Need Help Huge water bubble behind wrap on box truck

[Pete femia]

Have a truck that was wrapped in 3M ij180 printed on a latex HP. Huge bubble from what seems to be water that crept down from top seam. I have yet to go investigate but was hoping someone with a similar issue had a reason why this would occur and/or method that would prevent this from happening.. Seems to be in one spot only. Wrap is about a month old. Pic shows bubble and also after install was finished. I recall primer being used down the seam by the rivets.

Thanks for any insight.

 

[ikarasu]

Did you slit down the Panel or just wrap over it? If you wrapped over it that's where the water is coming from. It's always best to slit

(edit) maybe I'm wrong...we don't do many trailers. Lots of cars, but we never have that big of a gap in the cars we do. But to me it looks like the gaps too big... So water will seep all down it. I would have heated it.. Pressed it in, then did a slit / repressed it in.

 

[ikarasu]

I got curious so I watched a few trailer wrap jobs. They all seem to cut the seam at the edge of the panel overlap... So I do think that was why you got a huge water bubble. I kind of remember that from 3M training years ago. I've been lucky enough not to have to do any box trucks though.

You might be able to fix it, if the water wasn't too too dirty... Slim chance, but we've been able to reapply with a heat gun. Sometimes a bit of primer to make sure it holds.... Worth a shot and beats redoing the whole side panel.

 

[crystalcoastgraphics]

The wrap needs to be cut at every seam in the metal. Always. Now as far as fixing goes, you can cut the seam, and try to lift it up and let it dry. Since it is only a month old, I’d just remove that piece and replace. Chalk it up as a learning experience and make sure the rest of the seams are cut correctly.

 

[crystalcoastgraphics]

And also now that I'm looking at it on a bigger screen. I see it has horizontal seams on the vinyl. Did you face the overlap up? I look like you did. If so, that is also a problem. Make sure if you are going to do a horizontal seam, you face the overlaps down. That will probably cause another issue down the road.

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

Exact same thing happened to us within days of wrapping a Van. The rain water had made it's way from the roof line down into and along the small rubber joint which pooled up half way down the wrap.

 

[crystalcoastgraphics]

We always cut those rubber stripes out also. Those you always have to do slowly and carefully to get a good clean even cut.

 

[Modern Ink Signs]

As others have said, you MUST cut the vertical where the pieces of aluminum overlap.

Rule of thumb for overlapping panels is back > front and bottom > top

You will have to replace the affected pane(s). Your adhesive is now contaminated and failure will continue if you try to fix by “just letting it dry”.

Also looms like your rivets need to be done better. You have a lot of tenting.



Just curious, in looking at what we can see of the design, why did you do a wrap and not just do graphics? Unless covering something up and the truck you used more material and took more time to do this project.

 

[Jonathan Baltic]

Interesting thread. Does anyone have any recommendations when a wrap or decal has to go over a heavy steel plate weld seam?

 

[Johnny Best]

I keep on coming back to this post just to see that huge water bubble that formed. Hope you can match the color on the new panel you are going to print again. I have read on this site how difficult it is with a HP latex printer. Good luck.

 

[jfiscus]

Interesting thread. Does anyone have any recommendations when a wrap or decal has to go over a heavy steel plate weld seam?

We usually cut those out. It might be possible to roll them down and leave them but that leaves the possibility for failure at a later date.

 

[Gino]

As others have said, you MUST cut the vertical where the pieces of aluminum overlap.

Rule of thumb for overlapping panels is back > front and bottom > top

You will have to replace the affected pane(s). Your adhesive is now contaminated and failure will continue if you try to fix by “just letting it dry”.

Also looms like your rivets need to be done better. You have a lot of tenting.



Just curious, in looking at what we can see of the design, why did you do a wrap and not just do graphics? Unless covering something up and the truck you used more material and took more time to do this project.

I was wondering the same thing.

 

[Pete femia]

ne have any recommendations when a wrap or decal has to go over a h

 

[Pete femia]

Seems it was a bit of a mis judgement. Even with primer applied to this seam. The seam was not as firm as a weld. As well a very small divot at the top of the seam is apparently where the water gained entrance. I was able to pull back the wrap, clean and reapply. and also trimming the white in front of the seam away. I generally cut down the overlap seams that are not sealed. When sealer/paint is present I feel it is a gamble to trim being the paint may split and/or the sealer may let the vinyl curl back. The other side and other seams/rivets were fine on the truck.
Wrap was done full cover at customers request and the seam on the pink was to fix a panel art misalignment.
Thanks for all responses.

 

[jfiscus]

Probably wouldn't hurt to run a strip of edge seal tape along the top of the "fine" side.

 

[SightLine]

Both that I see are installer failing to do the installation properly. As others mentioned, metal panel seams should always be cut. Rivets (also as already mentioned) are not looking very well done either. On Sprinters and other vehicles with a rubber transition between body joints, that always needs to be cut out unless you want to slather the rubber with primer. Even then you would still at minimum cut each side as the rubber and metal panels expand and contract at very different rates. Regardless of what it is, moldings, panel seams, anything that there is a sharp difference in the two surfaces should always be cut. No matter how small the gap might seem, water will get in and then collect and then cause a failure.

On a weld, if you must or the customer insists on wrapping one, as Jburton said, heat it and rollepro or rivet brush it into the texture. Depending on the material I'd also put some primer on the weld first as well.

 

[Jb1983]

All seams MUST be cut, its not a customer option if im doing the job!

For those sprinters and similar if you dont cut those areas which lots of guys don't as they would rather live with minimal lifting than body color showing thru., you've got to make sure you seal that top edge, wether this be using clear edge sealing tape as it molds very well or even a dab of silicone at that spot..... That area doesn't flex or move around anywhere close to how a box truck or trailer aluminum panels do like this post is about.