Clear Bra
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 87
Likes: 2
From: West Canada eh
Truck goes for complete film next week, 100% paint coverage, maybe even doing Matte on it to switch it up this year.
For guys off-road it is awesome,instead of worrying about your paint and scratches you can actually just drive and know that the film will protect the truck for the most part and stop worrying about little nicks and scratches from branches.
For the guys who are worried about the paint line or dust line, I NEVER recommend a half kit or dealer kit to any clients, ALWAYS go full panel coverage, good installers will even wrap the edges (especially leading edges) so that no chips happen there either. You WILL get a rock chip within 3in of your half kit/dealer kit the week after you get it installed, its not even a whole lot more $ to do complete panels.
2016 F450, complete SunTek front end, flares, door grab area, etc.. etc... 260k in just over a year, remove the film and the truck looks new underneath.
For guys off-road it is awesome,instead of worrying about your paint and scratches you can actually just drive and know that the film will protect the truck for the most part and stop worrying about little nicks and scratches from branches.
For the guys who are worried about the paint line or dust line, I NEVER recommend a half kit or dealer kit to any clients, ALWAYS go full panel coverage, good installers will even wrap the edges (especially leading edges) so that no chips happen there either. You WILL get a rock chip within 3in of your half kit/dealer kit the week after you get it installed, its not even a whole lot more $ to do complete panels.
2016 F450, complete SunTek front end, flares, door grab area, etc.. etc... 260k in just over a year, remove the film and the truck looks new underneath.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
my truck go done yesterday, I let it is stay in the shop an extra day because its been below freezing all day. anyway just wanted to report it looks great, they were able to get the film into the lettering on the hood. The installer said he may have to cut them out but after a little extra work he was able to get it done without cutting it. We will see how it holds up. FYI mine was done in the 3M pro series film and I had him do the whole truck.
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Tuned
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 389
Likes: 24
my truck go done yesterday, I let it is stay in the shop an extra day because its been below freezing all day. anyway just wanted to report it looks great, they were able to get the film into the lettering on the hood. The installer said he may have to cut them out but after a little extra work he was able to get it done without cutting it. We will see how it holds up. FYI mine was done in the 3M pro series film and I had him do the whole truck.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,711
Likes: 12,853
From: Wyoming
I had Clear Bra applied to my 2017 F-350 this week. He did a super job. I had the following areas covered:
Hood - 18"
Headlights
Front Fenders
Rocker panels - front wheel well to rear bumper, 6"
Mirrors - painted surface only
Tailgate - top 6" and bottom 6"
Wheel well edges
Notice that he worked the Clear Bra into the recessed letters on the hood. No cutting around the letters. He did the same thing on the tailgate. The photo doesn't really provide enough detail but it looks great. There are a couple spots I need to smooth down - the lines there should disappear.
The name of the place is Alta Mere, located on County Line, west of Quebec.
Hood - 18"
Headlights
Front Fenders
Rocker panels - front wheel well to rear bumper, 6"
Mirrors - painted surface only
Tailgate - top 6" and bottom 6"
Wheel well edges
Notice that he worked the Clear Bra into the recessed letters on the hood. No cutting around the letters. He did the same thing on the tailgate. The photo doesn't really provide enough detail but it looks great. There are a couple spots I need to smooth down - the lines there should disappear.
The name of the place is Alta Mere, located on County Line, west of Quebec.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
just an update, the clear bra has started to peel on the recessed letters. I called the installer and he said he would cut them out or for $120 would try one more time and recover the whole hood. I'm hoping if i wait for warmer temps they will hold better. I'm not sure i agree with having to pay for try again though.
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
From: Alberta, Canada
I'm resurrecting an old thread here but I am having the Xpel applied to my hood, fenders and A-Pillar on my new truck. I will leave the bumper for now as I think I will just spray it with bedliner type of product later on if it gets too bad.
When you wax the truck, can you just wax over the Xpel? Or do you stop at the edge of it?
When you wax the truck, can you just wax over the Xpel? Or do you stop at the edge of it?
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,711
Likes: 12,853
From: Wyoming
I don't have Xpel. On my ClearBra I've gone both ways. Sometimes I'll lay down some masking tape over the edge so I don't have to clean it out.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 97
Likes: 2
I have xpel on the front bumper, hood and rockers. The installer told me never to use wax on it as it could discolor. They did give me a special spray to use on the xpel and said to wax to the line but not over. Has been great so far. I'll get the name of the spray and post later
Freshman User
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: USA
Installer says any quality wax is fine for sealing. These specialty products are cleaner/sealers. You want to make sure the product is clean before sealing. theses cleaners have a solvent aspect to them. They did say to be careful at the edges with the wax, clean off excess at seams. If wax builds up and attracts dirt, it can migrate under the edge.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 177
From: Vancouver, BC
My Plati is booked in for next friday to get the front bumper done with 3M and the front windows tinted 50%. I would like darker but the police really are hard on cars with tinted windows here as it isn't legal to have anything on the front windows.