i have got to do something. i need to wash the truck, but dont have a place where i can indoors. have two garages but nothing where i could drain ANY water.

if i were to go through a touchless car wash, bring it home or to the shop, what would i need to do in order to prep for a good waxing? im guessing a good qd, clay, and ... then im stuck. do i need to do these steps? what steps would you take? any help would be great guys, im thinking im gonna do it tues. or wed. if possiable.

also a regular hand wash with a hose is not possiable due to locations. thanks in advance for the help.

 

My opinion is that you need at least 45-50 degrees for any product to really work. I would suggest that you just take it to a car wash to knock off dirt and salt etc....and wait until it warms up until you can get it done properly.

Lets say the temps get up in the 50's, then I would say yes, run to a DIY spray place and then bring it home and hand wash it, then pull in the garage to start your detail process.

 

I'm guessing the more experienced guys on here will tell you not to use any kind of automatic wash. But I think the only big problem with a touchless is that the soap can (and likely will) strip your wax.

Where you planning on drying it there after the wash or bringing it home to dry?

If you decide to go with a touchless wash, you will want to bring it back home and do a good clay job. After that, assess your paint. Do you have swirls or scratches? Is the paint clean? Your answers to these questions will determine your plan of attack. If your paint is in good shape you may just need a pure polish followed by a sealant and a wax. If not, you'll need to take some other measures.

We can give you some guidance here, but as RR would say - we'll need pictures.

Good luck.

 

first of all, the garage is heated if that makes any differance. i keep it between 50-60, along with the product as well.

as far as current wax, i doubt there is even any left. i havent been able to do anything lately, including drive it because of family, work, and sickness/injury. also i dont have any machines, strictly elbow grease.

the wash is also one of those "laser washes" no brushes or contact at all.

thanks again guys.

 

Then this would be my plan, if it was to get warm out side enough for you to wash it....

Take to a DIY spay washer, wash the undercarriage and knock off the dirt and grime....then drive it home, and HAND wash (2 bucket method) in your driveway, dry, then pull in your garage.

Clay
Polish (paint correct)
Seal
LSP


If you are unsure what to do after you wash it, take photos and we'll give you our opinions as to what a plan of attack will be.

Unless I am missing your question.

Cheers

 

The automatic car wash near my place has a package the includes a clear-coat protection spray.

I know it probably doesn't work great, but it defiantly gets me through the winter. I use it about once a week to get the winter grime off until spring comes, then it gets a serious detail.

 

this is my prob. it's in the teens and twentys, may get in the 30's. but low 30's. i obviously will NOT use a brush or anything at the quarter wash, but dont care to use it. my only other prob. is that the colder that my hands get i begin to lose my mechanics. when my hands get extremely cold, i just about cant move my fingers.

and as good as i want it to look, i am worried more about salt protection than swirls and micro-marring this time of year. once it warms up, i plan on taking it to RP and learning the tricks of the trade first hand.

 

It doesn't do much at all...if anything it traps dirt on your finish.

If it costs extra to get it, save your money and skip it.

 

naw, i mean use the quarter wash and the wand only, then take it back to the shop or house garage. i dont use the touchless wax at all. it always messes up my windows and looks awful. what im saying is after i rinse off all the major dirt and grime what will i need to do before i wax the truck. is there something i need to do as far as waterless washes, or qd the entire truck, clay???

know what i mean?

 

I'm not getting your question, cdnance...

Once you've sprayed it down at the wandwash, that doesn't necessarily get you ready to 'QD' it as you still likely have grime/gunk on your paint.

The waterless washes are a slightly different story but, even then, I'd discourage you from using those with heavy grime/gunk on your finish.

With a heated garage at your disposal, you're sitting much prettier than most - me included. If it were me, I'd:

1. Go to the wand wash and knock off the majority of the gunk.
2. Bring your own wash solution/rinse water and wash the truck just as you would if you were doing it in your driveway. The only difference here is that you're paying for water. Obviously, you'll want to do this when it's 32+ to avoid turning your truck into a popsicle (which I have done on more than one occasion).
3. Use the spot-free rinse (this is typically either RO or DI water -- it's very worth it and use it at low pressure)
4. Drive home.
5. In your warm and cozy garage, use a high-lubrication QD spray like Poorboy's Spray & Wipe or something similar (QED) to hit the areas that may have collected some gunk (well lips, lower panels, etc). Use dedicated towels for this task! Blot where possible. Do not 'pressure dry'. If you have an oilless compressor, here's a good place to use it.
6. Once you've knocked down the areas that may have picked up the goop, proceed with a full wipe down with the QED or S&W. Again, dedicated towels and a very light wiping action.
7. Once that's complete, finish with a good final step QD spray like FK425, UQD, #34, FD, LT, QD, UGE ... etc... etc... etc...

Presto.

Oh yeah, do the tires when you first get home... that way, your overspray from hitting the tires will be removed when you hit the paint with the QED or S&W.

That help?

 

giggle....

 

Easy there... what goes around, comes around....

Maybe it's coming around right now, eh? HAHAHA!

 

Ok....THAT is funny.

(to others reading, sorry...inside joke)

 

that is my prob. im fine until my hands get real cold. as soon as they do, i almost can not move my fingers, almost not at all. i will try and see what happens, but who knows. i'll let you know the result.


what the hell does all that mean?


kinda...

 

RR taught me a cool trick. Go buy some big heavy chemical gloves from Lowe's or Home Depot. They'll be water proof and keep your hands warmer.

The step #7 were different types of QD's (Quick Detailer's)