Caring for Paint Treated with Opti-Coat Pro

[Nick@Apollo-Optics]

I'd like to thank everyone for their contributions to this thread. For the time being, I have decided against doing a full paint correction and OC Pro on the truck. Partially because I didn't want to spend $900. Partially because I think I had expected it to be more of a "cure-all" than it is. Instead, I purchased the Adam's Essentials Detailing Kit with an extra bucket with grit guard and a couple other things. All of my equipment should show up next week and I'll be doing my full detail next weekend.

This will be my process:
All-Purpose Cleaner on wheels/tires/inner fenders
2-bucket wash with Adam's Buckets/Grit Guards using Adam's Shampoo and wash mitt
Dry with Adam's Great White Drying towel
Adam's Clay Bar and Detail Spray - will also be claying the windshield
Adam's Hand Polish
Adam's Quick Sealant
Adam's Brilliant Glaze
Adam's Buttery Wax
Adam's VRT to tires/bumpers/flares/hood vents
Rain-X Glass Cleaner on all exterior windows

I'm expecting this to be a 6-8 hour job. Hopefully not any longer.

 

[RAPTORSV]

I'd like to thank everyone for their contributions to this thread. For the time being, I have decided against doing a full paint correction and OC Pro on the truck. Partially because I didn't want to spend $900. Partially because I think I had expected it to be more of a "cure-all" than it is. Instead, I purchased the Adam's Essentials Detailing Kit with an extra bucket with grit guard and a couple other things. All of my equipment should show up next week and I'll be doing my full detail next weekend.

This will be my process:
All-Purpose Cleaner on wheels/tires/inner fenders
2-bucket wash with Adam's Buckets/Grit Guards using Adam's Shampoo and wash mitt
Dry with Adam's Great White Drying towel
Adam's Clay Bar and Detail Spray - will also be claying the windshield
Adam's Hand Polish
Adam's Quick Sealant
Adam's Brilliant Glaze
Adam's Buttery Wax
Adam's VRT to tires/bumpers/flares/hood vents
Rain-X Glass Cleaner on all exterior windows

I'm expecting this to be a 6-8 hour job. Hopefully not any longer.

A couple things that will cut your wash and drying time down are a water blade and a Master Blaster 8HP. The dryer is expensive, I bought off Amazon for a good price though. All I have to do its touch the truck up with micro fiber towel and detail spray. Not towel drying should cut down a swirl marks etc.

Foam cannon and pressure washer really speeds things up too, since the truck is so big.

I wash it every weekend, and this way I can get it done in about and hour to and hour and a half.

 

[Nick@Apollo-Optics]

A couple things that will cut your wash and drying time down are a water blade and a Master Blaster 8HP. The dryer is expensive, I bought off Amazon for a good price though. All I have to do its touch the truck up with micro fiber towel and detail spray. Not towel drying should cut down a swirl marks etc.

Foam cannon and pressure washer really speeds things up too, since the truck is so big.

I wash it every weekend, and this way I can get it done in about and hour to and hour and a half.

I do need to buy a pressure washer. I'll probably pick up a Honda from Sears (have a gift card). I'll need something to get the dirt/mud off the truck once I start wheeling it. The idea of a water blade sounds good...but I'm concerned about using that on the paint and possibly inducing scratches with it. That Master Blaster looks awesome, but $200 is a good chunk of change. I'll have to see how fast the Adam's Drying Towel actually dries the truck. I feel like that is going to be the slowest part of everything that I'm doing haha.

 

[RAPTORSV]

The California water blade won't scratch at all, its medical grade silicone. I helps because, its been so F*** HOT here, I can get the water off and truck dry before it drys and leaves spots. Been washing early in the am though, its not so bad. The Master Blaster is stupid expensive ($300 on Amazon), but the time it saves is nice, make sure it's the 8 HP, the smaller one is not powerful enough.

Pep Boys should have water blade.

California Jelly Blade - Jelly Blade - CaliforniaCarDusters.com

 

[blockdoc]

The Master Blaster Sidekick is how I dry my truck, followed by Adams drying towel. It works great, but I do refuse to wash in direct sun, which makes for a lot less water spots.

 

[Chris's FX4]

If you're going to use a water blade, at least wipe it off after every pass or so with a towel and some QD. It doesn't take much for a piece of something to get trapped between the blade and the paint.

 

[RAPTORSV]

The Master Blaster Sidekick is how I dry my truck, followed by Adams drying towel. It works great, but I do refuse to wash in direct sun, which makes for a lot less water spots.

Don't wash in Sunlight here either, but even in the shade for the last month its been in the 90's so the truck will dry fast, it sucks, not normally this hot. But it should cool off in a month or so...

 

[blockdoc]

It's usually about 75% humidity here, so water just won't evaporate. The Sidekick has worked very well for me, and its small enough to be really easy to use.

 

[RAPTORSV]

It's usually about 75% humidity here, so water just won't evaporate. The Sidekick has worked very well for me, and its small enough to be really easy to use.

That sucks, don't know humidity here, but it's low, just been dry and HOT.

 

[AdamsPolishes]

I'd like to thank everyone for their contributions to this thread. For the time being, I have decided against doing a full paint correction and OC Pro on the truck. Partially because I didn't want to spend $900. Partially because I think I had expected it to be more of a "cure-all" than it is. Instead, I purchased the Adam's Essentials Detailing Kit with an extra bucket with grit guard and a couple other things. All of my equipment should show up next week and I'll be doing my full detail next weekend.

This will be my process:
All-Purpose Cleaner on wheels/tires/inner fenders
2-bucket wash with Adam's Buckets/Grit Guards using Adam's Shampoo and wash mitt
Dry with Adam's Great White Drying towel
Adam's Clay Bar and Detail Spray - will also be claying the windshield
Adam's Hand Polish
Adam's Quick Sealant
Adam's Brilliant Glaze
Adam's Buttery Wax
Adam's VRT to tires/bumpers/flares/hood vents
Rain-X Glass Cleaner on all exterior windows

I'm expecting this to be a 6-8 hour job. Hopefully not any longer.

Sounds like you've got a solid plan!

Just a recommendation, I'd skip the drying step if you're going to go straight to claying (which you should.) As long as you are in a garage or working in the shade, the water on the surface will aid in the amount of lubrication for the clay bar, greatly reducing the amount of Detail Spray you'll need to use for the clay bar to do it's job.

Also, if you haven't already, be sure to cruise through our videos a few times before you start. Always nice little tips to be picked up there.