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WILDHOBO

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BTW, I am glad you and SummitDan have this opinion (thanks!), I didn't want to be negligent as a new JT owner :) but getting it off was becoming a hassle. I don't care what it looks like "down there" just want to do adequate rust protection.

Just as a test, I'm getting some Chemical Guy products, just to see how they work...If I can spray them on, do a little with a soft brush, hose it off, and get rid of the film in easy to reach places I'll take it, but I don't want to go any further than that. I got this MO to have fun driving it in the dirt, not to be a show car.
Very cool. Nothing wrong with properly maintaining your vehicle. I get laughed at for changing my oil. Donā€™t get me started about the looks on my neighbors faces when they see me doing a 5 way rotation of 37s in my driveway. But they donā€™t get it. Jeep thing and all. :)
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joeym7

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Well, today I finally tried the Chemical Guy produces...2 items:

Their general purpose cleaner: Meh, no better or worse than say Armorall car wash, neither takes off the undercarriage "film" (left after the mud is blasted with hose, car wash, and even some say a power washer) unless you rub it off with a brush/rag/sponge...So after all the hoopla I was underwhelmed.

Their Undercarriage treatment: This may have some potential. I did the four plastic things in the wheel wells, and some easy to reach frame parts that get very dirty as a test, as well as a small part of the running boards...This product suppose to cure completely dry even though it is oil based. So it shouldn't attract excess dirt like say armorall tire spray and I hope the mud is easily sprayed off and leaving NO film. That is what I am looking for...It sure makes the visible components look showroom new.

So its a test before I do more of the undercarriage. I want to see how it looks and behaves after a dirt-ride.

Just an FYI for those interested.
 

Geoarch

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Very cool. Nothing wrong with properly maintaining your vehicle. I get laughed at for changing my oil. Donā€™t get me started about the looks on my neighbors faces when they see me doing a 5 way rotation of 37s in my driveway. But they donā€™t get it. Jeep thing and all. :)
And your tires will last, theirs will not.
 

WILDHOBO

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And your tires will last, theirs will not.
They just find it amusing that I lift those monsters instead of having it done for me. I donā€™t want the 19 year old at the tire shop using an impact wrench on my spidertrax spacer lugs. Hand torque wrench only.
 

SargeDiesel

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Sorry, there's no scratches. Don't know how you think a brushless/touchless can scratch paint. They are simply high-pressure jets. I can do more damage with my pressure washer and the red nozzle.
There are no scratches on my truck - come and look for yourself.

20210916_095336.jpg

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LOL - so an expert in automotive finishes now, eh?
I've done show cars for ages, I've polished, I've buffed, I've had spots repaired and the shop buffed. That clear coat is pretty thick, it's got some depth and only a fool would burn through that.

Come on over and inspect my truck and my current show car (which has been buffed and polished more than once). Sorry, my other show car is in Texas now but I bet the young fellow who owns it would be happy to show it off.

I sort of know what I'm doing in regards to car finishes.

primed-on-trailer.jpg
Compared to the desert scrub-brush, a car wash isnā€™t even a blip on my radar when it comes to worrying about scratches. Around here they call it New Mexico pin-striping.
yeah the sand in the air will play hell on your windshield also....
 

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SargeDiesel

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I take it to a car wash with a good underbody high pressure washā€¦.and yes, a car wash with brushes that actually touch my JT šŸ˜±šŸ˜±
yeah, its really the person that follows a muddy jeep through the wash that should be worried.
 

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They just find it amusing that I lift those monsters instead of having it done for me. I donā€™t want the 19 year old at the tire shop using an impact wrench on my spidertrax spacer lugs. Hand torque wrench only.
And my only close neighbor, a former county employee/plow driver, equipment operator, would ask me why I don't do it myself. They had to maintain their trucks as far as basic maintenance, and mount the plows, fix the plows when worn or broken and take them off and get them ready for storage in the spring. He's a month from 80 and still does as much as he can, although back and knee injuries and problems have slowed him down greatly.

neither takes off the undercarriage "film" (left after the mud is blasted with hose, car wash, and even some say a power washer)
I'm curious about this part - what's left behind after blasting mud away? There are road films, oils and greases from traffic, that get left behind, but if it's not road grime - stuff from the actual road, there shouldn't be anything left behind.
 
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joeym7

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And my only close neighbor, a former county employee/plow driver, equipment operator, would ask me why I don't do it myself. They had to maintain their trucks as far as basic maintenance, and mount the plows, fix the plows when worn or broken and take them off and get them ready for storage in the spring. He's a month from 80 and still does as much as he can, although back and knee injuries and problems have slowed him down greatly.



I'm curious about this part - what's left behind after blasting mud away? There are road films, oils and greases from traffic, that get left behind, but if it's not road grime - stuff from the actual road, there shouldn't be anything left behind.
No idea really but it is endemic to the mud around here. We went on 8 hour off road trip here with the local jeep club, 20 or so jeeps in all. I posted a thread there asking how to get the freekin-film off lol (I'm only into this since feb - lol). Lots of old time jeepers weighed (10, 20, + years) in and all agreeing it is endemic here in the mud. Some say the clay component others say the acid component. Even with power washers if you want the film off you have to rub it off.

Possibly, possibly, the Chemical guys (oil based) Undercarriage-treatment might help in this regard...I don't care about looks down there I just don't want to find out later that this this film causes rust...I'm testing parts of my jeep with it on now...

Some people swear by WD20 and spay there undercarriage with it. C-guys product sound like a similar idea/oil based. It might be better though because allegedly it cures "dry" (wet could attract extra dirt). I'll find out in the AM.
 

ShadowsPapa

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Simple Green.
 
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joeym7

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Today I polished/waxed my first auto in some 10 years...Thing looks real nice. I used Mopar "cleaning-wax" (a thick liquid) goes on easy comes off easy), Gun Guys detailing cotton covered sponge (just the right size) to apply, and a 10 year old t-shirt to take off.

I figured twice a year for the first 5 years second time in November before winter.

It is amazing that I never had an auto where it is easier to polish than clean, but with Mojave I do now. Not that the polishing is especially-easy per se, but the cleaning after wheeling is pretty sucky...First world problem for sure. :)
 
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joeym7

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Just a heads up to other Newbies if you don't know this already...I was under Mojave today on a creeper to inspect for other reasons but found I have been missing a spot from day one and a lot of mud had accumulated. The area behind the rear wheel wells and deep into the rear quarter panel into the rear of the truck, both sides...You really have to shoot a hose straight into those spots from underneath for a few mins to get it all out. I doubt a car wash UC wash does it effectively either.
 

WILDHOBO

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Just a heads up to other Newbies if you don't know this already...I was under Mojave today on a creeper to inspect for other reasons but found I have been missing a spot from day one and a lot of mud had accumulated. The area behind the rear wheel wells and deep into the rear quarter panel into the rear of the truck, both sides...You really have to shoot a hose straight into those spots from underneath for a few mins to get it all out. I doubt a car wash UC wash does it effectively either.
Any pictures?
 
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joeym7

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Any pictures?
No sorry I do not, just get under the rear quarter panels both sides and look just rear of the wheel well and on back (if you are a young guy, just lay down on your driveway, if you are getting on in age, I recommend a creeper like I used :)) then look up, if you go wheeling and have missed this spot you will see the mud has accumulated up into the body of the truck...Once you know that open area is there you will not have to stick your head under there anymore - just stick a hose pointing up and wait for the water to stop looking brown...

I didn't use the jet setting, but the next lower most concentrated setting on my nossil called "center".

The undercharage in general has a light film in many areas and spots in other area which are left after the major mud is blasted off. I don't see how anyone can get these off without either a lift or getting under their with a creeper goggles and a wet suit and rub it off (compressor or not). Car wash UC cleaning a film also from what I can see. I don't have a lift and am not willing to get under there with a wet suit after every time I go wheeling (not yet anyway ;-).

I've done more for this truck in 5 months than I have done for my STS in 10 years. It must be Love! šŸ˜
 

ShadowsPapa

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I've done more for this truck in 5 months than I have done for my STS in 10 years. It must be Love! šŸ˜
You'll get old some day.........

LOL

Anyway, I recall my first new car. The week after I got my degree in automotive, I went out and bought a new AMX. Man, I was so proud of that thing. BRAND NEW!
Every weekend, I'd take the garden hose and clean out all of the wheel wells, the rocker panel drains, the gussets under the fenders (there are drains there and can plug up with sand and debris). I spared nothing making sure every body drain was clear, and clear water ran out, every bit of sand or dirt was washed from under that car.
After it got totaled with 9,000 miles 9 months later - I did that with the replacement AMX - then I got married................ many guys and gals here will understand LOL

Ah, but wife number 2's honey-do list contains things like "make my Jeep spotless inside and out", and so on - she understands. Funny, though, no mention of doing that to my Jeep - just hers.
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