The bottom of truck sides graphics best vinyl to use

[D Creative]

Hi, I am a new member if my question has already been answered in another thread please share as I have missed it Thank you. I have been doing cutting and installation of vinyl graphics on truck "mid door" I have a customer that would like a graphic design at the bottom/ along the truck sides. Now I'm thinking what is the best vinyl to use ( I was thinking cast) but what about durability for rock and debris. Should I be using something different?

 

[Jessy_1]

Hi, I am a new member if my question has already been answered in another thread please share as I have missed it Thank you. I have been doing cutting and installation of vinyl graphics on truck "mid door" I have a customer that would like a graphic design at the bottom/ along the truck sides. Now I'm thinking what is the best vinyl to use ( I was thinking cast) but what about durability for rock and debris. Should I be using something different?

Cast vinyl for sure. Anything that requires some sort of wrapping should be used on cast vinyl, because it has the longest longevity and is less likely to fail then a calendar vinyl which doesn't like to bend. If your printing we use Arlon SLX+ Series. Or if it's just black cut we use the oracal 970 series.

Durability wise, unfortunately I don't really know a way to stop it, vinyl is so thin there isn't much that can protect it. You could ppf some of it to help with the worst of it ( right behind the tire).

One thing to note about layering like that is because the ppf would be going on top of the vinyl once the vinyl fails so will the ppf.

 

[untitled]

I'd being using either a cast cut vinyl like Oracal 751/951 or Avery SC950, depending on availability. If you want air release vinyl I'd be using the 3M 2080, which might be overkill for this since you are going to have to tape it anyway, but at least you'd have air release so it will be a bit easier to install.

 

[D Creative]

Thank you

 

[Precision]

Because we only use 3M. I would print this on 3M Ij175cv3/with 3M 8518 gloss laminate, then cut on the Graphtec, mask and install.

 

[tulsagraphics]

Don't worry about durability from scratches. It doesn't matter what material you use -- if a rock is gonna hit something, it's gonna leave a mark. Cast vs. calendered? Yeah, the calendared is thicker, but that doesn't mean "better" or "more resilient". we're only talking about the difference of a few mil thickness. That's nothing. Cast will hold up better over time (less lifting / curling), and it's the correct material for EVERY vehicle job. Calendared films aren't designed for long term wear (many times having permanent adhesives) and they're a PITA to remove. More likely to damage paint, etc.

SLX is fine for a "budget" cast film (is anything 'budget" these days? lol), but for vehicles I care about (hint: all of them), I use 3M IJ180 or IJ175 + 8518 gloss lam. I've also had good success with Avery. I'm sure Orafol/Oracal is good too -- many folks love Orafol around here. I just personally haven't tried them because my regular distributors don't carry it. For me it's 3M all the way.

 

[Gino]

There is a clear vinyl, just for this problem. Use cast for your decoration and cover the whole area with the heavy-duty laminate. It has a pebbly type surface and is about 30m thick.

 

[tulsagraphics]

There is a clear vinyl, just for this problem. Use cast for your decoration and cover the whole area with the heavy-duty laminate. It has a pebbly type surface and is about 30m thick.

Oh yeah, I forgot about those specialty protection films. It's probably been 10+ years since a customer asked me for it. I think it was a 3M polyurethane based film... maybe 12mil? It reminded me of clear packaging tape. Whatever it was -- I remember it was super pricey.

 

[Gino]

I don't really remember the thickness. It.could easily be 12. I just know it was really good stuff.