Vinyl Decals

nyrick

nyrick

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I have a Dodge challenger srt with black vinyl stripes and they have swirl marks in the bright sun. Is there anything that is safe to try and polish them out? Thank you
 
I treat gloss vinyl like paint. Least to more aggressive. I haven't had an mishaps with this approach and most 3m vinyl is similar to the clear coat on the car.
 
The Adams forum process is great. That is the way I deal with them as well. Best advice I can give, don't use a machine. I haven't seen too many that are messed up, but the dealership detailed my wife's 2010 camaro before we bought it, someone hit the edge of the stripe with a machine polisher and dulled it. Yes a flat black vinyl decal dulled even more. Brand new car and they had to order in and replace the decal. Then the local installer they used screwed that up so it had to be replaced again. I won't go near these things with a machine. I also noticed that Mike Phillips and Todd Helme masked them off when working on a 2012 camaro.
 
I have worked machined vinyl stripes on both a Camaro SS and a couple GT500s with no adverse effects. If vinyl is not factory installed then stay off it. If in doubt then let it be.
 
ShaunD said:
I have worked machined vinyl stripes on both a Camaro SS and a couple GT500s with no adverse effects. If vinyl is not factory installed then stay off it. If in doubt then let it be.
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What would be the difference between factory installed and dealer installed? They decals are the same kit that the dealer orders from GM.

We bought the Camaro new with factory decals (listed as an option on the window sticker). Not sure if it makes a difference between the flat vs bright decals. We have the flat black on ours. It was a definite buffer mark/trail across the corner of the decal on the trunk, left a dull circular pattern on the corner. I've heard of people polishing on the bright stripes, have also heard a lot of horror stories about the flat ones. Personally, I won't touch any of them for two reasons, what I've already experienced and edge lift.

To each their own. If you haven't had any problems, my paranoia is probably just causing me more work, but for me, it's worth it for my piece of mind.
 
Non factory decals is mostly what I meant by that statement. For the most part factory decals are superior and installation is done when the paint is fresh, and before the paint is able to become contaminated. Most people at dealerships aren't professional installers and even people that claim to be don't prep the surfaces properly to remove contamination like iron particles embedded in the clear coat. I would do it myself or have it done by a professional graphics/vinyl installer after I properly preped the paint. Just have to do your homework on installers just like anything else.
As for using polish on vinyl, I test an in conspicuous spot first. Also, if the client doesn't wont any sheen added to mat stripes then I will not use any polish on them. Also, I will only use a DA on them and stay off edges just like working on paint. If using a rotary near vinyl then the vinyl needs to be masked to prevent the issue of burning or dulling/hazing the vinyl. Follow the manufacturers' recommendations over anything I say though. When it comes to gloss vinyl from 3m, most of the automotive grade products have a clear coating like what is on your paint. From my experience it is a harder clear coat than the actual clear paint on Mustangs.
 
Now I'm following you, thanks for the clarification. Pretty sure the damage on mine was caused by a rotary.

Unfortunately, I wouldn't say any place they put these things is inconspicuous. I've had the issue with the stripes on the Camaro, but have really heard some horror stories about the mopar stripes the OP is dealing with. I think we have given him some good info with different processes to consider. To be honest, the vinyl will be coming off mine soon replaced with paint in the style of the second generation Camaro. I hate cleaning these things, clear coat is so much nicer.
 
bsmith0404 said:
Pretty sure the damage on mine was caused by a rotary.
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Ouch....

I don't think it's ever a good idea to take a rotary buffer to any type of vinyl graphics.

I also can't remember anyone on this forum ever recommending using a rotary buffer on vinyl graphics unless it was to remove them.



bsmith0404 said:
To be honest, the vinyl will be coming off mine soon replaced with paint in the style of the second generation Camaro. I hate cleaning these things, clear coat is so much nicer.
Click to expand...


Like described in this article....


Have graphics painted under the clearcoat - The best of all worlds


:dblthumb2:
 
Would any special methods need to be observed when applying Pinnacle Black Label Cleansing Polish to vinyl areas to prep for the black label surface coating?

I have a Challenger with factory stripes on the hood that I have used KSG on and coated with a liquid wax in the past. I know it'll need to get cleaned too use s surface coating, but not sure how to best use the cleansing polish.
 
I use M105 a rotary and a wool pad.
I don't recommend this for amateurs.
It's a system I developed and the stripes come out nice.
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
Ouch....

I don't think it's ever a good idea to take a rotary buffer to any type of vinyl graphics.

I also can't remember anyone on this forum ever recommending using a rotary buffer on vinyl graphics unless it was to remove them.






Like described in this article....


Have graphics painted under the clearcoat - The best of all worlds


:dblthumb2:
Click to expand...

I'm guessing it was a rotary. The dealership detailer did the damage and the car was traided between 2 different dealerships so it's hard to say who did it and what their process was.

After that experience, I won't go close to those things with any type of a buffer, rotary or DA, in my mind, it's not worth the chance on a $450 set of decals. I can work em by hand, it may take a little longer, but it's worth the piece of mind for me.

And yes, the graphics will be painted under clearcoat. That's the only way to go.
 
you might find this post somehow irrelevant now since you find this reply too late to post but well, this might help you for future purposes.

Im really into car design and i have been changing the stickers on my car quite often; and by far, I really have no problem with my car stickers because aside from the design, its a 3m stickers, already cut out and when you decided to remove.... it leaves no residue. very easy and convenient.
 
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