2015 Silverado CC, first tow impressions, camping trip, and a warning&

[GsBowtie]

Hey y'all,

 

I just got back from my first camping trip with my 15' silverado (5.3, 3.42's) and I have to say I am very impressed with this combo tugging around my old (and heavy) 1989 Skyline Layton TT (6k GVW).

 

I ran it in tow/haul mode the entire time (about 70 miles one way from home) and kept it locked in M5 the entire time so all 8 holes stayed lit. The only thing I didn't like is that at full hot idle, when towing, I was down to a hair over 20psi oil pressure. I know that's within spec, but it still bothers me seeing the oil pressure gage that low.

 

The warning noted in my post title is for other guys who take their trucks camping. We were there for a week in a state park so as you'd imagine there was stuff falling out off trees on the truck for a week. It wasn't coated heavily, but I could see some black "dots" (small debris from a tree). It was nothing that would have concerned me in the past or was excessive. I'm not sure what it was exactly, but I've seen it on other trucks when I have camped in the past. part of my routine when I get home is to unpack the camper and truck and then clean the truck inside and out so I've never given it a second thought.

 

However, this time, I had an issue with the paint on the hood. I wound up with several black marks that did NOT come off after the regular hand wash. I had to use windex and that didn't take them off, and then I wound up using RV mold/mildew remover and eventually with enough repeat applicaions and rubbing was able to remove them from the paint, for the most part. All black marks are gone, but if you look at the hood under flourscent light you can still see some marks in the paint in other areas where the black did come off, but I didn't have to use the RV cleaner on it. (those areas were not nearly as hard to remove) I then waxed the hood and it looks good, except for those areas I mentioned, but you have to really look to see them.

 

The roof had some of this as well, but I was able to wash those off pretty easily and/or scractch them off with my fingernails.

 

Here's what I think went on - the engines in these trucks run extremely hot as you all know. My brother told me one time after towing with his 14 that the body brace above the battery in his truck was so hot he could barely touch it! Yes, the hood is insulated, however the area where I had the toughest to remove stain was towards the right side and close to (or maybe completly) outside the insulated portion of the hood. It was actually in the area of where that right body brace is located my brother told me on his was extremely hot after towing.

 

I believe that due to the extreme heat of these engines, especially while towing, coupled with the aluminum hood bakes any debris on the hood right into the clear-coat. As I said I have NEVER had this issue before after many years of camping but never gave it a second thought until yesterday.

 

Going forward I will be bringing a bucket and a cotton towel with me camping and doing a quick wipe-down of the hood before I leave the campground to come home to get off any loose debris from the hood. The roof being steel and not getting heat from the engine I think is what made those marks easy to remove with just washing or a little scraping with my fingernail.

 

I hope this helps others who enjoy camping save themselves from a few hours of work! At one point I honestly thought I was going to have to take the truck to the Chevy dealer's body shop and have the hood buffed, the marks were THAT hard to remove. I didn't take any photos of the marks before I removed them or I'd post them for you, but again, what appears to have happened is whatever tree debris was on the hood was melted/baked into the paint from the extreme engine heat/aluminum hood combo.

 

-G

[Kent2500]

 

The roof had some of this as well, but I was able to wash those off pretty easily and/or scractch them off with my fingernails.

 

 

I highly recommend using a clay bar and put a good coat a wax on it (every six months or so if left outside). Search youtube for "claybar". While a big process due to the size of the truck, future washing is so much easier.

[afireinside7444]

Yeah to clay bar. Also skip wax use a sealant like wolfgang klasse or zano brothers. Usually good for 6 months can wax over that if needed

[Stex]

Yeah to clay bar. Also skip wax use a sealant like wolfgang klasse or zano brothers. Usually good for 6 months can wax over that if needed

 

This! Good sources. Their sources should have vids.

 

I have used them and Adams too. All good. Here are some vids. First showing how to clay and second the sealer. May still get a stain but way easier to clean once sealed and waxed. I wash prior to clay with dawn soap to remove any wax. Wash, clay, seal and wax.

 

http://adamspolishes.com/shop/exterior/polishing/adam-s-big-blue-clay-bar.html

 

 

http://adamspolishes.com/shop/exterior/waxing-and-glazing/adam-s-liquid-paint-sealant.html

 

Easy wax:

http://adamspolishes.com/shop/exterior/waxing-and-glazing/adam-s-h2o-guard-gloss.html

[Half_ton]

Nano skin sponges are awesome as well. No more clay bars....

3 bucket method. One includes the above sponges with soap for lubricity, one with rise water, and one with my mitt and quality ph balanced soap.

I coat it with either Klasse or Ex-p as a sealant.

Then after I will top it with collinite 845.

I'd also caution to using dawn which strips wax and natural oils from paint and plastic trim, use a citrus based soap to remove layers of wax .

[GsBowtie]

I typically use meguiars cleaner/wax... works good for me and is a one step deal. Clear coat safe too

 

 

 

Thanks for the replies guys!