Waxing headaches on my 98 BLACK explorer | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Waxing headaches on my 98 BLACK explorer

My explorer doesnt like to get waxed for some reason, when I wax, which is about 1 time a month, and when I wax it it never comes off, It likes to stick to the paint, I mean I have tryed several different waxes, from meguires to turtle wax, and its all the same, it doesnt like to come off, and It breaks down really fast, so the paint looks dull in about 3 weeks...any help, on what you guys do?
 



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Why don't you explian the process you use to apply it and the conditions of where your Explorer is parked most of the time?
 






I wash it with a black magic car wash, and dry, then pull it in the garage, and wax it, I use the paste, not the liquid, let it sit till hazed then remove with a cloth towl, I mean I work at a detail shop, and I know what Im doing, but I dont get why the paint doesnt hold wax on the explorer, all my other cars hold wax better, is the paint that bad on a explorer?? It sits in the garage at night, but sits outside almost everyday, but not everyday...
 






All of the waxes I have used want you to only do a small section at a time. If you do the whole vehicle at one time and then try to remove it, the wax would be hard to remove. I have used Mequire's, Eagle One, and lately ZyMol. Also, black paint doesn't seem to "hold" wax as long. Personally, (I could be wrong about this) but it seems with black paint, it absorbs more heat from the sun and doesn't let the wax last as long.
 






The reaso I asked those questions is because some people just do not know how to do things the correct way! even if the directions are on the bottle, take for instance Rain-X. a friend told me he didn't like it casue it left a film on his window. well come to find out he just applied it to the window and NEVER polised it off(like you do with wax).
 












I dont do the whole truck at once, the most that I do at one point is the hood..I do work at a detail shop so I know how to do this kinda stuff..
 






Wanna,
Could be bad paint? Or, could it be what you're using to wash the car? I mean don't get me wrong, I know you're a pro, but I'd say having to wax every month is a bit much. maybe your soap is stripping it? It's a guess?

I have a buddy with a black 99 X Limited that he puchased it late 1998. The finish still looks almost showroom new! As far as I know, he waxes twice a year, the end of fall and the beginnig of spring. I have seen him do a light detail spray wax, if he washed it and didn't use his choice soap, or if maybe it streaked when he dried it.

Also, my co-worker's husband has a black 97 F150, he has it prof waxed and buffed once a year. Other than that, he says he rarely hand washes it, but when he does he only uses one kind of soap. For the most part, he does the touchless car wash thing. The finish still looks great on it too.

Both of the guys above, and I (even though my X is white this is all I ever use even on my black Honda Accord) swear by "Mother's California Gold". We use the clear coat wax, detail polish spray, and soap.
 






Have you ever tried to polish your car...try a polish named mirror finish (i think that is what it is) i own a detailing business and we just used that stuff on a black mercedes with swirl marks and those things were signifigantly reduced. As long as you apply the polish back and forth rather than with a buffer ( doin it back and forth removes the swirl marks rather than makin more of them like a buffer would) and do a panel at a time of course. Then put on your wax, we use California Gold, it is some great stuff and comes off pretty easily. You might want to even try the Meguiars paint cleaner, it goes on before the polish, that may help lay down a better foundation for the wax and polish on your car. You will be amazed at how much of a difference polish makes over just waxing alone, it is some great stuff.
Good luck man
 






The Klasse I use stays on for at least 6 months, that's parked outside 24/7. It's a synthetic wax so it lasts a lot longer.
 






Wanna,
Maybe it is the paint.....check out this thread

Dead Link Removed
 






dissagree with previous post...

I disagree with the previous post that a buffer makes swirl marks and rubbing back and forth does not. If you a truly a professional detailer, how would you explain that a REAL detailing business uses rotary buffers to get scratches out? The heat and friction from a buffer with high RPM's helps to get out the swirls. If the swirls are really bad, you can use a medium cut compound with a wool pad. Then you would use a swirl mark remover (which takes out any swirls created by the cutter/wool pad) with foam pad. Finally, it would be a good idea to seal that all off with a wax of some kind to protect from UV rays, etc. Getting this service done costs around $70 at a local shop. I bought the buffer myself for $180 and I figure I can do it as much as I want and on every car I own well into the future.
 






Waxing it once a month is probably too often. Seems to me you are just puting the wax on top on wax. Wax build-up!
 






Did you buy it new or used?

Did you get it new or buy it used?

There could be several reasons that you are having this concern.

If you can find some one with an electronic paint thickness gauge, take some mil readings. The total film build on a 98 should range on the top surfaces from 4.2 to 5 mils. If consistantly less, then someone has buffed off excessive clear and the clear is down to the porus portion which would create this problem.

If the readings start showing 6.5 and up, it has been refinished and the clear may not have been allowed to properly cure, (ie, the shop wetsanded and buffed it before the required 24 hour cure or added some accelerater to the clear).

Then there are other issues, but too involved to go into here.

If nothing else, try stripping the paint film as per the Ford TSB 99-10-12 and start over with your polishing and waxing.

You can see the Ford TSB and other Ford Tech Tips under the OEM/TSB Section on www.autoint.com

Ketch:cool:
 






Maybe you should try and strip all of the wax off of it and start from scratch. Try using that zaino stuff, apparently its the best. Good luck.
 






Originally posted by cbr1100crash
Maybe you should try and strip all of the wax off of it and start from scratch. Try using that zaino stuff, apparently its the best. Good luck.

Where do you get it at, I've got the same problem with our 99 black EX.
 






Try this website "zainobros.com". Follow their instructions using liquid dawn diswashing soap. Hopefully it works for you. Good luck
 






Black cars are tough to wax, and even tougher to keep wax on because wax melts at a specific paint temperature point, and black gets there faster. I would agree, try a polymer like Zaino or Klasse just for the higher melt point.

As for the wax, have you tried switching waxes? Paste waxes are really hard to use, and nowadays liquid is just as good. Also, pick up some microfiber towels from www.pakshak.com they make wax removal MUCH easier.
 









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