Decal Installation Guide

1. Cleaning and degreasing (most important step)

Before you start, the plastics must be completely clean and grease-free. Poor cleaning will shorten the life of the decals and can make them peel off.

Basics

• Prefer new plastics. If you use old ones, wash them thoroughly first.
• Remove dirt and grease even from areas that will not be covered by decals – any sand under a decal will ruin the surface.

Degreasing

• After washing, do a proper degreasing.
• A good quality brake cleaner works very well (e.g. CRC Brakleen).
• Use lint-free cloths, soak them well with cleaner and wipe all plastics carefully. The wetter the cloth, the better the degreasing.

Pay special attention to

• Scrub edges, corners and recessed areas thoroughly.
• The plastics may turn dull – the duller the surface, the better the adhesion.
• Work slowly and make sure no areas, especially high-stress spots, are left greasy. A missed spot is where the decal will start to lift.

2. Applying the decals

Where to start

• Start with something simple and fairly flat, for example the front number plate. It is a good practice piece before you move on to more difficult parts.

Test fit before exposing the adhesive

• Take the decal and test-fit it with the backing paper still on.
• Check that it is the correct piece and that you understand how it sits on the plastic. This makes alignment easier once the adhesive is exposed.

Removing the backing paper

Two recommended methods:

1. Decal in place with backing paper on
   – Tape the decal in the correct position with masking tape, lift one edge, slowly remove the backing paper and press the decal down as you go.
2. Peel the backing gradually
   – Peel off a small section of backing, press that part of the decal down, then continue peeling and pressing step by step.

Do not remove the whole backing paper in one go – that is almost guaranteed to cause misalignment and air bubbles.

Removing air

• When pressing the decal down, start from the centre and work towards the edges.
• If you push air “inwards”, it will get trapped. Then you must either peel the decal back up or puncture holes to let the air out.

Using heat

• Avoid using heat at the beginning.
• Use heat (heat gun / hair dryer) only:
  • when the decal becomes too stiff, or
  • when it needs to fold over an edge or a strongly curved area.
• Heat activates the adhesive, softens it and closes the air channels in the glue. If you heat too much too early, air can no longer escape and you will get more and larger bubbles.

Pressure

• Use plenty of pressure. The harder you press (roller, squeegee, hand), the better the decal bonds.
• Strong pressure collapses the air channels in the adhesive and leaves more glue in contact with the plastic.

3. Post-heating

Once all decals are neatly applied, make sure they stay in place.

• Post-heat especially:
  • all edges, and
  • areas that see high stress or sharp curves.
• The heat re-activates the glue and improves adhesion.
• Unlike some vinyls, these decals do not need to be heated to 100 °C. It is enough to warm the edges and press them down firmly.

4. Curing and final check

Curing time

• Do not ride immediately. Wait at least 24 hours, preferably 48 hours, before taking the bike to the track.
• During this time the adhesive reaches full strength and the bond between plastic and glue becomes stronger.
• Keep the bike in a stable, normal temperature environment while the decals cure.

Shrinkage and final inspection

• After 24–48 hours the decals may shrink slightly – this is normal.
• Shrinkage can cause lifting:
  • along the edges, and
  • in other heavily stressed areas.
• Inspect the bike, press any lifted areas back down and warm them slightly.
• If this is done correctly, the decals will no longer peel and will last a long time.

Do not skip this step: if you ride and dirt gets under the decal, you will not be able to make it stick properly again and the lifespan of the decals will be greatly reduced.