Wash Your Truck

[CrabGuy]

I do almost the same as the OP; Meguiars Wash, wheel brush, leaf blower, and microfiber towels. Twice a year I clean up the plastic trim with Back to Black, Mothers polish on the rims, and detail the interior.

 

[Lefty]

I tip my hat to those willing to put the time in to keep their vehicles looking nice. My Ranger is my work commuter and has a regenerative organic coating. In my parking spot at work it gets covered by a sticky mist if the wind is between SW and E, and bagasse (dry sugarcane fiber) if the wind is between SW and NW. The only real safe direction is North to Northeast. Every so often a rainstorm comes and takes it all down to paint, then the tar and feather process starts again. It's one of the things I like about the truck; I got it as a work beater and it's served that purpose admirably and relieved me of the stress of keeping it clean. There's even lichen growing on the topper roof, keeping my carbon footprint small.

I had one like that before. Those finishes came that way, the treehugger edition.

 

[Lefty]

I do almost the same as the OP; Meguiars Wash, wheel brush, leaf blower, and microfiber towels. Twice a year I clean up the plastic trim with Back to Black, Mothers polish on the rims, and detail the interior.

View attachment 92210

Looks brand new.

 

[CrabGuy]

Looks brand new.

Actually it's 15 footer, used to be a 30 footer when I bought it. The clearcoat is nearly non existent on the top but I'm short.

 

[Shran]

Wash Your Truck

You can't make me

I can't wash under my cab anymore because it sprays up through the floor vents and all over the interior. Somehow it gets in from the roof too and drips down from the upper windshield trim piece while I'm driving. So, I've decided it's simply not worth washing anymore unless it's so dirty that I'll get myself dirty by leaning on it.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Man, that's a near spittin image of my 87/88 whatever it was
Does yours have a 1 1/2 X 1 1/2 steel angle from the drivers side front side rail holding up the left front body?

Not yet

 

[Curious Hound]

I did drive it through a creek back in December. Does that count as a wash session? No soap, sponges, towels or brushes were involved.

 

[Lefty]

I did drive it through a creek back in December. Does that count as a wash session? No soap, sponges, towels or brushes were involved.

View attachment 92214

Maybe if you applied a little detail spray and drove it home in the rain.

 

[Curious Hound]

Nope. Didn't happen.

 

[JohnnyO]

I was trying to get Rysty to detail it. Actually, if I want it detailed properly, I would probably ask @JohnnyO to do it.

Oh yes! He's got a clean one. Do you think he does it, or does he have a chauffeur?

Extra spiffy for the Carlisle show field last year. Finally washed it last night, I was getting nervous since it's been raining almost every day since we got back from vacation.

 

[JohnnyO]

Extra spiffy for the Carlisle show field last year. Finally washed it last night, I was getting nervous since it's been raining almost every day since we got back from vacation.

The OG's here like Jim, ryan, Will, bobbywalter, Z-man, will tell you that I don't mind getting them dirty off-roading but I can't stand for them to be dirty too long.

I usually wash with Armor All or Meguiers car wash and a microfiber mitt, dry with a California Water Blade and/or chamois.
Scrub tires with Black Magic Bleach White, a big brush for the whole sidewall and a cut down BBQ grill brush for the white letters. Top with Armor All.
In the spring I rub the whole thing out with tar remover then clay bar it. Wax with Meguier's Gold Class or Collinite liquid, or if I have a show I use a local product called RivStar Showcar Glaze and top it with RivStar Quick Detailer which puts on a nice shine but stinks to high heaven so I put on rubber gloves and just throw out the cloth when I'm done.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I did drive it through a creek back in December. Does that count as a wash session? No soap, sponges, towels or brushes were involved.

View attachment 92214

Thats a bad ass pic

 

[Fast Eddie]

I did drive it through a creek back in December. Does that count as a wash session? No soap, sponges, towels or brushes were involved.

View attachment 92214

Nature's car wash...I'd say it counts

 

[SpifNup]

I did drive it through a creek back in December. Does that count as a wash session? No soap, sponges, towels or brushes were involved.

View attachment 92214

Lack of equip & supplies & payment doesn't automatically make it a dry wash.

Definitely drive-thru wet wash session ... sponsored by Nature.

If water flow significant, downstream brushes could become involved & you could end up paying for the scrub with your fender quarters.

Preferred drives in rain with my old Ranger. Touchless and gentle clean.

However did get some free dry wash 'sponge' scrubs a time or two.

Full disclosure--no chance to take pics, unfortunately.

Couple times caught in severe desert windstorms (bone dry conditions) driving highway speeds near Las Vegas.

Hundreds of tumbleweed balls suddenly appeared (some tall as my truck) & came flying across the desert & onto the road.
Sped toward head-on collisions with my 04 Ranger Edge, incoming at approx 30-degree angle toward driver side.

Hard to discern what they were at first, or their true sizes (initial flash thought they were desert animals, perhaps fleeing the storm) but as they rapidly drew closer (combined closing rate likely 100 mph or more). began to look like 'Return of the Mummy' type movies with thousands of soldiers (or zombies) rushing across the vast sands.

Thought I'd had it for sure. Forward vision of road totally obscured for a few long seconds.

Totally amazed when they safely careened off my front end like giant sponges.

The largest balls (6-to-8 ft dia.) hit the front & bounced over hood and roof!

--Spif

Luckily driver window & windshield remained intact.
One tough truck it seems.

Definitely had a close brush (or scrape).

As said on TRS, the paint scratches simply added some unique character to my ride!
[To me too. Probably had to change my pants after arrival at destination. ]

 

[Josh B]

Take a ride in the rain here and you come back with a muddy truck