Ask the Detailer

I debadged my truck and was wondering exactly what to use to buff the paint. i have that halo around where the badges were after I used the 3m eraser wheel. I was planning to get this Ryobi battery orbital buffer after I pressure washed it. Will that work and what wax or what not specifically will I need. Break it down Barney style for me. Thanks!

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-ONE-18V-Cordless-10-in-Orbital-Buffer-Tool-Only-P435/205975768

 

Can you post pics of what you're seeing?

 

Sorry dirty truck lol. But you can see the ghosting or whatever it’s called.

 

Pretty sure I felt @War Machine's cringe from here.

From what I have seen in my research it should be able to be polished out after proper cleaning. I'm popping in a video that I've watched about badge replacement, but I don't have any actual experience with it, so please don't think I have any valid advice for it.

https://youtu.be/AUhBfkSBHSY

 

Lol a months worth or rain and neglect. I would like to detail it tomorrow to get her purdy. I’ll check out the video.

 

Dirty truck aside, that entire area will need a good cleaning, decontamination and polish (at the least). Sadly, the polisher you linked to does not have the power to do what you need.

Looking at your avatar, I'm guessing you are/were a Marine? It's a shame that you are in NH and not NJ.....I would gladly do it for you, as a repayment for your service.

 

Wish I was in NJ to take you uo on that offer lol. I was in the Marines 08-12. I’m going to see how clean I can get her today.

 

Please post pics

 

Hey guys, any suggestions on a not super expensive wax I can use for to keep my headlights clear? Or for the entire truck in general. Current wax is not safe on plastic I believe. Gracias!

 

Washed her off good. Going to get it professionally polished on Wednesday.

 

kinda unrelated but dope truck.

 

Nah that’s totally related.

 

Cerakote makes a headlight kit haven’t used it but the trim kit they sell is very good. Griot 3-1 for the paint but follow the directions

 

Like @ToyoMafia said cerakote is the best for headlights
https://www.tundras.com/threads/review-griots-ceramic-headlight-restoration-kit-severe.89072/

 

Yep

 

Thanks guys. And on that note, is there a better soap than chemical guys?

 

CG soaps are decent especially when the start of this discussion was budget friendly. I use CarPro reset I purchase the 4L so it only hurts the wallet once a year.

 

You'd have to define 'better'....and which CG soap (of the thousand CG soaps) you're referring to. CG does have some decent soaps, my favorite is HoneyDew Snow Foam. I rate soap with three categories......cleaning power, lubricity and ease of rinsing. CarPro Reset is my go-to for coated cars, as I've been told it can degrade a wax or sealant at certain dilutions. HyperWash is my go-to for non-coated vehicles. I've not tried any of the new 'German' soaps yet, such as Bilt Hamber Snow Foam, or Koch Chemie GSF, so maybe my list is lacking, but here would be my top 10 (of the soaps I've used):

1. CarPro Reset
2. Meguiars HyperWash
3. Griots Surface Wash
4. 3D Super Soap
5. P&S Pearl
6. CG HoneyDew Snow Foam
7. Jay Lenos Vehicle Wash
8. MTM PerFoamance Soap
9. PoorBoys World Super Slick and Foam
10. CG Wash and Gloss

 

There’s several good soaps, but the discussion really begins and ends with Carpro Reset in my opinion. It’s like Griots PFM towels, one of those products that is in first place by a mile.

CG Honeydew is my favorite with a foam cannon though.

 

how does it do in a foam cannon?

 

@briarpatch has had very good results.

 

Not as well as Honeydew in my opinion. It doesn’t create a lot of “foam”. Very little suds compared to other soaps.

 

about 90% of my washes i use a foam cannon, i'll have to pick some up next time there's a sale and see how it does.

 

I have had good results.....but keep in mind, I'm not after super thick foam anyway. Below is a link to a (FAB detailing) video that shows what I look for in foam consistency. There are others in my list that create a thicker foam, and one that's not on my list, which is Mastersons Snow Foam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd6zA4BWyAU

 

I had no idea how complicated detailing was. Thanks for the guidance guys. Just got my truck detailed so wanna keep the shine. Thank y’all.

 

Luckily yours is white according to your profile. So that'll hide more dirt and it's too slow to get real dirty anyway

 

For one that is just learning what detailing is, yes it can seem complicated. Once you understand proper paint care ie; proper washing and drying techniques to prevent wash/drying induced marring, and basic paint correction, its just time consuming instead of complicated. It just really boils down to how much one cares about their vehicle's paint. Color of the vehicle helps, as light colors don't show defects like dark colors, some paints scratch more easily than others.

Once you start with a clean slate (defect, scratch, swirl free paint) good washing and drying techniques go a long way to prevent the need for routine polishing. I will admit I am anal about my vehicle's finish. I don't need my daily driver to always be spit shined, but I avoid the most things that can cause marring, swirls etc. For example, especially if my truck is dusty and someone wants to lean on it, rub on it, etc they are going to get a verbal lashing. I didn't become this way until about 20 years ago when I got a garage queen and learned about paint care. As time goes on, you learn to perfect your techniques, learn what works best for you, and ultimately decide "what's good enough" for you. Most times a vehicle that is rarely washed and then once given a proper cleaning, the paint is in better shape than someone who washes their vehicle weekly. Not taking UV damage and clear coat failure in account. The more the paint is touched by washing and drying, the more damage is done especially with sloppy techniques. At a minimum, use 2 buckets. One for soap and one to rinse your wash media. That way you are not grinding the dirty gritty wash water over your paint as you work around your vehicle. That gritty wash water acts like fine sand paper. Always wash from top to bottom, and it wouldn't hurt to dedicate a separate wash mitt for the lower panels. (Those areas are often times the most dirty). Foam canons are great to "pre-wash" your vehicle to loosen up dirt and debris and rinse off prior to the actual wash. Less dirt/dust on the paint results in a lesser chance of marring/scratching.

 

Detailing is a funny hobby. It is overwhelming at first, and every product is "THE BEST" and you definitely "NEED" it. You end up with a cabinet full of stuff you can not possibly ever use, and you eventually pare your product inventory and your process(es) down to what works best for you. It took me a few years to go through that cycle. It's all worth it in the end, at least to me.

 

I don't wash my truck often but when I do I use 1 bucket and many mitts.

 

i fixed it for you