Truck Topics
It's Rig Cleaning Time!
It's that time once again.
The birds are chirping, the sun (between rainstorms) is shining - Spring is in the air.
And you've got a dirty truck.
It's time to gather together a bucket or two, sponges, rags, your various favorite cleaning solutions, degreasers, bug cleaner, tire dressing along with your favorite waxes and polishes.
Once you've assembled all of that material, take a break, you've earned it!
For much of North America, it's been a tough winter of snow, ice and frigid temperatures accompanied by salt and de-icing solutions that wreak havoc with your truck's finish and are tracked into your sleeper.
If you can persuade the wife and kids to tackle the cleaning job, more power to you, but it's going to require those old standbys, elbow grease and perspiration. Even the miracle polishes will take some rubbin' and buffin' to make your truck showroom new, but it will be worth it in the end, when you're admiring the gleaming chrome and shiny paint.
As we all know, there are serious reasons to keep your truck clean and shiny. Dirt and grime trap moisture, which can lead to corrosion and damage to the finish of painted surfaces and bright metals. A good looking truck not only speaks of the owner's professionalism, but translates to real value at trade-in/resale time.
And of course, a clean and shiny truck runs better!
Where to start - the interior
*Strip all the bedding and wash it.
*Grab a bucket, gloves, sponge and a scented cleaner, it's time to tackle the interior surfaces.
*If you use throw rugs, throw 'em in the wash as well. A handheld steamer will work wonders with fabrics.
*Scrub vinyl surfaces with the appropriate cleaner and treat with a protectant. *Treat your curtains, wall and door panels and mattress with a deodorizing spray such as Febreeze.
How the pro's do it............
Lynn and Shelly Baxter drive an award-winning 2006 Freightliner M-112 that recently took honors in several categories at the 2008 Mid-America Trucking Show.
Lynn says that detailing a truck for show is a matter of resolve and hard work, the ultimate spring cleaning. The Baxter's show season begins in March at the Louisville event when it's time to clean off the grime of winter.
Shelly is responsible for the sleeper maintenance and she tells us, "We live in our truck so it's like spring cleaning our house! We take everything out and wipe it down and use lots of wood polish and lemon-scented cleaner to give it a fresh smell."
"We have a toilet and shower in our sleeper, so that takes a little bit of work to clean up, too. When we're prepping the truck for a show, I usually start the weekend before and do the bulk of the cleaning then. We don't use any special cleaners; we like to use the Orangeglow product you find in the dollar stores. That, and a lot of Pine-Sol and Tilex."
"Just before the show, I'll wipe it down again and that takes about three hours."
Lynn shares some his cleaning/detailing techniques for the exterior of the truck:
"Whenever I get a truck wash, I have them wash the engine; that way they can get the front end, the frame and so on. That's the way to find leaks from gaskets, lines, etc."
"Every six months or so, I have the frame steam-cleaned. I keep the wheels clean all the time, both front and back along with the wheel wells and all the boxes. I do my own wheel polishing and after washing first, it takes about 45 minutes per wheel."
"On the inside of the cab, I always clean all the vents and the underbunk heater filters. You would be surprised at how much junk you can collect on the road and that stuff has to be cleaned out."
After the truck is cleaned inside and out, the Baxters then put their imaginations to work:
"Because we're always showing the truck, we try to come up with new display ideas for the interior. If you want to remain competitive, you've got to be imaginative."
Tom and Tina Evans have a background in the show car circuit and use the techniqes learned there to keep their straight truck up to show truck standards.
Tom says, "For my spring cleaning, I go through the truck, front to back and do a 100% complete cleaning. I take everything out of the truck and I clean cabinets, clean the floor, clean the seats, wipe the headliner and clean the walls."
On the exterior, Tom tells us that he will clean under the truck to get all the salt and grime from winter off the frame which will take a couple of days during the couple's hometime. He'll spend one whole day changing filters and cleaning out the filter housings.
"It seems like you can never rinse the truck enough. I'll wash then rinse until I don't see any streaks and then I'll go over it again a day or so later."
He continues, "My big cleaning time is when we take a couple of weeks off in July. That's when I do my touch up painting and replace DOT tape. I also clean the axles and brake chambers, clean and degrease the engine, treat the rubber hoses and plastic parts and give the truck a complete wax front to back. When we're done with this cleaning, it will last us through the coming winter."
Favorite products
"For the last twenty years," says Tom, "I've used nothing but the Wax Shop brand Super Glaze wax on all my vehicles. It goes on easy and really gives a deep shine."
"For the frame, I found that spraying it with truck bed coat liner really protects; nothing sticks to the frame, nothing stains it, to clean it, just spray it with water."
Tom says he's had favorable results with these products:
Paint - Wax Shop brand "Super Glaze"
Interior - MeguiarÃs products
Stainless steel - Blue Magic
Seats and upholstery - Woolite
Windows - Stoner brand "Invisible Glass"
Tires - Stoner brand "More Shine"
Shiny is good
People notice when you take the time to give your truck's appearance the attention it deserves. Now is the time to sit back and enjoy the admiring glances from other drivers, you deserve it!