dawn wash all the oils and fillers out anyway, so I wouldn't bother.



If you haven't clayed before, look up the claying technique in the learn link above, and do searches. There have been many excellent posts on claying, so I won't insult those authors by rehashing it all.



But the basics are to use lots of lube (whether car soap or QD) and just glide the clay back and forth until you don't hear the clay pulling off the contaminants (don't worry, you'll KNOW). Make sure you use linear back and forth from front to back motions here also.



Then just wash off the car with car soap. Don't worry about a smear or 2, as your next cleaning step with #9 will take care of it all.



The clays people here like are Clay Magic, Mother's, Pinnacle PolyClay, and Z. I have only tried the first two, and like them both.
 
Gary, you are a star. AM pumped and ready to go now :)

Just have to wait till the 4th Sept. till I get home :(

Will be sure to post pics after the ordeal :)

Nick

BTW "Then just wash off the car with car soap. Don't worry about a smear or 2, as your next cleaning step with #9 will take care of it all." you mean Dawn right?

Car soap

Clay

Car soap

Meg#9

Dawn

Zaino........ yep?
 
I meant car soap after the clay.



But your sequence is correct. Dawn just before application of Z, so all the oils and fillers are removed.



Yeah, make sure you post those pics. It'd be really cool to see pics of that truck fully detailed.



P.S. I just reread your profile and realized that you're from Conroe, Tx! Home of one of my heroes! Colin Edwards II, WSC champ from 2002! :bow
 
Let me correct you about washing twice with Dawn. Most of Zaino users will agree with this.



You have to wash twice with dawn like I did due all the oils left for the dealer before I took the car out of the dealership.



Less oils better Zaino.





Dawn won't harm you paint. The clear coat will protect against dawn.



Before try the second wash with anything (Dawn or carwash)

Spray water into the car and you will see a lot of water beads. That is indication that you have wax or other oils left over.



Spray with water it will take you 10 seconds but It will make you sure your car is clean without any residue.
 
On top of all this good info. The Hall of Fame forum has a good thread on Zaino application.



I would do this to a 2003 new Harley F150 (drools, only seen one or two of these so far, both looked like swirl city and light black paint, not wet and glossy.)



1. Wash car with a regular car wash shampoo (Meguiar's Gold Class gets my vote, but since you use Zaino, any car shampoo should work (anyone of Meguiars, Mothers, P21S, Eagle One, etc. etc.)



2. Claying, you have several different options, use Z7 with water a as lube (like 1 capful per 20 ounce spray bottle, just plain water from the hose after a wash on a panel, or using a QD such as Z6 or Meguiar's consumer QD.) *I* always prefer the QD method over the water and wash solution, the clay is just lubed too much with the shampoo mixture and the clay doesn't make the surface as smooth, the same for the water technique but I use it with Meguiar's C-2000 overspray clay on beater cars (leaves residue here and there though.) the QD and clay gives me the best combo. I have used Clay Magic (blue good for general use, the red one is abrasive though, will leave haze, so I'll stick with blue since it is a new car), Mothers (good clay, leaves no marks and a good deal at $13.84 at Wal-mart with a bottle of QD and some cleaner wax for a beater), Zaino Z18 (similar to mother's, looks the same, performs the same, good clay, I would recommend it if Mother's or Clay Magic is not available.)



3. I just polish here, why waste a step washing when the residue can be wiped up in spots with soem QD? Saves time too. But if you are really anal, go ahead and wash with Dawn to remove residue from claying IF any.



Make sure the dealer doesn't prep the car, the F150 should not have any swirls in it to begin with, why let Ford put some in free of charge?



If it does have light swirls, remember to read up on hand techniques of removing swirls, Meguiar's #9 is something good to start out with.



4. Dawn Wash here (forum stanard is the blue Ultra Dawn, the one without the additives and fancy antibacterial stuff and hand softeners.)



5. Begin Zaino process (from what I see Z2/Z5 with ZFX with Z6 inbetween each coat.)



I recommend 3 coats of Z5 first. See if you like that, supposedly a darker wetter look on darker colored cars (black) but you can try Z2 down the line to see if you like that (brighter look to it, loses some depth.) Personally I use a few coats of Z5 then some of Z2. On lighter colored cars with little to no swirls, I just use Z2.



Its all up to you.



After all this, its easy maintaince. Z6 and Z7 are the two products I go through the most of. Z2/Z5 being right behind that, followed by Z1 and ZFX (either or is fine, I like both and use both for different situations.)



Happy Detailing,

Jason
 
Thanks one and all!

Dealer did the "Ford Extended Detail" crap (whatever that is) before I even saw the truck!

I actually like to detail. My folks back home have a garage (have had before I was born) so cut my teeth on detailing cars, esp. the new ones that used to be coated in wax uggghhhh. Can still smell T-Cut now LOL). But never used a polymer like Zaino before. All my friends/relatives over here think I am anal/mad but let em. I like to take care of my posessions!

Ford paint is abysmal!!!!!!!!!!!! never seen such crappy work! So paint care to me is my PRIME concern with my baby. My folks have BMW/Mercedes and that there is paint.

When I used to paint some older vehicles I was taught the cellulose way,shadowing panels etc. Since all is now mostly powder/baked, uggghhhh!

As for my baby, I want her to look as fast as she is :)

Interior is far superior to normal Ford pooh (not including SVT's).Two tone leather (good quality) etc.

Will take lots of pics when done.

BTW. Meg#9 for hood (black swirlies) but what about silver body? another cleaner perhaps?

Nick
 
I would use #9 for the whole truck. It's pretty mild, so you don't have to worry about your clearcoat. And you're not going to be doing this once a month or anything, so the #9 will be no problem at all. The swirls are there in the silver, you probably just can't see it as easily as on the black, that's all.
 
Gary,

your da man.

1. more question LOL

not trying to bug ya'll! :)

If Meg #9 does not do it to my anal satisfaction, whats the next step for black swirl nirvana by hand?

Nick
 
DACP. But it's hard work by hand. IMHO, if #9 doesn't do it for you, it's time for a PC. PC and #9 doesn't work, then move up to DACP. For a black vehicle, I think a PC is pretty much a must, if you are going to use synthetics.



Conversely, if you go the wax route, you can get excellent results by hand with #9, #7 (or other glazes) and a quality carnauba. This will hide the swirls on a daily driver, which would continue to accumulate them.



However, I think you're doing a good thing by going the Z route. If you don't like it or can't keep up with the swirls, you can always go back to carnauba. The only problem is that you're going to have to wax quite often, like once a month.
 
Thanks Gary,

was just looking at DACP (as would need to order online). With all other expenses am trying to keep away from a PC, also not familiar with their use. I prefer to work by hand,satisfaction/workout/closer to material etc. Well, will try and get it right with #9. Can always do MANY coats lol.New truck,mods and Zaino will be quite enough. Now I (think) fully understand Zaino system I truly want to get it right as it "locks in" the paint condition and then gradually adds to it, therefore need to be as clean/shiny as poss. to start with. Well, elbow grease it is :)

Nick
 
You should be able to get DACP at the same place that you get #9 at.



I can understand the delay in getting a PC. I hummed and hawed for a whole year prior to finding a good deal up here. But the worry about the usage is unfounded. Once you feel financially able, go for it. You'll be glad you did. :)



Good luck with the elbow grease and the Z. The multiple passes with #9 should get out most of the light swirls. Look up threads from Scottwax for details on how to remove swirls by hand. He is the grand master. He even uses DACP by hand. :bow
 
Gary,

since you are being so helpful/knowledgeable.

One more question :)

I know Sal Zaino says 100% USA Towels but whats your advise for cloths?

I actually prefer a wash mitt for washing.

Also, please bear in mind 1. I do not do Paypal (which many vendors seem to require) have my reasons and 2. with everything else (I know I should use the best to get the best results) but I do have some kinda budget with evrything else LOL

Nick
 
I am slacking at work. :)



Seriously, I got tons of help here when I was starting out, so I figure, what the heck, gotta give some back.;)



I think Sal just hasn't updated his website. I read somewhere (Maybe here even) that he endorses MF's also.



I am all over MF's. I only use cotton for door jambs, wheels and wheels wells, etc.



IMO, cotton is good if you pay attention, and get the best towels, and keep them in great condition. With good MF's, scratching possibilities are nil, unless you drop it and pick up dirt.



I use either cotton chenille or sheepskin mitts for washing. Both are good, but there is no lint with the sheepskin, and as long as it's genuine sheepskin, and you keep it clean, there are no problems. Lots of people here use sheepskin, including DavidB. :up



Good MF's are just over $2 if you know where to look. Pakshak, JT, etc. all are quality cloths. If you shell out real $$ for good quality 100% cotton, I am not sure you would save much. As for the issue with Paypal, most the guys will either take a money order or credit cards anyway. You can always work something out. They are all good guys. So that is really not an issue.



Mike Phillips posted a difference between MF's and cotton that I found useful. MF's are good for picking up oily/waxy film. Cotton has more cutting power because of its loops. so is good for picking up something with heavy film.



I use WW MF's for drying (Absorber is collecting dust), and MF's for all paintwork.



As for me being knowledgeable...I just happen to be the guy answering questions today. There are scores of guys who know tons more than me on this board. That's why I hang out here. :)
 
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