We've all been there. You just get finshed washing your truck and are preparing to dry it when the sun hits the truck just right and you can see all the tiny swirl marks in the paint. I use an orbital buffer that guarantees no swirl marks and I have yet to see a buffer live up to that claim.

I have just bought an '04 Black Thunder Road and I realize that black is going to be my biggest challenge yet. This is the third Ram that I am going to have built. I have a '99 Solar Yellow Quad Cab, a '96 Red Quad Cab, and now my new black Thunder Road Hemi.

The yellow and red paint hid many imperfections. With black, I will not be as lucky. Do any of you have any tips or tricks that will save me many headaches detailing a black vehicle? From washing, to drying, to waxing, I've heard of many do's and don'ts.

I'd like your input. What's the best way to start taking care of my new truck? Any products that I just can't live without? As I've asked this question to many people before, I thought I was just misinformed. What I've found out is that many people have the same questions as I do on detailing. Maybe this post will help alot of people out.

Let the ideas fly!

 

Detailing for Black Paint 101 – Written by Michael after 6 cups of coffee!

When I was younger and needed to make tons of money, I worked in Newport Beach, California as a high
end auto detailer. BLACK Paint was a luxury to make look smooth and buttery rich.

First off.....NEVER wash your RAM with the sun at high strength. Depending on where you are, this
is usually the same hours that they say to wear sun protection.

Best to wash around 8 AM or after 4PM.

Ok...now...your using your garden hose, correct?

Make sure you use a mist from your hose to get wet before washing...use a GOOD wash...spend the 10 bucks on
a bottle of suds...such as Meguiars or anything similar.

Use a good mitt that is clean and rinsed to wash your RAM by hand. Always the black paint first, then everything else later like the tires, bumpers...etc and above all...start from the top of the RAM first.

Now. rinse...you don't want to spray or mist...NEVER do this...these are all your water spots aided by heavy calcium deposits as well.

You want to take the sprayer off your hose if you had one on, and just let the heavy pour of the water from the hose
run off the paint. Carry the end of the hose over where you are rinsing and because a heavy pour of water is more prone
to being pulled down by gravity, the water will just carry off your RAM....hence, less water spots and less time to dry.

Now...many have said use a chamois or other type of cloth...I don't recommend these. Purely because they are only good
at getting the water off...yet, they often carry off the wax and/or oils in the paint...over time...more swirls and more slight scratches are possible.

Use a drying blade...often found in all auto stores, these are cheap and they look like those things you use to wipe your windows off....these blades are so soft and they just whisk the water off your RAM and leaves everything else intact.

If your really obsessed about drying, get a blower and blow the water out of your cracks (were talking the RAM here!), and door jams etc.

Your towel supply should be what is called "microfiber"...and this is a word being tossed all over the net right now, but believe it or not, they are much better at removing and trapping any dust than a terry or cotton cloth. Remember, we
are also trying to avoid swirls here. Microfiber towels can be found all over the net and also at bigger auto stores like Pep Boys.

Now for the detail part -

Much debate goes on and on about the "best shine" or what works best for all RAMS. We are focusing on BLACK paint here
and through trials of ALL formulas...this is the best :

Klasse All-In-One Polish and Shine....and it comes in a red bottle....can be found anywhere ONLINE and
many detail stores...but this is the best for black.

You want to make sure that your paint is cool to touch also.

Using a pad (I always recommend by hand...if you get into orbitals...they are best for RAMS that already have the
swirls, and this could apply more to you)

Make sure you have a microfiber bonnet on your orbital if using one......we are keeping it SMOOTH here.

With your hand (I will just say hand from now on, if you have the orbital, which you do, just know
that you can use it the same but DON'T apply pressure and you will still have to use by hand
after you are done to get the places the orbital couldn't get into)

With your hand, apply slight pressure and work one part of the RAM at once...let's say the front
left fender for example. Make sure you use LITTLE of the Klasse...through all tests of major
detailers that use Klasse...it lasts about 5 years even on a TRUCK like our RAM!

After you have done the whole RAM truck...buff it off...again, a microfiber is best and make sure you have
about 4 of these for the whole project.

Now do the rest of the RAM....the polishing and buffing you just did will remove ALL the swirls and not just
cover them up.

Now follow with Klasse Glaze....which is in a gray bottle. SO SIMPLE to use...but most effective in getting
your best shine on your black paint. With another pad, you simply wipe a little of the glaze over your paint
and here with your hand, you apply NO pressure...because this is not a polish...it is simply a glaze that
enhances your clear coat by filling in all the pores and microscopic caverns that effect how light is
reflected off your paint.

(Note: Many detailers including myself, recommend using a Spray Detailer that you use between washes
to remove light dust, to mist the pads you use BEFORE applying the Polish and doing your RAM and the
Glaze before doing the RAM...this allows the pad to more evenly distribute the product and not use
it over excessively like we tend to do!)

Now ....here is the trick of your shine... let's say you applied the glaze at 4 PM....If you want the
best shine possible, the LONGER you leave the glaze on, the better the effect will take place.

Amazing huh? Well, this is a process that we are going for a KILLER WET shine visual here.

But the minimum also is 1 hour after it is on...so choose what you like....then buff it off.

With Klasse Glaze, it is possible to use several coats after to continue to enhance the shine....and this
is not a phrase made up.....this is actually very true....

Listen though....if you buffed the glaze after an hour, then you have to WAIT 4 hours for the glaze
to cure before applying another coat. If you waited over night and buffed the glaze in the morning,
then you can buff off the glaze and then immediately reapply another coat of glaze.

Above is the best piece of advice from how people get RAMS at shows to look SO rich.

The glaze is your best tool. Remember, the more coats, the better the effect but remember the times
in-between to making it work.

Now don't mistake me here....because many will read through this and think. DAMN...that's a lot
of work! Well, not when you do it the first time.

This is a method that will allow you to keep the shine for up to 10 to 12 months typically...and can
go longer if you glaze your vehicle every 2 weeks or so.

Now...after the glazing....

Use a good wax....Meguairs is recommended again.

This seals in your perfection...and if you wash your RAM ONCE a week, which is recommended,
follow with a wax.

In addition, Klasse Glaze can be applied to all the taillights, headlights, foglights as well...just make
sure you rub it off after it's left on for a little.

Again, USE MICROFIBER towels and pads.....they are the best and you will love how these towels
suck up the white dust left from chemicals and wax.

You can use a Spray detailer like Eagle One or Black Magic to keep the dust off during the week
and take off with a clean microfiber towel (keep a bottle and a few towels in your RAM).

And always, if you have the time. GLAZE your RAM every 2 weeks or 4 weeks and follow with a wax.

AND ABOVE ALL. NEVER use dirty towels or cheap terrycloth towels on DARK PAINT!

Then after following all this, you will NOT have swirls and your BLACK truck will be ultra buttery smooth
and wet for the 10-12 months I said at which time you will need to REPEAT from the top

Now...all of you who read this...it works best on RED also...or any DARK Color. All other colors
will benefit as well.

...enjoy a swirl free buttery smooth wet world!

Chrome Detailing

Oh, for those with the love of chrome on their vehicles there is only one product I can recommend to treat your shiny chrome. The product is Wemol and you can find it at a find detailing store and also at any Mercedez Benz dealership.

With a soft cloth or pad, you apply Wemol (after you have washed and dried your truck first of all) and softly rub in a circular motion across all chrome...it is completely safe to rub deeply into your chrome. You can feel with your fingers if there is any overspray still on your chrome and if so, then keep rubbing until your chrome is smooth.

Now get a few soft cotton towels or Microfiber towels ( I swear by Microfiber for everything!), and rub the chrome to
a crystal clear and rich shine. Turn your towels often so the excess Wemol will be removed. The more you remove, the
better the deep luster of a shine you will have.

P.S. Wemol also works great on Chrome that also has vinyl or plastic decals over the chrome (such as Rear View Mirrors)...guaranteed to make all eyes turn as you pull the sun away from their dullness


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Now that's what I call a response! Wow! I really appreciate you taking the time to explain that process. My truck is brand new, and I wanted to do it right from the start this time. My other trucks do have the swirl marks and I am going to remove them and start your process on those trucks also. I loved the term you used "buttery smoothe" because that is exactly what I am going for. I'm ditching the orbital buffer and doing everything by hand from now on. It's worth taking the extra time. Thanks for getting me headed in the right direction. You are the absolute first person that I have ever heard describe black paint as a pleasure to work with. That is music to my ears. Great response and thanks again!

 

That's because I love Black, own it myself, use it myself and also caught me after drinking too
much BLACK coffee

We love our trucks....now let's show them off

 

That was good response. Here is what I do: I keep it wet at every second. My Ram is Graphite so it's almost as bad. Every time I do something I spray the whole truck off. After I wash it, I spray it off two more times, then I use a California Wiper Blade, then I drive around the block around 35mph, finally I dry it with a shammy cloth.

 

Very good tip.What is the best site to buy the glaze?

 

Very good tips Mike, my dad owned and ran a detail shop for four years. Black might be the sharpest color on any vehicle, but it is the hardest to keep. We would fallow similar tips, and it proved to work good. If you have a black vehicle... if you really want to take care of it, you will have to wash it about twice as much as another color vehicle.

redriderbob

 

Great write up, very helpful, Thanks

 

Does anyone use mother wax?

 

I'm a detailer at a Dodge dealer.....do exactly what mikegonzo said and it'll turn out awesome!