Hi everyone,

About a month or 2 ago I hand waxed my Black 97 F-150 with Turtle Wax. Whenever the truck is siting in the sun it looks bad. You can see swirl marks from where it was applied and a light haze. If anyone could recommend a product to remove the swirls and haze or give me some advice about what to do to get the truck looking as nice in the day as it does in the evening I would really appreciate it. Also I have graphics any info about waxing a truck with graphics would help too.

Thanks to all who reply

Jason

 

Jason23,

I have a black car from 92 and it does not have the swirls. I'm not saying that I'm right, but I always hand wax and buff my vehicles, and I never do the "Miagi" (wax on - wax off, in circles). I always go in straight lines and change cloths very often. I find that Mothers products are very good and could help. I'm not sure of the names, but there is an entire series of cleaners, wax removers, compounds, waxes etc from Mothers that I have succesfully used on small scratches. Local automotive store should have them all.

Good Luck!

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1999 F-150 Supercab Flareside Sport Package
Oxford White Full tint Bug shield CD player, 17" wheels, K&N
Ford Soft Tonneau cover
Gibson Super Truck Looking for more!

 

It's hard to tell from your post if the swirls are just from over application of a not so great wax (Turtle Wax), or are actually swirl type scratches in your clearcoat.

If the swirls are from wax, a good Dawn wash should remove them. Yes, I do mean Dawn dishwashing soap. It does a good job removing wax and oils from your truck, which is why normally you wouldn't use it to wash with.

If the swirls are from scratches in your clearcoat, then you need 3M Foam Polish Pad, it does a great job of getting out the swirls. The 3M polish contains fine abrasives, so even though it is exactly what you need, don't make a habit out of using it.

If you have scratches in your clearcoat, it's time to rethink how you're washing and waxing your car. If you need any more advice on it, just ask.

Larry

 

jason23,

Sorry to hear about the swirls! I put swirls in my '99. To get the out I used a color polish. It was made by Turtle Wax called "Color Magic". You can get it almost anywhere. Get the color that matches the color of your truck, follow the instructions and they'll disapppear.

I'm with you Typhoon, I'm not into the Turtle wax products but this worked great.

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99 4x4 XLT supercab 5.4L Flareside, Deep Wedgewood Blue/Med. Graphite w/Captain Chairs, Pioneer DEP-4000, Tint, K&N, Bedliner, 3" Catback w/3 Chamber Flowmaster, 285/75/16 BFG A/T on American Racing Python wheels, Stull Billet Grill

'00 Expedition XLT, Silver w/Dark graphite interior, 5.4L, Stull Billet Grill and some other stuff. All in all she'll stay stock. Ok, maybe a Flowmaster 50 series soon.

 

Typhoon is correct. The swirls should come out with either the 3M polish or Meguiar's Mirror Glaze #9 (aka Swirl Remover); then you can apply the wax. Make sure you use 100% cotton pads and clean towels to apply/remove the polish and wax. The wax shouldn't leave swirl marks if you prep the surface properly.

------------------
1999 Lariat Super Cab, S.B. 5.4L, 3.55 LS
and everything but the leaky slider window.
Bright red w/ gold 2-tone, Leather Captain's Chairs
Mods: Duraliner bedliner, Bugflector II, Hide-a-hooks.
& a leeetle chrome tip on the exhaust.

 

I've got really bad swirls too. I've tried just about everything, gone with three different waxes, but they still leave swirls. I know there are some guys out there with black trucks, what do y'all use, how do you keep your black truck lookin good when the sun is shinin down on it. My truck looks so good when it's in the shade, but when the sun hits it, I just get pissed cause it looks like a damn swirl fest. I've learned that Turtle Wax will leave swirls, and that Meguiars works good, but will also leave swirls. Guess I'm just gonna have to keep tryin new things til I get this problem taken care of. To be honest with y'all, I wished I'd got a red truck.

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Patrick aka Mudder
Arlington Texas (DFW), member of Fordified.
Stone Cold edition F150,Black 98 Styleside S/C F150 4x4 0RP 5.4 3.55ls, Ramsey Pro 8000 hidden winch, Grizzly roll bar,2 Baja lights, 4 165 watt KC lights (I can light up the night with these), Manik grille guard, Westin step bars, Magnum bug shield, Sonic aluminum treadplate 36" tool box, Flowmaster dual exhaust, K/N air filter, 265/75/16 BFG AT/S, American Racing Baja wheels, a Mobil Speed Pass on the back window, a F150 Online sticker, and a Stone Cold sticker on the front windshield . More to come for the 3:16 machine: 4 more KC lights, shocks, and tail light guards. If you would like to see pics, email me at mudder46@hotmail.com or see pics at me and pony's new website www.angelfire.com/ok3/ponysix8/index2.html, and to hear the exhaust http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/ponysix8/images/T005.wav
Ford Trucks: "when you absolutely have to have the very best".
[img]


[This message has been edited by mudder (edited 11-23-1999).]

 

Hey guys, I know you all think that putting the wax on in the "Karate Kid" wax-on/wax-off style is a big NO NO, but it's always worked for me. OK, my trucks not black, but it's DARK toreador Red and in the shade it's almost black. Maybe it's because I use a wax brand called Royal (bought from a detailer) the reason I don't have the swirls. Has anyone else ever heard of this brand or seen it???

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97F150 XLT SC 4x4 Flairside 4.6 V8 5sp Dk Toreador Red, 3.55LS
ARE tonneau cover, p255/70rx16 tires (came w/235), Superchip
Pioneer CD w/4 Polk Speakers & Clarion APA5240amp, skid plates
bed liner, side window deflectors, reese hitch, K&N air filter
40s-2chamber Flowmaster, Bosch +4 spark plugs, rustproofing
Better Built Stainless nerf bars

 

Mudder,

Use the 3M Foam Pad Polish. Make sure that your trucks' surface is cool, because the cooler the paint the better the results.

To apply the 3M, put a spot about the size of a quarter on a piece of 100% cotton towel and rub back and forth in a 1' X 1' area using light to medium pressure until it starts to dry. When you reach that point, use another towel and lightly rub back and forth until the polish residue disappears, leaving a shiny finish. If there are still swirls left, you can go back over the surface until it's where you want it. You could use a more abrasive product, but it's better to use the 3M multiple times than it is to use a heavy abrasive once. When you've finished the truck, wash it well with Dawn and then re-wax.

As for the wax, I would use Zaino, the results are the best you'll find. If you don't want the best, and store bought wax is good enough, then buy Meguiars or Mothers. The longevity and quality of shine aren't up to the same level, but some people don't mind waxing every week to keep a shine.

As for your wash and wax routine, make sure that anything that touches your finish is 100% cotton, made in the U.S. Other countries don't have the same restrictions on their cottons content as we do so that's the reasoning behind "Made in the U.S.". For washing, if you can find a cotton mitt with a decent nap to it, use that. For waxing application and removal, use Field Crest or Cannon towels. They aren't cheap, but that's how you avoid swirls. Trim the borders off the towels before using.

Anything that I apply or remove wax with gets used only that one day, that way you don't end up with dirt in your rags, and grind it into your paint on your next application. When you apply wax, don't use the circular motion that you see most people use. Instead, on all horizontal surfaces of a vehicle, use a back and forth motion (From the front of the car towards the back) and on all vertical surfaces use an up and down motion.

Any more questions? If so, they'll have to wait until Monday next week, I'm going on vacation for Thanksgiving. I hope all the info helps.

 

Thanks a bunch Typhoon, I will try all that stuff this weekend. Hopefully I can find the 3m stuff, I always go to Pepboys, since it's right by my house. But thanks again, I'm gonna spend all day Saturday tryin to get the swirls taken care of. I appreciate the help. I'll let you know how it works out.

Patrick

 

Do you use liquid or paste wax?
I have always used paste wax until I got my black truck. The Ford salesman suggested using Turtle Wax Emerald Series (Carnuba blend) liquid wax because it goes on easy and wipes off easy. I have waxed the truck twice and haven't noticed any swirls.
Does anyone know if this is because of using liquid wax? or just the fact that now I take more time and put more effort into it?

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99 F-150 XLT 4X4 Sport, extd. cab, 5.4 V8, Black, color matched bumpers, four wheel disk brakes, four wheel ABS, 17" aluminum wheels, 3.55 gears, tow package

 

I use Turtle Wax - Emerald liquid on my Dark Hunter Green SD and it look great. No swirls

 

HEY just thought i would let you know i had quiet a few swirlmarks on my black truck and i was over at BIG LOTS closeout store and they had SLICK 50 synthetic auto polish for a $1.99 a bottle so i said what the heck its cheap i will give it a try? it said on the box that it hides swirl marks? i applied it on my truck and the swirl marks disapeared my truck looks a whole lot better in the sun now! this stuff works great! i have never seen it in a auto store and i dont know were BIG LOTS got it but if you live by one go try a bottle this is pretty good stuff!

 

Mudder.
Once again I'd agree with with Typhoon's advice, most of it anyway.
The up-down front-back instructions only apply to Zaino products because of the product's claimed "optical" properties (I say "claimed" because I've tried it and it makes no difference how you apply it, but it IS good stuff).
Also, a good quality Carnuba wax like Meguiar's or Mother's will last about a month on a daily driver vehicle.

------------------
1999 Lariat Super Cab, S.B. 5.4L, 3.55 LS
and everything but the leaky slider window.
Bright red w/ gold 2-tone, Leather Captain's Chairs
Mods: Duraliner bedliner, Bugflector II, Hide-a-hooks.
& a leeetle chrome tip on the exhaust.

 

Thanks for the supporting opinion Indy.

The reason why I said to use back and forth type motions wasn't because of Zaino though. Even though I have read Sal Zaino's piece on the optical advantages of using the method described in my last post, I heard and practiced the same thing before I started using Zaino. Whether or not there is an optical advantage to "Up-Down/Back-Forth", when you use circular motions, you tend to pass over a spot far more times than you need to, which increases the chance of creating a swirl. Granted, with some types of wax there is no choice, but a good quality liquid wax will make a circular type application method unneeded.

By the way Mudder, the weekend has past, so what were the results?

 

Typhoon, it worked great. I went to Pepboys Saturday afternoon and got the 3M Swirl and Scratch Remover, and some 3M wax. It was $10 a bottle so I was hoping that it would work, and it sure did. I cleaned my truck really good with the power washer, then dryed it, then added the Swirl remover to the tailgate first (cause that's where the swirls are the wirst). It worked great, so I used the wax and it did good also, made it really shiny and gave it a "wet look". I didn't use the swirl remover on the whole truck, but I did wax it with the 3M wax, and used the side ways motion, not the "Miagi" circle technique. When I got the truck in the light I noticed that there are hardly any swirls, and that using the side ways approach works great. So from here on out I will be using these products and new style of applying wax.

Thanks again Typhoon, truck looks great now.

------------------

Patrick aka Mudder
Arlington Texas (DFW), member of Fordified.
Stone Cold edition F150,Black 98 Styleside S/C F150 4x4 0RP 5.4 3.55ls, Ramsey Pro 8000 hidden winch, Grizzly roll bar,2 Baja lights, 4 165 watt KC lights (I can light up the night with these), Manik grille guard, Westin step bars, Magnum bug shield, Sonic aluminum treadplate 36" tool box, Flowmaster dual exhaust, K/N air filter, 265/75/16 BFG AT/S, American Racing Baja wheels, a Mobil Speed Pass on the back window, a F150 Online sticker, and a Stone Cold sticker on the front windshield . More to come for the 3:16 machine: 2 more KC lights, shocks, tail light guards and possibly a 3" Performance Accessories body lift. If you would like to see pics, email me at mudder46@hotmail.com or see pics at me and pony's new website www.angelfire.com/ok3/ponysix8/index2.html, and to hear the exhaust http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/ponysix8/images/T005.wav
Ford Trucks: "when you absolutely have to have the very best".
[img]


[This message has been edited by mudder (edited 11-30-1999).]