IMPORTANT:
Read instructions thoroughly before beginning application.
1. Installation should always be performed in a
controlled environment with a temperature range of 60º to 90º
F. Application should never be performed in windy conditions or
in direct sunlight. 2.
Prepare a slip solution in one of the spray bottles, filling it
with water and adding 2 or 3 large drops of baby shampoo. When
properly mixed, the solution should sheet off the hood but not
produce many suds. Prepare the alcohol/water solution using 1
part alcohol to 2 parts water.
3. Contamination such as road
tar, grease, oil, wax, dirt, and bug residue should be removed
by cleaning the surface to be covered with the wax and silicone
remover. Spray the surface thoroughly with the alcohol solution
and wipe with the non-scratch absorbent cloth.
4. Verify size and placement
of all parts before removing liner.
5. Clean hands thoroughly,
even the smallest amount of dirt on your hands will transfer to
the adhesive, causing an undesirable appearance. Also, always
keep your fingers wet to prevent the adhesive from sticking to
your fingers, and do not needlessly handle the adhesive side of
the material. It will be necessary to handle the adhesive side
of the material occasionally, but make any contact with the adhesive
as brief as possible and with wet fingers. This is important,
as fingerprints will show through the material.
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6. Wet the area of the hood where the kit will
be applied, and your fingers with the slip solution. With the
material rolled up, pull a small amount of the film away from
the liner on one end. With your hand, wipe a 2” section
at the edge of the hood allowing the kit to “tack”
onto the edge, which will allow you to “roll” the
film onto the hood. With the rest of the kit rolled up in one
hand, use your other hand to hold the end of the material that
you have pulled loose from the liner down on one end of the hood.
Then, slowly begin to pull the liner towards the other end of
the hood, causing the material to be slowly rolled out on to the
hood. If the kit has a relief cut in it, be careful when rolling
out the material on the hood so as not to stretch or tear the
material in this area. You may have to use your fingers to free
the material around the relief cut from the liner. Once past the
relief cut you may proceed normally. A relief cut would be considered
any narrow cut-out in the material which deviates from the normal
hood line for the purpose of allowing the material to lay flat
over heavily contoured surfaces.
7. Now that the material is laying out on the
surface, it will be necessary to apply more of the slip solution
between the hood and the material to allow the kit to be easily
positioned on the hood. Lift the material from the hood one side
at a time to spray the material and the hood with the slip solution.
It may require a bit of gentle tugging to lift the material from
the hood, but care must be taken not to excessively stretch the
material.
8. Now that the material moves freely on the
hood, you may easily position the kit into place. The kit should
be positioned between 1/16” and 1/8” from the front
edge of the hood and centered between the fenders. Also, be sure
that the kit is level across the width of the hood. The kit may
not line up with every edge of the hood; this is normal since
stretching may be needed to relieve excess material caused from
the curvature of the vehicle’s dimensions. As long as the
kit is symmetrical from one side to the other, you can proceed
to the next step, however, if it is not, you must re-align the
kit, ensuring the whole kit is symmetrical at every edge.
9. Once you have the kit in place, spray a small
amount of alcohol in the center of the hood between the hood and
the kit. Make several small vertical strokes with the squeegee
in the very center of the hood, starting gently and then increasing
pressure with each stroke until you have an area 3-4" wide
from top to bottom that is free of the solution. The shield is
now "anchored" to the paint in the center and will not
move freely, which means you do not have to worry about the kit
sliding out of place.
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10. Now that the material is anchored in the
center, lift one end of the material back to the point at which
the material has adhered, and spray the adhesive side of the material
and the hood with the slip solution. Place your hand on top of
the kit stretch the kit into position making sure that the kit
lines up along the grill and the edge of the hood. Take your alcohol/water
solution and spray the edge of the kit forcing the solution between
the kit and the hood and take your squeegee and “tack”
the corner. The alcohol/water solution allows the adhesive to
adhere to the paint rather quickly, holding the kit along the
edge of the hood. (Please note that when using the alcohol/water
solution, the material will dry very quickly, so it will be necessary
to work quickly to achieve the desired appearance.)
11. From the center of the area that is now
free of slip solution, make a horizontal pass with your squeegee
to the edge of the hood. Then, starting back in the center, make
short, upward, overlapping strokes from the middle to the top
edge moving toward the first contoured are of the hood. Now, do
the same with downward strokes from the middle to the bottom edge
until you reach the contoured of the hood. Keep in mind that firm
pressure is needed to avoid leaving water or air bubbles trapped
underneath the material.
12. Squeegee the trailing edge of the kit down
into the ridge on the hood until it is completely sealed. This
can be the trickiest part of the installation so pay close attention
to this step. Drag your fingertips downward through the contoured
area using firm pressure and hold. Doing this will stretch the
material down into this heavily contoured area and pull out the
majority of the excess material along the front edge of the kit.
It is important to not let the material pop back up in the area
above your fingertips. For the most part, suction alone will be
holding the material down at this point. If you do not hold firm,
even pressure with your fingertips on the film, air will be allowed
back in and the film will come back up. A small bubble under the
film is allowable. If you encounter larger bubbles you may need
to release the material, re-wet the area and retry this step.
With the material now in this position, follow behind your fingertips
with the squeegee to complete the step.
13. While stretching downward on the film around
the grille, squeegee the film from the ridge to the headlamp using
firm pressure.
14. If any area around the edges has lifted
back up, you should wrap a paper towel around your squeegee and
go over the edges again. This will absorb the moisture around
the edges that interferes with adhesion.
15. Repeat steps 10-15 for the opposite side
of the hood.
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14. For the smaller fender pieces, you can use
the alcohol/water solution alone to apply the part. It is usually
best to start by lining up the upper edge of the piece with the
edge of the fender, while also ensuring that the front edge is
about an 1/8”of an inch away from the edge as well.
15. Make a very gentle narrow pass with the
squeegee along the upper edge of the piece. Do not press too hard
on the squeegee when making the first pass or you will drag the
material out of place with the squeegee. Then, as the material
begins to adhere to the paint, you may use increasingly firmer
strokes until all the alcohol/water solution is removed from beneath
the upper edge of the material.
16. Once the material is anchored at the top,
you should gently pull the bottom edge down with your fingers
while making sure that the adhesive is thoroughly wet with the
alcohol/water solution. Then, while pulling downward on the material,
make a firm pass with the squeegee from the top edge all the way
through the bottom.
17. Finish up by going over any remaining "fingers"
in the material with the squeegee. For vehicles that have heavily
contoured fenders, you may need to wrap the squeegee with a paper
towel to push out any stubborn areas.
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18. Using the alcohol and water solution, thoroughly
wet the mirror and lay out the material on the surface. Ensure
there is enough solution present so the kit moves freely on the
surface. Align the kit so it is positioned evenly around the edge
of the mirror and squeegee in place around the inside edge.
19. With wet fingers, stretch outward firmly
until most of the excess wrinkles are pulled out from the top
and bottom of the kit.
20. Using very firm pressure, squeegee from
the inside edge of the mirror (where you started) to the outside
edge of the mirror. Using enough pressure, the squeegee should
“flex” (or bend) indicating a firm amount of pressure
that is required to lay the material down evenly.
21. Now squeegee the wrinkles that are left
on the edges. Once again, you should notice a bend in the squeegee
indicating the extreme pressure being applied to the film. Once
you are down to the last few wrinkles you may then proceed to
step 22.
22. Using a Chizler wrapped in a non-scratch
absorbent cloth, continue to squeegee the remaining wrinkles using
firm pressure.
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When finished applying all of the pieces to the car, go back
and check all of the edges to make sure nothing has lifted up.
If an area has a small finger that has developed, spray some of
the alcohol/water solution into the finger and squeegee again.
This time though, hold your finger on the spot where you squeegeed
for a minute or so and the material should stay down. Make sure
the car is not washed for at least a day.
Be sure to overlap strokes to avoid trapping air or solution
under the material.
Bubbles tend to form most often at curves and contours, so pay
special attention.
Excessive stretching is not recommended. However,
some gentle stretching may be required to fit some curves.
The material may be gently pulled back up in areas if necessary
to reposition the kit, or if you find that you have trapped dirt,
air or an excessive amount of solution under the material. Do
not worry about small pockets of solution trapped under the material,
as over time the solution will evaporate, making the spot unnoticeable.
Air, however, must be removed. Any attempt to pull the material
back up must be done within 10 minutes of application, otherwise
excessive stretching will occur, so check the kit often for bubbles.
If you accidentally stretch the material too far, you may end
up with the kit overlapping the sides of the hood. When this occurs,
it will be necessary to trim the edges of the kit with an Olfa
knife (or other window tinting knife). Take care not to cut all
the way through the material into the paint. You need only cut
through the urethane layer, not all the way through the adhesive
and into the paint. Be very gentle at first, increasing pressure
if necessary to get through the film. Then pull away the excess
film with your fingernail.
Relief cuts can be tricky to lay down.
It is imperative you do not stretch the area around the relief
cut, or you will have a more difficult time putting it on. If
you are unsure about how to attempt the area around the relief
cut or if you have other questions, be sure to call our toll free
technical support number for assistance before you begin at 1-800-447-9928
or (210) 342-7114, extension 204.
No special care is necessary for your kit once installed. You
may wash and wax it just as you do the rest of your car. You may
experience a wax build up along the hood lines and other kit edges.
Use a Q-tip or a soft brush to gently wipe away excess wax. Swirl
marks can be buffed out with a light coat of wax. When using high-pressure
sprayers, do not place the nozzle directly against the edge of
the kit, or lifting may occur. Avoid picking at the edges or corners.
Irreparable lifting of the material will result.
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