Clear Bra Installation: Fact vs. Fiction
You love your car and you’ll do everything you can to protect the finish. The last thing you want is to see tons of scratches damaging the gleam of your clear coat. And if you’re like most drivers, the majority of those scratches and blemishes happen on the nose of your car. A clear bra will help protect your precious ride for years to come. But there are some surprising myths circulating about clear bra installation and the materials themselves. Here’s what you need to know.
Clear Bras Don’t Mean You Can’t Maintain the Paint Job
Clear bra installation helps shield your car’s paint job, but that doesn’t mean you can neglect the paint job. The film can still be washed and waxed with the rest of your car. Doing so can even help keep the clear bra in better condition.
All Films Are Not the Same
If you’ve seen one type of protective film, you’ve seen them all, right? When it comes to paint protection films, this is not the case. In fact, low quality films tend to peel or yellow with age. Only a high-quality film will keep your car looking great for years to come. High-quality films, when installed by a professional, will stay clear until you decide to remove them. This means they’ll be nearly invisible and will let people see the pristine paint job underneath.
It Won’t Detract From Your Car’s Resale Value
It might seem like adding any type of film, whether window tinting or a clear bra, would detract from your car’s resale value. Luckily, this is not the case. In fact, adding a clear bra to your ride can actually keep your resale value higher than it would otherwise be. The film can always be removed and beneath that film, your paint job will be near-flawless.
DIY Clear Bra Installation
It’s also recommended to talk to a professional about your clear bra installation. If you rather do it yourself, here are the tools + the steps needed for a successful installation of the clear bra.
What Tools are needed?
- Two 32. Oz Spray Bottles
- Microfiber Towel
- (Baby) Shampoo solution
- A (soft) squeegee
- A Knife
- 50% water and 50% isopropyl solution
- Heat gun, hair dryer or steamer (not required)
Clear Bra Installation Guide
- Make sure the surface of the car is clean (it should be free of grease, bugs, etc..). You can clean the surface thoroughly with an alcohol solution. The surface should also have a temperature between 55ºF & 90ºF. It’s recommended not to install clear film in frigid temperatures or when it’s raining or wet.
- Clean your hands thoroughly (so there’s no dirt) and keep your fingers wet. Your fingers will come in contact with the adhesive side of the material occasionally. Wet fingers will not stick to material or leave marks on it.
- Check everything about the clear bra (part position, size and shape) before installing. Inspect all the parts. We recommend holding the kit up to the car and making sure the pattern is correct as well. Visualizing how the installation is going to go will make the installation easier.
- Spray water solution on the car’s surface. Wash the area of your vehicle where the clear film will be installed.
- Try to pull protective liner back to expose adhesive. You’ll need to spray with solution (do not use too much solution). After that, position clear bra on the car. As long as there is solution under the paint protection film, it can be repositioned.
- Spray solution on top of the paint protection film so you don’t scratch the film. Starting in center, squeegee out solution and any bubbles. Avoid leaving any bubbles under the material.
- Compound curves or recessed areas will need extra care. It’s recommended to rewet the adhesive and slowly squeegee again with firm pressure.
- If any edge has lifted or won’t stay down, spray with a solution of 50% water and 50% isopropyl alcohol. Work down edge with lint free paper towel. If you give the edge some minutes to dry, it’s possible that it will stay down. The towel will absorb the liquid. That way the material will adhere to the painted service.
We’ve written another blog post as well where you can learn everything about removing a clear bra.
Book an Appointment
At SmartFilm, we want to help you protect your paint job as much as possible. Our experienced clear bra installation team will find the perfect solution for your ride. Schedule an appointment today.
