Project Super Duty

[Rollingrock]

With a tow tune, how much weight do you pull before hitting the "Tow/Haul" button on the shifter???

With my little 4x4 ATV and trailer I don't use T/H.   That is maybe 1500lbs.  Its a good idea to use it as it kicks in extra cooling if needed and more importantly the transmission cooler and gearing.

[Blown F-150]

With a tow tune, how much weight do you pull before hitting the "Tow/Haul" button on the shifter???

With my little 4x4 ATV and trailer I don't use T/H.   That is maybe 1500lbs.  Its a good idea to use it as it kicks in extra cooling if needed and more importantly the transmission cooler and gearing.

I figured around the 2000# mark, glad to know I'm not too far off.

[Rollingrock]

With a tow tune, how much weight do you pull before hitting the "Tow/Haul" button on the shifter???

With my little 4x4 ATV and trailer I don't use T/H.   That is maybe 1500lbs.  Its a good idea to use it as it kicks in extra cooling if needed and more importantly the transmission cooler and gearing.

I figured around the 2000# mark, glad to know I'm not too far off.

I may go as far as saying...anything you tow that has brakes needs T/H mode.    your truck won't feel 2-3K.   

[Blown F-150]

Since it ended up raining yesterday and is meant to rain tomorrow, I decided to hold off on doing more detailing on the Edge.

I wanted to knock some stuff off the truck list.

I found a used Stereo. It's a Pioneer AVIC-F700BT, not the best, but it will do the trick. Unfortunately, the GPS Antenna is damaged so I gotta pick up a new one.

I installed it with a Sirius tuner at the same time.

Here are some wires...


Sirius Antenna location


I then installed some new Front Speakers, Ended up going with a new set of Alpines with directional tweeters. Of course, just like everything else I look at on this truck, something needed to be fixed...


I ended up just taping them up nicely and then putting some loom on them


Speakers installed


Then moved onto finally getting the Fuel Pressure sending unit installed. I ended up just finding an adapter, had to get it shipped from Alberta, but it saved me a lot of hassle. The big one wouldn't clear the housing.


Fuel Pressure sensor installed. I may end up turning it so it's horizontal to keep air from getting trapped.


The final thing was to "adjust the door" on the front passenger side. It wasn't lined up very well at the corner between the A-pillar and roof. I used an old body-man trick. I wrapped a tie-down strap around the outside of the door at the point where it stuck furthest out, then ran it over the roof, around the cab and back in the cab. I then simply pulled on the door to "Bend" in the top of the door.

Before


After


It might be hard to tell, but it moved in almost a quarter inch.


Getting closer 

[Blown F-150]

I was pretty excited yesterday when I was finally able to pull out the PC.

Didn't have too much time, but I ended up claying half the hood, front passenger fender and Passenger door. I then assessed the situation as best I could and tried some product. The hood looks to be original paint and is on the hazy side, seems to be mostly from stuff on the paint rather than in. I hit it with M105 and Justins 4" (I think it's 4.25")MF pad. Worked really well and the pad was easy to clean. Also tried a orange LC pad, It correct well, but proved more difficult to clean.

Since the paint all along the passenger side is only a year old, I didn't get quite as aggressive. I pulled out the Meg's MF kit and used the Burgundy pad and correction compound. Since I was going to be using Opti-Coat, I followed up with M205 on a white LC pad. I figured it was going to rain today so all prepped surfaces were just hit with Meg's Ultimate Liquid Wax. I'll IPA it off before re-prepping and doing the Opti-Coat. It was dark by the time I was done, so no pics yet. It is meant to be nice later on this week and I hope to be able to knock out a big chunk of this paint then.

Kinda wish I still had the rotary for the first step...

[Blown F-150]

It's been raining off and on around here the past week, so no detailing. I was able to knock a couple of small things off the list. I fixed the drivers side washer fluid nozzle. Easy fix, just a cracked hose and I also added some more fasteners to the passenger side running board. I am guessing the the reason why one was missing is because it was damaged in the crash. After taking a look at the running board it appeared to be bent down. I just used a couple of floor jack and jacked it up till it was a little past level. Since I went nice a slow it actually pulled out the bent in body work under the truck quite nicely.

I am running out of time so I hope the weather cooperates ans I can address the interior and the paint.

[Blown F-150]

My GPS Antenna just showed up! I can try and get that installed too.

[Blown F-150]

I hope to get some pics up tonight. With the help from the wife (she clayed her little heart out), I was able to get both sides and the tailgate done.

M105/UC 80/20% with MF pads and then Orange LC pads once I ran out of MF pads. And then M205 on a white pad. IPA Wipe down and then Opti-Coat 2.0

Very Dirty paint, it actually changed shades after polishing. I am going to tackle the hood this evening and get some good 50/50s

[Too Stroked]

That should be a good combination (105/205) to bring that bad boy back to life. Of course then you're going to have the joy of trying to actually catch it in some pics! What are you using for an LSP?

[Blown F-150]

I was able to get the hood and headlights done last night. Took 3 hours...

I took some pics that I have to post up. I forgot to bring the camera to work today. I'm not really sure if I am going to put anything on the Opti-Coat. I may pick up some Opti-Seal From Justin when I get to the states, but for now I don't really have anything that will "stick" to it.

Any suggestions on prepping the front of the vehicles for the onslaught of bug next week?

[sscully]

It is recommended not to put anything on Opti Coat.
1. Anything that is applied to it will last 30 days at best, wax or sealant.
2. The surface will take on the characteristics of what you top it with, for the short amount of time it is on there, and after about 10 days this will be spotty coverage.
- Some areas will be back to the anti stick formulation of Opti Coat, where others will still have what you applied over it, and the anti stick will not be there.

Dr G posted this some time back, it is designed to resist anything sticking to it.
i.e.  You won't find anything that will stick to it.

All it takes it a QD ratio of ONR to add a fresh "just waxed" look to it. 
- That is the point of it, minimal maintenance.  That is why I did the roof, cap and tailgate of the truck and so far the front of the G6.

As for the bugs; PoorBoys World Bird S#it remover.
- Works better than Bug Squash in my book.

I drive to Indy at least once per week, and the trip down is always after 8:00 PM and the trip back is 50% after 7:00 PM, so the front of the truck get pelted with a thick layer of bugs.

When I get in town and have time, I know where I stay, where the local coin op is at. 
I hose down the front of the truck with Bird S#it remover, let it dwell a bit and just use the rinse cycle to take it off.
At the very least I use the lighting under the canopy at the lobby area and clean the windshield with a gas station type bug squeegee ( 32" handle )  and the Bird S#it remover and follow up with a PB Spray & Wipe cleaning.

If you opticoated the front already, you are good to go. 
I have never tried ( due to not believing ) the apply Pam to the front, just let it be and clean it off when you get to the other side.

[Blown F-150]

Awesome, thanks for the info Steve, very helpful.

Finally, what you've all been waiting for, some pics!

I didn't get started off too great. I mixed up a fresh batch of M105/UC and proceeded to knock out the passenger front fender and front door, then decided it would be best to move the truck a wee bit to get it in the shade. Well I was a dumb A** and left the bottle of polish on the front tire and managed to run it right over spraying polish all over the truck...





Here are some before shots













The hood was particularly nasty and took considerable patience to get looking decent. You don't even need sun to see what's up in these 50/50's




This is the clay after a small 10"x10" section on the hood


Some afters
 

[Blown F-150]

Last night was focused on getting the carpet done. Basically ripped out all the seats vacuumed, tackled what I could with some diluted APC and a stiff carpet brush and then used the LGM to suck whatever nastyness out of the carpet I could. It's far from perfect, but looks and smells way, way better.











The "chocolate milk" looking stuff that came out of the carpet....


And afterwards.








I then put the seats all back in and left the windows open a crack so it can dry out today. Thankfully it is going to be hot and sunny so it should dry out quick.

Next up is the plastics (I cleaned and protected the plastics that were blocked by the seats already) and the seats.

I need some assistance on trying to get paint over spray off some of the interior plastics. I haven't tried anything yet, but open to suggestions. I think they left the drivers window open when they painted the passenger side. I can post up some pics later.

I am thinking ISO or acetone.

[Too Stroked]

Awesome turn around and great pictures! Doesn't Oxford White look great when it basically drips off the vehicle?

As for the interior, that too looks awesome. I kind of wish the rinse tank drained itself to a sanitary sewer so I didn't have to look at it. Some of the stuff I've pulled out of customer cars was somewhere between just plain hazardous waste and nuclear waste.

[Kitzy]

Man, that looks good.  The dullness on the hood was crazy.  The reflection of the tree just disappeared all together.  And I love a clean interior.  E en more than the outside.  Nice turn around.  Do yourself a favor and do a pass or two with clean water on the carpets after you use the APC.  You'd be surprised what you pull out yet.  And left over soap attracts dirt faster.  Using clean water in the solution tank or even just from a spray bottle and sucking that back out will probably yield another tank similar to that brown one.  I'm guilty of putting bottles and whatnot in stupid places too.  I put everything on the tires or right under the running boards so I don't kick it.  I've actually gone to move my expedition one day and forgot I empty the back out on to the ground... including the third row seat.  I ran over a full bottle of antifreeze which squirted all over the third row seat and then proceeded to run over the third row before I realized something wasnt quite right.