Single Bucket Wash Method

[Lorne34]

D: I also don't watch Pan's stuff for the reason you mentioned.

Video: I think most of us go to video sites to to learn, whether that be about detailing, detailing products, changing intercooler bricks, or what have you. But, we generally don't continue watching a clip if it isn't providing the information for which we're searching.

As for Toobers and making easy money, <chuckling> that's pretty far from the truth these days. YT and all the other video sites have changed the monetization policy from what it was in the beginning when some DID and or are making a fortune, to a MUCH less lucrative system.

Yes, you can still make the big money but to do so, you need hundreds of thousands if not millions of subs and to get that far, you will have had to film, edit, and upload HUNDREDS of clips.

Brian hit the nail on the head..



..and he is absolutely, positively correct.

I got into flying drones a few years ago and that meant dealing with video. I had to learn Adobe Premiere Pro (like Photoshop, you can't ever learn EVERYTHING about the software but you will spend MONTHS on the learning process.) It doesn't matter how good your video editing software is either, it's still a tedious and time-consuming endeavor.

You work with seconds and parts of seconds lining up video and audio and you will make change after change on tiny little aspects and in the end, for a 15-minute video, it might have taken five people a WEEK to finalize the clip. (Ever notice that even the big content providers only post once a week? Now you know why.)

Yes, you can do video with less complex software like iMovie on a Mac. Works fine and generates the proper output files but it's pretty limited when it comes to video enhancements.

Which brings me to the point of your costs as a video producer. In order to use Adobe products, you are forced to get on their subscription tit to the tune of at least $25/mo to as much as almost $100/mo for the Full Monte.

An individual will have a very hard time getting to the Bigs and most have to hire others to help with specific parts of the process. Any Toober who has more than a hundred thousand subscribers, definitely doesn't do it solo. You need an experienced camera person with good equipment, a video effects person, probably a producer if you're dealing with large product clients, and any number of other support people.

As Brian said, it ain't easy by any stretch of the word.

<Changing Subjects>

After the car washing is complete and the vehicle has been dried, at least for the S550 GT 500's, it is absolutely, positively imperative that you drive the vehicle AND give the brakes a good workout. Reason is, your rotors and pads will still have moisture and if you simply park the car when you're done, the rotors will start the rusting process and can easily freeze the car in position.

Then, when you go to back it out of the garage, the car won't want to move. You give it a bit more throttle and BANG, the stuck pads will finally release and you'll have an ugly, perhaps even pitted, spot on your rotors. Ask me how I know. Never had this happen with a previous vehicle but I learned the hard way with the '20 500.

So be sure and get her on the road and warm up those brakes before you put her away. Those pizza plate fronts should be pristine and shiny.

<Changing Subjects again>

This one's for D..

I don't recall your workflow regarding whether you rinse before foaming or foam dry? I have always rinsed first but after reading Brian's comment..



I wasn't aware of this fact and I'm planning on giving it a try next time but wanted your thoughts on this specific subject.

Thanks in advance..

I think you just solved a mystery for me. I thought something was going on with my transmission on my GT350. It didn't happen every time, but when it sat for a while and I would go to put it in reverse the car would not move and I felt resistance, then a little throttle and it would go. Never thought to associate that to the washing process.
I wonder if compressed air drying the rotors would work during the wheel cleaning/drying process?

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[Lorne34]

Yeah I have one of those too and I don’t care for it one bit lol.

I have the regular vyper chair vs the creeper and though it is built very solid I am a bit disappointed at how heavy it is. I find myself still using my griots garage plastic low profile creeper stool to do the wheels.

 

[Stage_3]

I recently discovered rinseless method and have tried it a few times. My plan is to use in the colder months as well. My Mustang primarily stays parked unless the weather is nice so it doesn't get really dirty regardless of time of year. I have a bucket with the angled grit guard and a legacy sponge and ultra black sponge. Still trying a few products, I really like P&S Absolute, I have used DIY Detail rinseless, that one is nice because it foams well and I use as a pre foam soak just like with my foam canon. Just got a bottle of the Opticoat rinseless, it is Si02 infused, I will try it next time. I invested in all sizes of the Rag Company Gauntlet drying towels, very absorbent and soft on the paint. Works really well.

Nice.

P&S does makes great detailing products. I've used them in the past with great results.
Currently using AMERICANA Global rinseless wash solution. I too also use the black sponge and the cannon sprayer. I soak a couple panels at a time with the rinseless solution in the cannon, then use the black sponge that's been soaking in the bucket with the rinseless solution to actually wash.

The Mustang barely gets dirty so I use the waterless wash on that car.

 

[Evolvd]

I have the regular vyper chair vs the creeper and though it is built very solid I am a bit disappointed at how heavy it is. I find myself still using my griots garage plastic low profile creeper stool to do the wheels.

They do make an aluminum one…not that it helps you out lol

 

[MAGS1]

I think you just solved a mystery for me. I thought something was going on with my transmission on my GT350. It didn't happen every time, but when it sat for a while and I would go to put it in reverse the car would not move and I felt resistance, then a little throttle and it would go. Never thought to associate that to the washing process.
I wonder if compressed air drying the rotors would work during the wheel cleaning/drying process?

Blow drying the wheels/rotors does help for sure. I usually take my car around the block but you could also roll it up and down the driveway a few times. Just some movement and engagement of the brakes to work the water out

 

[DFB5.0]

KB, my process to prevent the rusty rotors is to roll the car up and down my inclined driveway a couple times while dragging the brakes. No need to go for a drive and dirty up the freshly cleaned car.

I’m also going to look into a rust inhibitor spray for the drying cycle. I never even considered that until watching a Obsessed Garage video where Matt used a spray on his rotors and stated he absolutely hates rusty rotors.

Having used two now, Hydes Serum Rustopper and Bilt Hamber Atom Mac, I would say Atom Mac is superior. At the moment, for those in the USA, you will need to import Atom Mac from overseas. However, Obsessed Garage have taken on the distribution rights for Bilt Hamber in the USA, so Atom Mac should be available within the next few months.

Rust Inhibitor For Cars | Hyde's Serum Rustopper | Obsessed Garage
Atom-Mac - Bilt Hamber

In both cases, you need to apply liberally to get a good result, less so with Atom Mac.

 

[kilobravo]

I wonder if compressed air drying the rotors would work during the wheel cleaning/drying process?

My two cents.

It probably helps some, Lorne, but air at ambient temperature won't dry the pads and it can still "rust in place" depending on how wet they are. But in any case, the metal in the pads will rust if you don't continue the drying process.

The answer is heat and you could sit there for twenty minutes with a heat gun on each caliper if you have the time. My solution is to run the car back and forth in the driveway and immediately after the final rinse, keep braking until the brakes stop pulsing and begin to work normally. I get 'em pretty warm and I usually do the back and forth about four times.

Then I pull her in the garage and blow her off with a Maxblaster. When she's dry, I take her down the street a ways, exercising the brakes multiple times, and then I bring her home and park her in her spot.

Blow drying the wheels/rotors does help for sure.

Yes, it helps but as I said above Mags, it doesn't completely dry the pads.

Having used two now, Hydes Serum Rustopper and Bilt Hamber Atom Mac

I had been using Hydes, D., until the rusted in place event. Keeping the rotors dry and free of rust is only half the battle, it's the pad that got me. When I pulled the wheel and looked at the pad, it had a great big ol' hole in it.

I am a bit disappointed at how heavy it is.

I wondered about the weight of that big chair when I first saw it, have to check again for the aluminum version. I need one as my old chair is on its last leg.

 

[Nightmonkey]

yeah you really need that separate wash bucket and tools for the wheels to avoid cross contamination

If you clean the wheels after the paint, no need for it...
"Cross contamination" already happens, when you use the brakes while attached to the painted car...

 

[skinnyb]

Having used two now, Hydes Serum Rustopper and Bilt Hamber Atom Mac, I would say Atom Mac is superior. At the moment, for those in the USA, you will need to import Atom Mac from overseas. However, Obsessed Garage have taken on the distribution rights for Bilt Hamber in the USA, so Atom Mac should be available within the next few months.

Rust Inhibitor For Cars | Hyde's Serum Rustopper | Obsessed Garage
Atom-Mac - Bilt Hamber

In both cases, you need to apply liberally to get a good result, less so with Atom Mac.

I have the Hydes and it works pretty well, however I agree with Kilobravo. I have to take mine around the block and use the brakes a few times or mine do stick pretty badly over a few days. Plus if you apply the rust inhibitor liberally, it makes a mess inside the wheel barrel that I have to clean up I have found that Brake Buster helps too, since it has a rust inhibitor built in. I usually use an iron remover type cleaner first then foam brake buster on both the wheels and wheel arches for a final touch up. Rinsing with DI water helps some too, my rotors rust within seconds when using non filtered water.

 

[Evolvd]

If you clean the wheels after the paint, no need for it...
"Cross contamination" already happens, when you use the brakes while attached to the painted car...

This isn’t good advice. Carbon ceramic particles will imbed into the plastic of your wash bucket even worse than they do into your paint. Using the same bucket, regardless of when in the process, will introduce even more brake dust contaminants into your clearcoat when you touch the paint. Only way to minimize this is to use a separate bucket and never use the same wash tools/mitt/rags on the paint that you use on the wheels.
This is the process every competent detailer uses so that’s what I’ll do as well.

 

[Nightmonkey]

There are also people who cut their lawn with nail scissors and then comb it.

I can see I'm out of place here.

 

[WD Pro]

My two cents.

It probably helps some, Lorne, but air at ambient temperature won't dry the pads and it can still "rust in place" depending on how wet they are. But in any case, the metal in the pads will rust if you don't continue the drying process.

The answer is heat and you could sit there for twenty minutes with a heat gun on each caliper if you have the time. My solution is to run the car back and forth in the driveway and immediately after the final rinse, keep braking until the brakes stop pulsing and begin to work normally. I get 'em pretty warm and I usually do the back and forth about four times.

Then I pull her in the garage and blow her off with a Maxblaster. When she's dry, I take her down the street a ways, exercising the brakes multiple times, and then I bring her home and park her in her spot.

I agree with Kilobravo. I have to take mine around the block and use the brakes a few times or mine do stick pretty badly over a few days.

Third vote for actually driving it just to put a little warmth into them.

In fact, I've actually stopped washing the Mustangs wheels if I know I can't take it out immediately afterwards. I would rather have a clean car with dirty wheels, then a totally clean car but with rusty disks and seizing calipers.

I'm even considering buying some wheel covers for the Mustang so I can keep them totally dry over winter layup, but still keep the bodywork clean and use the jet wash etc.

I don't think our damp UK environment helps.

Even my daily (sportage) gets a drive around the block after washing it to dry the brakes - it's really light on its rear brakes and if they are allowed to stand / rust up, it takes quite a long time to clean them up again. I'm still looking at a pad mark on one of the rear rotors that's been on for about a month now (caused by weather and non usage rather, then not drying after washing).

I must be doing something right as the average rear caliper on a daily driven mustang in the UK seems to be about three years. I've recently put the first one on my sportage, after 12 years.

Only car I don't drive after washing is the wife's - but hers get moved and driven very regularly, she wouldn't notice the difference, and her car gets swapped out for a new one every two to three years so I'm not exactly concerned in longevity anyway.

Oh yeah, you lot can piss off with your posh detailing chairs - I asked my driveway about one and it told me to get stuffed ...

Side note, as @DFB5.0 mentioned that Bilt Hamber is on its way to the states, try this product for daily drivers :

Even with my soft water and typically very good ability to create foam, this one is quite runny / watery (so based on that other thread, apply it to a dry car), but its cleaning ability as a stand alone product is absolutely outstanding

@clevernickname - Another example of foam and jet wash only - on a white car this time which wont hide anything

I washed the misses car today. It doesn't get pampered (it's a lease), it's coming up to three years old, it gets used everyday and she doesn't really care about cars.

It brings it up good enough for me not to bother getting the buckets out for every wash :

It's never going to be a show winner, but in her eyes it's now a clean car and it gets me in her good books ... lol

A few things to note :

• The car hadn't been washed for a few weeks, but the wheels were washed reasonably well last weekend (I had new wheel cleaner to try) i.e. don't use the wheels as a guide.
• There are some debris left on the panels, but to be fair they don't come off with a follow up bucket wash either. They are mostly tar spots and fallout - the car really needs a good decontamination (which in turn will make the foam wash appear even more effective).
• There is some light paint staining that a follow up bucket wash would help with. The camera doesn't really capture them well, the areas where water runs out from under door handles and door shuts etc.

Hope that helps

WD

WD

 

[Evolvd]

Oh yeah, you lot can piss off with your posh detailing chairs - I asked my driveway about one and it told me to get stuffed ...


WD

LOL I dunno, the 4” wheels on the Vyper chairs might give your cobblestone driveway a good run for its money! If zip ties can’t stop a Vyper chair then you might have a chance

 

[WD Pro]

LOL I dunno, the 4” wheels on the Vyper chairs might give your cobblestone driveway a good run for its money! If zip ties can’t stop a Vyper chair then you might have a chance

I've just nipped out on this wonderful U.K. day to snap a few pics of my poor man's version of a detailing stool :

I use it to wash the roof of the sportage and to sit on when I do wheels, when its not in car use it sits in the garden so the kids can climb onto the trampoline a bit easier.

I put the base on it to stop the legs getting trapped between the cobbles (I broke the first one) and to stop it sinking in the chippings. The studs purposely protrude so it doesn't skate on the wet cobbles on the slopped parts of the drive :

It doesn't stop me wanting a fancy one though ...

WD

 

[Lorne34]

A few comments on this threat that I started:

1. In regards to driving your car after washing the wheels to avoid brake rust...
a. darn it! another excuse to drive my car
b. what happens when it rains, you go through puddles and then pull your car into the garage? I know we don't drive our babies in the rain, but if it happens you would have to dry the wheels somehow to avoid.

2. I do really like the vyper chair, it feels heavy but the casters roll great. I did get a set of locking wheels so it doesn't roll down my driveway. A bit concerned about it running into the car and if it would do damage. If any of you follow Matt from Obsessed Garage he uses his all the time and it seems to function well.

3. I certainly did not want to offend anyone who is using other methods of washing or wants to keep things simple. You don't have to have a pressure washer and can use whatever bucket/wash methods you want. However I do think with plastic buckets you should use a dedicated bucket for the wheels, exhaust, engine bay, etc...

I am including a video by Larry from Ammo NYC that goes over the very basics of car detailing and I think he really strikes a great balance on the bare minimum anyone should be doing. This is one of a series of videos he produced that talk about washing and maintaining your vehicle so you don't have to go to the "emergency room" ..ie.. professional detailer/paint correction.
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We all love our Mustangs and want to take good care of them.
Just remember what Carroll Shelby Said:
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