Do you eat a lot of leftover’s, “suran wrap”…?


I don’t know what Zaino looks like on dark colors, but on my silver it gives it a really nice glow, as if the light from the heavens above are shining down on it and as if you could hear the choir in the background going ”Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh’

I have read on post here before and another forum that you can layer a carnauba wax over Zaino. Not sure how it would look, if better or not but its worth someone coughRockPickcough trying it and reporting back…

 

i use M right now, but i want to try the Z, but cant afford it right now! i see that 01 and RP still are going at it like a coulpe of kids!!

 

Need some Robitussin??

I'm not going to give it a whirl. Not my thing. I've tried Z... I wasn't that impressed and hence, that's why I'm still a M guy. It's all in the eyes of the beholder. This beholder still hasn't found something that he likes better than Meguiar's.

RP

 

I have brand neww silver F150 Scab. Is it necessary to use clay bar before first waxing. I was going to try Zaino products.
Thanks

 

It’s always a good idea to clay a new vehicle so as to prep the paint and get any type of contaminates that may be embedded into the paint out.

Best way to check the condition of the paint is to first wash it then dry it. After it is dry run your hand over the paint job and it should feel smooth like glass. You should not feel any rough areas on the paint.

Here is some more information I put together on claying along with Zaino should you decide to try it:



1. Wash truck with the dawn dishwashing soap. This will strip any wax or grease residue that may be present on the paint.

2. Get a 20oz size or so plastic spray bottle. Fill it 2/3 full of clean water. Put about half a cap (from the Zaino car wash bottle) of the Zaino car wash in with the water. Put the spray nozzle back on and mix solution.

You will use this to lubricate the paint when claying the truck.

3. Use the Zaino, or any good brand of clay. If it is the Zaino clay it comes with two pieces in the bottle. Take one and separate it into 2 pieces. Main reason for doing this is IF you DROP it on the ground you MUST throw the clay away. Do NOT bother trying to get the dropped clay clean because you will never get all the little dirt specks out, some you won’t see but if you try to use it after dropping on the ground you WILL see nice little scratches in your paint.

Now with your piece of clay in hand, spray the mixed solution on an area of about 1 sq foot. Spray generously (the solution is cheap so don’t worry about over kill) if you spray to lightly if will dry up quick, which makes it easy for the clay to STICK to the paint (no problem) except when it sticks you’ll most likely to drop it. Move the clay back and forth until it feels smooth or feels like it needs more lubrication. You will know if you are picking stuff up because it feels a bit rough, or kind of like clicking while you go back and forth. When it is real smooth you know the area is done. You may also find most the truck feels smooth as you clay, but down around the fenders, bottom of the door etc will most likely be the areas that need the claying.

As your claying you want to turn the clay frequently, knead it where you’re turning the area of the clay you used into itself to expose an area of clay that has not been used yet. If you use the same area of the clay, especially after you feel a rough spot on the paint surface you will be dragging the stuff you picked up across the paint. Myself I would recommend after you do 1 – 2 areas to knead the clay and use and area that hasn’t been used yet.

4. After you finish claying wash the truck again, this time use the Zaino car wash.

5. Dry the truck using 100% cotton towels (made in the USA). The good brands not the cheap crap from overseas, because even though they say 100% cotton they have other materials in them that could scratch the paint. There may be other recommendations for drying from other post so you decide which suits you best.

6. After the truck has been dried your ready to polish using the Zaino. If you do not have the ZFX I would HIGHLY recommend you get the ZFX. The following is assuming you’re using the ZFX, if not the dry time may be much longer after you put a coat on.

7. Mix the ZFX with the Z2 (light colors) Z5 (dark colors) using the 2oz bottles provided in the kit. If you fill the bottle close to 2oz then you will want about 8 drops of the ZFX. Mix well for about a minute. Let sit for about 5 minutes while you get things ready.

8. Get your applicator ready by wetting it and ringing it out good. This helps so it doesn’t absorb a lot of the polish. After the 5 minutes re-shake the bottle again and now you’re ready to polish. On the sides of the truck, doors, fenders, tailgate etc put the polish on in an up and down motion (not circular) just straight up and down. Put it on LIGHTLY I would say about a dime size amount of polish on the applicator will do about a 2 foot section or so.

On the hood, do the same straight application, from the windshield to the front of the hood, not from one side to the other, from the windshield to the front of the truck.

9. Once you are done applying the Zaino with the ZFX I would wait about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes find an area you can run you’re finger across to see if it is clear and shinny or if it looks smeared.

It WILL be HARD TO SEE the Zaino polish. I have silver and it is a pain to see. You will have to look at it at an angle until you can tell.

You want to make sure that it is NOT smearing. It won’t hurt the paint, it will mean the Zaino has not dried completely and it will be a PAIN IN THE @SS to take off. If it does smear with the finger test wait another 30 minutes or so.

When it is dry, it is very easy to buff off. If you feel like you’re really having to buff the hell out of it to get it off (towel DONT feel like it glides right across the paint) then it is not dry and it’s just smearing around.

IMPORTANT, when buffing off the polish to use same type of towels (100% cotton made in the USA). Turn your towel frequently when buffing off the Zaino polish, like any other polish/wax.

Once your done buffing off the first coat you can apply the second coat (only if you’re using the ZFX) otherwise I think you have to wait like 8 hours in between coat. When using the ZFX you can only put a max. of 3 coats on in a day. You should really notice a nice difference after 3 – 5 coats. Some people use the Zaino Gloss enhance (detail spray) in between coats. I have done it before and not done it and didn’t notice any real difference. So myself I wouldn’t waste it between coats.

Hope this helps a bit…

 

01 XLT Sport

Thanks for info.
How long does it take to clay and then put 3 coats on?

 

Claying depends if your doing the complete truck or just parts. I would guess maybe an hour. Hopefully one of the experts will come by with better times.

It takes me about 3 hours to put 3 coats of Z2 on if I am using the ZFX, which I always use and is highly recommended.

Without the ZFX it depend on how humid it is, if its nice and dry out then a coat may dry in 30 - 60mins. If it is a little humid out it could take hours for one coat to dry.

 

CPS,

I have a new 03 that I clayed and Zaino'd today. I would definitely recommend the claying. I thought my paint was in good shape, but decided to clay it anyway. I couldn't have been more wrong. The hood and top had lots of little pieces stuck in the paint. Fenders, doors, and tailgate were fine. It took about an hour to clay and an hour per coat of Z2.