Knowing how to repair the paint on your Ford truck is a great skill to learn because it keeps your truck's paint looking as good as new.  Below is a step by step guide to help you through the process of repairing minor or even major damage to your truck paint.  

To start repairing your paint you're going to need a few tools to get the job done.

1. Color matched paint (Check with a dealer or paint manufacturer for help)
2. Primer (Wurth Rustop primer works well) 
3. Solvent (Products like Prepsol or rubbing alcohol)
4. Cleaner (Wurth citrus degreaser or something similar)
5. Sandpaper (A heavy 600 grit and a fine 125 grit)

Now that we have the tools it’s time to put them to use.  It is best to give yourself at least 24 to 48 hours from start to finish for the project.  You need to give yourself plenty of time to let the paint dry so you don’t ruin the repair.  

Step 1: Make sure you thoroughly wash the outside of the vehicle especially around the location of the paint damage.

Step 2: Use your solvent to clean the area of damage and one to two inches around the damage.  Wax build-up and other contaminants on the car could cause the paint to bond improperly.  

Step 3: Check the paint damage and see how deep it goes.  Major damage that is deep enough to affect the primer under the paint will take a little more work than minor damage that only affects the top coat.

Step 4: Take the coarse sandpaper and sand the damaged area including the small area around the damage to get all the paint uniform.  Switch to the fine sandpaper and make sure the whole area is nice and smooth.  

Step 5: Use cleaner to clean any excess dirt or paint that has accumulated while sanding the damage.

Step 6: If the damage was minor skip to the next step.  If the damage affects the primer apply primer in a nice even coat over the exposed area and allow to dry.

Step 7: Time to begin applying the paint.  For best results apply a single coat of paint and give it a few minutes to lightly dry.  Check the shade of the touch-up paint to the cars original shade and continue repeating the process until the touch-up and original paint are the same shade.  If you want to apply a layer of clear coat apply it as the final coat. 

Step 8: Once you're done painting, leave the car in a dry indoor area for at least 24 hours to allow the paint to dry properly.  

Step 9: After everything has been allowed to dry, remember to wash and wax the car to help protect all the hard work you’ve done.

So there you have it, from start to finish repairing the paint on your Ford truck is a simple, straightforward process that helps extend the life of your paint.