Clear Bra

The Krylon paint Toyota used on my truck scratches real easy.

I was thinking I could put the Clear Bra protective film along the outside of the pickup bed. Maybe a 6" strip along the side.

 

I installed a 3M product for the first time last year on my wife's brand new Kia Soul.

The more compound curves and 'targets' (emblems, precise corners, etc) you have to hit, the more frustrating it can be; it's not for the person with no patience. (you'll know if you're one of those people... if so, just go to an installer and pay for the service)

I am waiting on my hood/fender kit to arrive for my new Tacoma. Hopefully some time this week. I cringe every time I drive, and I stay a good 100' back from anything that might throw a rock right now... the last thing I want is an impact or chip under the clear bra....

Once it's on and installed though, I expect great things. On the Soul, I've been very impressed at how easily bugs wash off the Soul's front end. And I'm talking nasty, baked on hardened guts of large golf ball sized bug splatter. Soak for a minute or two, then hit it with a normal wash sponge, and there isn't a single trace left afterwards!

FWIW, I chose 3M brand. People speak highly of Ventureshield, Avery, and especially Xpel, but I have not tried those, and have been happy with the durability of the 3M Scotchguard brand.

E.

 

I've had a clear bra installed by a detail shop. Was rather pricey @ $350, but I like the product so far. 5 year warranty from peeling & yellowing but installer says past clients have had it on longer and still looking good.

If you choose to have it done by a so-called "pro", make sure he's done many installations. Experience counts.

Also done on my headlights, but not sure I would do that again.

 

Haha, I think you hit it on the head, with The "Krylon", The paint on these trucks is deff not of good quality. You would think, While they're at it and it's being built right there in the factory, they would just go ahead and use some good quality paint it'd be the PERFECT time to do it. Specially for the money we pay for these trucks.

 

It's not just Toyota; look around on any of the car forums for current and recent model years; EVERYONE bitches about it.

It has less to do with quality, and more to do with EPA standards. Blame the goverment for intruding; they have mandated the removal of several components from two part catalyzed automotive paint to 'help the environment'. In the end, the quality of the paint suffers dramatically.

 

Wouldn't doubt all the above a bit.. In the long run if anything it's worse for the environment having to repaint vehicles, bc the paint sucked donkey balls to begin with. Not to mention some shops might not have as good of filtration in there booths "if any", where as on the other hand with all the filtration they have in the top notch booths at the factory's you would think it wouldn't be as much of an issue, like you're saying with the gov/EPA, but of course they know best.

 

Saw this in Autozone today. I think it was about 24 bucks a can but looked like a good product:

http://3mauto.com/products/paint-de...B44ED07-58A0-4C55-9390-0F91EF8CA79Ccs9yezvRrY

 

Id be very interested in knowing how this works. Let us know.

Any links to what you actually used or where you got it?

 

I got the clear bra by 3M on my truck when I bought it and love it. It has saved my paint a few times already, I can see the gouges from stones that have hit in the film and it is still holding up awesome.

Here is what I had them cover for $850 installed and with a lifetime warranty.

• First 18" of the hood
• Entire bumper
• Head lights and fog lights
• Grill
• Backs of the side mirrors
• Fender, film on hood and fenders align...maybe 10"?

I have to go back and get

• A pillars
• 6" on roof done

And if I could I would get my rockers panels covered too I like to keep my truck's paint nice

Alberta covers the road in rocks which destroy paint in the summer.

 

Absolutely!

Clear Defender

This is who I got my wife's Soul kit from, and then this week the Tacoma pack from.

They were always very good to deal with, and have a 'crash repair' program where if you need individual pieces to replace collision damaged parts they will sell them outside of a kit.

If it helps I'll create a thread when I install my kit on the Tacoma.

E.

 

Oops... I'm in the wrong thread

 

I saw a commercial on that the other day. Somebody try it and let us know!

 

3M'ing the doors/bed sounds like a good idea to prevent the 'pinstriping' from trees/bushes offroading.

There are outfits like invisiblemask.com that sell rolls of it in different widths for the DIY guys. DIY wouldn't be so difficult on the sides like it would be with all the contours on the front end.

 

thought I was going to see boobys under shrink wrap...

 

Oh thats awesome!!! Thanks for that.

Ok cool. Ill have to check them out.

 

FWIW, I chose the 3M Scotchguard brand film.

I'd read a ton up at the time about the VentureShield and Avery films, and while they tend to be more 'clear', the impression I got was that they didn't seem as thick and didn't hold up to impacts as well.

The downside of the 3M is that when stretched, it can take on a slight orange peel texture; it takes a bunch of experience to know where the stretch limit is and when to stop before it starts 'texturing'.

While the texture isn't really horrible, people with 6 figure Porsches and Lambos bitched about it often, and rightfully so since it was very obvious and out of place when compared to their paint work. On our trucks, I'm pretty sure no one will EVER notice.

E.

 

Looks like clear PlastiDip.

At my job, we have a machine that lazer cuts the Clear Bra sheets to fit any vehicle. No templates for the sides though.

Just leaning into the bed on my Taco scratches the paint.
I'll see if I can do the Clear Bra this week and post pics.

 

E. I hear ya there. Quite frankly I will take slightly orange peel looking plastic coating on my paint over rock and sand, gravel, branches, whatever dinging and scratching the front and sides of my truck. Plus if I had a Porsche or Lambo I most certainly would have it professionally installed.