help with a tough first time correction

[avvblanc01]

Hey everyone. First up, I'd like to apologize for starting yet another "first time" thread, but this truck is my absolute baby and I'd really like some advice from the more seasoned detailers on here.

 

So here is what I'm dealing with:

The truck:

1993 Dodge D350 with the original 3 stage white paint. It is VERY rare for a 1st gen dodge to have original paint, so I want to make sure that I do not make any mistakes when doing paint correction on mine. 

The previous owner took great care of it and even garaged it, but from the looks of it he was using steel wool to wash and wax the truck! 

The whole truck is covered in some pretty severe swirls, with other areas much worse off. It almost looks like there was a branch or something that rubbed against the paint for an extended period. 

Im not expecting to get every single thing out, but I would like to get as close as possible.

 

here is the truck:

1993 1st gen Dodge D350 cummins by avvblanc01, on Flickr

 

here are some photos of the paint damage sorry the truck isn't clean right now but you can still get the picture:

 

IMG_1491 by 1991 1st gen, on Flickr

 

here is one of the really bad spots right above the bright area:

IMG_1493 by 1991 1st gen, on Flickr

 

My plan:

I have never done paint correction before, and I understand white isn't the easiest color to work with. I also have a pretty limited budget, but here is what Im planning to purchase:

-flex 3401 VRG polisher

-Adams 2step polishing kit with the 7in pads

 

Questions:

1) Does this sound like the right set up to tackle my paint problems?

2) Am I going to need wet sanding to see any real difference in the paint or can I get a marked improvement from the 2step system?

3) Are there any tips you guys have for polishing paint like this?

4) Should I worry about thinning/damaging the already fragile dodge clear coat when Im doing this?

 

In advance, thank you so much for your help. I just wanted to check with you guys before I pull the trigger, purchase everything, and start in on my paint! 

 

 

 

 

[avvblanc01]

Quick question. Ive been polishing today and keep having an issue. When using the orange microfiber pad, the machine is constantly pushing, pulling, and vibrating more than normal. None the other pads seem to be mis behaving. 

any ideas for why this is happening? It almost seems like the pad is crooked and is throwing the balance of the machine off...

 

Im also amazed at how long this is taking! four passes each with the orange pads just doesn't cut it for a lot of the scratches!

[mc2hill]

Are you cleaning the MF pads after each section pass?  I have not had this issue with Adam's or other MF pads,

[Chris@Adams]

Yea sounds like your pad is loaded up....

[avvblanc01]

... yep that was the problem. cleaned it and now were all good haha guess the first pad loaded up more than the others since I was using it for more passes. totally a dumb mistake. 

Edited April 12, 2015 by avvblanc01

[07stanggt]

I find there is to much work with a microfiber pad and the flex. It seems to "pull" to much since it is a forced rotation polisher. I stick with Adams new wavy pattern pads and some older style "flat" Adams pads that work great.No were near as much work and they glide smoother over the paint.I use my microfiber pads with my porter cable x7424

[avvblanc01]

yeah i definitely noticed that even totally clean, the microfiber pads take a bit more muscle than the foam.

 

 

So I'm seeking some additional council here. 

 

After doing the entire hood with four passes of the orange MF and then two of the white foam, I am seeing a major major improvement, but it is far from perfect. 

I tried one section where I did four passes of the orange MF and then four of the orange foam and it is noticeably better, but I still have plenty of visible scratches in the paint. 8 passes seems like an awful lot to me though, so Im wondering if anyone else has some advice.

 

Should I apply more pressure to the machine to cut deeper or am I trying to accomplish something with a machine that only wet sanding can do?

 

I can take photos if needed

[Ricky Bobby]

How much correction on white are we going for here percentage wise?

 

I mean your paint was pretty hammered but after 4 passes of each you should be above 90% IMO

 

Are we talking about RIDS or is the visible scratches across a whole section?  Are they deep and get caught by your fingernail?

 

If it is RIDS I would go to town with 4" MF Cutting pads and a machine with a 3.5" plate and do spot correction with that.  If still stubborn, break out the drill as a rotary as a last resort.

 

If it is across the whole panel, I would make one more pass with the MF cutting, but honestly it may be your technique, work time, pad cleanliness, etc, because after 5 passes on white with MF cutting pads and the orange polish it should be looking damn near LSP ready.

 

 

 

Looking at your "bad spot" last pic on page 1 again, that looks like acid etching.  Not getting it out I'm afraid.  Someone correct me if they are seeing differently.

Edited April 13, 2015 by Ricky Bobby

[avvblanc01]

The bad spot is just one spot thankfully and isn't representative of the whole. I've admitted defeat with that one haha

 

as for the rest of the scratches, sadly they are ALL RIDS. It seriously looks like the previous owner used a dirt covered paper towel to wash the truck for 20 years. They were always there, but they are just more noticeable now that Ive gotten rid of all the other swirls. That said, nothing is deep enough to catch my fingernail (save for that one nasty little spot) 

 

 

Id really like to hope that there is an error in my technique since going over the truck with a 4in pad wouldn't be a very fun task. 

 

Here is my technique:

1) Ive been putting two perpendicular squirts of PC polish on the orange pad just shy of edge to edge.

 

2) I then spread the polish on a 2x2ish section of the paint on setting 1

 

3) then I bump up to setting 5, and do a horizontal pass, a vertical pass, a horizontal, then a vertical.

 

4) then I stop, and brush the MF pad out as best I can before repeating. 

[07stanggt]

You might be at the point of no return. Sometimes you can only go so far with a paint correction till you have to resort to some wet sanding etc, or just call it a day and live with what you have already done. Post some pics.

[Ricky Bobby]

Andrew your technique, product amount, pad choice, etc is fine.

 

How many RIDS are we talking about per panel?  should be no need to go over the entire truck for just some remaining RIDS with a 4" pad.  I'd just correct the areas that have the most noticeable RIDS, then go over the truck wit the Flex and PF polish and call it a day.

 

If you want to chase perfection and 100% you're going to need to wetsand, hone up your rotary technique, and spend upwards of 40 hours or more chasing it.  I'd just be happy at 90-95% correction, seal it and keep it clean.

[avvblanc01]

Andrew your technique, product amount, pad choice, etc is fine.

 

How many RIDS are we talking about per panel?  should be no need to go over the entire truck for just some remaining RIDS with a 4" pad.  I'd just correct the areas that have the most noticeable RIDS, then go over the truck wit the Flex and PF polish and call it a day.

 

If you want to chase perfection and 100% you're going to need to wetsand, hone up your rotary technique, and spend upwards of 40 hours or more chasing it.  I'd just be happy at 90-95% correction, seal it and keep it clean.

 

Yeah there are just a lot of RIDS per panel. they seem to be just deep enough to not be reachable with a polisher sadly,  Im going to have to settle with what I got out of it, but I just wasn't really sure just how much I could expect it to improve since Ive never done this before.

 

 

Also Im sorry guys for the lack of updates and photos! Ive been on the hunt for a daily driver truck for a few months now, and finally bought a 2006 ram 2500 last Wednesday so Its going to need some adam's love as well!

 

Trying not to get ahead of myself here, but Im looking for some advice on that truck as well.

In the center line of the roof, just in front of and behind the sunroof, the roof has two quarter sized spots where the clear coat has gone cloudy (doesn't look bird poop related). Because of that, Im going to avoid doing paint correction of the roof and just do clay and seal etc.

The paint on this truck is in very good shape otherwise but would definitely benefit from a little correction. As of right now, the clear on the hood is in perfect with no cloudiness, but it has also been exposed to the same things as the roof.

should worry about weakening the hood by doing a mild paint correction since it may be already weakened, but not to the point where it shows?  any thoughts?  

[adam123nyc]

Okay so I did my test patch and before I go further I'd love some more advice.

 

I did the first black correcting pad on speed setting 3, and then setting 4 for the rest of the pads. I did notice that during the first black correcting pad, the pad and paint surface did get warm, but not hot. I pre-lubed all the pads with detail spray to help but I'm assuming a bit of warmth is normal?

 

The results were pretty dang good, but there are still scratches remaining that you can see in the photos below. To get rid of these do I:

1) do more passes? 

2) use more product?

3) up the speed?

4) move slower?

None are deep enough to feel with a fingernail, but apparently too deep for what I did so far! 

 

Also that one big deep spot got better, but I think it would need wet sanding to truly be removed from the paint...kind of a bummer.

 

 

 

Also curious about this answer because i just did my two step process as well,  with my porter cable.   It came out ok but there's still some scratches here or there....not sure if i went too fast or what.