Truck Detailing

[Way2slow]

Ya'll are sick.  Big pressure washer, a bottle of Spray Nine, and a large vehicle brush I got from Grainger's many years ago, and I'm done in about 15 minutes.  I usually try to do that about twice a year.  At least every spring after the pine pollen has quite for sure.  

Every couple of years, I raise the hood, and hit under there with the pressure washer. 

[TOXIC]

10 hours ago, Way2slow said:

Ya'll are sick.  Big pressure washer, a bottle of Spray Nine, and a large vehicle brush I got from Grainger's many years ago, and I'm done in about 15 minutes.  I usually try to do that about twice a year.  At least every spring after the pine pollen has quite for sure.  

Every couple of years, I raise the hood, and hit under there with the pressure washer. 

You are not too far off with the sickness. ?. More of a hobby.  None of my trucks or vehicles since I was in high school have ever gone through an automatic car wash.  I have tried a lot of products but the key has always been consistency with keeping something protective on the paint.  Pays back at trade in time or sale time.  When I traded my last truck in which was a 2004, with 175k, the new truck sales manager at the dealership said it was not going on the lot and that one of the mechanics already had purchased it.  I got a premium trade in value for it as well.  My only concern with my current truck is the problems that are out there with the 5.3 and the Active Fuel Management system where it shuts down 4 cylinders.  I almost got the 6 liter in the truck but decided against it.  ?. We’ll see if it comes back to bite me.  

[DanielG]

Probably an unpopular choice I do but, I've got a 2015 F150, naturally aspirated V8. I'm more worried about the underneath than the top. I had a Silverado Z71, nice vehicle. I'm a 'recreational driver' Groceries, camper, home depot for a sheet of plywood. The frame rusted out completly in 84,000 miles. Uninspectable and unrepairable. The body was like new. I drive in Maine and the salt is rough on vehicles but never like this one. Very disheartening experience. Turned a lifelong chevy guy to Ford.

This time around I'm doing Krown undercoating. $149/yr oil based spray. It's a company that's widespread in Canada and moved into the US just a few years ago. So far I have zero (0) rust on the underside. Right now it's the same mileage as the chevy I had to trash. The body is the first year Ford did aluminum. I'm always watching that, sort of a verdict in progress, but so far so good. Nice that any deeper scratches I get I can touch them up at my whim as they never turn brown with rust.

Anyway, on the washing side. I go through a touchless carwash with the undercarriage wash and order the wax and sealcoating. I have no idea if they are good or not but I do it once a month usually and figure if it doesn't last that long it will be recoated in about 30 days. Lazy maybe is the reason but it's hard to wash the car in the winter and that's when all the salt is on the roads. They have a special full year of washes gift envelope every year before Christmas. Works out to about $7/month.

I think the most important thing is to keep the vehicle sheltered out of the weather and tree sap.

[TOXIC]

3 minutes ago, DanielG said:

Probably an unpopular choice I do but, I've got a 2015 F150, naturally aspirated V8. I'm more worried about the underneath than the top. I had a Silverado Z71, nice vehicle. I'm a 'recreational driver' Groceries, camper, home depot for a sheet of plywood. The frame rusted out completly in 84,000 miles. Uninspectable and unrepairable. The body was like new. I drive in Maine and the salt is rough on vehicles but never like this one. Very disheartening experience. Turned a lifelong chevy guy to Ford.

This time around I'm doing Krown undercoating. $149/yr oil based spray. It's a company that's widespread in Canada and moved into the US just a few years ago. So far I have zero (0) rust on the underside. Right now it's the same mileage as the chevy I had to trash. The body is the first year Ford did aluminum. I'm always watching that, sort of a verdict in progress, but so far so good. Nice that any deeper scratches I get I can touch them up at my whim as they never turn brown with rust.

Anyway, on the washing side. I go through a touchless carwash with the undercarriage wash and order the wax and sealcoating. I have no idea if they are good or not but I do it once a month usually and figure if it doesn't last that long it will be recoated in about 30 days. Lazy maybe is the reason but it's hard to wash the car in the winter and that's when all the salt is on the roads. They have a special full year of washes gift envelope every year before Christmas. Works out to about $7/month.

I think the most important thing is to keep the vehicle sheltered out of the weather and tree sap.

You might be right on the salt.  When I lived in Massachusetts we lived close to a reservoir so no salt allowed.  They used cinders which made a black mess but were not corrosive.  Here in Virginia they do use salt and a sodium chloride slurry but I’m not usually driving my truck in it.  Mine sits outside but I do have a cover for it if I’m not going to be driving it for a while.  

[Way2slow]

My wife's cars stay new looking.  Not to the extreme some mention here, but very clean and shiny.  

My trucks, I've always owned one and never had a use for a two wheel drive.  For many years, when I quail hunted, the dogs ran the fields and I drove.  Many times through places I would not even try to walk.  In 73, within two weeks of buying a new Ford Bronco, the sides were covered with brush scratches from top to bottom, I had ripped off the right side mirror and ripped a parking brake cable loose from one wheel.  I buy them to use them, not to sit some place looking pretty while I'm out busting my butt trying to get around. 

[A-Jay]

When it comes to vehicle cleaning/detailing,

I might not be totally in the extreme category,

but probably pretty close.   

If I can touch it, I will almost always clean it. 

And if a step ladder is part of your routine & standard detailing 'equipment',

You are my people.

A-Jay

 

[throttleplate]

3 hours ago, TOXIC said:

You are not too far off with the sickness. ?. More of a hobby.  None of my trucks or vehicles since I was in high school have ever gone through an automatic car wash.  I have tried a lot of products but the key has always been consistency with keeping something protective on the paint.  Pays back at trade in time or sale time.  When I traded my last truck in which was a 2004, with 175k, the new truck sales manager at the dealership said it was not going on the lot and that one of the mechanics already had purchased it.  I got a premium trade in value for it as well.  My only concern with my current truck is the problems that are out there with the 5.3 and the Active Fuel Management system where it shuts down 4 cylinders.  I almost got the 6 liter in the truck but decided against it.  ?. We’ll see if it comes back to bite me.  

you can disable the cylinder cutout. The 4 same cylinders are being used to cutout and GM truck owners are having problems with worn valve train parts and oil issues due to this.

 

 

[Way2slow]

I guess you could refer this as the four wheeler generation.  We didn't have those things back when I was more serious about hunting.  Today, the truck is used to get the four wheeler to the woods, if the roads are not muddy.  Then they just get to the muddy road.  

In the late 60's and 70's and 80's when there were quail to hunt, I would sometimes cover 20 to 30 miles.  Even if I had a four wheeler, I wouldn't want to go through loading and unloading it every time I went to another field. 

[TOXIC]

20 hours ago, throttleplate said:

you can disable the cylinder cutout. The 4 same cylinders are being used to cutout and GM truck owners are having problems with worn valve train parts and oil issues due to this.

 

 

I have read a lot on the 5.3 AFM problem and the transmission problems.  I have a few good friends that are excellent wrenches.  Pic is off a 55 frame off restoration one of them is doing.  For the AFM problem disabling it is not that easy. Basically, must add a new cam, lifters and rockers..if you disable, the problem child is still there.  It's a horrible oiling problem.  De activate the assist ...prolongs the inevitable, because the lifter - roller still has those funky sticking pins. What helps is great oil and more frequent oil and filter changes.  He does his every 4,000 miles.  I do mine every 5.  I don’t have any oil consumption at 56k and none of the problems he states with the 4 cylinder mode.  I never feel it shift.  As for the tranny, I read about the clunking and could make it happen if I was coasting down a hill and the transmission went from 1st to 2nd.  Because I was on very good terms with my dealer, there is a TSB on the hard shifts and it involved a drain, flush and refill of the transmission fluid with an updated fluid.  Without knowing how many engine problems are out there really limits how widespread the issue is.  

[throttleplate]

3 hours ago, TOXIC said:

I have read a lot on the 5.3 AFM problem and the transmission problems.  I have a few good friends that are excellent wrenches.  Pic is off a 55 frame off restoration one of them is doing.  For the AFM problem disabling it is not that easy. Basically, must add a new cam, lifters and rockers..if you disable, the problem child is still there.  It's a horrible oiling problem.  De activate the assist ...prolongs the inevitable, because the lifter - roller still has those funky sticking pins. What helps is great oil and more frequent oil and filter changes.  He does his every 4,000 miles.  I do mine every 5.  I don’t have any oil consumption at 56k and none of the problems he states with the 4 cylinder mode.  I never feel it shift.  As for the tranny, I read about the clunking and could make it happen if I was coasting down a hill and the transmission went from 1st to 2nd.  Because I was on very good terms with my dealer, there is a TSB on the hard shifts and it involved a drain, flush and refill of the transmission fluid with an updated fluid.  Without knowing how many engine problems are out there really limits how widespread the issue is.  

thanks for explaining about the cam and lifters, never knew that would still be a problem after deactivation.