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I'd like to stress the point of taking your time. The first time installing I spent 30 minutes on the front and it looked horrible so i removed it and gave up. Then considered getting them powder coated, but didn't know what to do with all the remaining reflective tape. I started thinking of making it in sections. I wanted to show pictures of my progress because I thought it might help those out there wanting to give it a try. Plan it out, take your time, and dont give up. I'm sure you'll have similar or even better results than I did.
I'd like to stress the point of taking your time. The first time installing I spent 30 minutes on the front and it looked horrible so i removed it and gave up. Then considered getting them powder coated, but didn't know what to do with all the remaining reflective tape. I started thinking of making it in sections. I wanted to show pictures of my progress because I thought it might help those out there wanting to give it a try. Plan it out, take your time, and dont give up. I'm sure you'll have similar or even better results than I did.
I'm doing it on Saturday but will not do the cut pieces like you. I want to use only a single piece and yes I will take my time. Thanks for the tips! I also ordered more than I needed and the logo vinyls. :P
hey! I was just going to see how your 3M brake calipers are holding up? I know a lot of people are always saying that it will get too hot for the vinyl.. I've contacted a couple places as well and they warned me to not do it.. But I think it looks awesome and really want to get it done!
Originally Posted by jaywuzhere
I decided to try and some reflective vinyl to my calipers today. I first tried to wrap the entire caliper from a single sheet, but found it impossible and temporarily gave up. If broken down to 2 (or more) sections, the job becomes a lot easier. All I did was spray the caliper with brake cleaner and wipe, isoprohyl alcohol and wipe, and then begin the wrapping. You will need a heat gun (~180 F) or a hair dryer I hear works as well. Once the vinyl was finished, I added the lexus decal and then added a clear coat of VHT high temp
These are my results:
Its not perfect, but I'm happy with the results. Hope this helps someone out there since I only saw a tutorial of hope to wrap the rear calipers (which I hear is a lot easier)
This is not traditional vinyl that you would install to the external body. This feels more like aluminum foil with a real "tacky" adhesive. I wash my car every week and so far so good!
I still have plans to do this but I highly suggest you buy more than you need or at least practice with some other wrap. I have left over wrap from another project and was experimenting different ways to apply it to get a feel with different heat ranges and how it affects the vinyl as it stretches around compound curves on the caliper.
I'm doing it on Saturday but will not do the cut pieces like you. I want to use only a single piece and yes I will take my time. Thanks for the tips! I also ordered more than I needed and the logo vinyls. :P
Did you stick the logo vinyls on top of the completed wrap? how are those holding up? I saw a couple of people put the vinyls on, and then paint over it, and then remove the vinyls to have the logo leftover. Since I am not painting this is not an option but I am guessing they did this because most of the reviews on these vinyls say that they don't stick well due to the heat and what not...
04-25-16, 08:00 AM
