What's the best method of drying a vehicle?
 

Well fellas, I've been using an Absorber for as long as I can remember to dry my truck. I like it, but want to know if there's anything better?,

The absorber tends to leave streaks. :mad:



So anyway, How do you dry your truck?

If you have a good wax on your truck, this will be the easiest method.

Wash as usual.
After washing, get your water hose and take off any attachment you have. Re-rinse the truck in sections (I usually do one half at a time, roof and hood seperate.) The un-obstructed flow from the hose will allow the water to literally "sheet" off your truck. You'll be left with smaller spots to dry. At this point, some people use an air compressor with an oil-less or self-contained pump, or a leaf blower. I prefer to use a "water magnet." Meguair's sells them, Pakshak has some, etc. It's basically a waffle weave microfiber towel that absorbs a LOT of water. It usually takes two of these to dry my truck. You don't want to drag them across your paint or you will create superficial marring. You'll want to "blot" the areas that are still wet.

Good luck!

i agree with attworth. get a good ww towel and blot dry. theres another alternative method that is far different than any I have ever heard of, perhaps that member will chime in.

Pretty sure theres already a good size thread on this.

Keeping a good coat of wax on your vehicle will help with drying. I use the "sheeting" method as described by Attworth. I than use a back-pack blower, followed a quick wipe down with a Meguiars Water Magnet.

going to try the sheeting thing again without any kind of nozzle.

I just can't go fast enough. No kidding. I washed the truck Sat and by the time I had one side of the top of the cap dry the windsheild and hood were already spotting.

I usually do the roof first, start to finish

Then I do one side of the truck and the tailgate (if its in the shade) start to finish. (one side of the truck will be in the shade)

Then I do the other side and redry the tailgate if I need to (first turning the truck around)

Then I do the hood as quickly as possible.

Lastly I QD the whole thing to get rid of whatever tiny spots may be there.

Edit: It helps to do it early or late to make sure there's shade somewhere.

SHADE is the biggest issue. Next is water hardness. If you must wash outside with no shade, try for a cool, cloudy day.

Mr. Clean makes an attachment to your hose that filters the water. I will wash my truck as usual trying to keep all body parts wet as I am washing to the next, when completed with washing I will attach the "Mr. Clean" attachment and rinse my truck for about 15-20 min. My truck will dry in several min. without one spot!!
http://www.mrclean.com/en_US/mrclean/home.do

Get yourself a CR Spotless system.

P.S. if you purchase the kit dont use the soap that is supplied with the kit, just use is as a "final rinse"

I use an air compressor to get all the water off. Comes out really good.

I hope it's not an oil lubricated air compressor.

I take it down the road and get up to about 65mph come back and go over it w/ a towel. This method is great b/c your wheels and tires will be dry and ready for tire gel:thumbsup: I used to use an air compressor on all my mustangs but Im not about to do it w/ a big @ss truck.

Be careful. While you're driving, no matter where you live or where you're driving, you're going to picking up containments on your paint. Dragging them across them across the paint with the towel will induce scratches. On a side note by towel, I hope you mean a microfiber.