I searched all the stickies and all I can find is that at some point ford decided to switch leather in the King Ranch. My bother has a platinum and I can definitely tell the difference in leather between our two trucks. However I am more confused then when I started. I have owned my truck for almost a year now and have done no treatment to the leather at all. It is not showing any ware but want to start preventing instead of repairing. Thanks for any help I get as it seems the KR threads die off years at a time. I guess buying 65k pickups is not a regular choice.


2016 KR

PS I know I need to change my signature pic, but I really did love my old '05 FX4 SCREW, had her for over a decade and never failed me, had I not got so much for her probably would have kept her.

 

I conditioned my old King Ranch (Castano leather) with King Ranch conditioner that I ordered from the King Ranch store. I don't know what Chaparral leather is like except that it seems much more like the "ordinary" leather I have in my Platinum.

I would guess that Leather CPR (you can buy this at Bed, Bath and Beyond) might be a good product for the new leather. Also, some of the leather care products you find in automotive stores may be OK. I'd try any of these on a small, relatively concealed section before going whole hog with them.

I HAVE used Armor All Leather Wipes on my new truck's steering wheel and it seems fine.

- Jack

 

From the 2016 owner's manual:

With King Ranch Edition
Your vehicle has seating covered in premium, top-grain leather that is extremely durable, but still requires special care and maintenance in order to preserve longevity and comfort.
Regular cleaning and conditioning maintains the appearance of the leather.
Cleaning
For dirt, use a vacuum cleaner then use a clean, damp cloth or soft brush.
For routine cleaning, wipe the surface with a soft, damp cloth. For more thorough cleaning, wipe the surface with a mild soap and water solution.
Clean spills as quickly as possible.
Test any cleaner or stain remover on an inconspicuous part of the leather as cleaners may darken the leather.
Do not spill coffee, ketchup, mustard, orange juice or oil-based products on the leather as they may permanently stain the leather.
Do not use household cleaning products, alcohol solutions, solvents or cleaners intended for rubber, vinyl or plastics.
Scratches
Because the leather in the seat comes from genuine steer hides, there may be evidence of naturally occurring markings, such as small scars. These markings give character to the seating covers and are considered to be proof of a genuine leather product.
In order to lessen the appearance of certain scratches and other wear marks, apply conditioner on the affected area following the same instructions as in the Conditioning section.
Conditioning
Bottles of King Ranch Leather Conditioner are available at the King Ranch Saddle Shop. Visit the website at www.krsaddleshop.com, or call 1–800–282–KING (5464) in the United States. If you are unable to obtain King Ranch Leather Conditioner, use another premium leather conditioner.
Clean the surfaces using the steps outlined in the Cleaning section.
Make sure the leather is dry then apply a nickel-sized amount of conditioner to a clean, dry cloth.
Rub the conditioner into the leather until it disappears. Allow the conditioner to dry, then repeat the process for the entire interior. If a film appears, wipe it off with a dry, clean cloth.


http://www.krsaddleshop.com/Leather-Conditioner

 

Thanks, glc. As I recall, that's just about word for word the same as the advice in my 2005 King Ranch owner's manual. I'm sure the King Ranch conditioner is fine for Chaparral leather, but the finish, look and feel of it are certainly different than Castano. It makes me wonder how appropriate the KR conditioner is for the newer coverings.

- Jack

 

Thanks for the great follow up. My 2016 came with a regular owners manual for the F150. No special book/folder. I asked about it and they gave me a line about not doing special books for each model anymore. Just wanted to make sure nothing out of ordinary from castano to chaparral. Thanks again.

 

The info I posted is in the regular owner's manual.