The right way to prepare bodykit for paint spray

[Milgram]

I approached two paint shops and both had a different philosophy when it came to preparing the side-skirts (of the bodykit) for paint spray.

 

One shop would fuse the side-skirts to the main car body and made them look like they are a part of the car itself through the use of putty and then spray paint it.

 

The other shop advised against this, saying that the putty would crack (and therefore, there would be a paint crack as well) when the car travel too often on uneven roads. This shop said that it would spray paint the body kit and then use silicon to seal up the gap between the side skirts and the main car body.

 

Which method is the RIGHT way of patching the side skirts for pain spray? Won't the silicon crack at some point too? Please advise. Thanks!

[Soya]

the 2nd method is correct as the joints need to flex and u will see hairline cracks wif putty.

[Milgram]

Okay, thanks dude!

[Spindecker]

heu bro,

which shop recommend the second method as most of the shop i went use the first method. care to share?

[Saaber]

There is no right or wrong way, it depends on your preference..

 

Method 1 can be done and the effect is very long lasting, but u use silicon and and just a bit of putty to smooth the surface.......can show u many live samples leh...

[Zen]

i agree, method 1 give u a integrated look. Side skirts is actually quite all right to do an integrated look, bumper alittle tough.

 

i got a pic if you want to see the 'integrated look'

[Saaber]

it is easy to do for bumper too......

[Zen]

tough not in terms of fabrication, but in terms of usage. For lowered ride, the chances of bumper havng impact on the ground is higher, hence higher chance of cracking. But still, it's not too bad.

[Saaber]

well, it depends on the skill of the painter when doing the patching job using a combination of silicon and putty... but any hard impart on any bumper will cause damage be it intergrated or not...

[Imamiah]

digging out an old thread.

any bro can recommend a body works shop that does sealing (caulking) of gaps between bodykits?

e.g. see my pic below. Pic one side skirts got seaing. Pic two does not have sealing. Thers a gap.

[Terenc3]

Actually out in the market, this is the 2 main methods.. Both got pros and cons..

 

1st Method is what mostly call rivetting. They rivet the kits to the body. Putty the edges then spray. Kits will look as if its part of ther body and thus, nicer to some people. However, paint will crack along the edges after sometime.

 

2nd Method is called bolt on. Which people will tend to say dun look as nice but defnitely last longer. =)

 

See see which you like lor? =)

[Hobbes187]

I'm using the 2nd method... I've seen examples of those done with putty and if they crack the paintwork becomes quite unsightly. But they look much nicer if in good conditions.

[Hobbes187]

You can try buying black silicon from any hardware shop and DIY... quite easy really...

[Imamiah]

my kit was done w a bolt on coz afraid that 1st method will crack.

[Imamiah]

was thinkg do DIY w black silicon, but cant find leh. only grey, white n clear silicon availble

where to find ah?

[Hobbes187]

I've seen black ones before... Try the hardware shops along Balestier roads... I've seen my installer buy some from one of the shophouses there. Just apply into the gap and use one finger to run across to smoothen out the excess... Simple and cheap.

[Imamiah]

thanks bro!

just seal n let dry?

[Terenc3]

Yup.. Rivetting definitely will crack after sometime.. =) Mine bolt on without silicon.. Hahaha.. Still finding the silicon..