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DIY stone guard application: how to ruin your clear coat like a boss
I just had to share this sad, sad story with you all, and get some catharsis. Just finished getting my 2006 Carrera S freshly detailed and coated with Gtechniq C1 and hydrophobic top layer. The final piece was adding back the stone guards.
Well, I ordered the OEM 3M stone guards and decided to apply them myself. For some reason, the adhesive turned cloudy or had some kind of bad reaction, so I decided to take them off.
... And as I peeled the stone guards off, a huge patch of clear coat came off with it. Then I go into berserk mode and decide to try the other side. YEP, DID IT AGAIN ON THE OTHER SIDE.
Then I just sat down on the ground for half an hour and stared through my hot burning tears of shame at the damage.
Local body shop confirmed the area was factory paint spec, and they are mystified why this would happen.
Yikes! Sorry to see that. It won't help to say this now, but it's always: wet method plus hair dryer for install, and hair dryer for removal. At least that's how I've done it the couple of times I've dealt with them. So, respray both sections? Paint too, or just new clear?
I feel your pain through the internet man. Go get something strong to drink.
I've been swigging bourbon straight out of the bottle for 36 hours, still hurts.
Originally Posted by Ten Years
Yikes! Sorry to see that. It won't help to say this now, but it's always: wet method plus hair dryer for install, and hair dryer for removal. At least that's how I've done it the couple of times I've dealt with them. So, respray both sections? Paint too, or just new clear?
Paint shop says complete sand down, repaint, reclear. The silver lining is they think they can do it without needing to blend into any other panels other than the two rear quarter panels -- but as you know, these "rear quarter panels" extend all the way up the roof to the A-pillar. At least it'll be Glasurit paint.
And yeah, the ironic thing is, I had my hair dryer sitting unplugged on the ground next to me the entire time. Pure idiocy on my part.
Yes feel your pain as well. I tried to remove them on my 993 and ended up having to repaint one of the rear quarters. I have the replacements for my 997 but am frankly terrified to try and take them off!
Perhaps putting on black stone guards to cover it up would be a fix?
I thought about getting those magnetic black stone guards... but then with my luck, who knows how much worse it would get with moisture getting in under the open clear coat.
I thought about getting those magnetic black stone guards... but then with my luck, who knows how much worse it would get with moisture getting in under the open clear coat.
There are other options besides the magnetic stone guards in black. I changed my stone guards myself but instead of using the Porsche replacement stone guards I had my clear bra guy cut some out of the clear bra material. He had the template in a computer already and they came out exactly the same size. I chose to use the clear bra material because the factory stone guards have a tendency to yellow. The material is slightly thinner but if its good enough to protect the front of the car I figure it's good enough to protect the quarter-panel. Check the forum for black stone guards, some folks have had matte-black wrap material used with good success. Any local clear bra place should be able to make you up a set very easily. Certainly an option versus re-spraying that section of the car...
NOTE: I know of paint damage even when using a heat gun to soften the film and adhesive. My factory protectors have yellowed but I value my factory Carerra White too much to risk removing the guards.
09-17-2015, 05:14 PM
DIY stone guard application: how to ruin your clear coat like a boss
