SondorsMXS
Member
I purchased some 3M clear bra when I first got the bike. Did the forks, down tube, top tube, seat stay and chain stay. Now finally got to the battery box. I get it, its a bike, it's supposed to get scratched. BUT...for the OCD in you (and me), we can't stand scratches...on anything we own. And thus the disease is born...lol.
I bought a 24" by 48" 3M clear bra from Amazon. I decided to make a template for the battery box from poster board, because this stuff is expensive. Don't take a chance on the cheaper stuff. I did ONCE. 3M from here on out. I made one template, didn't like it so I made another with cleaner lines. The left side only (or "drivers side in my case-lol) will have a half circle cut out for the knob you use to open the box.
1. Cut a template out of poster board (optional, but suggested for such a big expensive piece)
2. Clean the entire battery box with rubbing alcohol.
3. Use a clean spray bottle and spray the battery box with a good mist.
4. Remove the rubber plug if you want the clear bra hole for that plug a smaller diameter. If not, no big deal.
5. Wet your fingers as to not leave any finger prints and apply the 3M clear bra after you completely remove the backing. Make sure the battery box is wet so you can easily reposition.
6. I used a felt tipped squeegee to squeegee the water out (included with the Vvivid 3M kit. Note: Vvivid just trims down the 3M into smaller sections to sell. 3M doesn't sell bike sized rolls).
7. I found that lining it up generally to shape first, then making the circles line up exactly, and then positioning the shape of the battery box exactly worked best for me.
8. I also found that the wetter it was, the easier it was to manipulate into position, and get all the air bubble out. I had a few very small patches of "condensation" under BRIGHT inspection light, and though may evaporate out per 3M's directions, decided to take a chance and pull the edge back, wet it again, and then re-squeegee that part back. Sometimes as much as 3-4 times. Then it came out MUCH better, almost perfect. No loss in adhesion while wet.
9. Finish it up with a heat gun pass to seal it up.
It already saved me on my chain stay last week. I backed up my fender-equipped beach cruisier into the MXS so hard I thought instantly "That's a scratch...". It was, but looks like the 3M clear bra saved me! I live at the beach and scratch turn into rust and rust turns into lost money. So the OCD thing does have some merits. Pic 1204 is before the battery box clear bra, pic 1220 is after it has been applied. VERY hard to see.
I bought a 24" by 48" 3M clear bra from Amazon. I decided to make a template for the battery box from poster board, because this stuff is expensive. Don't take a chance on the cheaper stuff. I did ONCE. 3M from here on out. I made one template, didn't like it so I made another with cleaner lines. The left side only (or "drivers side in my case-lol) will have a half circle cut out for the knob you use to open the box.
1. Cut a template out of poster board (optional, but suggested for such a big expensive piece)
2. Clean the entire battery box with rubbing alcohol.
3. Use a clean spray bottle and spray the battery box with a good mist.
4. Remove the rubber plug if you want the clear bra hole for that plug a smaller diameter. If not, no big deal.
5. Wet your fingers as to not leave any finger prints and apply the 3M clear bra after you completely remove the backing. Make sure the battery box is wet so you can easily reposition.
6. I used a felt tipped squeegee to squeegee the water out (included with the Vvivid 3M kit. Note: Vvivid just trims down the 3M into smaller sections to sell. 3M doesn't sell bike sized rolls).
7. I found that lining it up generally to shape first, then making the circles line up exactly, and then positioning the shape of the battery box exactly worked best for me.
8. I also found that the wetter it was, the easier it was to manipulate into position, and get all the air bubble out. I had a few very small patches of "condensation" under BRIGHT inspection light, and though may evaporate out per 3M's directions, decided to take a chance and pull the edge back, wet it again, and then re-squeegee that part back. Sometimes as much as 3-4 times. Then it came out MUCH better, almost perfect. No loss in adhesion while wet.
9. Finish it up with a heat gun pass to seal it up.
It already saved me on my chain stay last week. I backed up my fender-equipped beach cruisier into the MXS so hard I thought instantly "That's a scratch...". It was, but looks like the 3M clear bra saved me! I live at the beach and scratch turn into rust and rust turns into lost money. So the OCD thing does have some merits. Pic 1204 is before the battery box clear bra, pic 1220 is after it has been applied. VERY hard to see.
