DFB's Detailing Garage

[DFB5.0]

The Ranger's turn today, a bit of a hybrid wash was on the cards.

First, as normal I hosed out the tray. I then went around and foamed all four wheels with Optimum Touchless, then scrubbed each tyre, then rinsed. I'm not impressed with this soap, even on wheels with a healthy coating, it doesn't really do the "touchless" thing. Optimum say this is a pH neutral soap, but I pH tested it today as part of a project I'm working on. Interestingly, in both concentrate and diluted forms, it registered at a pH of 9.0. Yet another "pre-cleaning" decon soap that doesn't really do anything.

From there, I rinsed the car down, then moved back into the garage for a rinse-less wash with ADS Hero, followed by ADS Amplify. As you can see, I had a "helper".......................

From there, the door jambs and tray sides were dried with Shine Supply Punch It, glass via Hero at 128:1, Griots Interior Detailer for the inside wipe down, and finally some 1:1 Carpro Perl for the tyres.

Sponsored

 

[5.0ALM]

Hmmmm....

"NEW Koch Chemie Product Range Just Dropped!"

I hope Koch Chemie don't become another Chemical Guys etc and have a stupid number of pointless overlapping products... just because their "Innovation dept" is trying to justify their existence.

 

[REV745DH24]

I really hope Ford Australia remain the lead engineering hub for Ranger, there has been talk in the past of America taking it back. Thing is, you can see and feel a common theme between the Ranger and the Aussie designed, engineered and built Territory. If you have ever driven a Ranger back-to-back with an equivalent Toyota/Mitsubishi/Nissan/Isuzu, there is another layer of chassis refinement and the stability control calibrations are superior. I think the most noticeable is how the Ranger rides, they don't skip about as much or how subtle the stability control is.

The Barra was such a brilliant engine. No, it was not as powerful as it could have been in naturally aspirated guise, BMW would have got 300 kw / 400 hp out of a 4-litre engine. They were also tall, long and very heavy, if you look at the cast-iron block, you can see where all the weight is. But all of that made them supremely durable and extremely effortless to drive. The joke was always that a Falcon would fall apart around the engine.

My XR6 was purchased brand new in June 2008, it's a May build, so one of the very first FG's. I was 21-years old at the time, so the XR6 Turbo was above my budget in terms of purchase price, but insurance as well. Even though its only done about 34,000 km, if it was a turbo the car would be worth considerably more today.

The car was optioned with the 6-speed auto, the 18-inch Y-spoke wheels, Premium Sound, Side Airbags and the Streetwise Blue interior to match the Sensation Blue exterior.

The XR6 was my daily driver for two years before I got a workhorse Ranger. Did many road trips in it, even a few laps of Bathurst.





Circling back to the engine, for some reason I actually prefer the raspier note of the naturally aspirated Barra. Nothing against the turbo version, it has a very distinctive wail from the exhaust, but the NA has more induction note with little to no exhaust.

For those new to this engine, here are a couple of videos that show the difference between naturally aspirated and turbo Barra's.

NA -

Zone in on the 1-min 30 mark, love that induction rasp!



Turbo -



The big-daddy F6!



Power wise, the NA when ran on 98-ron premium is very toey with bags of effortless torque. I once had to fill up with regular and it felt neutered. With 98-ron, it took power and torque from 195 kw (262hp) and 391 Nm (248 ft-lb) to 210 kw (281hp) and 420 Nm (310 ft-lb).

Sorry, Mustang content will populate eventually, I told you the thread would wander.

 

[DFB5.0]

For today's project, it was time to polish the Ranger's headlights...................again.

The above images don't fully display how bad the hazing had become, or how it was dragging down the appearance of the vehicle. In previous treatments, I simply polished the UV damaged sections, typically the horizontal edge facing the sky. This time I just went ahead and polished the entire headlight.

After taping up, I started with Sonax Cutmax on a Rupes blue wool pad, the most aggressive combination at my disposal. Machine choice was the 3-inch ShineMate EB212, and the Rupes iBrid Nano in rotary mode with a 1-inch pad for the edgework. That EB212 is absolutely brilliant for this role, primarily because it just won't stall out on what is a complex surface like a headlight.

Following the cutting stage, I switched to a ShineMate orange foam pad and Carpro Reflect to jewel them up. From there, a thorough wipe down with Eraser. There are still some imperfections, but I'm happy with the finish.

It was then time to try yet another miracle potion in an attempt to slow down the return of oxidation. The ultimate solution here would be to have PPF applied, but no one does it around here, and I just don't have the skills or patience to do it myself (which is way harder than it looks due to the multi-dimensional shape of these lights). Applying a clear coat to headlights is not recommended, mainly because you need to be a wizard painter to get a uniform finish. And if you don't get it right, you end up with a distorted light distribution.

I've tried various methods for protecting headlights, including spray sealants, ceramic paint coatings, dedicated polymer sealants, even a VERY expensive headlight coating from Opti-Coat. All but the Opti-Coat would last a few months at best. Having said that, Opti-Coat suggest 12-months protection for their solution, I got about 9-months.

Enter Carpro's new Cquartz DLight, which is a dedicated ceramic coating for plastic. Compared to other ceramic coatings, DLight offers significantly higher resistance to UV, which provides a high-level of protection for plastic surfaces and in turn will prevent fading, yellowing and cracking. Carpro put a focus on protecting headlights, but they also suggest it can be used on PPF, clear plastics, textured black plastic trim and bumpers, vinyl, and even as a top-coat to a base layer coating for ultimate protection in high-UV environments.

Carpro claims DLight can last "up to 3-years". We shall see..................

NOTE - Unless you are a professional detailer, all you need is the 10ml bottle. Also note that the 10ml size doesn't come in the pretty box, just a sealed bag.

Anti-UV Coating 10ml | CQUARTZ Dlight

Application method and amount vary depending on the surface being treated. For headlights, Carpro recommend two layers for ultimate durability and protection. Like any ceramic coating, prime the supplied applicator with product, then apply in crosshatch pattern to ensure full coverage. Allow to flash for about 5 minutes, then level off with a towel, followed by a final wipe with a secondary towel. Carpro suggest the product rainbows as it flashes, but I found it sweated.

After an hour, the second layer can be applied in the same manner.

The finished result certainly looks the goods. I've always loved these headlights with the black bezels, which differ from the tacky chromed out XLT and Wildtrak models.

I also went ahead and coated two replacement windscreen wiper arm trims for the XR6. I recently discovered one of these had broken, but the OEM originals are NLA. These replacements are 3D-printed using durable "high-quality ABS plastic". Coating them seemed like a logical thing to do, especially with an already used applicator with product on it.

It will be interesting to see how this coating performs going forward.

 

[DFB5.0]

Another little refresh task on the Ranger today. This is something I've had on the to-do list for over a year now, I just kept telling myself I'd get to it when I had a moment...................you know how it is.

A black unpainted plastic deflector is mounted to the bottom of the front bumper. This part was designed to improve aerodynamic properties and deflect road debris and stones. Certain owners of these vehicles think they are smarter than the highly trained Ford engineers who designed the car, then go ahead and remove these deflectors. So, I'm not going to remove this thing for absolutely no reason at all.

Anyway, 10-years on the road and this deflector looked like it could use some enhancement. Other than regular washing, I've never touched this area of the car, I don't even dry it with a towel and drying aid. Solution Finish to the rescue....................

Prep is key with products like this. I soaked the deflector down with Green Star and agitated with one of those interior scrub pads. From there, I flushed with rinse-less wash (ONR), then two rounds of 99% IPA. With textured plastics like this, it's best to leave the material to fully dry for at least 30-minutes before applying the product. The Solution Finish is then loaded into a small foam block and worked over the plastic. After 10 to 15-minutes, level off any excess with a towel.

Solution Finish Trim Restorer | Car Plastic Restorer – Waxit Car Care

I absolutely love what Solution Finish does to black plastic. Yes, it can be a little messy to work with, but then its also forgiving to use and leaves a deep, dark, as-new OEM finish. The shot below doesn't fully illustrate the difference it made to this deflector.

With refreshed headlights and deflector, its given my nearly 10-year-old workhorse a nice little facelift.

You may question the point of putting this sort of effort into a daily driver. And fair enough I suppose. When I purchased my first Ranger in 2010, I never intended to be this detail-focused on what is effectively a tool-of-trade vehicle. But..............that's just not how I operate on pretty much any high value purchase I make, from tools to vehicles, phones to audio systems.

For several reasons, that "keep it looking nice" mentality flowed into my current Ranger..............

1. I didn't intend on keeping this vehicle for so long. However, Ford no longer make this low-ride model, and even if I did accept the high-rider, the replacement cost would be north of $45,000 and up to $60,000 for the engine I want. For context, I paid $30,000 on the road with a custom tray for this PX MK II. I've toyed with "upgrading" to the latest model many times over the last few years, but the sums just don't add up.

2. With that in mind, at this stage I've decided to keep it for quite a bit longer.

3. Considering both of the above, it means I want to keep it looking as good as I can for as long as I can. Hence regular washing, coatings, refreshment of aging parts ect.

4. I often use this vehicle as a product and tool testbed. Testing would happen regardless of it was new or old.

5. When it comes to product testing, there is an element of enjoyment and curiosity at play here. So those questioning the point of spending so much time and effort detailing this vehicle just don't understand this isn't "just a work car".

 

[DFB5.0]

After yesterday's orchard run, it was the XR6's turn for a wash.

Foamed Brake Buster was used on the wheels and tyres, followed by some Hydr02 to top off the coating, and Atom Mac for the rotors. I then thoroughly rinsed the car and moved inside for a rinse-less wash.

Product of choice today was good-old Optimum No Rinse. I know there are newer contenders in this space, some will clean more, some provide protection, some smell better, some are slicker, some are even marketed better.................but I still like ONR. Compared to some of those newer and flashier products, ONR requires no special treatment (cough, Labocosmetica), nor is it a watered-down soap (think surfactant-based contenders), nor a spray sealant in disguise (again, cough, Labocosmetica). ONR mixes up easily, feels lubricated and slick, dries with ease, and if some does happen to dry on the surface, it wipes off during the drying phase. It's just easy, forgiving and reliable.

After the wash, I used ADS Adapt as a drying aid, cleaned the glass with Eraser (so good), then wiped the engine bay down with Amplify. The interior got a very quick once over with Pilot. Because I applied ADS Ghost to the tyres last wash, it left them alone this time.

It was then time for musical chairs cars, Mustang out, XR6 in.

I then took my stallion for a RIDE!

I've been gradually increasing the performance demands of this car, of which I can say that 7200 rpm sounds so intoxicating. This Coyote is easily the highest revving car I owned or driven. Reving Heaven!

 

[DFB5.0]

Stocking up on the lovely Koch Chemie GSF.

https://www.waxit.com.au/collection...-neutral-cleaning-foam?variant=42059435704409

So, a few things to mention with GSF -

- Don't buy this soap if your primary requirement is ultimate cleaning power, GSF doesn't really do that. Instead, this is a highly lubricated soap for maintaining well maintained cars.

- This is not a high value product, be that the purchase price or concentration of the soap. Compounding that, you need to use way more than what Koch Chemie suggests in order to get good foam or suds.

NOTE - Prices are in AUD

So, if cleaning ability and value are important to you, then you'd be better served by my two other benchmarks, Carpro Reset or NV Snow. Reset in particular can put on a good foam show right down to about 60ml, which is what the cost per foam cannon figure above is based on. NV Snow is quite potent, so you can afford to lean it out a little and not hamper foam or cleaning ability. But the KCx suggested dilution ratios for GSF are way off. According to them, you'd only use 20ml to 980ml of water. The Germans must have a different idea of what foam looks like because at those numbers, expect soapy water and not "foam".

I watched a video earlier this week where the presented claimed GSF is the most overrated detailing product on the market. And if you're a professional detailer like the presenter in question, then yeah, it's not going to be cost effective or offer enough performance to be time efficient. Despite Koch Chemie's "Excellence For Experts" tagline, GSF is not meant for the professional detailer who needs value, performance and time efficiency.

So, who is GSF aimed at then? The clue is in the name, GENTLE SNOW FOAM. GSF is for the pro-sumer who enjoys the process more than a price tag. This type of user has a well-maintained car that doesn't need a nuke at each wash, which is where the GENTLE in GSF comes from. You can use it as often as you like without stripping protection or causing long-term degradation to trim and plastics. Then there is the amazing signature cherry scent. So, GSF trades some ability for a high user experience and safety.

So, next time someone says GSF is overrated and overpriced, there is more to the story than those two negative words would suggest. What a professional detailer and a hobbyist want and need are not always the same, and I think that's where many get stuck when trying GSF, they are expecting something different.

 

[DFB5.0]

With rainy days and a big mowing run this week, combined with puppy carrying duties, the Ranger was genuinely dirty and in need of a wash.

The tyres were cleaned with Optimum Power Wheel & Tire Clean, finishing the bottle of this excellent product. The wheels were cleaned with KCx Active Foam, which I also used as a pre-clean on the lowers and tray sides. The contact wash was done with Koch Chemie GSF, dosed using my new Pressol squeeze bottles...................pure bliss.

I know gushing over a plastic bottle might seem ridiculous, but trust me, the images above represent a sense of achievement and satisfaction. Again, many thanks to my fellow forum friends for making this happen.

After the wash and a hit with the EGO, I decided it was time to top off the protection with a layer of ADS Ceramic Spray Sealant, another fantastic product.

From there, the door jambs were wiped with ADS Adapt, the tray sides with Griot's Ceramic Speed Shine, interior cleaned with ADS Pilot, glass with P&S True Vue, wheels wiped with ADS Amplify and OG Tire Dressing for the rubber.

Being such a lovely Autumn day, I thought it was about time to get the XR8 out of the garage for some exercise. Probably not smart to be out burning through 98-ron with limited supply and ever rising prices, currently $2.70 per litre where I am. But...................the half a tank in this car will last me several months. And what do you do, save for a rainy day that may not come, or just enjoy now and see what happens?

 

[BimmerDriver]

Product of choice today was good-old Optimum No Rinse.

I agree, that stuff is pretty good. I wonder why you chose to use it instead of a conventional bucket of soapy water and a hose. It's still warm there, isn't it? Or are you suffering through a water shortage?

you can see, I had a "helper".......................

Woof. How cute!

 

[DFB5.0]

I agree, that stuff is pretty good. I wonder why you chose to use it instead of a conventional bucket of soapy water and a hose. It's still warm there, isn't it? Or are you suffering through a water shortage?

On this occasion, the car wasn't too dirty, and I just felt like going rinse-less to mix things up.

Woof. How cute!

Olly turns 16-weeks old tomorrow, he's grown so quickly in the 8-weeks he's been with us. He is my world at the moment, very much full on but also a comforting presence.

On the ride -

From the first day onwards...................

 

[DFB5.0]

Four Koch Chemie solvents that all do basically the same thing, but at varying degrees of aggression.

Fleckenwasser (FW) –
An organic based solvent for safe removal of greasy substances including oil, tar and waxes, even paint and ink residue.

Teerwasche A (TEA) –
Well done if you managed to pronounce this mouthful, probably why it gets abbreviated for TEA. This next step up is a solvent based product that will dissolve oily and sticky substances in quick fashion. Again, think tar and sap residue, but it can also strip road film and adhesive. A nice middle ground.

Eulex (EU) –
The Sledgehammer! A super powerful solvent, reach for Eulex when all else has failed. Think heavily contaminated surfaces, thick tar deposits and heavy-duty adhesive removal. Use with caution, be that yourself or the vehicle.

Eulex M (EUM) –
Another powerful solvent used in the same situations as Eulex, however this version is specially suited to satin and matte surfaces that can be damaged by solvents.

 

[DFB5.0]

While I waited for the Ranger to be ready, the XR8 got a wash.

My favourite wheels to clean! Simple design, plenty of room for brushes. In this case, they were cleaned with Active Foam, tyres with Brake Buster. Some Hydr02 followed, then Atom Mac for the rotors.

For today's wash. I decided to go rinse-less, on this occasion the ever-reliable ONR. My process of late has been the following -

1. Rinse the car first, I had the pressure washer out for the wheels, so why not.

2. Pre-spray the whole vehicle at 128:1, which helps account for standing water after the rinse.

3. Wash using multiple Eagle Edgeless 500 towels at a 256:1 dilution. I do the whole car at once and dry at the end, I find this more efficient.

4. Use the EGO blower to blast trapped water/rinse-less solution from the grills, panel gaps, badges ect. Wheels are also dried at this step.

5. Dry using two Microfiber Madness Chip Mounk Jr. towels and ADS Amplify. Any ONR polymer spots that happened to dry are easily removed at this step.

6. Dry the door jambs, again with Amplify.

7. Hood up, the engine bay gets a general wipe down, drying off any pooled water while at it.

8. Go over the glass with Carpro Eraser.

9. A quick wipe of the wheels and exhaust tips with Amplify.

10. Apply OG Tire Dressing.

The interior only needed a vacuum of the driver's floor mat, otherwise job done!

I was going to keep the XR8 out for the weekend, but crap weather has been forecast, so back under the cover it goes.

 

[DFB5.0]

BISSELL STEAM SHOT 2635M

Over the years, there have been several situations where I’ve thought a steam cleaner would have been useful for a particular task. I’d then go looking at highly capable industry benchmark models from Dupray and McCulloch, you know, bigger is better. But then I’d bring myself back to reality, that the price and bulkiness was too much for the amount of use it would get.

So this little Bissell is the compromise, sweetened by a 20% discount.

Steam Shot | 2635M – BISSELL® Australia
Bissell Steam Shot Steam Cleaner - 2635M | Supercheap Auto

Weighing just 1.4kg, the unit holds 360ml of water, filled with the supplied measuring cup. The power cord is 4.8-metres long, allowing you flexibility. Once filled and powered up, you’ll have steam within 2 – 3 minutes, with up to 120-degree temperature and 58-psi pressure. Warranty is 12-months.

In the box, you get the steamer unit itself, a measuring cup, two crappy towels that are destined for the rag pile, and an attachment piece for the nine accessories –

- Extension hose
- Grout brush
- Fabric steamer
- Window squeegee
- Flat scraper
- Angle concentrator
- Microfiber cleaning bonnet
- Green detail brush
- Red detail brush
- Black detail brush

You’re not going to tackle massive clean-up jobs or PPF removal with this thing, but that’s not the point. Instead, this is a compact and convenient grab and go solution for occasional use. And yes, I already have its first use planned.

 

[radar]

While I waited for the Ranger to be ready, the XR8 got a wash.

My favourite wheels to clean! Simple design, plenty of room for brushes. In this case, they were cleaned with Active Foam, tyres with Brake Buster. Some Hydr02 followed, then Atom Mac for the rotors.

For today's wash. I decided to go rinse-less, on this occasion the ever-reliable ONR. My process of late has been the following -

1. Rinse the car first, I had the pressure washer out for the wheels, so why not.

2. Pre-spray the whole vehicle at 128:1, which helps account for standing water after the rinse.

3. Wash using multiple Eagle Edgeless 500 towels at a 256:1 dilution. I do the whole car at once and dry at the end, I find this more efficient.

4. Use the EGO blower to blast trapped water/rinse-less solution from the grills, panel gaps, badges ect. Wheels are also dried at this step.

5. Dry using two Microfiber Madness Chip Mounk Jr. towels and ADS Amplify. Any ONR polymer spots that happened to dry are easily removed at this step.

6. Dry the door jambs, again with Amplify.

7. Hood up, the engine bay gets a general wipe down, drying off any pooled water while at it.

8. Go over the glass with Carpro Eraser.

9. A quick wipe of the wheels and exhaust tips with Amplify.

10. Apply OG Tire Dressing.

The interior only needed a vacuum of the driver's floor mat, otherwise job done!

I was going to keep the XR8 out for the weekend, but crap weather has been forecast, so back under the cover it goes.

Thx for the Olly vids.
On my return to Melbourne I have a small sample bottle of ONR Rinseless waiting.
I don’t always have access to a hose. Will a couple of 10 Litre buckets of water over the car qualify as a “pre rinse”? Agricultural, I know, but sometimes the only option. Guess I could even dilute them to 1:128.
All my redundant Bowdens Microfibres, Drop Bear and the less plush Blue ones - would they do a serviceable job of applying ONR - say one for each panel?
Finally, the ONR instructions and reviews seem to suggest a wipe down with my TRC drying Gauntlets is all that is needed. Or is the final finish enhanced with NV Boost V2 on the blue car and Beadmaker on the red car? Is the drying agent now redundant with ONR Rinseless? My cars are generally only ever “slightly soiled”.
Thx D

 

[DFB5.0]

Thx for the Olly vids.

On my return to Melbourne I have a small sample bottle of ONR Rinseless waiting.

I don’t always have access to a hose. Will a couple of 10 Litre buckets of water over the car qualify as a “pre rinse”? Agricultural, I know, but sometimes the only option. Guess I could even dilute them to 1:128.

That would work, or grab a pump action sprayer to hose the car down with. Will take you a while though. The idea is to knock off the dust before you go rubbing on the paint.

Note that you don't technically have to pre-rinse the car first, its just something I like to do to give me confidence. And/or after rinsing, you then spray down with ONR pre-treat, be that 256:1 or 128:1.

All my redundant Bowdens Microfibres, Drop Bear and the less plush Blue ones - would they do a serviceable job of applying ONR - say one for each panel?

Any towel can be used, for a Mustang you'd need about 4 - 6 per wash. Using the multi towel method means the towel never re-enters the bucket, meaning you don't end up introducing dirt to your wash solution.

Finally, the ONR instructions and reviews seem to suggest a wipe down with my TRC drying Gauntlets is all that is needed. Or is the final finish enhanced with NV Boost V2 on the blue car and Beadmaker on the red car? Is the drying agent now redundant with ONR Rinseless? My cars are generally only ever “slightly soiled”.
Thx D

A drying aid isn't totally needed, I use on simply because I can. You won't need much, just a couple of sprays per panel or into the towel.

This would be your workflow -

1. Pre-rinse with water (optional)
2. Spray with your pre-treat solution, either 128:1 or 256:1
3. Soak your towels in the bucket solution (256:1)
4. Wipe a section, flipping to a clean side of the towel often

At this point you can dry that section and move on. In my case, I move quick enough out of the sun, so I pretreat and wash the whole car in one, then go back and dry.

I would highly recommend watching these videos before you start -

Note - There are two main ways to rinse-less wash. I use the multiple towel method for safety, but many use a perforated sponge that is rinsed out in the bucket between sections, as shown in the second/third videos.

Sponsored