Login/Create an Account
In this video, we're going to show you some great tips and tricks on how to install color change vinyl to create a dramatic transformation on your ATV, four-wheeler or quad bike.
The first step is to take good measurements. All ATVs are broken up into clear sections, so once the measurements are taken, it is a good idea to roll the vinyl out and use magnets to hold the roll upright as the pieces are being cut up.
In general, it is a good idea to start with a center piece because that enables good work flow on the sides and it deals with the main challenge faced when with wrapping ATVs: the deep recessed areas and the severe compound curves that put a lot of stress on the vinyl. So it's all about getting the right tools and techniques. It's a good idea to use a monkey strip on the buffer or a felt edge squeegee so the film doesn't get scratched.
Feed the vinyl deep into the recessed area and then into the curves, with deep cuts are made and then the triangle technique is used. The relief cut is made in the middle material slightly heated and an excess film is pulled away from the body line. Once it's pulled away, it shifts the material from the outside edge and actually feeds it into that middle section. In deeply recessed areas, the material is picked up and fed into the recessed area as opposed to bridged and pushed in. And then once out of the recessed area, the material is spread out to the corner and the materials nice and flat, and it could be squeezed on.
Now for this particular section, called a mouth, the material was stretched away from the outside edge and is now fed into this area, which means it has nice, good long term hold material safely cut away. And then the other side is wrapped the exact same way. I notice here there's a tiny little overlap at the very bottom, but it's hidden exactly where the body line is now. The material is safely cut away from the bottom side. That was wrapped under just a quarter inch. That overlap disappears into the body line, all the recessed areas were fed in for long term hold and for the compound curves. It was a combination of relief cuts and triangles.
Next we move on to the center area which has a very deep recessed area. So pay extra attention in terms of cleaning and degreasing it. So the materials make sure you when you cut your piece, you have enough material left to right, top to bottom. And because this recessed area is so deep, if you bridge the material and push it in the chance of it lifting is very high. In this case, the inside outside point technique is used. In order to accomplish this, we start at the deepest part of the recessed area and then feed out. This requires the use of application of the heat and the squeegee. But this really neutralizes the stretch in the deepest part of the recessed area and then using a combination of the right techniques in this case, the triangle technique to spread the material out to the outside corner. The material can now be fed to the rest of this area here, making a relief cut to relax the material around.
When the material bunches up a little bit, heat is added. Then the material is shaken to spread out the tension and then squeeze it onto the main surface. Even on very tiny recessed areas, the materials picked up off the surface and then guided in with the application of this again neutralizes the tension on these severe, deep recessed areas. And this really helps the material hold for the long term.
Now we move on to another section and knifeless tape is being placed on a transition point from one side to the other side. And this is where the material is going to be cut away. And the next piece, we'll go over this as an overlap. So here the material is being picked up and fed in and the knife was cut away. The reason why this is being wrapped in multiple pieces is because it's such a complex shape that wrapped in one piece will take a long time and may result in the material overstretching.
On the top section, the material is picked up, tucked into the side and then cut away with a very sharp knife. Once this top section is cut away, the squeegee comes in and seals the edge before the excess material is removed. We do the same thing at the bottom. The material is picked up, fed into the tight gap. The blade comes in a 10 degree angle, cuts the excess film away.
The remaining excess film is cut away and removed at a nice angle and then the edges sealed with the flick stream. Now, once this section is done, another run of knifeless tape is coming on this case on another body on the outside edge, and this is Design Line, which has a polyester string that removes quite easily. And then another run of knifeless tape is placed on the first piece that went down. So here the overlap will be about one eighth of an inch. And once the knifeless tape is set up on either side, the piece is placed on. So starting in this case on the flat section and working out toward the outside edge where the curve is, the material is then guided over the knifeless tape, nice and flat and the same for the other side. Once the material is tucked onto the knifeless tape, then it's simply removed. Always be sure to pull out a perpendicular angle so the cut is straight and make sure all the green tape comes out. So once both sides are done, always make sure you come back with heat and a finger to make sure the edges are down nice and tight.
The next section to be applied is the fender area. This area has a severe compound curve. And this is another reason why you want to wrap ATVs in sections. So once the knifeless tape is set on the outside area and on the inside area is ready to be applied. Because it's such a compound curve, starting at the transition between the top and bottom is always smart and spreading the tension out. So here the installer is picking the material up on the bottom line, then spreading the material to the outside corners. This can be done with heat or if the workspace temperature is good, no heat should be needed. But notice how he pulls along the body line, the transitions between the outside and the inside of this Fender piece and then hooks the corners. This smooths out the material.
Then he hooks it on the body line and you can see the material goes nice and flat here. There's a minor recessed area. So he picks the material up to feed it into the recessed area, making sure it's one hundred percent down and you don't want the material to bridging in this area at all. Then he stretches to the corner to create that glass wall, that no wrinkle state of the material. And once the materials on the main area, the knifeless tape is released again, pull perpendicular. And here there's an overlap on the body line, roughly one eighth of an inch wide. This is for long term hold. Plus the edge faces in towards the body of the vehicle. This gives it a it a more seamless look.
This is a very complicated, deep recessed area where the letters are and the material needs to be bridged around this. This looks very good and avoids overstretching the film. And you can see that this tiny section on the back was wrapped in multiple pieces as well. So one for the back and one for the sides. Material is cut cleanly away from the bottom and then come back in with heat and application to seal the edges. Once this back section is done, now the front section is done.
Having pre-measured and cut the materials being wrapped around the front and you can see that there's enough material top to bottom and left to right. This tape was used on the body as prep, so there's no cutting directly on the body with a knife. This avoids long term damage. And you see now the material is stretched around the corners using the triangle technique on this section here, the materials heated and then it's going to be fed into the middle area. So here the material spread out. Then with an application glove, it's fed into the recessed area for no tension. So on minor recessed areas or ones that don't have severe angles like this one, even though it looks big, it's actually moderate. But for other ones, they should be fitted. So here the material is being cut, flushed to the bottom, and immediately the application gloves seals the edge. So here the knife angles away and it's cutting until just flush to the bottom side, nice and clean and straight.
Always use a sharp blade and then come back in with a finger or glove and add heat to bottom sections so the material relaxes underneath the transitions. So here you got full coverage underneath the bottom section here and no tension on the corners and recessed areas. So it's all about technique with ATV's. And it was the free hand holds the material away while the cut is being made in the opposite direction. This creates a nice, good, clean, straight cut. And then the application of seals the deal.
And one of the very good finishing tip for ATV wraps is because they're exposed to a lot of wear and tear. There's also a lot of exposed edges and the surface energy is plastic coming in with a strip of black film, half on the top, half on the plastic. This will help seal the edges and hold any overstretch on these really complicated curves and recessed areas. And the final step is to place tape on one section of the ATV and then do a 360 degree check over. So you loop around the entire ATV and with the felt-edged squeegee application, go off and tucking to the extra throw and double check that all air is out of the recessed areas. All the edges are one hundred percent down and all the overlaps are 100 percent tight. This will ensure long term hold and a quality durable ATV route that will last for years and years.