Has anyone ever experienced bubbles under the clear bra, due to new paint releasing gasses, or experienced paint peeling while removing your clear bra, which had originally been applied less than 30 days after painting the surface?

I ask because I just had a new aerokit bumper painted and installed. I spoke to a local detailer, and he suggested I should wait 60 days (!) before applying the clear bra. The body shop felt that 30 days would be enough of a wait. (In fact, the body shop was ready to install the clear bra the next day, saying that they would put the bumper in the oven for extra time).

Now I'm confused, and there is too much conflicting information out there. So I would like to hear if folks have been successful installing clear film soon after painting, or have experienced issues.

For your amusement, here's a picture of how I drove the car home covered in "seran wrap" !!...

 

Fresh paint needs 60+ days to cure before you clear bra! or so I've been told. Same with applying wax or sealer.

 

It depends if they bake the paint. Mikes auto body, well known porsche shop in MA puts on the clear bra 1 day after baking...

Matt

 

I had the front of my DD repainted and the shop left the car in their paint booth for several extra hours to bake the paint and then they installed the clear bra. They had a problem on the underside of the bumper but it was not visible unless you looked under the car. In the future, I would try to time a paint job for good weather and leave the car sit outside in direct sunlight for at least a week of curing before installing a bra.

 

I'm not doubting you but sometimes things do not make sense to my pea brain. Say you buy a newly delivered 911 from a dealer (or order a car). It is in your possession well within 60 days of manufacture/painting (but very likely outside the 30 day window). Clear bras and waxing are (often) done up front and there has not been anything that I have seen or heard to indicate this is a problem. I do not know much about painting but is there some special process that they use in the factory to cure paint?

Parenthetically, cars do get damaged during shipment and may be repaired at or near the unlading point. We never hear about this (unless you know a chatty tech) but abrasion/dent repair does not seem to preclude the dealership from waxing inventory. Just an observation.

 

I studied and painted 2 cars already. So though not pro, here is my input:

Unlike shops, the car factories use baking to hasten the curing process. I thought I also recall infrared for curing. Shops just use good old nature to let the paint dry. Have you noticed that parts painted by shops aren't as nick resistant as factory? Again, it's bcoz of the methods use by factories.

I have spoken with about 3 bra installers. I don't know if by chance, but they all mentioned 30 days. If I were you, I would go ahead an let your bumper be exposed to the sun for a week and let the sun, heat and air help hasten the curing process. Then take it in after 2 weeks.

Btw, as a side note, paint never really dries up (and should not). That's the reason why we apply wax: to keep it from drying up.

My hood and bumper will soon need to be repainted. I plan on letting the sun drying it up and take it in after 2 weeks for a clear bra.

 

Just reread your post again. Have you considered letting them bake it again, have them do the bra, and get a warranty from them?

 

On a previous car I had a new bumper painted and they wanted me to wait a week before putting clear bra on. Don't know if they baked it, but I had zero problems with the paint or bra.

 

I am also in MA and I'm the owner of Unique Car Care. I do lots of clear bra jobs and I typically wait at least 30 days on fresh paint that hasn't been baked before applying clear bra.


If it has been baked, I typically wait about a week just to be safe.


I'm sure everyone will have a different opinion...


I know Mike well and he does great work. As long as the car was prepped properly before the repaint, I doubt you will have any issues in the future if the film needs to be removed or replaced for any reason.


Good luck!

 

I agree with Rick. 30 days is the rule of thumb unless it was baked... which speeds up the curing process. Most cars get 3M applied within days at the factory of painting... and 3M has a very strong adhesive. I have never had any issues removing film from the factory.