I've read a lot of posts over the last few months regarding the care of our trucks, but wanted to get a complete list created here that you guys recommend. I figured this is a good way to get all my questions answered as well as to help others who wish to care for their truck's appearance in the best way.

I've broken this down by areas needing cleaning and have filled in the areas that I am familiar with. Please feel free to recommend other products or any areas I'm not covering!

Thanks in advance!

Polish:
Zaino Bros. seems to be the most popular (and for good reason)

Chrome:
???

Tire Care:
???

Dash and Interior:
Please tell me there's something better than Armorall.

Windows:
There's gotta be something better than Windex.

Leather care:
Zaino and Lexol are the two I've seen mentioned.

Engine Care:
I've used Simple Green in the past, but I'm sure there are better products out there!

 

Chrome - "Eagle One Chrome Cleaner" works Grrrreat! Make sure the wheels aren't warm/hot and don't leave it on longer than 30-45 seconds. (Read Directions) I just get wheels wet, spray it on, wait 20 seconds then scrub it a bit, then rinse - That baby will shine! - For on the road---you can use windex

Windows - Harley356 says Zaino polish works great

 

Wax- Defintely ZAINO

Glass Cleaner- Try Pro Products #AGC-18 glass cleaner
No Amonia, safe for tinted windows
Use with microfiber towel-works great

Tires: Eagle One-WET-Tire Shine

Washing- Pro Products Cherry Suds, Awesome and smells great

Interior- I've been using various types of the pro-products
and they seem to be working good.

Chrome: I have been using pro products wax just to keep a
good coating on them and wipe witha micro-fiber
towel, hoever I am going to try the Zainio on them

Just my opinion. I am a little biased on the pro-products because a guy rents a building from me and he sells these products to dealers and detailers. He sells me the stuff at cost and lets me try all their stuff. They seem to have some great products. I have tried theie waxes on my wife car and others and they seem to work very well, but I like to use the Zaino on my truck.

 

I finally finished my truck this weekend using Zaino, and I have to admit, it shines really well. I DONT like the Zaino for cleaning though. Better find a good cleaner like Mequire's for that.

Chrome: I used Zaino Z5 on my wheels, looks great.

Interior: Zaino Leather treatment, and forgot which cleaner I use, but it's available at autoparts stores.

Tires: Just tried the Zaino, and I like it much better than armorall. Will never use armorall again.

Windows: I used a Mopar product.

 

aight, here's what i use. And they are really good products! I go to shows every other or every weekend, so i need something that's easy, and doesn't take long to do, but has amazing results. After 2 years of detailing the truck, i've pretty much got it down as to what's the top stuff out there (not saying there's nothing better, but you know what i mean )

here it goes: in () i put how often i do it

POLISH: whenver i feel like it or have time (every 2 wks to 2months...do 3 coats at a time)
Zaino!!!! Easy after the 1st step, looks amazing, not that expensive when you look at all you get and how long it lasts.
I use Z2, Z5, Z6 quick detailer (AMAZING STUFF!!! my truck is still show quality looking 2 weeks after i wash it if i use the cali duster daily and the z6 every 3 days!)

BUFFING:
100% made in USA cotton towells

DAILY MAINTENCE:
Cali car duster!!! A must have! And Z6 every 3 days if i want to keep it super clean for a few weeks without having to wash it.

WASH: (whenever it needs it)
Z7 Car wash!! and a cotton wash mit

DRYING:
Absorbers and cali water blade!! Just wipe the blade after every pass so nothing will scratch the paint. I can dry my whole truck completely in 10 minutes or less!

CHROME: (whenever i polish the truck, rest of the time i just wipe them down and its bling bling!)
for washing i use soap and water and a sponge. for polish i use Mothers mag and aluminum polish! My one rim was dull from the factory and this was the only product that shined it right as bling bling as the rest. LoL! Now i use this once a month, and Z2 any other time. Z2 does increase the shine by a little!

TIRE SHINE: (at every show or after i wash/polish it)
Zaino!!! I've tried dozens and dozens of these, and this is the only one that i've found that doesn't attract dirt and turn brown and sling off. It lasts a while and actually dries on the tire so its not oily! One coat for low gloss, two for high gloss. Little bit goes a long way also! I use cheapo tire shine for the tread at shows and the Zaino for the sidewall.

VINYL: (every 2-3 weeks...alot easier to clean every few weeks than every few months..goes quicker)
Vinylex! I tried mothers and then used vinylex and they are both great. Just been sticking to vinylex though. Low gloss, not oily. I heard 303 is good also, just expensive.

GLASS: (before i vacuum the interior)
Zaino glass cleaner. Its the only thing i've found that EASILY gets rid of the film/haze on the front windshield. Goes on like a polish and you buff it off. If you have aftermarket tint anywhere, the other best stuff i've found is clearview professional glass cleaner.

LEATHER: (every 3-4 weeks)
I've been using the turtle wax emerald series, and for a cheap product its worked amazing! When i'm out though i'll switch to lexol or zaino cuz i hear they are both really great. Probaly try the zaino 1st cuz you can use it on vinyl or leather so i can do the whole interior with one product.

ENGINE: (once a month now that i have a ram air hood cuz more dirt gets in, but its not bad at all...easier to keep it clean when its barely dirty than filthy...before the hood i'd do it every 3 months)
SIMPLE GREEN!!!! Dilute it 25%SG and 75% water. Spray the engine down with a sprayer attachment on garden hose, spray SG on, let sit for a few minutes, and rinse off. Dry with a leaf blower, and spray with vinylex. The vinylex is waterbased so it won't attract dirt, and if it does, it will just wash off cuz the oil based stuff won't wash off without scrubbing and stuff. I also use SG in the wheel wells. Makes them nice and black.



Then after winter i'll jack the truck up and get on my creeper and clean teh entire underneath of the truck with a sponge, rag, and soap and water.
that detailing takes me 20 hours roughly (with polish, complete intrior, bed, engine, etc.)

For big judged shows it takes me about 10 hours to get ready (3 coats of polish, compelete interior, bed, windows, rim polish, engine, etc.)

For smaller shows it takes about 5 hours if i have to wash it. Then i do the interior, quickdetailer, glass,

About 3 hours if i dont' have to wash it or anything like that. I just vacuum it and do maybe the vinyl or leather, and at the show i'll do the quick detail, plastic on exterior, tireshine, and any other little stuff.

takes me about 1/2 hour to setup my display stuff.

and i take my time when i do all of it so it takes me a while.

time to give my fingers a rest

 

hey josh... try the zaino tire dressing on your interior & exterior plastics & vinyl... just like the tires, one coat for gloss, two for shine!

go ahead.. try it... i wanna say "i told you so" again.. ROFLMAO!

 

na i think i'll pass on that one. LoL. I like the vinylex with the spray bottle. I am going to use the tireshine on the bedmat though

 

I pretty much agree with Josh although I use a couple of different things:

Zaino car wash soap. Wash once a week.

High quality Chamois for drying. I don't like the Absorber as well as I have to make more passes than I do with a good Chamois

Cali Duster daily.

Zaino for all paint and chrome. See Josh's post for details here.

Meguiar's plastic and vinyl for plastic and vinyl (1 coat for semi-gloss and 2 coats for gloss finish). Haven't tried Zaino yet.

Meguiar's leather conditioner and wipes for leather. Conditioner about once every 2 months and wipes in between conditioning.

Windex or similar product for glass. I find that the micro-fiber towels are great for glass. Leaves no lint or film. I use 2 towels. 1 for the initial wipe off of spray and the second to finish up.

Turtle Wax tire dressing/polish. I haven't tried Zaino but this is pretty similar. You put it on with a sponge applicator supplied and it stays on. Does not spin off and lasts quite a while..

 

i bet ya if you try the zaino you will think you got the wrong stuff or something usually most tireshines are thick unless they are the spray on type. When i went to put some z tire shine on the applicator, i spilled it all over didn't expect it to be that liquidey (is that a word? LoL) Its more like a vinylex type stuff. Really watery looking and white. When i put it on the tires there little white drops all over, but like 5-10 minues later they have all evaporated or something and i have a nice shiney gloss black tire.

this spring when i zaino my bed i'm going to use the zaino tire shine on the bedmat also.

 

Josh, gotta use that teplate.

POLISH: Zaino, s100 (from harley shops) and meg's #26. Depends on the show, lighting, and the customer's dolalr output. (I'm a show car detailer.)

BUFFING:
Microfiber. From Jt International.

WASH:
Pre Zaino is Dawn, to strrip all old wax, and on reg basis i use Meg's car wash.

DRYING:
cali water blade and microfiber.

CHROME: Meg's All Purpose Cleaner Plus is excelent to clean it, and I like mother's polishes for shine.

TIRE SHINE: Meguiar's Tire Gel, or Turtle Wax (yes i did say turtle wax only product by them i like) tire gel for a very high gloss. TW is hard to get off though due ot oils..

GLASS: Meguiar's Glass Cleaner Concentrate. Diluted 12:1. 12 being water.


ENGINE: Meg's All Purpose Cleaner Plus spray down,(APC is very good on engines) Then Meg's Eninge Kote.

For really really bad carpet I use hot water mixed with a very small amount of All laundry deetergent. It works better than aything I have tried to date. For Okay carpet I'll go with a foaming carpet cleaner such as prestone or blue coral.

Some Meg's stuff listed on this can only be found at a auto body supply house. They are in the "Detailer" line. Very high quality stuff that most consumbers wouldn't know what to do with.

 

my supplies!

 

This was exactly the kind of response I was hoping for! Now I can create my shopping list!

Thanks!

 

Josh, good to know about the Zaino tire dressing. Yeah, the Turtle Wax is thick. Kind of a PITA to use since it's tough to rub in all the grooves of the tires.

I plan to get some Zaino when I need to re-order my Gloss Enhancer.

BTW, I will try to get 'you know what' mailed to you this week, okay?

 

The Zaino tire dressing reminds me of Armorall as far as its look and consistency.

 

aight bill. the you know whats should get here mid next week sometime, so i'll be sending them out to you shortly after that


and since brooks posted pics of his supplies, here's mine. LoL!



looks bad in the pic (crappy lighting and dirty) but my detailling supply box and wash bucket even match my truck. LoL! black with red pinstripe.