Cladding

[Mile High VX]

It worked easy and looks great...the hood insert is amazing. It causght my eye since it actually had a picture of cladding on the bottle.

It was dark when I finished so pics tomorrow...

[vt_maverick]

It worked easy and looks great...the hood insert is amazing. It causght my eye since it actually had a picture of cladding on the bottle.

It was dark when I finished so pics tomorrow...

That's the same stuff I tried a week ago... just got rain for the first time today and it's already running!!! I'm hoping that it's due to there being some amount of B2B left on the cladding from previous applications.

[Mile High VX]

It was dark when I finished so pics tomorrow...

And a question for any of the original owners...did the side marker lens housing and the cladding match when your VX was new, or has it always been much darker?

I'm anxious to see how it holds up to washing and rain.

[Cobrajet]

And a question for any of the original owners...did the side marker lens housing and the cladding match when your VX was new, or has it always been much darker?

I never noticed, but now that you mention it, they are just a little bit darker. Like the difference between dark gray and darker gray, but not quite black... (I'm having a Déja vu moment.)

[JHarris1385]

I went over with a light coat of ICE and then sprayed interior Turtle Wax on the cladding. It has held up 3 rains now and no streaking. This is what I have always done. Other than the pre coat of ice. I didnt like that since ICE is not super shiny.

[Mile High VX]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/99-IS...611205e2#v4-38

Looks like they used the black and not the dark grey which is a better match from what I've heard.

[JHarris1385]

Alright I put my above coat(s) on the first of the month and it has still not streaked. I have sprayed it down too. Ill try to take a picture tomorrow.

[vt_maverick]

That's the same stuff I tried a week ago... just got rain for the first time today and it's already running!!! I'm hoping that it's due to their being some amount of B2B left on the cladding from previous applications.

Update from previous post... I applied another coat of this stuff over the weekend and had different results that are encouraging. When I did the first coat a few weekends ago, the cloths I used were completely black after applying it. At the time I thought it must be a byproduct of the Meguiar's product (similar to what happens when you rub a cloth over a fresh coat of tire black), but when reapplying it Sunday night it didn't turn the cloths black at all. Now my suspicion is that the black substance was actually Back to Black residue coming off the cladding.

The Meguiar's product is very similar to their Cleaner Wax in consistency (thick just like liquid wax) as well as function, as Cleaner Wax removes crap in your paint that washing doesn't. Back to Black on the other hand is a thin, runny substance that looks oily after application. So now I wonder whether the running was due to the last remnants of B2B preventing the Meguiar's stuff from fully adhering to the surface. Can't wait for the next rainfall to see if the running stops or at least slows. I know I had terrible problems with B2B running at first, but after reapplying it every few weeks for several months the streaking was much less pronounced. Let's hope it's the same with this stuff.

Oh and one more thing - the label is right, you can definitely use a car duster on it without streaking the coating or rubbing dust/pollen into it. Anyone who's tried using a car duster on B2B treated cladding should know that's a huge improvement.

[vt_maverick]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/99-IS...611205e2#v4-38

Looks like they used the black and not the dark grey which is a better match from what I've heard.

That is freaking awesome. I wonder how much it would cost to do that? I assume since the "naked" VX pics look like they were taken in his garage that he probably did it himself though.

[VX KAT]

That is freaking awesome. I wonder how much it would cost to do that? I assume since the "naked" VX pics look like they were taken in his garage that he probably did it himself though.

I thought so too, so I wrote to the seller: Here's response:

Dear purple.kat1,

The plastic coating is called Gator Back, and it is a GM product, made for the vinyl bits of their Avalanche
trucks. I can't remember exactly where to buy it, I bought it both from their site and once from eBay, but if
you do a Google search is is easy enough to find. The color of your current panelling isn't an issue, as this is
like a paint in that it coats and covers the surface entirely, but it is actually and aerosol form of plastic, so
once it is sprayed a chemical process begins and as it cures it actually bonds with the plastic on your
cladding and becomes part of it, resurfacing the old with a new layer of plastic. It is also more fade resistant
that the stock material. I keep an extra can of it on hand to use in case anyone scratches my bumper while
parking etc... But I have not had to use it yet, so it is durable. You will need about six to eight cans of it
depending on how heavy handed you are in your application, I am usually of the more is better schoool of
thought, and you best result is going to be if you take the time to remove all the cladding entirely, give is a
good sanding with a fine grit paper, and a thorough wash and dry, then apply in a sealed area.
I can't tell you exactly how many hours of labor are involved as I did this at the same time as the cutting and
buffing of the paint, but the two together took about thirty to fourty hours of work, so if you don't have the
time and space to do it yourself, it would likely be quite expensive, although I am sure a pro could do it in
far less time.

hope that helps...C.

I recall Luna said NOT to sand the cladding. I might look into this stuff further, and as to cost.

Riff- Have you applied the TS-1 stuff yet? If not, think you'll be doing it in the near future? I'm still thinking about that product too.

[vt_maverick]

What I wonder is what's the difference between Gatorback and TS-1? Weren't they both recommended/created/owned by GM?

[Mile High VX]

http://www.gatorbackcoatings.com/

$22.95 for an 11 oz. areosol can. Fully cladded Avalanche takes 8 cans, but says for vehicles with bumpers and running boards it takes 2 cans.

Areosol cleaner also available for $7.95 and contains no mineral spirits.

Some good customer testimonials and the GM service notices.

I would guess that this process would cover scratches and slight imperfections.

[RickOKC]

Hmmm, I'd like to see some close-up photos of the end result. I definitely don't think the cladding would look nearly as awesome if the factory texture was sanded off. Or does this coating leave a similar texture?

[Mile High VX]

Hmmm, I'd like to see some close-up photos of the end result. I definitely don't think the cladding would look nearly as awesome if the factory texture was sanded off. Or does this coating leave a similar texture?

If you look at the application instructions they have some good close ups of the Avalanche cover that shows how it leaves the factory texture...

[RickOKC]

Ah ha. Thanks! AND, it looks like the seller from eBay sanded his cladding, yet I don't see that as part of the "official" instructions from GatorBack.

I wonder if the right color to order is Dark Gray or Black. Maybe I should start a poll?