MATTE Black Stripes installed with pics on third page!!!
06-14-2008, 01:49 AM
#23
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Palmer, Alaska
Posts: 954
RE: Installing vinyl stripes tommroow..any tips?
Hope it NOT too late!!
Wrap your squeegee with a damp cloth!! (the plastic onescan scratch your stripes)
Don't use soap as was stated adds to bubbles!
Heat when rounding corners OR contours. No water on the bumpers and DON'T try to stretchthe vinyltoo tight. (notice above front license plate) Just cut it like the rear!
Hood and roof are easy! Bumpers are MUCH harder. (IMHO striping the whole bumpers looks the best but takes WAY more effort)
Watch for outer edges to be pulled inwardas apposed to parallelon the lower edges of each bumper (see in pics)
Be clean, take your time, enjoy the results.... you will be your worst critic!!
You'll do fine and be proud of the results!!!!
Wrap your squeegee with a damp cloth!! (the plastic onescan scratch your stripes)
Don't use soap as was stated adds to bubbles!
Heat when rounding corners OR contours. No water on the bumpers and DON'T try to stretchthe vinyltoo tight. (notice above front license plate) Just cut it like the rear!
Hood and roof are easy! Bumpers are MUCH harder. (IMHO striping the whole bumpers looks the best but takes WAY more effort)
Watch for outer edges to be pulled inwardas apposed to parallelon the lower edges of each bumper (see in pics)
Be clean, take your time, enjoy the results.... you will be your worst critic!!
You'll do fine and be proud of the results!!!!
06-14-2008, 09:50 AM
#25
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Anaheim, California
Posts: 4,205
RE: Installing vinyl stripes tommroow..any tips?
ORIGINAL: yomofoitzjay
thank mans, it looks like u did an amazing job...how should i do it around the windshield wiper nozzle thing..can i remove it?
thank mans, it looks like u did an amazing job...how should i do it around the windshield wiper nozzle thing..can i remove it?
06-14-2008, 10:02 AM
#26
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Palmer, Alaska
Posts: 954
RE: Installing vinyl stripes tommroow..any tips?
^ Exactly! But don't cut your X all the way to the edge of the washer hole leave a 1/16" or so for vinyl shrinkage over time.
If you are careful with the rear emblem you can actually just pull it off, re 'energize' the sticky stuff with alcohol and re-apply after installing stripes. Becareful getting center breaklight out seems like I may have cracked mine getting in a hurry.
Take pics when you are done!
If you are careful with the rear emblem you can actually just pull it off, re 'energize' the sticky stuff with alcohol and re-apply after installing stripes. Becareful getting center breaklight out seems like I may have cracked mine getting in a hurry.
Take pics when you are done!
06-14-2008, 02:20 PM
#29
Cut & Paste Expert
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NW Arkansas
Posts: 13,322
RE: Installing vinyl stripes tommroow..any tips?
The rear brake light snaps out from inside the trunk.
Distilled water and a clean, clean, clean, clean work area.
You may want to clay bar the area of the stripes. ANY foreign
objects between the vinyl and the clearcoat will stick out like
a sore thumb. Remove the hood liner and remove the nozzles.
You might consider a nozzle relocation kit before cutting the
holes in the stripes to reinstall the squirters. And stripe shrinkage
around the squirters is a problem if you cut the holes too big in
the stripes as mentioned before. Remember thet the material
will shrink over time when you are trimming the edges. Get a
good overlap so the endswont show when they shrink.
Distilled water and a clean, clean, clean, clean work area.
You may want to clay bar the area of the stripes. ANY foreign
objects between the vinyl and the clearcoat will stick out like
a sore thumb. Remove the hood liner and remove the nozzles.
You might consider a nozzle relocation kit before cutting the
holes in the stripes to reinstall the squirters. And stripe shrinkage
around the squirters is a problem if you cut the holes too big in
the stripes as mentioned before. Remember thet the material
will shrink over time when you are trimming the edges. Get a
good overlap so the endswont show when they shrink.
06-14-2008, 03:05 PM
#30
RE: Installing vinyl stripes tommroow..any tips?
thanks guys, i got the hood, roof, spoiler, and trunk done...i still gotta do the front and rear bumper, and also the pin stripe..also i got a lot of little bubbles that are starting to show up..will they evey go away??