- Thread starter
- #1
The months of waiting for my truck to be delivered was spent reading about other people's experiences on this forum. There seemed to be enough complaints or anecdotal evidence of how easily the paint seems to chip or get damaged. So, I decided to invest in one of the hood protectors to protect the leading edge of the hood from rocks and other highway debris.
I chose the one from WeatherTech because I like the company. The installation was easy enough to do. And the Maverick hood is small enough that I had no trouble installing it without help. Reading through the instructions and watching the short video beforehand made the steps easy to understand and follow.
The before shot:
I washed the front of the hood using car wash detergent and a microfiber towel. I then dried it with another microfiber towel. I then set the protector in place. I applied masking tape at the top edges of the protector while holding it in place with my hip. I stopped multiple times to make sure it was in place and hadn't slipped.
This is after masking:
Two alcohol pads are supplied. I used one pad for each half of the masked area concentrating on the edges where the adhesive strips will contact the hood. The alcohol dried quickly. I then used the supplied prep pad to wipe the same edges in the masked area. It would be a good idea to use gloves to apply the prep solution. When I was done, I immediately had to wash my hands to get the solution off my fingers.
After I removed the masking tape, I prepped the adhesive strips by pulling two inches of the backing and folding them over so they stick out when you set the protector on the hood. For each strip, you start in the middle and pull the backing to either side.
The next pick was taken after I had already pulled the top and bottom center sections of backing. You can see the backing for the edge sections still waiting to be pulled:
As long as you apply light, even pressure, pulling the backing is easy. And you always start from the middle and pull towards the side. Once each adhesive strip is exposed, I applied pressure all around the protector starting from the middle and working outward.
I then carefully removed the protective film.
The finished product. It is recommended that you do not drive for 24 hours or wash the truck for 72 hours, so schedule your time accordingly.
I chose the one from WeatherTech because I like the company. The installation was easy enough to do. And the Maverick hood is small enough that I had no trouble installing it without help. Reading through the instructions and watching the short video beforehand made the steps easy to understand and follow.
The before shot:
I washed the front of the hood using car wash detergent and a microfiber towel. I then dried it with another microfiber towel. I then set the protector in place. I applied masking tape at the top edges of the protector while holding it in place with my hip. I stopped multiple times to make sure it was in place and hadn't slipped.
This is after masking:
Two alcohol pads are supplied. I used one pad for each half of the masked area concentrating on the edges where the adhesive strips will contact the hood. The alcohol dried quickly. I then used the supplied prep pad to wipe the same edges in the masked area. It would be a good idea to use gloves to apply the prep solution. When I was done, I immediately had to wash my hands to get the solution off my fingers.
After I removed the masking tape, I prepped the adhesive strips by pulling two inches of the backing and folding them over so they stick out when you set the protector on the hood. For each strip, you start in the middle and pull the backing to either side.
The next pick was taken after I had already pulled the top and bottom center sections of backing. You can see the backing for the edge sections still waiting to be pulled:
As long as you apply light, even pressure, pulling the backing is easy. And you always start from the middle and pull towards the side. Once each adhesive strip is exposed, I applied pressure all around the protector starting from the middle and working outward.
I then carefully removed the protective film.
The finished product. It is recommended that you do not drive for 24 hours or wash the truck for 72 hours, so schedule your time accordingly.
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