Wheel wells and undercarriage wash only (and leaf blower after rain!(

[TICKLE ZOMBIE]

It’s been raining off and on past few days. Not terribly hard but driving around my wheel wells are dirty dirty dirty!
The rest of the truck not so bad because of the rain rinsing it off.

Anyone just wash the wheel wells and undercarriage only from time to time?
Also, anyone else whip out the leaf blower right after it’s stopped raining to dry of your Ranger? I do! ?

I am sure it’ll get old after awhile but it’s new so I’m babying it as much as I can.

Bonus question…just had the truck in for service at a local garage. No issues with the work but the inside of the truck reeks of garage/mechanic smell. Anyone else notice same?

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[RedDakooter05]

I mainly rinse off the body cause my workplace is right next to a concrete mixing plant so it's always getting covered in dust.

That said, I wash it from top to bottom. I go easy on the frame because I have it fluid filmed during winter. I use a leaf blower to dry it off usually.

As for the smell, it doesn't take much to transfer shop smell from a worker to clean seats.

 

[Synfulz]

It’s been raining off and on past few days. Not terribly hard but driving around my wheel wells are dirty dirty dirty!



The rest of the truck not so bad because of the rain rinsing it off.







Anyone just wash the wheel wells and undercarriage only from time to time?



Also, anyone else whip out the leaf blower right after it’s stopped raining to dry of your Ranger? I do! 







I am sure it’ll get old after awhile but it’s new so I’m babying it as much as I can.







Bonus question…just had the truck in for service at a local garage. No issues with the work but the inside of the truck reeks of garage/mechanic smell. Anyone else notice same?

I clean my wheelrwells on a regular basis. I call it a whore bath. I also will get underneath and wash completely. I actually have a new skid plate coming so I'll be doing this in next few days. As I looked under and quite dirty for my taste.













 

[TICKLE ZOMBIE]

Decided I’m just gonna wash the whole truck anyway because I realized, “what if I rained again tomorrow? I’ll be wet again anyway!” ?

But in the future there may be times I just wash the wheel wells. I don’t go off road, but I live on a dirt road, so I guess I always go off road. ?

I clean my wheelrwells on a regular basis. I call it a whore bath. I also will get underneath and wash completely. I actually have a new skid plate coming so I'll be doing this in next few days. As I looked under and quite dirty for my taste.













 

[Joeiconic]

My cabin is on a poorly maintained gravel/dirt road and It’s usually a mess. On the way back home I always stop at a local self serve car wash and spray off the mud.

 

[Cabose-1]

I have been washing the wheel wells as of late. Lots of mud underneath. It all colllects in the frame and holes and tubes underneath. Just waiting for a good rain to help me clean. Its been all drizzle for weeks here in south texas. But i dont worry too much sbout the underside

 

[Rinn69]

In the spring, my truck underside gets hit thoroughly with the pressure washer. I always spray some 303 on the plastic fender liners to keep them looking nice, even after a rain. Before winter, I hit them again so the slush/snow is easier to get off.

 

[AdamHarris]

Don’t tolerate a mechanic shop, stinking up your truck, that’s not something we have to accept. Go somewhere else or Lay an old blanket or large towels over the seats; they should have paper floor mats as well.

 

[Canadian Ranger]

I mainly rinse off the body cause my workplace is right next to a concrete mixing plant so it's always getting covered in dust.

That said, I wash it from top to bottom. I go easy on the frame because I have it fluid filmed during winter. I use a leaf blower to dry it off usually.

As for the smell, it doesn't take much to transfer shop smell from a worker to clean seats.

I'm an Fluid Film user as well. I've learned, it's best to not wash underneath at all for the winter months. It's between the metal and the dirt/salt. Best to just leave it alone, it washes off easily enough on its own.
For those of you who don't undercoat at all.....its more important to wash underneath than to wash the topside. Sure a shiny clean vehicle is nice on the eyes, but the damage is happening underneath. We've all seen rusty, beaten frames and perfect paint, haven't we?

 

[GTGallop]

After a recent camp out I noticed one wheel was slightly out of balance. Looked back there and it had a giant clay crusty mudball in the rim between the wheel and the brakes. Knocked it off with a screw driver (drove much better after that) but noticed I had about 60 to 80 lbs of clay mud slopped all over the under carriage and up in the rear fenders. The exhaust was pretty well coated and adobe'd too.

Took it down to a coin-op spray wash and got as much of that off the underside as I could. Didn't want it holding moisture near the body and components and causing rust.

BTW - @AzScorpion - they upgraded the spray wash at Deer Valley and I-17. Same structure but more features and you can pay direct with a card instead of getting change and having to load 75 quarters in the machine.

https://goo.gl/maps/zfFwoYVonXFZ7FxG8

Not sure how many other NoPHX Rangers we have here.

 

[TICKLE ZOMBIE]

It’s actually been in twice for oil changes and some miscellaneous things things. Both at separate garages since I’m “interviewing” garages at the moment.

Same smell at both actually.

I did put in some “new car scent”vent clips on and that took care of smell but it’s more of a fresh scent, not new car ?

Had black ice in a previous car which I liked, should have went with that! ?

Don’t tolerate a mechanic shop, stinking up your truck, that’s not something we have to accept. Go somewhere else or Lay an old blanket or large towels over the seats; they should have paper floor mats as well.

 

[TICKLE ZOMBIE]

Did you apply yourself or is it best to get it professionally done?

I'm an Fluid Film user as well. I've learned, it's best to not wash underneath at all for the winter months. It's between the metal and the dirt/salt. Best to just leave it alone, it washes off easily enough on its own.
For those of you who don't undercoat at all.....its more important to wash underneath than to wash the topside. Sure a shiny clean vehicle is nice on the eyes, but the damage is happening underneath. We've all seen rusty, beaten frames and perfect paint, haven't we?

 

[Canadian Ranger]

Did you apply yourself or is it best to get it professionally done?

I've done both, applied it myself and taken it to an undercoater too. I bought the Woolwax sprayer, and it works great.
Like anything else in life, it depends on how much time and energy you want expend vs. how much money you want to spend. The only caveat, is taking it to a professional the first time and let them drill the holes in the doors and do all that dirty work for you.

 

[subquark]

It’s been raining off and on past few days. Not terribly hard but driving around my wheel wells are dirty dirty dirty!
The rest of the truck not so bad because of the rain rinsing it off.

Anyone just wash the wheel wells and undercarriage only from time to time?
Also, anyone else whip out the leaf blower right after it’s stopped raining to dry of your Ranger? I do! ?

I am sure it’ll get old after awhile but it’s new so I’m babying it as much as I can.

Bonus question…just had the truck in for service at a local garage. No issues with the work but the inside of the truck reeks of garage/mechanic smell. Anyone else notice same?

If I pull out the pressure washer, I'll usually use the soap cannon on all that I can reach and then just a rinse.

I have used an Ego leaf blower and it does a great job, but since I park outside, I don't dry it unless I'mm doing a deeper clean.

For the winter, I;m going to try this:

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