graphics installation tips ?

[450rJam]

They where back ordered but should be here this week.
I have been told that draining the fuel tank a day prior to install will help with the application,
I have also heard that soapy water and a "window tint" squeegy is as good as the installation kits on the net?
please post your hints and tricks of what works and what dont.
let me and others learn from your success and mistakes.
I tried to do a search but came up with sea doo and seat cover information.

[ryann mx68]

install your seat cover b4 you put on your tank graphics, you'll be able to line them up better if u do it this way.

[sunco]

I'm gonna do mine also. I'm gonna power wash. clean w/ brake cleaner. wash again & apply. The braker cleaner takes off the unwanted but you gotta make sure you wash good after that because the brake cleaner brakes down the glue & ya don't want your knew graphics coming off.

[therockstar]

I just installed mine about a week ago. (quadfast graphics)
I dont suggest and hard solvents, (like the other guy said, it will break down the glue if any is left over)
I washed mine good with a rag, hot water and dish soap.
Make sure the graphics fit to the section you are going to install 1st before installing. (I had some parts the required very small trimming)
Then the section you are going to do, spray with water, take the backing off the graphics and spray that with water too. this allows you to move em around a bit and they wont stick so fast. once in place, squeegy out water and bubbles. (I used the window tint squeegy.)
I didnt take my tank off. Maybe I am just lazy, but I figure if the plastic breaths anyway, It shouldnt matter.
The tank graphics have the air holes so they shouldnt come off if the plastic breaths.
Anyway, mine are on great, I dont think i could take em off if i tried! : )
Good luck!

[450rJam]

thankx for the input, I put some number backgrounds on and they didnt stick too well.............
I guess there was some armor-all left from weeks before that did was off well enough.

[sunco]

I'm doing mine today. So leave the gas in? I have adapt & I was taking the front fenders apart. I took the clips/bolts out. What about the two rivets in the fender? Should I drill them out & try to find a like kind or just trim the vinyl? By the way , my directions said. wash ,wipe down w/ alcohol, use water on both & wipe out. & do remove the gas.

[450rJam]

if it says remove gas then im going to remove gas
I want a good job when im done and if it just means pulling the hose and running it back into a can thats what ill do
I just found out my kids have been taking the ups stickers off the
door, the guy has been trying to deliver my decals all week
ohhhhrrrrrrrrrrr
I called them and they said they would deliver it to my work monday.
did the instructions say anything about temp. or humidity when installing ?
please post pics of your finished product.

[sunco]

nothing on temp. just drain fuel out & let venting take place for 24 hrs before appling. It so the glue cures on the tank , after that it should be ok.

[nowukno]

I have been looking at bomb squad or quadfast graphics but i was wondering how they will hold up to my worn/scratched plastic. What do you guys think?

[sunco]

never had to drain the gas before. I looked around & took my tank off. So much easier & no gas dripping on my quad. Now the tank is open w/ no gas in it. Monday I'll due the tank & put all the plastic back on.

[DirtDevilBT]

I didn't see anything about draining the gas in the directions. Either way, it will breathe once you put gas in it again, not sure if 24hours will make a difference. Don't use water on the tank sticker.

Again, never heard about the draining of the gas but my One Industries with the holes bubbled some at first. After about 3 weeks to a month the bubbles went away. I just used water on the other stickers and kept the plastics on.

Take your time and good luck. Patients is your best friend here.

[sunco]

IMO ,I think its about the glue curring. With the vapors gone - the glue does its thing - put gas back in & enjoy the new look. Once again I have the adapt graphics.



http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j34/sunco_2006/graphics008.jpg

Look how bad it looks around the tank. In the picture only one side of the tank is complete.I trimmed it & made it look better now.

[bwilson624]

What about just stickers. I bought some stuff recently and it came with stickers. Well I put them on and when I washed it off, most of them came with the water. Is there any certain thing to do about putting stickers on? Just curious.

[sunco]

Clean w/ alcohol & then put on but the stickers might not have had great glue to begin w/.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j34/sunco_2006/graphics009.jpg

[bwilson624]

I suppose you're right. Thanks though

[sunco]

I finished my graphic. I need to put all the bolts back. I was not impress when installing it. I'll show you what I mean as soon as someone tells me how to post pix. I think I'm gonna trim the vinyl to my own liking which is different than adapt shows it in their own advertizing ad.They only show one view & its at an angle so you don't see real life look.

[2MuchChi450R]

you'll need the following items when installing graphic kits:
rubbing alcohol
windex
a soft rag/towel
and a hair dryer

When i install graphics I use all the above. Clean and prep first with the alcohol, then mist the graphics with windex and then mist the plastics. This way, the graphics will slide around a little so you can put them into position without stretching the graphics tearing it off after you put it on a little less than straight. After you've got the graphics where you want them, start pressing on them with the rag/towel and use the hairdryer to soften the graphics, plus dry out the windex, and the glue will stick better after doing so. If there's any bubbles, you can usually still get them out with the rag and a little pressure. If not, use a needle to pop it and there's no sign of doing so. Hope this helps any future installs :)

Oh yeah, if you're trying to install stock graphics, good luck, I've gone through several using the same method, but they're too thin to pull apart if they flop over, not to mention they'll move and then stop and you're screwed.

i thought windex would cause the glue to break down?

i know i've used windex to remove glue from car windows that had graphics taken off.

[sunco]

You are correct. I'm in the window business & when caulk get on the glass windex takes it off.

[450rJam]

ok the graphics are on and I think it looks pretty good.
thankx for all your help.

[450rJam]

other side

[bwilson624]

Those look great. Have you heard anything about a matching seat cover? Those are the exact ones I want. I think they look really good on the black platstics. Did you get them direct from one industries? Someone told me that magicracing.com had them for a good price. How much did those run you?

[450rJam]

I had a hard time finding these, someone on here said they stopped making them.
I got these at motoworldracing.com it was $64.95 shipped
they did have a kit with seat cover but it was more $ and
by the pic they had it looked like the stock all black one.
I would like to see one installed.
the only bad thing is the kit is for the kicker so if you look where the kickstart would set into the plastic there is a odd looking spot.
I wish I could find backgrounds the same color as the tribal lines.
I have updog silver but they are pretty bright compaired to the
graphics kit, I stuck them on with electrical tape (to do a visual)
and its too much.
I did spend some time on the aluminum bumper,grab bar, levers
polishing them to a near chrome shine.

[bwilson624]

Good luck on finding those backgrounds. Yeah I believe thats how much magicracing.com had them for also. Anyway, great looking bike, I can't wait till I get mine. Were the stock graphics a PITA to get off?

[2MuchChi450R]

Originally posted by force
i thought windex would cause the glue to break down?

i know i've used windex to remove glue from car windows that had graphics taken off.

it must just be my luck :p I've used windex on my truck windows after peeling a sticker off and it just smudges it around, I've actually had to use goof-off or the likes (the stuff you really need to use outdoors!). I've yet to have a set of graphics peel when I've used my method, but that's me. I'm not saying you're wrong in any way either, but I've had good luck so far.

I've talked to several window guys and they said that baby shampoo breaks glue down the best, but never personally tried it :(

[450rJam]

actually the originals where super easy to take off and they restuck really good to the wifes 250ex
haha supose she will scare anyone with that monster ?

[Boxer]

Speaking of graphics, I'm new to the site and graphics for my bike. I did some research through this site and found a graphic that I liked ,went to a webpage and saw a red and black graphic scallop like design for a red bike (flame like without the flame shape if thats clear at all). Anyways I forgotten the sebsite now and the manufacturer, any ideas? Sorry to be so vague but I want to go graphic.

Thanks,
Boxer

[450rJam]

I think the ones your speaking of are on goforitgraphics.com
if its the ones im thinking of they are called inferno red
they are like flames but just outlined, they have alot of different
ones most are $99.00

[sunco]

I tried to post pix , they didn't come up. I did what you said

[Boxer]

Thanks 450RJam,

But thats not the ones, they had black also with a more pointed scallop, the webpage also had two rows of pictures with 450r's (black and red) with graphics on them. I thought the price may have been just over 100 with a seat cover also. Sorry for the bother but I need the help.

Boxer

[ryann mx68]

quadfast?

or you could look through the graphics sticky, theres alot of posts and pics.

[ryann mx68]

quadfast