ajohno
Well-known member
How do you like the new Mustang. Starting to see a lot more on the road now.
Above 1200 Sq/FT DFB's Garage
- Thread starter D.F.B
- Start date
Wokspaces above 1200 squarefeet.
I have mixed feelings about the new Mustang. I couldn't have loved my previous Mustang more, in fact I don't think I've loved a car like that before. It just ticked every box, warts and all it was perfect. That has made it really hard for me to move on and bond with this car. Sorry, I know that might sound ridiculous, but cars are my world. Also, waiting more than two years, it's like, what now?
The car itself is.......................well, it's a Mustang. In that I mean you get a brilliant engine and a drop-dead gorgeous body. But then, the S550 was more gorgeous, and it had a more appropriate interior. However, S650 was all about refining a winning formula. So, the steering is better, especially with that lovely steering wheel. My car has Magneride dampers, which means there is a layer of comfort missing from my S550, but at the push of a button, creates dead flat and composed body control. I absolutely love the upgraded Brembo brakes, not only are they impressively powerful, the fact they have put a Brembo caliper on the rear, and oh, that they are RED.
For me, the engine is the single most important part of the car. This is one of the reasons why I love the Mustang, its STILL naturally aspirated. Sure, she's pretty docile down low, but freaking RIPS up top. The noise is so pure, no fake noises pumped through the speakers, just luscious induction note, which to me is better than the exhaust. The 10-speed is a mixed bag. The rev-matched down shifts are epic, and the ultra-short gearing really suits the raunchy, rev happy nature of the engine. But.....................it's extremely slow in responding to the paddles, up or down. Even though the shift speed is swift, it just doesn't respond quick enough when I'm controlling the show, to the point where it will actually ignore inputs. I just wish Ford would be less conservative with the programming because its almost close to perfection. Had Ford put the Tremec into the GT instead of reserving for Darkhorse, I probably would have gone for a manual again.
I'm not a fan of digital gauges, much the same as a watch nerd doesn't like digital time pieces. However, I do love the effort Ford put into the changeable gauge cluster designs, from the modern to the retro. The customization of the drive modes is fun, if a little distracting. Navigating the screens has become quite intuitive. While I considered the Recaro's, I stuck with the standard seats, which are nicely comfortable. The audio system is excellent, plenty of depth and volume headroom.
A couple of improvements I'd make -
- Reprogram the auto to be less conservative
- Dump the MT82 for the Tremec
- Use superior interior materials, and overall, improve quality control
- For such a long nose, the lack of front parking sensors is puzzling
- Start offering more options in Australia, say different leather colours, wheel options, stripes, spoilers ect
That's about where I'm at. I'd love to change the wheels at some point, something like the 20-inch Darkhorse replicas sold by Mustang Motorsport. With tyres, that will be an expensive exercise.
ajohno
Well-known member
Thanks for your reply. I really like the old shape you had.
Apart from the originals, I think S550 is a clear stylistic high for Mustang.
If you haven't seen it, I recommend watching A Faster Horse, which was commissioned by Ford during the S550's development. I thought it was available in full on Youtube, but only the trailer. AppleTV, Amazon Prime and I think Netflix have it available for streaming, or you can always buy the DVD.
ajohno
Well-known member
Thanks I will watch it.
Ranger Wildtrak Detail 2025
The Wildtrak was last polished and coated in January 2023, the Can Coat EVO performed beyond expectations, easily lasting about 15-months. For a coating “lite” with a 12-month durability claim, and considering the car is parked outdoors 24/7, you really can’t ask for more really. I do wonder if the Capro Essence primer polish played a part in this.
I’ve been meaning to get this project done for months now, actually, more like a year. Last winter and into early spring, I was just too burnt out. I was also holding off on projects until my long service leave started, which flowed into my new cars arrival and following detail series, then a stint in hospital and recovery, then the polishing workshop, then the XR8 detail, then Christmas, then the Wildtrak’s body repairs…………………..all the while continuing to run my own business. Excuses, excuses………………….so, here we are, time to get this vehicle back to shape.
Decontamination & Prep Work -
This project began last week with a partial decontamination via an iron remover and clay treatment. Today, I foamed the car down with Carpro Lift, rinsed, then foamed with KCx Reactivation Shampoo.
Carpro Lift mid-dwell..................
This was my first use of Reactivation Shampoo, which an acidic soap designed to revive ceramic coatings, in particular breaking down and neutralizing mineral content. Obviously, there is no ceramic coating to revive here, but considering the vehicle sits outside in all conditions, the removal of potential mineral content is worthy endeavour. RS will also help strip away the spray sealants and drying aid’s I’ve used to limp the car through until now. This soap is pretty strong, so rather than eyeballing it, I made sure to measure this one out, 50ml in the bucket and 60ml to 940ml in the foam cannon.
Now, those quantities might sound a little anemic, and I've noticed GSF won't foam very well at similar suggested dilutions. But pleasingly, RS foams brilliantly at those numbers while also being exceptionally slick. It does have a rather strange aroma though, much like a bathroom shower cleaner.
With the car rinsed for the final time, I used the blower to remove as much water as possible, then went around with a large drying towel and Rupes Reveal Lite to finish the decon step. The Reveal also helps evaporate the moisture, especially helpful considering how flat the paint after the strip washing. At this point, the paint was squeaky clean!
The final step was to go around taping up various trims, some of which were treated with Solution Finish earlier this year. You can see I also taped the glass side of the trim while I was at it as I planned to polish the glass too.
Products Used In this Step -
- Gyeon Iron Remover
- Economax Clay Mitt
- Gyeon Clay Lube (Diluted 5:1)
- Carpro Lift (Alkaline)
- Koch Chemie Reactivation Shampoo (Acidic, Diluted 15:1)
- Rupes Reveal Lite (IPA Prep Spray)
- Carpro Masking Tape
Polishing –
The goal for polishing wasn't for an all-out correction, just a refresh. My father couldn't care less about flawless paint, so I was not about to spend days using multiple steps or even trying various compound and pad combinations. I went straight to the ShineMate blue foam with Carpro Essence. Why? Because Essence does a few things at once, such as being relatively mild, in fact it uses the same abrasives as another favourite of mine, Carpro Reflect. However, Essence also leaves behind a layer of Si02, in effective priming the surface for a coating. That Si02 also has the ability to fill certain defects, which is kinda cheating but considering the goal, I really don't care. And finally, it's stupid easy to work with, doesn't dust and is a dream to wipe off.
A couple of tips when using Essence -
- Like any "all-in-one" type polish, you need to be mindful of what that CAN do to your pads and towels.................
- As you finish with each pad, put it straight into a bucket with water and APC, microfiber detergent or an alkaline soap such as Lift. Don't put them straight into water as you will make things worse.
- With your towels, you can be a little less ****, but be sure to wash them straight after your polishing session. If you can't wash them ASAP, put them into separate bucket of water with APC/detergent/soap and allow them to soak till you can.
- In both cases, you are avoiding the sealant from setting up in the fibres of the towel or foam material, in turn rendering them useless.
- For more cutting performance, run more passes to fully cycle the abrasives.
- For more filling ability, short cycle by spreading rapidly over the section and then completing a single set of passes.
- Essence is said to be best with a light foam finishing pad, and especially good on a microfiber finishing pad. In my case, I know it works well with the intermediate level ShineMate blue foam pad.
You will also see P&S Clarity Creme on the cart, that was teamed with a Rupes Coarse Wool pad on the LHR75 Pneumatic. There weren't really any scratches to deal with, I just wanted to deep clean the glass. Clarity Creme is brilliant at doing this, especially on an aggressive pad like that.
There were a few isolated scratches here and there that needed more than what Essence is capable of doing. For that I used Griot's Fast Correcting Creme on the iBrid Nano. Wow, that stuff is brilliant! Once again, I'm left wondering why that brand has been left on the bench for the Australian market. And yes, the headlights needed polishing AGAIN, so much for the special Opti-Coat headlight coating, which barely lasted 4-months of the supposed 12-month claim.
I also had some company today, no doubt wondering when it was time for walkies. At one point I had the front passenger door open, which obviously meant it was time for walkies and had him attempting to climb in.............sorry for the false hope buddy, maybe tomorrow.
Products Used In This Step -
- Carpro Essence
- Griot's Fast Correcting Creme
- P&S Clarity Creme
- ShineMate Blue Foam Pads (4-inch and 6-inch sizes)
- Rupes DA Coarse Wool (3-inch size)
- Rupes DA Fine Foam (2.5-inch size)
- TRC Creature Edgeless Towels
- Rupes Claw Pad Tool
- Rupes iBrid Nano Long Neck (2-inch backing plate)
- Rupes LHR75 (3-inch backing plate)
- Rupes HLR15 (5-inch backing plate)
After removing all of the tape and a quick wipe over with a damp towel to remove the dust created by Clarity Creme, I covered the car with two microfiber blankets and called it a day. Tomorrow, a more thorough wipe down with Eraser, followed by the coating.
The Wildtrak was last polished and coated in January 2023, the Can Coat EVO performed beyond expectations, easily lasting about 15-months. For a coating “lite” with a 12-month durability claim, and considering the car is parked outdoors 24/7, you really can’t ask for more really. I do wonder if the Capro Essence primer polish played a part in this.
I’ve been meaning to get this project done for months now, actually, more like a year. Last winter and into early spring, I was just too burnt out. I was also holding off on projects until my long service leave started, which flowed into my new cars arrival and following detail series, then a stint in hospital and recovery, then the polishing workshop, then the XR8 detail, then Christmas, then the Wildtrak’s body repairs…………………..all the while continuing to run my own business. Excuses, excuses………………….so, here we are, time to get this vehicle back to shape.
Decontamination & Prep Work -
This project began last week with a partial decontamination via an iron remover and clay treatment. Today, I foamed the car down with Carpro Lift, rinsed, then foamed with KCx Reactivation Shampoo.
Carpro Lift mid-dwell..................
This was my first use of Reactivation Shampoo, which an acidic soap designed to revive ceramic coatings, in particular breaking down and neutralizing mineral content. Obviously, there is no ceramic coating to revive here, but considering the vehicle sits outside in all conditions, the removal of potential mineral content is worthy endeavour. RS will also help strip away the spray sealants and drying aid’s I’ve used to limp the car through until now. This soap is pretty strong, so rather than eyeballing it, I made sure to measure this one out, 50ml in the bucket and 60ml to 940ml in the foam cannon.
Now, those quantities might sound a little anemic, and I've noticed GSF won't foam very well at similar suggested dilutions. But pleasingly, RS foams brilliantly at those numbers while also being exceptionally slick. It does have a rather strange aroma though, much like a bathroom shower cleaner.
With the car rinsed for the final time, I used the blower to remove as much water as possible, then went around with a large drying towel and Rupes Reveal Lite to finish the decon step. The Reveal also helps evaporate the moisture, especially helpful considering how flat the paint after the strip washing. At this point, the paint was squeaky clean!
The final step was to go around taping up various trims, some of which were treated with Solution Finish earlier this year. You can see I also taped the glass side of the trim while I was at it as I planned to polish the glass too.
Products Used In this Step -
- Gyeon Iron Remover
- Economax Clay Mitt
- Gyeon Clay Lube (Diluted 5:1)
- Carpro Lift (Alkaline)
- Koch Chemie Reactivation Shampoo (Acidic, Diluted 15:1)
- Rupes Reveal Lite (IPA Prep Spray)
- Carpro Masking Tape
Polishing –
The goal for polishing wasn't for an all-out correction, just a refresh. My father couldn't care less about flawless paint, so I was not about to spend days using multiple steps or even trying various compound and pad combinations. I went straight to the ShineMate blue foam with Carpro Essence. Why? Because Essence does a few things at once, such as being relatively mild, in fact it uses the same abrasives as another favourite of mine, Carpro Reflect. However, Essence also leaves behind a layer of Si02, in effective priming the surface for a coating. That Si02 also has the ability to fill certain defects, which is kinda cheating but considering the goal, I really don't care. And finally, it's stupid easy to work with, doesn't dust and is a dream to wipe off.
A couple of tips when using Essence -
- Like any "all-in-one" type polish, you need to be mindful of what that CAN do to your pads and towels.................
- As you finish with each pad, put it straight into a bucket with water and APC, microfiber detergent or an alkaline soap such as Lift. Don't put them straight into water as you will make things worse.
- With your towels, you can be a little less ****, but be sure to wash them straight after your polishing session. If you can't wash them ASAP, put them into separate bucket of water with APC/detergent/soap and allow them to soak till you can.
- In both cases, you are avoiding the sealant from setting up in the fibres of the towel or foam material, in turn rendering them useless.
- For more cutting performance, run more passes to fully cycle the abrasives.
- For more filling ability, short cycle by spreading rapidly over the section and then completing a single set of passes.
- Essence is said to be best with a light foam finishing pad, and especially good on a microfiber finishing pad. In my case, I know it works well with the intermediate level ShineMate blue foam pad.
You will also see P&S Clarity Creme on the cart, that was teamed with a Rupes Coarse Wool pad on the LHR75 Pneumatic. There weren't really any scratches to deal with, I just wanted to deep clean the glass. Clarity Creme is brilliant at doing this, especially on an aggressive pad like that.
There were a few isolated scratches here and there that needed more than what Essence is capable of doing. For that I used Griot's Fast Correcting Creme on the iBrid Nano. Wow, that stuff is brilliant! Once again, I'm left wondering why that brand has been left on the bench for the Australian market. And yes, the headlights needed polishing AGAIN, so much for the special Opti-Coat headlight coating, which barely lasted 4-months of the supposed 12-month claim.
I also had some company today, no doubt wondering when it was time for walkies. At one point I had the front passenger door open, which obviously meant it was time for walkies and had him attempting to climb in.............sorry for the false hope buddy, maybe tomorrow.
Products Used In This Step -
- Carpro Essence
- Griot's Fast Correcting Creme
- P&S Clarity Creme
- ShineMate Blue Foam Pads (4-inch and 6-inch sizes)
- Rupes DA Coarse Wool (3-inch size)
- Rupes DA Fine Foam (2.5-inch size)
- TRC Creature Edgeless Towels
- Rupes Claw Pad Tool
- Rupes iBrid Nano Long Neck (2-inch backing plate)
- Rupes LHR75 (3-inch backing plate)
- Rupes HLR15 (5-inch backing plate)
After removing all of the tape and a quick wipe over with a damp towel to remove the dust created by Clarity Creme, I covered the car with two microfiber blankets and called it a day. Tomorrow, a more thorough wipe down with Eraser, followed by the coating.
Ranger Wildtrak Detail 2025 – Part 2
With the “hard” work done yesterday, today was about getting the coating applied.
Pre-Coating Prep -
According to Carpro, you can coat straight over Essence without using a panel prep. This was done to help prevent marring on really soft paint. Having said that, they also say using Eraser prior to coating won’t impact the layer Si02 left by Essence. They do however recommend waiting at least 1 hour before using Eraser to allow the Si02 resins to cure. Likewise, you need to wait at least an hour before applying the coating.
In my case, the car sat overnight, which meant I was good to go with Eraser. This was mainly done to remove any dust that had settled overnight.
Products Used In This Step –
- Carpro Eraser
- TRC Eagle Edgeless 500
Ceramic Coating –
There was no choice to be made which coating I was going to use, it was always going to be Gyeon Can Coat EVO. This was mainly because I already had an open bottle, but also because I know it well by now. I struggle with coatings, all bar Can Coat EVO and ADS Wheel I have found finicky.
Now, “real” detailers tend to snub their nose at Can Coat, suggesting it isn’t a “real” coating. And from an application point of view, they are correct. However, you cannot argue with the coating-like hydrophobic qualities and the gloss Can Coat provides, it even hardens the applicator like a “real” coating. Considering how easy this product is to apply, wipe on and wipe off with no flash timing, perhaps the “real” detailers see Can Coat as a risk to their skillset and business viability? While there are still some things to watch, for the most part Can Coat provides ceramic coating performance to a wider audience.
The whole point of Can Coat was to make it as simple to apply as possible. That is why it doesn’t come in a small glass bottle with a dropper or pipet. Nor do you apply it with an applicator in a criss-cross pattern, you don’t even need to wait for the coating to flash/sweat/rainbow before leveling. Instead, Gyeon’s application method involves spraying the coating into a folded towel, wiping over a section, then level immediately with a second towel. It’s as simple as that.
Now, having said that, I modify the Gyeon method by swapping the folded towel for a microfiber applicator. Yes, I know I said that you don’t use an applicator, but I’ve found using a larger microfiber applicator such as the TRC Pearl’s to be quicker and easier to manage than having a to continually re-fold a towel. Work smarter, not harder. The application is otherwise identical.
1. Start by priming the towel or applicator with 5 or 6 sprays, from then on you only need 2 – 3 sprays per section.
2. Working section to section, wipe the applicator over the panel, making sure to achieve total coverage. This can be hard to read as Can Coat is very thin, you often won’t see the product on the panel.
3. Immediately after application, wipe off the residue with a low pile towel. I actually then follow with separate towel to be sure I leave no high spots.
From here, continue working section to section using the same method.
NOTE - Always spray Can Coat away from the vehicle to prevent accidental overspray and possible high spots. I’d also remove uncovered vehicles from your working space, have the garage door down to eliminate wind, and absolutely avoid having a fan running. NEVER spray directly onto the panel.
For the Wildtrak, I applied Can Coat to all painted surfaces, taillights, trim and glass. I normally use Gyeon Quick View on glass, but I decided to see how Can Coat would perform instead. From here, I applied Opti-Coat Lens Coating to the headlights, then some Carpro Perl on the tyres.
Four hours later, I then applied a layer of Gyeon Cure. This helps protect the coating as it fully hardens and adds some slickness missing from Can Coat. Again, this went on the paint, trim, lights, and glass.
Products Used In This Step –
- Gyeon Can Coat EVO
- Gyeon Cure
- Opti-Coat Lens Coating
- TRC Pearl Applicator (QTY:1)
- TRC Edgeless Pearl (QTY:2)
- TRC Eagle Edgeless 500 (QTY:2)
- Scangrip Sunmatch
Finished Result –
Better late than never, the Wildrak is back to spec. At some point, I would also like to get the wheels off this thing and coat them as well.
With the “hard” work done yesterday, today was about getting the coating applied.
Pre-Coating Prep -
According to Carpro, you can coat straight over Essence without using a panel prep. This was done to help prevent marring on really soft paint. Having said that, they also say using Eraser prior to coating won’t impact the layer Si02 left by Essence. They do however recommend waiting at least 1 hour before using Eraser to allow the Si02 resins to cure. Likewise, you need to wait at least an hour before applying the coating.
In my case, the car sat overnight, which meant I was good to go with Eraser. This was mainly done to remove any dust that had settled overnight.
Products Used In This Step –
- Carpro Eraser
- TRC Eagle Edgeless 500
Ceramic Coating –
There was no choice to be made which coating I was going to use, it was always going to be Gyeon Can Coat EVO. This was mainly because I already had an open bottle, but also because I know it well by now. I struggle with coatings, all bar Can Coat EVO and ADS Wheel I have found finicky.
Now, “real” detailers tend to snub their nose at Can Coat, suggesting it isn’t a “real” coating. And from an application point of view, they are correct. However, you cannot argue with the coating-like hydrophobic qualities and the gloss Can Coat provides, it even hardens the applicator like a “real” coating. Considering how easy this product is to apply, wipe on and wipe off with no flash timing, perhaps the “real” detailers see Can Coat as a risk to their skillset and business viability? While there are still some things to watch, for the most part Can Coat provides ceramic coating performance to a wider audience.
The whole point of Can Coat was to make it as simple to apply as possible. That is why it doesn’t come in a small glass bottle with a dropper or pipet. Nor do you apply it with an applicator in a criss-cross pattern, you don’t even need to wait for the coating to flash/sweat/rainbow before leveling. Instead, Gyeon’s application method involves spraying the coating into a folded towel, wiping over a section, then level immediately with a second towel. It’s as simple as that.
Now, having said that, I modify the Gyeon method by swapping the folded towel for a microfiber applicator. Yes, I know I said that you don’t use an applicator, but I’ve found using a larger microfiber applicator such as the TRC Pearl’s to be quicker and easier to manage than having a to continually re-fold a towel. Work smarter, not harder. The application is otherwise identical.
1. Start by priming the towel or applicator with 5 or 6 sprays, from then on you only need 2 – 3 sprays per section.
2. Working section to section, wipe the applicator over the panel, making sure to achieve total coverage. This can be hard to read as Can Coat is very thin, you often won’t see the product on the panel.
3. Immediately after application, wipe off the residue with a low pile towel. I actually then follow with separate towel to be sure I leave no high spots.
From here, continue working section to section using the same method.
NOTE - Always spray Can Coat away from the vehicle to prevent accidental overspray and possible high spots. I’d also remove uncovered vehicles from your working space, have the garage door down to eliminate wind, and absolutely avoid having a fan running. NEVER spray directly onto the panel.
For the Wildtrak, I applied Can Coat to all painted surfaces, taillights, trim and glass. I normally use Gyeon Quick View on glass, but I decided to see how Can Coat would perform instead. From here, I applied Opti-Coat Lens Coating to the headlights, then some Carpro Perl on the tyres.
Four hours later, I then applied a layer of Gyeon Cure. This helps protect the coating as it fully hardens and adds some slickness missing from Can Coat. Again, this went on the paint, trim, lights, and glass.
Products Used In This Step –
- Gyeon Can Coat EVO
- Gyeon Cure
- Opti-Coat Lens Coating
- TRC Pearl Applicator (QTY:1)
- TRC Edgeless Pearl (QTY:2)
- TRC Eagle Edgeless 500 (QTY:2)
- Scangrip Sunmatch
Finished Result –
Better late than never, the Wildrak is back to spec. At some point, I would also like to get the wheels off this thing and coat them as well.
Not sure if it's just me, but this car seems to have really woken up after clearing the 1000 km mark (Yes, I know, it's taken me 7-months to do about 1200 km)
Full disclosure, I haven't been babying the engine, it been run in quite firmly. However, it now feels so much stronger and really comes alive above 5000 rpm. I've always been a fan of induction note over exhaust noise, mainly because a great induction note will please the driver more the exhaust hanging right out the back. The metallic, hard-edged induction note of this engine is so racy, and one of the key reasons why I chose to buy another Mustang.
Full disclosure, I haven't been babying the engine, it been run in quite firmly. However, it now feels so much stronger and really comes alive above 5000 rpm. I've always been a fan of induction note over exhaust noise, mainly because a great induction note will please the driver more the exhaust hanging right out the back. The metallic, hard-edged induction note of this engine is so racy, and one of the key reasons why I chose to buy another Mustang.
My sisters XC60 was in the box seat, and for today, I decided to put together a video during the wash phase.
The video kicks with a rinse after cleaning the wheels and foaming the car down with KCx Active Foam. I then foam with KCx GSF for the contact wash, then the final rinse.
After washing, I blew dry and added another layer of Reload to the paint, door jambs via ADS Adapt, exterior glass by Opti-Coat Clean & Protect, interior glass by Stoner's, interior wiped down with ADS Pilot. Finishing off, the wheels got wiped over with Adapt and the tyres topped off with ADS Tire+.
The video kicks with a rinse after cleaning the wheels and foaming the car down with KCx Active Foam. I then foam with KCx GSF for the contact wash, then the final rinse.
After washing, I blew dry and added another layer of Reload to the paint, door jambs via ADS Adapt, exterior glass by Opti-Coat Clean & Protect, interior glass by Stoner's, interior wiped down with ADS Pilot. Finishing off, the wheels got wiped over with Adapt and the tyres topped off with ADS Tire+.
A little before and after.............................
I've started and looked after many of these over the years. Not only do they look fantastic, I love how they give height without taking up too much width, making them ideal for narrow driveways and walkways. A typical hedging plant such as a Lily Pily or Pitosporum wouldn't tolerate being trimmed so narrow. I also find the pruning them back into shape DEEPLY satisfying.
The plant used here is one of my favorites, Trachelospermum jasminoides or Chinese Star Jasmine. That is pronounced Tracky-elo-sperm-mum, quite the mouthful and often simply referred to in the trade as Trackies. I love how versatile this plant is, able to be used a rambling climber across a fence, as thick weed supressing groundcover, trained into topiaries, and in this case, pruned into a wall feature. The early summer flowers are delightfully scented, no where near as pungent as regular winter-flowering jasmine.
One of the key benefits of this plant is the moderate growth rate compared to other, usually rampant, climbers. It also produces firmer basal growth, making it ideally suited to holding a shape as pictured above. You can also prune hard pack to this growth and have it re-shoot nicely.
The only drawback to this plant.....................the milky white latex that bleeds from cut steps. So, absolutely wear eye protection, and ideally, long sleeve clothing. Being quite warm today, long sleeves were not present, so I got sticky latex all over my arms and legs that won't wash off with soap. To remove, try hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol.
I've started and looked after many of these over the years. Not only do they look fantastic, I love how they give height without taking up too much width, making them ideal for narrow driveways and walkways. A typical hedging plant such as a Lily Pily or Pitosporum wouldn't tolerate being trimmed so narrow. I also find the pruning them back into shape DEEPLY satisfying.
The plant used here is one of my favorites, Trachelospermum jasminoides or Chinese Star Jasmine. That is pronounced Tracky-elo-sperm-mum, quite the mouthful and often simply referred to in the trade as Trackies. I love how versatile this plant is, able to be used a rambling climber across a fence, as thick weed supressing groundcover, trained into topiaries, and in this case, pruned into a wall feature. The early summer flowers are delightfully scented, no where near as pungent as regular winter-flowering jasmine.
One of the key benefits of this plant is the moderate growth rate compared to other, usually rampant, climbers. It also produces firmer basal growth, making it ideally suited to holding a shape as pictured above. You can also prune hard pack to this growth and have it re-shoot nicely.
The only drawback to this plant.....................the milky white latex that bleeds from cut steps. So, absolutely wear eye protection, and ideally, long sleeve clothing. Being quite warm today, long sleeves were not present, so I got sticky latex all over my arms and legs that won't wash off with soap. To remove, try hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol.
How many diesel Ford Ranger's get their exhaust tip polished?
After cleaning with soapy water from my wheel bucket, which was Megs Hyper Wash today, it was time for an old favorite, P21S Polishing Soap.....................................
Get P21S Metal Polishing Soap Online | Waxit – Waxit Car Care
P21S Polishing Soap for Exhaust Cleaning and Metal Polish – Obsessed Garage
P21S Metal Polishing Soap 10.6 oz Jar - Skys The Limit Car Care
Following that, Dr. Beasley's Metal Coat, which is a ceramic nano sealant designed to protect chrome, stainless steel and aluminum. Metal Coat seemingly tolerates exhaust heat, making it supremely durable, to the point where it never really falls away. Application couldn't be easier, simply wipe the surface down with prep spray, apply a small amount to a towel and wipe it on, then wipe it off. Metal Coat bonds instantly and is said to last 3-years.
Dr Beasley's DB-s32d08 Metal Coat 237ml : Amazon.com.au: Automotive
Dr. Beasleys Metal Coat 8 oz.
Metal Coat | Dr. Beasley's
I love the look of this exhaust outlet. In particular, I like how they cut the end of the pipe to be parallel with the road, almost like someone put some thought into this generally unseen part of the car. Actually, the exhaust is only visible on cab-chassis models.
The latest model Ranger looks awful in comparison, basically a pipe that points to the ground just after the diff. There was certainly no thought put into it other than its basic function.
After cleaning with soapy water from my wheel bucket, which was Megs Hyper Wash today, it was time for an old favorite, P21S Polishing Soap.....................................
Get P21S Metal Polishing Soap Online | Waxit – Waxit Car Care
P21S Polishing Soap for Exhaust Cleaning and Metal Polish – Obsessed Garage
P21S Metal Polishing Soap 10.6 oz Jar - Skys The Limit Car Care
Following that, Dr. Beasley's Metal Coat, which is a ceramic nano sealant designed to protect chrome, stainless steel and aluminum. Metal Coat seemingly tolerates exhaust heat, making it supremely durable, to the point where it never really falls away. Application couldn't be easier, simply wipe the surface down with prep spray, apply a small amount to a towel and wipe it on, then wipe it off. Metal Coat bonds instantly and is said to last 3-years.
Dr Beasley's DB-s32d08 Metal Coat 237ml : Amazon.com.au: Automotive
Dr. Beasleys Metal Coat 8 oz.
Metal Coat | Dr. Beasley's
I love the look of this exhaust outlet. In particular, I like how they cut the end of the pipe to be parallel with the road, almost like someone put some thought into this generally unseen part of the car. Actually, the exhaust is only visible on cab-chassis models.
The latest model Ranger looks awful in comparison, basically a pipe that points to the ground just after the diff. There was certainly no thought put into it other than its basic function.
ajohno
Well-known member
Nothing wrong with that. Attention to detail mate.
Well, I finally caved and decided to try a few Labocosmetica products.
AU -
autobuff.com.au
detailingshed.com.au
www.detailstore.com.au
USA -
www.labocosmetica.store
parkscarcare.net
clean-garage.com
Semper smells absolutely divine, like an Italian aftershave or high-end body wash......................in fact I'm thinking showering with it!
Also, kudos to Labocosmetica for doing smaller sample size bottles.
AU -
Labocosmetica
Labocosmetica - Pioneering Italian Excellence in Car Detailing. Labocosmetica stands at the forefront of automotive detailing with cutting-edge chemical innovation. Labocosmetica offers a comprehensive range of premium detailing products designed for professionals & enthusiasts alike
autobuff.com.au
Labocosmetica
Born from the deep passion that has always linked the company to the world of car maintenance, the #Labocosmetica line was created to meet the requirements of professional detailers, until nowadays it has become a point of reference for international scale for all enthusiasts. #Labocosmetica...
detailingshed.com.au
Labocosmetica
The Best Hands for the Best Cars Labocosmetica by MAFRA is a concentrate of technology, innovation and application techniques for those who demand the maximum for the maintenance and protection of their vehicle. This is #Labocosmetica, a very high quality program made up of specific products for...
www.detailstore.com.au
USA -
Shop Car Care Products | Show Shine Us
Shop our car detailing professionnal products. Leader for more than 50 years in the experimentation, formulation and production of DIY products and professional lines for cars, boats, motorcycles and professional environments care and cleaning.
www.labocosmetica.store
Labocosmetica
Detailing formulas used by the experienced professionals at Parks Detailing in Charlotte, North Carolina. Each chemical, microfiber towel, and accessory has been carefully selected to maximize the balance of performance, user friendliness, and extremely satisfying results.
parkscarcare.net
Labocosmetica Detailing Products | Available in the USA at The Clean Garage
Discover high-quality car care products from Labocosmetica at The Clean Garage. Shop Aquavelox, Cronos, Energo, and more for a spotless and well-maintained vehicle.
clean-garage.com
Semper smells absolutely divine, like an Italian aftershave or high-end body wash......................in fact I'm thinking showering with it!
Also, kudos to Labocosmetica for doing smaller sample size bottles.
Today I managed to get rid of the Ranger's old steel wheels, which meant a trip to the storage shed. Didn't get much for them, but they are hardly desirable for anything other than to use on a trailer. Anyway, good riddance.
While I was there, I thought I'd get the Jaaaaaag out for a run, give it a quick rinse-less wash, then take it back. That was the plan.
After giving the tyres a quick scrub with Brake Buster, I rinsed the car down, then got on with the rinse-less wash, a perfect opportunity to try a new product that arrived yesterday, Labocosmetica Idrosave.
After mixing it at the recommended 200:1 on the label, I went ahead with my usual rinse-less routine by pre-soaking the whole vehicle, then working section to section, then dry the whole car at the end. Everything was going well until I went to dry the car.................... a complete disaster!
Normally, if a polymer rinse-less wash happens to dry on the surface, it creates a polymer spot that is easily removed once you start drying. Well, not here. On all of the horizontal surfaces, and the majority the verticals too, the paint was covered in water spot etchings that would not budge. I tried re-wiping with the product, then immediately drying. No dice. I then got out Carpro Eraser, nope. At this stage I'm in a combined state of disbelief, rage and panic. There was no escaping it, the car would need to be polished. FU.KING HELL!
So, I grabbed the Rupes, Carpro Essence and a ShineMate orange foam polishing pad and did two quick passes on a section of the hood. Thankfully, the spots were very easily removed. So, I then went around the WHOLE car, and the glass too. Essence is a very mild polish, so that combined with the Si02 element, the underlying Gyeon Pure EVO should be still intact. I did however follow with ADS CSS.
If there was an upshot, the car at least looked resplendent after its unplanned and rushed panic-mode polish.
Now, before I start sending death threats to Labocosmetica, let me explain what happened here.
I used Idrosave as I would any other of the other eleven different rinse-less wash products I have tried. Surely it was the products fault. Well, I went and read the online product description, which I quickly figured out it was in fact user error on my part. Something was mentioned several times.......................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Spray the solution onto a section of the car to soften the dirt. Treat one panel at a time."
"Allow to act for a maximum of 2 minutes and never let the product dry on the panel."
"Treat one panel at a time."
"Note:
Never let the product dry on the surface to avoid streaking."
"Warnings:
Never let the product dry on the surface, as the high concentration of nano sealants can cause marks that are difficult to remove."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On five separate occasions, they mention to not let this product dry on the surface. So, yep, I screwed up.
My defence is thus -
- I've used other polymer rinse-less wash products in the exact same way that do NOT act like this.
- Yes, I should have read the product listing before use.....................but how many experienced detailers do that when using something very basic like a soap or rinse-less wash?
- Idrosave is labeled as pH neutral, so I treated it like any other pH neutral soap or chemical.
- It wasn't hot today, so I didn't feel the need to rush or break the car up into sections.
- I also noticed that Idrosave seemed to evaporate quick quickly.
Even though I was at fault, Idrosave is not a product I can recommend. If it was slicker and better performing than key rivals, then perhaps I would revise my method to prevent what happened today. Sadly, I didn't feel that and would say ADS Hero, Gyeon EcoWash, P&S Absolute and Opti-Coat No Rinse are all slicker.............................and clearly more forgiving to use.
Frankly, I'm apprehensive of using the two other Labocosmetica products I bought. I guess I've found my new bin cleaners.
While I was there, I thought I'd get the Jaaaaaag out for a run, give it a quick rinse-less wash, then take it back. That was the plan.
After giving the tyres a quick scrub with Brake Buster, I rinsed the car down, then got on with the rinse-less wash, a perfect opportunity to try a new product that arrived yesterday, Labocosmetica Idrosave.
After mixing it at the recommended 200:1 on the label, I went ahead with my usual rinse-less routine by pre-soaking the whole vehicle, then working section to section, then dry the whole car at the end. Everything was going well until I went to dry the car.................... a complete disaster!
Normally, if a polymer rinse-less wash happens to dry on the surface, it creates a polymer spot that is easily removed once you start drying. Well, not here. On all of the horizontal surfaces, and the majority the verticals too, the paint was covered in water spot etchings that would not budge. I tried re-wiping with the product, then immediately drying. No dice. I then got out Carpro Eraser, nope. At this stage I'm in a combined state of disbelief, rage and panic. There was no escaping it, the car would need to be polished. FU.KING HELL!
So, I grabbed the Rupes, Carpro Essence and a ShineMate orange foam polishing pad and did two quick passes on a section of the hood. Thankfully, the spots were very easily removed. So, I then went around the WHOLE car, and the glass too. Essence is a very mild polish, so that combined with the Si02 element, the underlying Gyeon Pure EVO should be still intact. I did however follow with ADS CSS.
If there was an upshot, the car at least looked resplendent after its unplanned and rushed panic-mode polish.
Now, before I start sending death threats to Labocosmetica, let me explain what happened here.
I used Idrosave as I would any other of the other eleven different rinse-less wash products I have tried. Surely it was the products fault. Well, I went and read the online product description, which I quickly figured out it was in fact user error on my part. Something was mentioned several times.......................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Spray the solution onto a section of the car to soften the dirt. Treat one panel at a time."
"Allow to act for a maximum of 2 minutes and never let the product dry on the panel."
"Treat one panel at a time."
"Note:
Never let the product dry on the surface to avoid streaking."
"Warnings:
Never let the product dry on the surface, as the high concentration of nano sealants can cause marks that are difficult to remove."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On five separate occasions, they mention to not let this product dry on the surface. So, yep, I screwed up.
My defence is thus -
- I've used other polymer rinse-less wash products in the exact same way that do NOT act like this.
- Yes, I should have read the product listing before use.....................but how many experienced detailers do that when using something very basic like a soap or rinse-less wash?
- Idrosave is labeled as pH neutral, so I treated it like any other pH neutral soap or chemical.
- It wasn't hot today, so I didn't feel the need to rush or break the car up into sections.
- I also noticed that Idrosave seemed to evaporate quick quickly.
Even though I was at fault, Idrosave is not a product I can recommend. If it was slicker and better performing than key rivals, then perhaps I would revise my method to prevent what happened today. Sadly, I didn't feel that and would say ADS Hero, Gyeon EcoWash, P&S Absolute and Opti-Coat No Rinse are all slicker.............................and clearly more forgiving to use.
Frankly, I'm apprehensive of using the two other Labocosmetica products I bought. I guess I've found my new bin cleaners.
Another day, another delivery...........................
These new Detail Factory brushes have only just hit the market. The foam ones are like those craft brushes, just with a better handle and stronger foam. However, I do wonder how durable they will be. From what I can see, they were designed to team with Solution Finish, which can be very messy to apply.
www.waxit.com.au
www.waxit.com.au
These new Detail Factory brushes have only just hit the market. The foam ones are like those craft brushes, just with a better handle and stronger foam. However, I do wonder how durable they will be. From what I can see, they were designed to team with Solution Finish, which can be very messy to apply.
Detail Factory | Seam Brush Set
Achieve precision cleaning in tight spaces with the Detail Factory Seam Brush Set. Featuring slim heads, chemical resistant bristles and ergonomic handles.
www.waxit.com.au
Detail Factory | Foam Applicators
Detail Factory Foam Applicators offer precise, mess-free application for dressings & coatings. Reusable, ergonomic and ideal for tight or delicate areas.
www.waxit.com.au
Today was the first wash of the Wildtrak after it was detailed two weeks ago. Gyeon recommend waiting 14-days before exposing Can Coat EVO to detergents and chemicals. Soap of choice was Gentle Snow Foam GSF from KCx, which easily dealt with the situation. As you can see in the below image, the coating is rejecting the soap, as evidenced by the patchy coverage. This seems to be most prevalent with GSF as other soaps tend to cling a little better to a coated surface. Not a knock on GSF, just an observation.
THE reason why you ceramic coat a car over a wax or sealant is the ease of washing and drying. Yes, you still have to do the work, but from start to finish the job is just quicker, easier, more enjoyable. For starters, the pre-wash or pre-rinse will remove quite a bit of the grime, again the coating rejects the contamination and prevents it from bonding to the paint. After contact washing, you then notice the quicker rinsing, again the coating is promoting faster water speed across the surface. Then, when it comes time to blow the car down, any remaining water is purged from the vehicle very quickly. So yes, you still need to go through the motions, but job is so effortless.
Following the wash, I went with ADS Amplify, mainly because it was so cold today and Amplify seems to be the fastest flashing drying aid I have. Also, of the fast-flashing kind, I decided to try Bilt Hamber Trace-less again today. With the sub 16-degree temps today, I had this glass cleaner playing nicely. I’m in the process of writing a post in an attempt to better understand why I have struggled with this supposedly “game changing” glass cleaner.
Finally, I had a play around with a head mount for my Go-Pro during the rinse phase of the wash. In particular, take note of the exceptional water behaviour of Can Coat EVO toward the end of the video.
This also shows why a swivelling inlet to the gun is desirable. Having the hose swivel when under pressure as you move around the car, from side to side, up and down, angled to reach certain areas, it just makes the process more fluid. Your hose will still get bound here and there, from experience ALL hoses will do this, be they a garden or high-pressure hoses like this. However, the inlet swivel helps limit and/or makes it easier to untangle, and in this case, offers superior dexterity.
THE reason why you ceramic coat a car over a wax or sealant is the ease of washing and drying. Yes, you still have to do the work, but from start to finish the job is just quicker, easier, more enjoyable. For starters, the pre-wash or pre-rinse will remove quite a bit of the grime, again the coating rejects the contamination and prevents it from bonding to the paint. After contact washing, you then notice the quicker rinsing, again the coating is promoting faster water speed across the surface. Then, when it comes time to blow the car down, any remaining water is purged from the vehicle very quickly. So yes, you still need to go through the motions, but job is so effortless.
Following the wash, I went with ADS Amplify, mainly because it was so cold today and Amplify seems to be the fastest flashing drying aid I have. Also, of the fast-flashing kind, I decided to try Bilt Hamber Trace-less again today. With the sub 16-degree temps today, I had this glass cleaner playing nicely. I’m in the process of writing a post in an attempt to better understand why I have struggled with this supposedly “game changing” glass cleaner.
Finally, I had a play around with a head mount for my Go-Pro during the rinse phase of the wash. In particular, take note of the exceptional water behaviour of Can Coat EVO toward the end of the video.
This also shows why a swivelling inlet to the gun is desirable. Having the hose swivel when under pressure as you move around the car, from side to side, up and down, angled to reach certain areas, it just makes the process more fluid. Your hose will still get bound here and there, from experience ALL hoses will do this, be they a garden or high-pressure hoses like this. However, the inlet swivel helps limit and/or makes it easier to untangle, and in this case, offers superior dexterity.
Had to replace both the washing machine and dishwasher this week. It was Ranger to rescue, picking up the new units and the disposal of the old machines. I hadn't planned on doing a wash today, but it's been raining and the disposal site covered in mud. So, the Ranger got a second wash this week.
My last rinse-less wash experience didn't go to plan, a week later and things were much better today..........................
www.detailstore.com.au
www.detailedimage.com
Considering the road film and dirt was still wet, and therefore not bonded to the paint, I cut a few corners. First, I went around and rinsed each wheel, then foamed the whole car with KCx Active Foam. While the soap dwelled on the paint, I gave each wheel and tyre a quick once over with a brush, then rinsed the whole car down, followed by a quick blow with the EGO. Moved into the garage, I mixed up EcoWash to the waterless rate and sprayed the car down. From there, my large Gauntlet towels were used to wipe off the EcoWash, and a second dry towel to finish. No drying aid required.
I've only used EcoWash a few times, but wow, what a great product! The slickness and gloss it leaves behind is epic, and like most Gyeon products, it smells amazing too. Oh, and I didn't need to polish the whole car afterwards.
It was Ranger to rescue, picking up the new units and the disposal of the old machines. I hadn't planned on doing a wash today, but it's been raining and the disposal site covered in mud. So, the Ranger got a second wash this week.My last rinse-less wash experience didn't go to plan, a week later and things were much better today..........................
Gyeon Q2M Eco Wash - 1L
CONCENTRATED WATERLESS AND RINSELESS WASH. SLICK AND GLOSSY DRYING AID. Q²M ECOWash allows you to quickly and safely clean your vehicle without the necessity to use running water and having a set up with a drain or without allowing any detergents to drip into the soil/driveway. It can be used in...
www.detailstore.com.au
Gyeon Eco Wash - 1000 ml
Eco friendly rinseless wash solution! SiO2 infused for protection.
www.detailedimage.com
Considering the road film and dirt was still wet, and therefore not bonded to the paint, I cut a few corners. First, I went around and rinsed each wheel, then foamed the whole car with KCx Active Foam. While the soap dwelled on the paint, I gave each wheel and tyre a quick once over with a brush, then rinsed the whole car down, followed by a quick blow with the EGO. Moved into the garage, I mixed up EcoWash to the waterless rate and sprayed the car down. From there, my large Gauntlet towels were used to wipe off the EcoWash, and a second dry towel to finish. No drying aid required.
I've only used EcoWash a few times, but wow, what a great product! The slickness and gloss it leaves behind is epic, and like most Gyeon products, it smells amazing too. Oh, and I didn't need to polish the whole car afterwards.
Ranger Wiper Trim Restoration
Nothing ages a car more than faded black plastic trim. While certain areas are easy to deal with, say the wing mirrors or bumper inserts, others are harder to do properly. As such, these areas tend to get neglected and therefore show age sooner. Sitting at the top of this category would be the trim at the base of the windscreen, mainly because the bonnet and wiper arms block full access.
So, after 9 years on the road, it’s time for the Ranger to receive some attention in this department. Now, this job could certainly be done with the trim still fitted to the car. However, to clean and treat the windscreen trim properly, I find its best to remove it from the vehicle.
Trim Removal –
The PX-Series Ranger has a two-piece lower windscreen and wiper arm trim. To remove, first the wiper arms need to be removed. With the rubber caps popped out, remove the 13mm nut from the wiper arm.
Now, you would think it would be a case of simply lifting the wiper arm from the motor shaft……………nope. The arms were effectively fused to the shaft after being on there for 9-years, which actually delayed this project by three days while I waited for a small puller to arrive. When I did the same thing on the XR6, I don’t seem to remember having this problem. Anyway, the puller arms are placed under the wiper, you then wind down on the bolt and draw the wiper from the shaft.
Wiper Arm Puller
Wiper arms removed, they were set aside for treatment later on.
Next, the removal of nine plastic rivets, aided by a removal tool.............why didn't I buy one of these years ago?
I was going to replace these rivets as two of them were quite badly faded. Different to most automotive trim hardware, I found they aren't an off the shelf item, strange considering the number of Ranger's on the road now. I tracked down the correct replacements at a few online retailers, but................................please tell me why these tiny little plastic rivets cost about $6.00 each? Absolutely ridiculous, for context that same spend buys you a 100 zinc plated timber screws. So, I decided to retore rather than replace.
Before lifting up the two trim pieces, you need to first remove the single piece rubber seal.
Each side of the trim is then gently prised upwards, the glass side will then pop out of the locating channel. There are then two side pieces that are clipped into the quarter panels, which gently levered up and away, more on these shortly.
While not terrible, you can see discoloration on the surfaces most exposed to sunlight. Actually, its hard to properly show this on camera.
Cleaning –
With everything removed it was time to get cleaning. This step is vital in ensuring the success of the end result.
Using a brush and KCx Green Star APC, each trim piece was cleaned and rinsed thoroughly.
Below are the smaller side trims that bridge the gap between the windscreen, quarter panel and the larger trims. These have a flexible rubber section that folds away as the hood is raised/lowered. Both Ranger's in my care have faded badly in this area due to sun exposure.
To finish the prep work, I used undiluted IPA to wipe down each piece, including the rubber seal and plastic rivets.
Trim Restoration -
There are many ways of restoring a fresh finish on black plastic trim.
Plastic & Vinyl Dressings - The quickest and easiest method, think water based products such as Carpro Perl or 303 Protectant. These will only last a couple of weeks at best, less if it rains or you wash the car.
Ceramic Coatings - In the past, I've used dedicated trim coatings such as Carpro DLUX, and even regular coatings such as ADS Quartz and Gyeon Can Coat. These will last the longest, but after a lot of research, I've moved away from this method.
Spray Sealants - These sit in the middle of the two above, offering an easy application and longer lasting results. I absolutely love Carpro Reload for this, but most ceramic spray sealants will work in a similar manner. However, these are best used to maintain trim rather than restore a moderate to heavy fading.
Trim Dye - A product such as Solution Finish restores faded plastic to a factory finish. I'm also keen to try Armour Detail Supply's new combined dye and ceramic coating, which is yet to hit the market but looks like the perfect solution.
Ultimately, I went with Solution Finish. I've used this multiple times in the past and really like how forgiving it is to use and the look of the finished result. It's termed a "semi-permanent" product that can last up to and beyond 12-months. Considering my vehicle use patterns, I should get plenty more than that.
Get Solution Finish Trim Restorer Online | Waxit – Waxit Car Care
Application is simple, just shake the bottle very well, then apply a small amount to a microfiber applicator and work it over the surface. I did try one of the new Detail Factory foam brushes, which was designed with Solution Finish in mind, but a microfiber applicator works best. After thoroughly massaging the product into the plastic, leave it to absorb for 5-minutes and lightly buff away any residue. Choose you towel wisely as you won't be using it again after this. TRC Rip-n-Rag's are your friend here.
Rip N' Rag - Multi-Purpose Microfiber Towels | The Rag Company
The Rag Company "Rip n' Rag" Multi-Purpose Microfiber Towels 30X30 - Detailing Shed
Each piece of trim was treated, as well as the rivet heads and rubber seal.
Cowl Cleaning -
While I let the Solution Finish cure, I directed attention to the areas hidden by all this trim. Considering the age of the car, I was expecting more..................
To clean these areas, I used both Green Star, ONR and more Rip-n-Rag's. Hidden by the trim, the base of the glass had a build-up of mineral content, so I hand polished this using a towel and Clarity Creme. While I had this all apart, I went ahead and applied fish oil to a few key areas.
Wiper Arms & Blades –
The wiper arms had some mild oxidation, so after removing the blades, I polished them using Rupes DA Fine on a towel. This cleaned them up very nicely, the following application of Gyeon Can Coat had them looking like new!
I had also decided to replace the wiper arms while I was at it. Earlier in the week, I picked up a set of OEM wiper arms from the local Ford dealer.
Over The Top -
One could say all of the above is "over the top".....................and you would be correct. However, Over The Top is actually a product, a sealant that is applied after letting Solution Finish cure. Applied using a foam sponge, this helps protect and prolong your hard work. Not a necessity, but I had it on hand and though I may as well use it.
Get Solution Finish Trim Restorer Online | Waxit – Waxit Car Care
Solution Finish - Over the Top Plastic Sealer | The Rag Company
Finished and ready to go back on the car.
Reinstallation –
Time to put everything back together. First, the two large cowl trims. Just don't do what I did by putting the left-hand side on first, there are two tabs on the right-hand piece that need to slide under the left side. I have to say, the way the trim snaps back into place is a vastly better design compared to what Ford used on the FG Falcon..............as in it clicks back into place without an assortment of rude words.
The two outer trims are then clipped back in place and the nine rivets reinstalled, followed by the rubber seal. From here, the wiper arms are put back in place and the nut torqued down to 25 Nm.
I then installed two new rubber gromets to cover the wiper arm nuts. I actually bought them for Dad's Wildtrak as these gromets are prone to going awol, especially when using a pressure washer around this area. However, I decided to nick them for myself, he can have my old ones. While packaged as Mazda items, they are the same part.
A quick test of the wipers, the windscreen was cleaned and the job complete.
Finished Result -
All four trim pieces are available from Ford............... at a price. The two large trim pieces will set you back between $255 - $287 for the pair, the two small trims are $35 each, so $325 - $357 all up. Considering I already had the Solution Finish, Can Coat, Rupes DA Fine and IPA from previous projects, the only items I specifically bought were the rubber gromets for $10 and the wiper arm puller for $17. And a few 0.70c towels.
I need to do the same thing to the Wildtrak at some point, but I'm thinking of waiting until the new ADS trim product arrives.
Nothing ages a car more than faded black plastic trim. While certain areas are easy to deal with, say the wing mirrors or bumper inserts, others are harder to do properly. As such, these areas tend to get neglected and therefore show age sooner. Sitting at the top of this category would be the trim at the base of the windscreen, mainly because the bonnet and wiper arms block full access.
So, after 9 years on the road, it’s time for the Ranger to receive some attention in this department. Now, this job could certainly be done with the trim still fitted to the car. However, to clean and treat the windscreen trim properly, I find its best to remove it from the vehicle.
Trim Removal –
The PX-Series Ranger has a two-piece lower windscreen and wiper arm trim. To remove, first the wiper arms need to be removed. With the rubber caps popped out, remove the 13mm nut from the wiper arm.
Now, you would think it would be a case of simply lifting the wiper arm from the motor shaft……………nope. The arms were effectively fused to the shaft after being on there for 9-years, which actually delayed this project by three days while I waited for a small puller to arrive. When I did the same thing on the XR6, I don’t seem to remember having this problem. Anyway, the puller arms are placed under the wiper, you then wind down on the bolt and draw the wiper from the shaft.
Wiper Arm Puller
Wiper arms removed, they were set aside for treatment later on.
Next, the removal of nine plastic rivets, aided by a removal tool.............why didn't I buy one of these years ago?
I was going to replace these rivets as two of them were quite badly faded. Different to most automotive trim hardware, I found they aren't an off the shelf item, strange considering the number of Ranger's on the road now. I tracked down the correct replacements at a few online retailers, but................................please tell me why these tiny little plastic rivets cost about $6.00 each? Absolutely ridiculous, for context that same spend buys you a 100 zinc plated timber screws. So, I decided to retore rather than replace.
Before lifting up the two trim pieces, you need to first remove the single piece rubber seal.
Each side of the trim is then gently prised upwards, the glass side will then pop out of the locating channel. There are then two side pieces that are clipped into the quarter panels, which gently levered up and away, more on these shortly.
While not terrible, you can see discoloration on the surfaces most exposed to sunlight. Actually, its hard to properly show this on camera.
Cleaning –
With everything removed it was time to get cleaning. This step is vital in ensuring the success of the end result.
Using a brush and KCx Green Star APC, each trim piece was cleaned and rinsed thoroughly.
Below are the smaller side trims that bridge the gap between the windscreen, quarter panel and the larger trims. These have a flexible rubber section that folds away as the hood is raised/lowered. Both Ranger's in my care have faded badly in this area due to sun exposure.
To finish the prep work, I used undiluted IPA to wipe down each piece, including the rubber seal and plastic rivets.
Trim Restoration -
There are many ways of restoring a fresh finish on black plastic trim.
Plastic & Vinyl Dressings - The quickest and easiest method, think water based products such as Carpro Perl or 303 Protectant. These will only last a couple of weeks at best, less if it rains or you wash the car.
Ceramic Coatings - In the past, I've used dedicated trim coatings such as Carpro DLUX, and even regular coatings such as ADS Quartz and Gyeon Can Coat. These will last the longest, but after a lot of research, I've moved away from this method.
Spray Sealants - These sit in the middle of the two above, offering an easy application and longer lasting results. I absolutely love Carpro Reload for this, but most ceramic spray sealants will work in a similar manner. However, these are best used to maintain trim rather than restore a moderate to heavy fading.
Trim Dye - A product such as Solution Finish restores faded plastic to a factory finish. I'm also keen to try Armour Detail Supply's new combined dye and ceramic coating, which is yet to hit the market but looks like the perfect solution.
Ultimately, I went with Solution Finish. I've used this multiple times in the past and really like how forgiving it is to use and the look of the finished result. It's termed a "semi-permanent" product that can last up to and beyond 12-months. Considering my vehicle use patterns, I should get plenty more than that.
Get Solution Finish Trim Restorer Online | Waxit – Waxit Car Care
Application is simple, just shake the bottle very well, then apply a small amount to a microfiber applicator and work it over the surface. I did try one of the new Detail Factory foam brushes, which was designed with Solution Finish in mind, but a microfiber applicator works best. After thoroughly massaging the product into the plastic, leave it to absorb for 5-minutes and lightly buff away any residue. Choose you towel wisely as you won't be using it again after this. TRC Rip-n-Rag's are your friend here.
Rip N' Rag - Multi-Purpose Microfiber Towels | The Rag Company
The Rag Company "Rip n' Rag" Multi-Purpose Microfiber Towels 30X30 - Detailing Shed
Each piece of trim was treated, as well as the rivet heads and rubber seal.
Cowl Cleaning -
While I let the Solution Finish cure, I directed attention to the areas hidden by all this trim. Considering the age of the car, I was expecting more..................
To clean these areas, I used both Green Star, ONR and more Rip-n-Rag's. Hidden by the trim, the base of the glass had a build-up of mineral content, so I hand polished this using a towel and Clarity Creme. While I had this all apart, I went ahead and applied fish oil to a few key areas.
Wiper Arms & Blades –
The wiper arms had some mild oxidation, so after removing the blades, I polished them using Rupes DA Fine on a towel. This cleaned them up very nicely, the following application of Gyeon Can Coat had them looking like new!
I had also decided to replace the wiper arms while I was at it. Earlier in the week, I picked up a set of OEM wiper arms from the local Ford dealer.
Over The Top -
One could say all of the above is "over the top".....................and you would be correct. However, Over The Top is actually a product, a sealant that is applied after letting Solution Finish cure. Applied using a foam sponge, this helps protect and prolong your hard work. Not a necessity, but I had it on hand and though I may as well use it.
Get Solution Finish Trim Restorer Online | Waxit – Waxit Car Care
Solution Finish - Over the Top Plastic Sealer | The Rag Company
Finished and ready to go back on the car.
Reinstallation –
Time to put everything back together. First, the two large cowl trims. Just don't do what I did by putting the left-hand side on first, there are two tabs on the right-hand piece that need to slide under the left side. I have to say, the way the trim snaps back into place is a vastly better design compared to what Ford used on the FG Falcon..............as in it clicks back into place without an assortment of rude words.
The two outer trims are then clipped back in place and the nine rivets reinstalled, followed by the rubber seal. From here, the wiper arms are put back in place and the nut torqued down to 25 Nm.
I then installed two new rubber gromets to cover the wiper arm nuts. I actually bought them for Dad's Wildtrak as these gromets are prone to going awol, especially when using a pressure washer around this area. However, I decided to nick them for myself, he can have my old ones. While packaged as Mazda items, they are the same part.
A quick test of the wipers, the windscreen was cleaned and the job complete.
Finished Result -
All four trim pieces are available from Ford............... at a price. The two large trim pieces will set you back between $255 - $287 for the pair, the two small trims are $35 each, so $325 - $357 all up. Considering I already had the Solution Finish, Can Coat, Rupes DA Fine and IPA from previous projects, the only items I specifically bought were the rubber gromets for $10 and the wiper arm puller for $17. And a few 0.70c towels.
I need to do the same thing to the Wildtrak at some point, but I'm thinking of waiting until the new ADS trim product arrives.
Going through some parts earlier today, I came across the collection of old parts that were removed from my inherited Stihl 028 AV Super. Most of these would likely be original to the saw, which was manufactured in May 1986.
Regardless of condition, I asked for a new bar and chain. In any case, the old bar was heavily worn, to the point that I actually threw it out a couple of months ago. The temptation with saws is to put a huge bar on them, but you actually slow them down the bigger you go. A Stihl OE Rollomatic E 16-bar with the 325 26RMC chain was the choice.
The fuel and pulse lines were replaced, as you can see one of them is in two pieces above. I do wonder if the fuel filter is the original, likewise the Bosch R10 sparkplug, which were the factory fit plugs.
The rubber inlet manifold boot was replaced, however I can't see any defects in it. I'm guessing preventative maintenance?
The flock air filters on these also serve as the choke, the tab on the top right is levered by the master control lever and pushes the choke open or closed. In the second pic, you can see the flock material has stated to fall away from the mesh.
The spur sprocket has a fair bit of wear, so it was replaced with a new one and the old clutch bearing greased. They also replaced the three clutch springs.
Finally, the fuel and oil caps are the old school items with metal chain and retainer clips. These are no longer made, so they were replaced with the modern equivalent. I like these ones better as they match the air filter cover knob.
For those embarking on something similar, restoring an old saw back to working order, this is the cost break down.............................
16-inch bar - $66.00
16 inch 325 26RMC chain - $27.00
Spur sprocket - $35.85
Clutch Spring x3 - $0.80c
Fuel pickup hose - $8.54
Impulse Line - $6.41
Fuel Filter (pickup body) - $8.34
Inlet Manifold - $62.99
Air Filter - $14.56
Spark Plug NGK BPMR7A - $4.39
Oil Cap - $9.71
Fuel Cap - $9.71
PARTS - $254.30
LABOUR - $85.00
TAX - $33.93
TOTAL - $373.25 AUD
Some of those parts are cheap, the plug and filters for example. The bar is about what to expect, the intake manifold though is very expensive. I suspect the boot had to be specially ordered from Germany, which why the repair took so long to complete.
Now, the better part of $400 for a 39-year-old saw is pretty steep. But is it?
The following are brand new Stihl saw prices and cc count for around a similar spend or less -
MS162 30.1cc - $299 AUD
https://www.stihl.com.au/en/p/chainsaws-ms-162-petrol-chainsaw-138968#ms-162-138968
MS172 31.8cc - $349 AUD
https://www.stihl.com.au/en/p/chainsaws-ms-172-petrol-chainsaw-145783#ms-172-145783
MS182 35.8cc - $449 AUD
https://www.stihl.com.au/en/p/chainsaws-ms-182-petrol-chainsaw-145794#ms-182-145794
MSA 60 (battery kit) - $499 AUD
https://www.stihl.com.au/en/p/chain...17#msa-60-c-b-with-battery-and-charger-164145
Compared to the above, the 028 AV Super has a 51.1cc engine. It's also a full case saw, the new ones above have a plastic chassis with a separate engine unit. To get that sized engine brand new, you would be looking at the following -
MS271 50.2cc (non-full case) - $999 AUD
https://www.stihl.com.au/en/p/chainsaws-ms-271-petrol-chainsaw-1824#ms-271-1824
MS261 50.2cc (full case, Pro-grade model with M-tronic auto tune) - $1,649 AUD
So, in the grand scheme of things, no, $400 isn't steep.
Regardless of condition, I asked for a new bar and chain. In any case, the old bar was heavily worn, to the point that I actually threw it out a couple of months ago. The temptation with saws is to put a huge bar on them, but you actually slow them down the bigger you go. A Stihl OE Rollomatic E 16-bar with the 325 26RMC chain was the choice.
The fuel and pulse lines were replaced, as you can see one of them is in two pieces above. I do wonder if the fuel filter is the original, likewise the Bosch R10 sparkplug, which were the factory fit plugs.
The rubber inlet manifold boot was replaced, however I can't see any defects in it. I'm guessing preventative maintenance?
The flock air filters on these also serve as the choke, the tab on the top right is levered by the master control lever and pushes the choke open or closed. In the second pic, you can see the flock material has stated to fall away from the mesh.
The spur sprocket has a fair bit of wear, so it was replaced with a new one and the old clutch bearing greased. They also replaced the three clutch springs.
Finally, the fuel and oil caps are the old school items with metal chain and retainer clips. These are no longer made, so they were replaced with the modern equivalent. I like these ones better as they match the air filter cover knob.
For those embarking on something similar, restoring an old saw back to working order, this is the cost break down.............................
16-inch bar - $66.00
16 inch 325 26RMC chain - $27.00
Spur sprocket - $35.85
Clutch Spring x3 - $0.80c
Fuel pickup hose - $8.54
Impulse Line - $6.41
Fuel Filter (pickup body) - $8.34
Inlet Manifold - $62.99
Air Filter - $14.56
Spark Plug NGK BPMR7A - $4.39
Oil Cap - $9.71
Fuel Cap - $9.71
PARTS - $254.30
LABOUR - $85.00
TAX - $33.93
TOTAL - $373.25 AUD
Some of those parts are cheap, the plug and filters for example. The bar is about what to expect, the intake manifold though is very expensive. I suspect the boot had to be specially ordered from Germany, which why the repair took so long to complete.
Now, the better part of $400 for a 39-year-old saw is pretty steep. But is it?
The following are brand new Stihl saw prices and cc count for around a similar spend or less -
MS162 30.1cc - $299 AUD
https://www.stihl.com.au/en/p/chainsaws-ms-162-petrol-chainsaw-138968#ms-162-138968
MS172 31.8cc - $349 AUD
https://www.stihl.com.au/en/p/chainsaws-ms-172-petrol-chainsaw-145783#ms-172-145783
MS182 35.8cc - $449 AUD
https://www.stihl.com.au/en/p/chainsaws-ms-182-petrol-chainsaw-145794#ms-182-145794
MSA 60 (battery kit) - $499 AUD
https://www.stihl.com.au/en/p/chain...17#msa-60-c-b-with-battery-and-charger-164145
Compared to the above, the 028 AV Super has a 51.1cc engine. It's also a full case saw, the new ones above have a plastic chassis with a separate engine unit. To get that sized engine brand new, you would be looking at the following -
MS271 50.2cc (non-full case) - $999 AUD
https://www.stihl.com.au/en/p/chainsaws-ms-271-petrol-chainsaw-1824#ms-271-1824
MS261 50.2cc (full case, Pro-grade model with M-tronic auto tune) - $1,649 AUD
So, in the grand scheme of things, no, $400 isn't steep.
hewey
Well-known member
Nice work as always!
VENTING! 
When people sitting in the comfort of their air-conditioned office tell those out on their feet how to do their job!
Two things -
1 - Wind makes people tetchy. For the better part of 4 hours, I had been cleaning leaves to the best of my ability despite the cold wind blowing from the south. The ice was thin!
2. You don’t want to be on the receiving end when that ice breaks. I may look tame on the outside, but my bite is vicious and venomous.
Today’s job consists of 3 houses with adjoining back yards, two of which have their back yards back to back. A large hotel runs the full length of the block to the side of the property. Normally, it takes me about 1.5 – 2 hours to mow. But being Autumn, there was plenty of extra to be done cleaning up fallen leaves. With the wind today, I was at hour 3 and had one last part to do, the front lawn and nature strip with a large pear tree which had lost 90% of its leaves in the last two weeks. My method is to blow as much as I can onto the grass, then mow it roughly to deal with the bulk. I then go back in with the blower to push any displaced leaves back off the pavement and onto the lawn for a final cut. With the wind, I was struggling to contain the leaves to the owners property. By this stage, I was getting tetchy.
I then had the groundman of the hotel walking towards me, who had been sent out by the manager after sitting inside watching me on the security cameras supposedly blowing leaves into the hotel property. Apparently, the groundsman was told to blow the leaves back into my face. I was a little sharp in suggesting I was doing my best, that I WAS going to come back and attempt to blow the leaves back, but with the headwind its kinda hard. In any case, I had only just started, I wasn’t even close to being finished! I WAS going to go back and clean up additional leaves along their side of the pavement as a courtesy.
The groundsman agreed the manager was a d.ck. I bluntly asked what his name was, then suggested that if he wanted to come out here and speak to me about, I was more than happy to set him straight, that I was raring for an argument. The guy sort of didn’t know what to say other than he himself had cleaned leaves up 4 times in 3 days, he understood the situation. I pointed to the camera and said the manager is probably listening right now, but again suggested that he could come out here and tell it to my face and I’d would give him a fu.king character reference! He again agreed, said that he would sort the manager out.
Fuming, I continued with my work and was again approached by the groundsman. He actually held out his hand and introduced himself formally. We shook hands and agreed it was a give and take situation, sometimes leaves from his side I clean up, sometimes leaves from my side he cleans up. It was almost like he was apologising on the behalf of the hotel manager’s ignorance, who was sitting inside a climate-controlled office watching others work. I’d like to see him “manage” to remove the tube of my leaf blower from his ***.
I’m usually placid until severely provoked, at which point I SNAP. My father is the same, a very high threshold of tolerance, then BANG. I’ve dealt with the above situations a few times now, its ALWAYS on a windy day with me trying to do my best, ALWAYS an arrogant twit who has no idea what they are dealing with. These jerks are always of the assumption that a gardener with a leaf blower is a menace to society. I never willingly create mess or leave a job site with sh.t all over the road or neighbouring properties………………because I hate it when others do this. But I can’t control the weather or seasons.
And at the end of the day…………………….we are talking about a few stray leaves. In the grand scheme of things, the world is not going to stop turning.
VENTED.
When people sitting in the comfort of their air-conditioned office tell those out on their feet how to do their job!
Two things -
1 - Wind makes people tetchy. For the better part of 4 hours, I had been cleaning leaves to the best of my ability despite the cold wind blowing from the south. The ice was thin!
2. You don’t want to be on the receiving end when that ice breaks. I may look tame on the outside, but my bite is vicious and venomous.
Today’s job consists of 3 houses with adjoining back yards, two of which have their back yards back to back. A large hotel runs the full length of the block to the side of the property. Normally, it takes me about 1.5 – 2 hours to mow. But being Autumn, there was plenty of extra to be done cleaning up fallen leaves. With the wind today, I was at hour 3 and had one last part to do, the front lawn and nature strip with a large pear tree which had lost 90% of its leaves in the last two weeks. My method is to blow as much as I can onto the grass, then mow it roughly to deal with the bulk. I then go back in with the blower to push any displaced leaves back off the pavement and onto the lawn for a final cut. With the wind, I was struggling to contain the leaves to the owners property. By this stage, I was getting tetchy.
I then had the groundman of the hotel walking towards me, who had been sent out by the manager after sitting inside watching me on the security cameras supposedly blowing leaves into the hotel property. Apparently, the groundsman was told to blow the leaves back into my face. I was a little sharp in suggesting I was doing my best, that I WAS going to come back and attempt to blow the leaves back, but with the headwind its kinda hard. In any case, I had only just started, I wasn’t even close to being finished! I WAS going to go back and clean up additional leaves along their side of the pavement as a courtesy.
The groundsman agreed the manager was a d.ck. I bluntly asked what his name was, then suggested that if he wanted to come out here and speak to me about, I was more than happy to set him straight, that I was raring for an argument. The guy sort of didn’t know what to say other than he himself had cleaned leaves up 4 times in 3 days, he understood the situation. I pointed to the camera and said the manager is probably listening right now, but again suggested that he could come out here and tell it to my face and I’d would give him a fu.king character reference! He again agreed, said that he would sort the manager out.
Fuming, I continued with my work and was again approached by the groundsman. He actually held out his hand and introduced himself formally. We shook hands and agreed it was a give and take situation, sometimes leaves from his side I clean up, sometimes leaves from my side he cleans up. It was almost like he was apologising on the behalf of the hotel manager’s ignorance, who was sitting inside a climate-controlled office watching others work. I’d like to see him “manage” to remove the tube of my leaf blower from his ***.
I’m usually placid until severely provoked, at which point I SNAP. My father is the same, a very high threshold of tolerance, then BANG. I’ve dealt with the above situations a few times now, its ALWAYS on a windy day with me trying to do my best, ALWAYS an arrogant twit who has no idea what they are dealing with. These jerks are always of the assumption that a gardener with a leaf blower is a menace to society. I never willingly create mess or leave a job site with sh.t all over the road or neighbouring properties………………because I hate it when others do this. But I can’t control the weather or seasons.
And at the end of the day…………………….we are talking about a few stray leaves. In the grand scheme of things, the world is not going to stop turning.
VENTED.
littlebean
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2018
- Messages
- 751
i think that pic has a word incorrectly spelt - I'm seeing leaf when it obviously should be flame............
i think that pic has a word incorrectly spelt - I'm seeing leaf when it obviously should be flame............
Ooops, my bad.........................................
littlebean
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2018
- Messages
- 751
Better 
Better
Just think, I could set fire to all of the leaves and the offending tree, problem solved! No doubt old mate hotel manager would find something else to complain about, in which case, I'd burn down his hotel, problem completely solved.
Now that is a leaf blower. Really amps up a tedious task.
I have a similar temperament DFB. Very calm and easy, rarely provoked. I try to remember all these silly people have something going on in their lives. Perpetually angry dad, spilled coffee on themselves, people who undermine them, stuck in their own heads. When I remember that 99.9% of my in person intentional interactions have been pleasant, I can chalk up these armchair experiences to them needing a hug. You know, love your neighbor (not just the nice neighbor).
-Kelly
I have a similar temperament DFB. Very calm and easy, rarely provoked. I try to remember all these silly people have something going on in their lives. Perpetually angry dad, spilled coffee on themselves, people who undermine them, stuck in their own heads. When I remember that 99.9% of my in person intentional interactions have been pleasant, I can chalk up these armchair experiences to them needing a hug. You know, love your neighbor (not just the nice neighbor
).-Kelly
littlebean
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2018
- Messages
- 751
May I recommend a tune to go with it - The Prodigy 'Firestarter'
A day off today, and after a week of grey sky's, it was nice to be out in the sunshine. The Ranger was filthy after a damp mowing run this week, so it was first in line for treatment.
Wheels, tyres and arches were cleaned using foamed Brake Buster. In the foam cannon today, Shine Supply Shift, used for a pre-soak and the contact wash. Drying Aid was KCx Quick & Shine. For the tray and door jambs, OPT Car Wax, an odd choice but surprisingly good!
The interior was wiped down with the coconut scented Ethos Interior Detailer. For the glass, I once again selected Trace-less in an attempt to better understand how to use it correctly. The wheels then got wiped down with Amplify and the tyres dressed with OG TD. Finally, a quick wipe over for the engine bay using ECH20.
Wheels, tyres and arches were cleaned using foamed Brake Buster. In the foam cannon today, Shine Supply Shift, used for a pre-soak and the contact wash. Drying Aid was KCx Quick & Shine. For the tray and door jambs, OPT Car Wax, an odd choice but surprisingly good!
The interior was wiped down with the coconut scented Ethos Interior Detailer. For the glass, I once again selected Trace-less in an attempt to better understand how to use it correctly. The wheels then got wiped down with Amplify and the tyres dressed with OG TD. Finally, a quick wipe over for the engine bay using ECH20.
Gave the ProCut a well-deserved wash today!
Bilt Hamber Touch-less at 1.5% PIR. This was foamed on and left to soak for 5 minutes, which allows the product to penetrate and break down the dirt for easy removal via the pressure washer. Touch-less is fantastic for this sort of thing because you really don't need to use a brush or sponge, just let the chemical do its thing.
After rinsing, time for Carpro Hydr02, which is a spray on, rinse off touchless sealant. A misting of Meguiar's Hyper Dressing, the mower was the dried off with my leaf blower. Back to spec........................
I love this mower!
Bilt Hamber Touch-less at 1.5% PIR. This was foamed on and left to soak for 5 minutes, which allows the product to penetrate and break down the dirt for easy removal via the pressure washer. Touch-less is fantastic for this sort of thing because you really don't need to use a brush or sponge, just let the chemical do its thing.
After rinsing, time for Carpro Hydr02, which is a spray on, rinse off touchless sealant. A misting of Meguiar's Hyper Dressing, the mower was the dried off with my leaf blower. Back to spec........................
I love this mower!
moab11
Well-known member
DFB, when you are rinsing off a vehicle, especially after a touchless wash with lots of soap foam, what do you use for a nozzle on your pressure washer?
Now that I've got a better pressure washer (rebranded Active 2.0) and a good foam cannon, I find it takes a long time to rinse away all the soap suds. I'm using a 40 degree tip right now, but not sure if I should be going up a nozzle size to get more flow and a bit less pressure.
Now that I've got a better pressure washer (rebranded Active 2.0) and a good foam cannon, I find it takes a long time to rinse away all the soap suds. I'm using a 40 degree tip right now, but not sure if I should be going up a nozzle size to get more flow and a bit less pressure.
For rinsing with the wand, I use a 40-degree nozzle tip with a 5.0 orifice. That's on a Kranzle KHD-10 that does 2.64 GPM, probably a little more as 5.0 is up a size compared to stock. The tips themselves are the Mosmatic rubber shrouded nozzles. When running the sort gun for wheels, I'm using the same 5.0 nozzle, but with 25-degree angle.
I'm guessing the machine you have is the Adam's version of the Active 2.0? If so, check out the below spreadsheet. The supplied nozzles are 4.0 orifice, but the 5.0 is recommended in the link below, which boosts flow from 1.89 GPM to 2.12 GPM. The other thing you can try is moving from a 40-degree to 25-degree, this doesn't change the pressure or flow, but focuses the output and can help drive soap more effectively.
If it was me, I'd be ordering a 40-degree and 25-degree shrouded tips with a 5.0 orifice. The Mosmatic's are expensive, so I'd also consider the MTM versions.
https://www.obsessedgarage.com/coll...smatic-nozzle-assembly?variant=42925989101719
Acqualine Nozzles
www.mtmhydroparts.com
These are the basic tips -
QC HYDROJET SS 5.0 (4 PACK) 0,15,25,40 DEG
Discover unparalleled performance with our Stainless Steel QC Nozzles 4 Pack - 5.0. Tested for accuracy, color-coded for easy identification. Upgrade your pressure washer experience now!
www.mtmhydroparts.com
moab11
Well-known member
Thanks @D.F.B !
I have a Simoniz, and it's working great with the included tips. I've tried the 25 and 40 tips, but I'll order some 5.0 nozzles in 25 and 40 and see how they work. Just thinking a bit more flow will help to wash away the excess soap, without switching back to a sprayer on the garden hose.
I have a Simoniz, and it's working great with the included tips. I've tried the 25 and 40 tips, but I'll order some 5.0 nozzles in 25 and 40 and see how they work. Just thinking a bit more flow will help to wash away the excess soap, without switching back to a sprayer on the garden hose.
I went looking for a Simoniz branded Active 2.0, but only found the Active VE56-based Simoniz Platinum 1800. In that case, you would probably use the 4.0 nozzles. Just something to note before you go and buy new nozzles.
Bilt Hamber Trace-less – Is it really traceless?
This product has been an exercise in frustration for me. As I watched and read about how good this glass cleaner is, I was naturally excited to try Trace-less once it hit the Australian market. As soon as it landed in stores, I ignored my own rules by ordering the large 5-litre bottle under the assumption that it was a safe bet considering how much good press Trace-less was getting.
On first acquaintance, it certainly wowed with how easily it flashed away and the unique scent. However, after using it the first time I noticed a fine haze appear that required me to go back and re-do my work. Again, a fine haze appeared. I then went back again with Invisible Glass, problem solved. Hmmm, ok. Over the next few cars, I again kept trying Trace-less but continued getting the same hazy finish.
My initial consensus was the humid summer temperatures were to blame, backed by the following quote –
In hot temperatures, with 100% evaporation rate, I felt as if the product was flashing far too quickly, in turn leaving trace marks. At which point, having shelled out the most money I have ever spent on a glass cleaner, I was feeling rather defeated.
However, if Trace-less can work for someone in Florida, which is also hot and humid, then perhaps it was just me who was having these problems? After reaching out for feedback, I then discovered I wasn’t the only one struggling with this glass cleaner. So, what is the problem here? Why is this product that is supposed be the BEST glass cleaner ever made working for some, but not others.
The following quotes I have lifted from the Bilt Hamber website –
Right, so perhaps I wasn’t shaking the product before usage? Perhaps I need another set of suede glass towels? Please! The whole selling point of this stuff has been to make glass cleaning easier, simpler. I know shaking chemicals before use is good practice, but how many people do that for a glass cleaner? And now I’m expected to buy a specific towel and do the glass twice to achieve the “highest degree of finish”? Come on, that is absurd. For reference, I can take an off the shelf product like Invisible Glass for $15.00, spray it on the glass, wipe with a standard waffle weave towel, done.
Anyway, with those tips in mind, I’ve been trying Traceless again. I shook the **** out of the bottle, used my usual waffle weave towels, used a fine mist, cool 16 to 20-degree ambient temps. Well, it seemed to have worked much better. Yaaay!
Having paused to give the product a fair go, I actually started to write this article a month ago. So, I was excited to finish the post by saying that I finally managed to get Trace-less to play well. But……………………..at the last minute, driving into the sun this afternoon, once again I noticed light streaking. F.CK!
So, even with THE best-case scenario, this stuff is STILL leaving traces behind.
For the record, I am following the basic rules of glass cleaning –
- Premium low pile waffle weave towels that are properly laundered
- One towel for the first pass, a second dry towel for the final buff
- Sprayed directly for exterior glass, sprayed into the towel for interior glass
- Glass is cool/cold to touch
- Working out of direct sunlight
I’m not product bashing here. I wanted to love this stuff but have been left thoroughly disappointed. Had Traceless been at a lower price point, I guess I’d just move on and be done with it. But that’s not the case here because a) Trace-less is VERY EXPENSIVE and b) so many people rave about it. What am I missing here? Am I just too critical, expecting too much? Do I have a bad batch? Are others not noticing the streaks? Have I been sold a lie?
This product has been an exercise in frustration for me. As I watched and read about how good this glass cleaner is, I was naturally excited to try Trace-less once it hit the Australian market. As soon as it landed in stores, I ignored my own rules by ordering the large 5-litre bottle under the assumption that it was a safe bet considering how much good press Trace-less was getting.
On first acquaintance, it certainly wowed with how easily it flashed away and the unique scent. However, after using it the first time I noticed a fine haze appear that required me to go back and re-do my work. Again, a fine haze appeared. I then went back again with Invisible Glass, problem solved. Hmmm, ok. Over the next few cars, I again kept trying Trace-less but continued getting the same hazy finish.
My initial consensus was the humid summer temperatures were to blame, backed by the following quote –
In hot temperatures, with 100% evaporation rate, I felt as if the product was flashing far too quickly, in turn leaving trace marks. At which point, having shelled out the most money I have ever spent on a glass cleaner, I was feeling rather defeated.
However, if Trace-less can work for someone in Florida, which is also hot and humid, then perhaps it was just me who was having these problems? After reaching out for feedback, I then discovered I wasn’t the only one struggling with this glass cleaner. So, what is the problem here? Why is this product that is supposed be the BEST glass cleaner ever made working for some, but not others.
The following quotes I have lifted from the Bilt Hamber website –
Right, so perhaps I wasn’t shaking the product before usage? Perhaps I need another set of suede glass towels? Please! The whole selling point of this stuff has been to make glass cleaning easier, simpler. I know shaking chemicals before use is good practice, but how many people do that for a glass cleaner? And now I’m expected to buy a specific towel and do the glass twice to achieve the “highest degree of finish”? Come on, that is absurd. For reference, I can take an off the shelf product like Invisible Glass for $15.00, spray it on the glass, wipe with a standard waffle weave towel, done.
Anyway, with those tips in mind, I’ve been trying Traceless again. I shook the **** out of the bottle, used my usual waffle weave towels, used a fine mist, cool 16 to 20-degree ambient temps. Well, it seemed to have worked much better. Yaaay!
Having paused to give the product a fair go, I actually started to write this article a month ago. So, I was excited to finish the post by saying that I finally managed to get Trace-less to play well. But……………………..at the last minute, driving into the sun this afternoon, once again I noticed light streaking. F.CK!
So, even with THE best-case scenario, this stuff is STILL leaving traces behind.For the record, I am following the basic rules of glass cleaning –
- Premium low pile waffle weave towels that are properly laundered
- One towel for the first pass, a second dry towel for the final buff
- Sprayed directly for exterior glass, sprayed into the towel for interior glass
- Glass is cool/cold to touch
- Working out of direct sunlight
I’m not product bashing here. I wanted to love this stuff but have been left thoroughly disappointed. Had Traceless been at a lower price point, I guess I’d just move on and be done with it. But that’s not the case here because a) Trace-less is VERY EXPENSIVE and b) so many people rave about it. What am I missing here? Am I just too critical, expecting too much? Do I have a bad batch? Are others not noticing the streaks? Have I been sold a lie?
moab11
Well-known member
General PDP Template
www.canadiantire.ca
Either way, I have the PSI and flow rates, so can look up some different size nozzles to try out. Thank you for all your help!
Not sure if that link will work for you, but that is the model that I have, and I believe that is is based on the 2.0General PDP Template
Either way, I have the PSI and flow rates, so can look up some different size nozzles to try out. Thank you for all your help!
Looking at the pressure, you certainly have room to move, bringing the pressure down from 2300 to between 1200 - 1500 will boost the flow rate and make it safer for car washing. Keep your old tips to use when cleaning pavement ect.
If you look over the supplied nozzles, sometimes they print the orifice size on it somewhere. Sometimes they will use say 4.0, sometimes they will have it at 040 or similar. That doesn't indicate the angle though.