skiph Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 OK. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to cut and paste info from the Shelby Newsletter that is one of the many things you get with membership. But since I'm one of many that was immediatly interested in the best way to care for my stripes, I thought I would post it here. Good stuff straight from the SVT! Dashboard Tips: This month we are highlighting our striping facility so read on! Next, is the caring for your new stripes Here are some simple "do`s and don`ts" for insuring your stripes receive the attention they deserve. STRIPE TIP #1 Never ever, pressure wash your stripes! The pressure in most nozzles is far too high for a vinyl surface and can cut holes through the vinyl as well as lift edges causing adhesion failure. Remember, if a pressure washer can break your skin and cause serious injury to you, then it is not a huge leap in logic to assume that you can do serious damage to a vinyl or urethane stripe. STRIPE TIP #2 Always keep wax on your paint as well as your stripes. Protecting your exterior with a regular coat of wax will help keep it protected from the sun as well as acid rain, atmospheric fallout, metallic dust, oxidation, water spots, and most kinds of animal poop. Remember if these things can damage today`s automotive grade paints and clear coats, your stripes can easily fall victim to neglect as well. Some areas may require more frequent wax application. STRIPE TIP #3 Avoid parking your car under trees. A hot summer day can make a nice shady tree look mighty tempting. But remember, trees can drip sap and other liquids, as well as berries and fruit which can stain paint and vinyl stripes. Just look at the sidewalk or asphalt under most trees, there`s your sign! STRIPE TIP #4 When washing your vehicle with a rag or sponge, once you get to the areas where there are stripes, wipe in the direction that the stripe runs. Never wipe in the opposite direction that the vinyl is applied. This is especially true for corners. Use the same technique for drying. When it comes to text and odd shaped areas, gently clean the area using soft linear motions, and when drying these areas it is better to dab gently than rub. Microfiber towels are very popular today, but great care must be taken when using them around vinyl. Never wipe against the edge or corner of a vinyl graphic, especially with a Microfiber towel. Over time you can cause lifting and adhesion failure. STRIPE TIP #5 Let your new stripes cure. New car owners that have vinyl stripes installed should keep in mind that the stripes are usually still "green" or soft and will completely set and become more hardened over time. As a general rule, 6 to 12 months is an acceptable cure time and your stripes will start looking more like paint. This is because the surface of the vinyl will become flatter, smoother, more uniform, and will take the form of the surface they are applied to. Your stripes, graphics, and paint if properly cared for will remain great looking and long lasting. (From Donnie Beson) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skiph Posted June 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 Make that Care and FEEDING. Geeze. Can't type today.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRQuarto Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 Interesting read, some good information there! I wish they would give me a more definitive answer about water spotting though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackhawkpilot Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 Good stuff, thanks for posting it. I didn't realize the microfiber could cause problems if used incorrectly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 I think that these instructions will prevent water spots. I chose ICE because it was the one "wax" that they recommended for all surfaces (including the stripes and other plastic parts). Also, drying/wiping with the edge of the stripe is an good recommendation. Wiping any application from the side is an invitation to lift it at that edge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aobrien Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 I think that these instructions will prevent water spots. I chose ICE because it was the one "wax" that they recommended for all surfaces (including the stripes and other plastic parts). Also, drying/wiping with the edge of the stripe is an good recommendation. Wiping any application from the side is an invitation to lift it at that edge. I agree some sort of protection is a must, Ice or I use Zaino. The big thing I make sure of is I never let the car dry in the hot sun after washing it. I pull in the garage and dry it. This doesn't seem to be an issue with rain water just water from the hose, I guess it is the minerals in the city water. Anyway on past car I noticed that if it dried in the sun after washing I would get hard to remove water spots. I have not installed a filter or ionizer, drying it in the garage seems to work fine, but that good coat of protection is very important. To remove the spots a clay bar has seemed to work, but your mileage may vary depending on age and type of spots. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skiph Posted June 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 I'm a believer in Zaino now. Did my first real cleaning and waxing today. It's AMAZING how little of the Z2 it takes to do thw whole car. UFB! But I did learn, that I should wait until the humidity is not the 90+% that it was today. I used the ZX additive and it's STILL not dry after 3 hrs! Sooo....it's now in the garrage, with the A/C on and a fan blowing the dryer are into the garrage to help it dry. Not going to be putting 2 coats on it today. :angry2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aobrien Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 I realy like it. Some say it is alot of work, but I find once you have the initial cleaning, clay bar, Z2 and Z5 then maintining it is not too bad. Ice is popular with folks here too. I have used Ice on lighter color cars and it seems to work well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aobrien Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 I'm a believer in Zaino now. Did my first real cleaning and waxing today. It's AMAZING how little of the Z2 it takes to do thw whole car. UFB! But I did learn, that I should wait until the humidity is not the 90+% that it was today. I used the ZX additive and it's STILL not dry after 3 hrs! Sooo....it's now in the garrage, with the A/C on and a fan blowing the dryer are into the garrage to help it dry. Not going to be putting 2 coats on it today. :angry2: Forgot to ask, did the spots come out? Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skiph Posted June 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Forgot to ask, did the spots come out? Al Spots? I did not have any spots that I saw. No water spots. Was looking good, just wanted to clean it up and get a couple of coats of the good stuff on. But it's supposed to rain tomorrow, so I could be stuck with just one coat, or putting another coat on with it in the garrage. I have a dehumidifier running in there now too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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