Paint

[WesternLawman]

Does anyone know if the paint on a Gen 2 Ram is single stage, or base/clear? My white truck is dull, and rough, but before I make any attempt to buff it out, and zip right through the color to primer or bare metal, I'd like to know. It doesn't have any peeling or bubbling or other obvious signs of a failed clear coat, but it certainly doesn't shine like it should. Mostly the hood and tops of the front fenders.

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

Does anyone know if the paint on a Gen 2 Ram is single stage, or base/clear? My white truck is dull, and rough, but before I make any attempt to buff it out, and zip right through the color to primer or bare metal, I'd like to know. It doesn't have any peeling or bubbling or other obvious signs of a failed clear coat, but it certainly doesn't shine like it should. Mostly the hood and tops of the front fenders.

If you don't have any clear coat damage start off with a good clay bar treatment then a good polish with some Meguiars 205 to start off with ..... what color is it ...can you post some up close pictures mainly of the hood ?

 

[Pull Ya]

Find a professional detailer and see if you can either borrow or pay him to use his depth gauge and measure the depth of your paint before you go crazy with anything abrasive. I'm not sure if they did base coat/clear coat back then.
Jay

 

[Pull Ya]

This is info on a 2001 if it helps

"Your 2001 Dodge Ram Truck is painted at the factory with a high quality basecoat/clearcoat system. This two-step paint system consists of step one, the basecoat, which is your car’s actual color, and step two, the clearcoat, the specially formulated clear paint that protects the base color and provides the luster and deep shine your vehicle came with when new. AutomotiveTouchup products faithfully reproduce your vehicle manufacturer’s basecoat/clearcoat system."

This also applies to 1998----per google

Jay

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

Find a professional detailer and see if you can either borrow or pay him to use his depth gauge and measure the depth of your paint before you go crazy with anything abrasive. I'm not sure if they did base coat/clear coat back then.
Jay

It definitely has clear coat I know that for a fact, all 1994 (2nd Gen) Dodge trucks came painted from factory with a 2 step paint system, base and clear coat .... and those trucks actually have a better clear coat than todays cheap paint

 

[quickster2]

Your GEN II does have a base/clear top coat system.
When the GEN III launched at WTAP there was a new, more expensive, and much "harder" and robust clearcoat added to the layering system. We even had to update the way we finessed the vehicles on the inspection deck. WTAP & JNAP had the same layering systems until the old WTAP paint shop shut down on June 25, 2020.

 

[Treburkulosis]

I agree with seeing how much clear is on the truck before touching anything. 205 is a great product, but if there isn't enough clear there to work with, you chance burning paint. Post some pictures of the paint.

 

[WesternLawman]

Well, I tried to post pics, but I kept getting an error message from my phone. It appears that maybe there was clear on it at one time, and the previous owner may have polished it off. There are some spots on the hood where black shadows show through. Thanks everyone.

 

[quickster2]

Your "black shadows" might not be thin CC. If you are seeing shading like that on a white vehicle it is probably thin white basecoat. It could also be strike in or soak in from the clearcoat. If it is soak in then your CC to BC layering is already reduced. Regardless, proceed cautiously. Good luck.

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