I have just finished painting my truck with a single stage acrylic urethane. I applied two coats but I haven't done anything further. There is some small orange peel and rough spots. I want to apply a clear coat to give better protection. I am not sure how I prepare the surface for the clearcoat? If I didn't clearcoat, I would just buffer the existing finish and be done. Now that I am going to clearcoat, how should I prep the surface?
After clearcoat, how do I finish it out?

Thanks

If a solid color, wet sand with 1000 grit then clear coat. If metallic, you will need to reshoot the SS again, then clear coat within the recoat window.

Why do you want to clear it? It really won't provide any better protection. It can add some depth and it can look pretty cool especially if you step the SS down as a mix with the clear over successive coats, but that's really for aesthetics more than durability.

I thought the clearcoat would help protect against UV and scratches to the surface. Perhaps I've got this wrong?
So what is the purpose of clearcoat?

Thanks.

Clear will protect from uv and surface scratches. It's made to provide that over base coats which are very thin and dull. Not to say you can't apply it over ur SS but it's just that, a single stage paint.

Single stage urethane and clear urethane are the same thing,
they're both urethanes. Clear just doesn't have the pigments.
Same degree of durability.
If you want to clear the urethane color, you should of done that within
the first 24 hrs.
You now have to sand it first, if it's a metallic, you'll be sanding into
the metallic so another coat of the color will be needed to even it out.
Put on your color, wait about 3 hrs and then clear it.
You want to wait that long so the clear doesn't disturb the metallics.
Waiting overnight is even better. More than that, you will need to sand it first.
I like urethane with clear on it, makes it easy to buff without disturbing the color
and I believe the depth of color is better than a base coat.
And usually the urethane is cheaper to buy.
It's definitely more durable, a chip off of the clear will still be durable
with urethane underneath, basecoat wont hold up on its own.
Most times it'll start spreading.

I did a set of mags with 2 coats S.S (Endura silver metallic urethane) and shot one coat of their clear on top.

I didn't need to clear but was dying to try it on something as this was the first and time I ever shot clear. I had to wait 6 hrs after the last S.S coat, but not longer than 24 hrs. They are still holding up well after 2 yrs.