Fuel Tank stripe bubbles

[grvj]

Am new to this site thought the format appears neat to use and a lot of response!, look forward to reading posts.

My immediate question for all is my 2003 Silver Girly has a few bubbles on the black tank stripes, mostly the center stripe on both sides.

Asking the RAT folk, one respone was to puncture the 'blister', push out the air then seal with a drop of fingernail polish. Did one like this but it has come back.

The question-does anyone have a more permanent way to address bubbles?

Regards, grvj

[Stretch]

That's pretty much it, I'm afraid.  The stripes are decals under the top clear coat of paint, so anything more invasive would require a repaint.

By the way, I myself would also use a heat gun or hair dryer to warm the vinyl and make it more pliable before working the bubble out.

Start from the edges and work the air out of the hole, moving toward the center, then seal the hole with a dot of clear automotive touch-up paint, etc.

[TigerTrax]

I think your problem may have been the finger nail polish...
It may created some gases under the decal.

I'd wash the area down with Simple Green ( believe it or not it cleans off all impurities/oils/dirt that makes it an excellent cleaner for painting).

Let it dry good ... perhaps using a hair dryer to make certain any water is
dried under the decal. I'd wear latex gloves while working out any air from under the decal.

Then give it a touch of the automotive clear coat. Maybe even with a Q-tip ... you just need a pin hole covered.

Good Luck.

[abruzzi]

Never tried this, but what about putting some super glue in a hypodermic needle?  All you need to do is find a diabetic.

Geof

[ridin gaijin]

Never tried this, but what about putting some super glue in a hypodermic needle?  All you need to do is find a diabetic.

Geof

...Or walk around the alley behind your apartment!



Oh, wait...that's my apartment, never mind...

[Yukon]

I had bubbles form under the decals on my 06 this summer.  Has anyone attempted the repair as outlined by Stretch or had anyone had success with another method?

[WVdyhrd]

1. this is my job

2. whoever applied that vinyl, sucks :)

First determine if it is "air-release vinyl" (if those are oem, triumph may be able to answer) if so that means there are pores in the vinyl like tiny one-way valves. If this is the case, get under your paint (strip it down in the smallest area possible, etc) and work the bubble out carefully. (lack of care can lead to stretched graphics or the bubble moving to another spot).

If you don't wanna find out, or can't:
IF it's under clear coat your gonna have problems getting it out at all for good. The best way is to leave it be. But the second best, if the first isn't good enough. Would be to use a small point (exacto knife, needle, etc) to place a small puncture all the way through the vinyl. Next using a squeegee, or some other thing with even pressure, work the air towards the hole slowly and evenly (otherwise stretching of the vinyl may occur). Once the air has been "bled" from the area it should lay flat without any "sealing," that's the point of vinyl. But you HAVE compromised your paint job.... clear-coat the area or talk to a painter for further tips.

p.s. don't try to work something like that to the edge of the graphic. This could lead to stretch marks or a buncha tiny bubbles

[Yukon]

1. this is my job

2. whoever applied that vinyl, sucks :)

First determine if it is "air-release vinyl" (if those are oem, triumph may be able to answer) if so that means there are pores in the vinyl like tiny one-way valves. If this is the case, get under your paint (strip it down in the smallest area possible, etc) and work the bubble out carefully. (lack of care can lead to stretched graphics or the bubble moving to another spot).

If you don't wanna find out, or can't:
IF it's under clear coat your gonna have problems getting it out at all for good. The best way is to leave it be. But the second best, if the first isn't good enough. Would be to use a small point (exacto knife, needle, etc) to place a small puncture all the way through the vinyl. Next using a squeegee, or some other thing with even pressure, work the air towards the hole slowly and evenly (otherwise stretching of the vinyl may occur). Once the air has been "bled" from the area it should lay flat without any "sealing," that's the point of vinyl. But you HAVE compromised your paint job.... clear-coat the area or talk to a painter for further tips.

p.s. don't try to work something like that to the edge of the graphic. This could lead to stretch marks or a buncha tiny bubbles

It is definitely OEM, bought the bike new in 2006. I'll see what I can find out from Triumph.  If I have any luck, I will post it here.  Thank you for your expertise.

[Mustang]

they all do it eventually ........it's a plastic tank thing . seems to happen worse the more time the bike spends in the sun !

[WVdyhrd]

they all do it eventually ........it's a plastic tank thing . seems to happen worse the more time the bike spends in the sun !

yup, uv and heat shrink vinyl, movement allows air in and thus bubbles