Suggestions for the height-impaired

On large SUV's (i.e. Escalade's, Excursion's) I open a door and just pull my self up on to the roof. Once I'm safe and up right I have a helper pass up a full 5 gallon bucket with wash solution and a push broom. Mind you, I'm a big guy (think 275lbs 6'3") and I wouldn't be able to get the entire roof without walking around on it. Hope that helps!



































































































;):laugh A good long step is a real saver.
 
Yeah' It's not totally about how tall you are, I am about 6' and on my pathfinder (new body style, it's pretty tall), I have trouble with roof. I use a step stool to wash the roof or wax it. If it's something quick I sometimes jump on the running boards. I actually made another thread a while back about almost this same thing, asking for SUV tips.
 
I'm 5'8 (with my shoes on) I can just reach the tops of the doors on the Ram. The CRV has a plastic trim thing that sticks ip on the sides so you can't get to the roof w/o getting taller. My lightning is lowered, I can't reach the top center of the windshield.



If only I were 9' tall.
 
I don't know how you guys do SUV roofs that way :think:



Even with my five work platforms it was a *HUGE* PIA to do the roof of the YukonXLD. OK, I'm only 5' 10" and I have somewhat short arms, but still....just inspecting the roof for marring from every angle was a chore and doing the correction was downright difficult. (Hey ebpcivisi- I reduced that etching to light pitting :D Yeah, it took more than a while. )



For that matter, using the foamgun/BHB wash method is fairly challenging (gotta watch I don't brush against the paint while I reach towards the middle).



Climbing up on the roof?!? My GMC has pretty hard clear but even contact with a cotton t-shirt can mar it just as it would, well..any paint (gee, guess how I know; man it is tough to wash that middle properly).



.. I have a helper pass up a full 5 gallon bucket with wash solution and a push broom....
Click to expand...



You put the bucket on the paint? :eek: A *PUSHBROOM* :eek: :eek:
 
Accumulator said:
I don't know how you guys do SUV roofs that way :think:



Even with my five work platforms it was a *HUGE* PIA to do the roof of the YukonXLD. OK, I'm only 5' 10" and I have somewhat short arms, but still....just inspecting the roof for marring from every angle was a chore and doing the correction was downright difficult. (Hey ebpcivisi- I reduced that etching to light pitting :D Yeah, it took more than a while. )



For that matter, using the foamgun/BHB wash method is fairly challenging (gotta watch I don't brush against the paint while I reach towards the middle).



Climbing up on the roof?!? My GMC has pretty hard clear but even contact with a cotton t-shirt can mar it just as it would, well..any paint (gee, guess how I know; man it is tough to wash that middle properly).







You put the bucket on the paint? :eek: A *PUSHBROOM* :eek: :eek:
Click to expand...



I was mainly talking about just washing or waxing. Polishing/correcting etc... would be a super PITA. Though I do admit if I had an insane amount of money, I would build a garage with lifts that can lower into the floor so I can have the SUV roof at a decent level :lol
 
To wash and wax, I need to move the ladder (or step stool) many times. As far as correcting, I can't see the roof well from the ladder so no one else can see it either. If I ever find someone 9' tall they will surely be disgusted by the less-than-glossy roofs. :laugh:



I use 845 on all my roofs, 1 coat lasts 3-4 months even in the summer. I wash them with onr. No qd, either.



Does this mean I will be shunned by the community? :dig
 
scary bill- Heh heh, hey.. I'm guilty of all kinds of "Autopian Heresy" myself :D



I just happen to be pretty particular about the roofs of my SUV/etc. as I see them every time I wash/etc. and, well, we all have our foibles. But I'll admit I said "good enough" about one scratch under the roofrack rail that I could've gotten out with some more work :o



Wonder if you'd find switching to 476S worth considering? I had one coat of 845 topped with two coats of 476S and the roof was *really* still-waxed when I redid it. Went through the winter just fine. In fact, I had to work at stripping it a lot more than I'd expected and kept thinking to myself that a lot of people would've just left it alone and only done the rest of the truck.
 
Accumulator said:
scary bill- Heh heh, hey.. I'm guilty of all kinds of "Autopian Heresy" myself :D



I just happen to be pretty particular about the roofs of my SUV/etc. as I see them every time I wash/etc. and, well, we all have our foibles. But I'll admit I said "good enough" about one scratch under the roofrack rail that I could've gotten out with some more work :o



Wonder if you'd find switching to 476S worth considering? I had one coat of 845 topped with two coats of 476S and the roof was *really* still-waxed when I redid it. Went through the winter just fine. In fact, I had to work at stripping it a lot more than I'd expected and kept thinking to myself that a lot of people would've just left it alone and only done the rest of the truck.
Click to expand...





Heresy :hifive:





I bought the 845 on a whim because I found it locally. They didn't have 476s or 885, I would have gotten that otherwise. All of the talk about 1000p has me intrigued, though. I will keep an eye on the forum to see if it stays in favor for more than a month or 2, then it has to be good right? :p



I plan on using what I got first (2 big shelves of products) before more purchasing.
 
scary bill said:
..I bought the 845 on a whim because I found it locally...
Click to expand...



Thinking of the black textured trim discussion we're having on another thread, I'd really like to try 1Z Paint Polish topped with 845 on your Lightning's stained trim.





... All of the talk about 1000p has me intrigued, though. I will keep an eye on the forum to see if it stays in favor for more than a month or 2, then it has to be good right?
Click to expand...



Actually, I was in the same boat; used a sample tin of FK1000P on wheels but never used it on a vehicle proper. Then with all the yacking about it I bought a can and did the YukonXLD with it. *WOW* it really is one of the few LSPs with a definite, special "signature look". Dunno how it'd look on some other paint (mine is carbon metallic) but *man* am I happy with it. We'll see how it cleans/sheds dirt and holds up, but I have high hopes. It went straight from "well, we'll see..." to "gee, I love this stuff" and I was inclined to be skeptical about it.



It didn't stain my trim either, even though people warned me that it would :nixweiss



I plan on using what I got first (2 big shelves of products) before more purchasing.
Click to expand...



Yeah, that's whay I keep telling myself too :o That tin of FK1000P is the last new LSP for me for ages. I mean it. Really.
 
That is why I think that once my collection is thinned out some I will get 1000p. It sounds like a well rounded LSP. I would be using it for winter protection. In the summer it is pretty easy for me to reapply whatever lsp I use. Its hard to spread wax at -30F.
 
Sorry to ressurect an old thread but I'm starting a little detailing business on the side to make some extra cash. Here's a stupid question but whats the best way to detail an SUV or truck in terms of the roof? Do you just wash it or wax as well? If so what's the best way to wax?



I've detailed cars for awhile but amazingly never an SUV! Thanks
 
05BlackS197 said:
Sorry to ressurect an old thread but I'm starting a little detailing business on the side to make some extra cash. Here's a stupid question but whats the best way to detail an SUV or truck in terms of the roof? Do you just wash it or wax as well? If so what's the best way to wax?



I've detailed cars for awhile but amazingly never an SUV! Thanks
Click to expand...



I treat the roofs of my SUVs/minivans/etc. exactly the same as, say....the hood of any vehicle. Exactly. And yeah, it's an incredible PIA.



Correcting the roof of a big SUV can be a long, hard process; just doing the inspection can take forever as it's hard to get the right viewing/illumination angles.



Guess some people won't care about the roof, but I sure do. "Nobody sees it!" But the only person whose opinion I care about sees it... every time I wash the thing ;)



It's often a good idea to remove the roof rack/rails, but you have to give some thought to reasealing the mounting bolts to keep water out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top