Who has installed a clear bra themselves?

[amorak]

Hey guys,

thinking of buying a full frontal clear bra package of the net (front bumper, hood) and applying it myself.

Has anyone done this themselves? How did it turn out? Any tricks?

If anyone who's done it before wants to make $80 and apply it for me, let me know! :thumbsup:

[ZorroAMG]

Best of luck.

The only stuff I've applied is the ricochet film for headlights...significantly easier than 3M, which I would only have the pros do.

[smontyLS1]

I've removed bras before....never helped put them back on though.

[Cy2k1]

wat vehicle is it for?

[amorak]

It's for an '08 Mazda3 Sport

[Cy2k1]

Check PM :thumbsup:

[403civic]

I've done it on my hood B4
not too hard, my hood took me like 2 hours,
I recomend u get window film application solution(use lots of it), start from the middel of the hood/bumper and work your way out,
if its pre-cut stuff it shouldn't be too hard, u just need time
good luck!

[403civic]

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=V2fu7XnWfeA&feature=related
even got u a video!

[483hp]

I wouldn't do it myself. But then again, I am extremely picky.

Installing film properly is an art, especially a large piece for a bumper. It takes a lot of experience to install it without bubbles, bulges, stretch marks, creases, and leaving dust and other residue (including fingerprints) under the film. The concentration of the spray you use also has an effect on the set up time of the adhesive and the time needed for it to get tacky. Also, under no circumstances do you apply film when it is less than 20 degrees unless you use a heater. The film will lift afterwards in high stress areas and won't conform to any large creases if the film is not warmed up properly. Again, this requires experience to judge. If it lifts after the adhesive has set, you can't reattach it. You will either have to try again, or score and peel off the bit that lifted. The use of a knife on film installed on a car is something many pros can't do properly and shy away from.

It's kind of like mudding the drywall in a house you're building if you've never done it before.

Get it done professionally. If you mess up once and have to get another one cut, you've just lost all the money you would have saved by doing it yourself.

[Strider]

Sounds like you know a lot about this...
Is there anywhere in town you would recommend getting it done?


Originally posted by 483hp
I wouldn't do it myself. But then again, I am extremely picky.

Installing film properly is an art, especially a large piece for a bumper. It takes a lot of experience to install it without bubbles, bulges, stretch marks, creases, and leaving dust and other residue (including fingerprints) under the film. The concentration of the spray you use also has an effect on the set up time of the adhesive and the time needed for it to get tacky. Also, under no circumstances do you apply film when it is less than 20 degrees unless you use a heater. The film will lift afterwards in high stress areas and won't conform to any large creases if the film is not warmed up properly. Again, this requires experience to judge. If it lifts after the adhesive has set, you can't reattach it. You will either have to try again, or score and peel off the bit that lifted. The use of a knife on film installed on a car is something many pros can't do properly and shy away from.

It's kind of like mudding the drywall in a house you're building if you've never done it before.

Get it done professionally. If you mess up once and have to get another one cut, you've just lost all the money you would have saved by doing it yourself.

[teggypimp95]

I use to do this for bmw.
If your talkin just the hood its not to hard.
You need some water with some baby shampoo in it for lub. spraying that on the hood lets you slide it around untill u have it in place. Then you have a bottom of Alcohol that you spray under. it will instantly kill the lub and make it stick. doing this slowly working your way to the edges with a squeege. if your doing like a front bumper kit it can be really really hard and easy to screw up your peice or get too many bubbles.

[483hp]

Originally posted by Strider
Sounds like you know a lot about this...
Is there anywhere in town you would recommend getting it done?


There is a guy that Kulu uses. That would be my first preference. Unfortunately I don't have his card. I just met him once when he was wrapping a customer's car. He would be my first choice.

After that, I would call Marty at stoprockchips.com. He does the standard pre-cut kit applications, but he is one of the very few people in town that will do custom wraps. I prefer custom because the seams and edges drive me crazy keeping them clean. A custom wrap means very few dirty film edges to deal with when you detail the car. He also does a lot of "dealership protection packages" in town before they deliver a vehicle.

For the really nice cars, I trust no one in town. I bring in premiermobilegroup.com. If you want to see how the best in the business applies film, look at their gallery. They also showcase installations by their competitors to highlight what not to do.

[trliniar]

there is a place on 32Ave NE, forget the name.. that is where i got mine done.
when you get off deerfoot onto 32ave east bound, i believe on the first set of lights there you take a left, its like a business disctrict and the shop is down the road and on your left hand side,
sorry for lack of detail

[97'Scort]

Here's the actual procedure from 3M. (http://products3.3m.com/catalog/ca/en001/auto_marine_aero/-/node_GS8G5J9L9Vbe/root_VJ3G0N3T7Ngv/vroot_G75KJBMR4Kge/gvel_Q7HBLHHV5Ngl/theme_ca_en_automarineaero_3_0/command_AbcPageHandler/output_html)

It's the first PDF file. That's how you do it. It's not hard unless you're working with little thin bits.

[blinkme_210]

Get it done by the pros. That way you will have warranty coverage if anything happens down the road, or if they do a bad job.