Official Black Truck Detailing Thread

Black paint is brutal to contend with as is black plastic. Share the tips, tricks and products you know of (ahem, have EXPERIENCE with)...

I'm not an expert but this stuff has all worked for me:

I encourage you to read and watch plenty of videos prior to doing anything to a finish ever.

And this has been MY experience; buyer / user beware!

I repeat: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

$14 Adam's Polishes Detail Spray (16 fl. oz) - Quick Waterless Detailer Spray for Car Detailing | Polisher Clay Bar & Car Wax Boosting Tech | Add Shine Gloss Depth Paint | Car Wash Kit & Dust Remover

Adams Quick Detailer

The Rag Company (5-Pack) 16 in. x 16 in. Everest 800 White Double-Plush Professional Korean 70/30 Microfiber Detailing Towels

Rag Company Double Plush MF

$16 The Rag Company - All-Purpose Microfiber Terry Cleaning Towels - Commercial Grade, Highly Absorbent, Lint-Free, Streak-Free, Kitchens, Bathrooms, Offices, 300gsm, 14in x 14in, White (12-Pack)

Rag Company MF - General Interior Stuff

$10 The Rag Company - Standard Waffle Weave Towels, Microfiber Detailing, Window/Glass and Drying, Wax & Polish, Lint-Free, Streak-Free, 370gsm, 16in x 16in, Light Blue (3-Pack)

Rag Company Waffle MF - Glass

C4 to restore faded plastic

$16 303 Products Marine Aerospace Protectant – UV Protection – Repels Dust, Dirt, & Staining – Smooth Matte Finish – Restores Like-New Appearance – 32 Fl. Oz. (30306)

303 Trim Dressing / General 'Armour All' Replacement

$15 Flood Artecho Pouring Effects Medium Premium Acrylic Flow Medium one Quart for Acrylic Paint, 946 ml, Clear additive

Penetrol - OFF LABEL USE AS BLACK PLASTIC RESTORER

$20 Protect All 62016 All-Surface Care Cleaner, Wax, Polisher and Protector - Interior and exterior use, 16 fl.oz.

Protect All - interior and trim cleaner - for a matte look

Cover All - Wheel Wells (and tires)

Tonneau cover? Lemon pledge and that's from the horse's mouth (Extang).

What do you use? Will update my list and links as I think of them. All wash products are Adams and a foam gun, pressure washer and leaf blower.

 

Thanks for all the great advice on the products. I have a black truck too and it definitely takes a little more effort. Are you using the leaf blower for the excess water or the bed?

 

To dry off the entire truck. I have a cover on the bed so that doesn't apply for me...

 

Ive been having a hard time with oxidation after only 3 years and water spots. My latest trial from just a couple days ago yielded the best results. I also tend to lean towards products i can grab at the local store.

First off, clay didnt do much for water spots or oxidation, so i tried this.

• Washed with mequiars gold glass
• quick leaf blower to remove water from crevices that seem only to come out while im waxing, followed by a microfiber drying
• Meguiars cleaner wax
• Mequiars ultimate wax

Pretty simple and effective
The cleaner wax seemed to be the most gentle cleaner ive come across while still adding some smoothness and removing most waterspots. Very happy. This will be my go to for the deep cleans

 

Wash with Maguire's
spray with Adams Detail spray-Works as drying aid
Dry with Rag company Drying towel
Maguire's Cleaner wax put on with Porter Cable Random Orbital Buffer and yellow megs pad
If I want it to really pop, go over that with Adams Buttery wax

 

Having detailed more black vehicles that I care to count, let me offer my opinions. First, the best way to get black paint looking good is not to mar it in the first place. That's where microfiber towels come in very handy. But remember, every time you touch or rub your paint - no matter what kind of towel you use - you're marring it at a microscopic level. And sooner or later the cumulative effects will show up as micro-marring / spider webbing. When that happens, it's time to correct.

Speaking of correction, how much you need depends on how bad you let the paint get. I hear people raving about all sorts of products, but the truth is, the right product depends on how much correction is needed, what type (and thickness) of paint you have and how much expertise the person doing the correction has. So I'm not even going to mention a product here because I've had great luck with many different products based on the variables I mentioned above.

After correction, you have many choices as to the "best" product for black paint. I like the look of a good Carnauba wax, but hate the short life and sometimes the pain in removing the hazed / excess product. Many synthetic sealants look nice - maybe a bit "Saran Wrappy" - and they go on and come off very easily. They also last decently long. Most of the new coatings look great and last even longer.

 

I really love the look of blackfire gloss enhancing polish topped with blackfire all paint protectant. Then after washing and drying, i use the blackfire synthetic spray wax and keeps the black like wet ink.

 

On the subject of black waxes anyone know what the real difference is between the waxes formulated for black cars vs. a regular wax? Lots of brands seem to have waxes specifically for black cars... More fillers maybe? Just a noob here...

 

Wax "pops" more on darker colors like black than lighter. For most vehicles you're putting a wax/sealant/coating on the clear coat, it's irrelevant what the color is under the clear.

Now white and black (maybe another non metal flake color) on Toyota's are single stage. But still, a good wax/sealant/coating will work on these paints irrelevant of color.

Waxes that are color specific are just marketing hype.

 

White/ black wax tend to have slight abrasives along with a slight filling additive in them. what that does is round the edges and slightly fill in to make swirls less pronounced.

 

Typically color coded waxes (and I’m talking real waxes, not sealers marketed as waxes) contain a glaze (fillers) that are color group specific.

Nothing wrong with using them but their effects don’t last long.

The point of using a glaze is when you have a lot of pitting in the paint or some scratches. Someone who has some paint damage from off roading for example might be able to mask some of that damage with a glaze.

 

Many of my friends who also detail consider using a glaze to be "cheating." And as has already been said, the effect is fairly temporary anyway.