Bantenburg and chevrons

[Andy Gorman]

I don’t think there are any requirements for particular materials on recovery vehicles. Anyway, if you use one of the high conspicuity materials like diamond grade you will need to be very careful with your templating, as this stuff is completely non conformable. I would use butted up rectangles rather than flooding and overlaying as this uses less vinyl.

Make a template by covering the vehicle in acetate sheet and drawing the panels. You can use application tape for this but acetate gives a better idea of any difficult compound curves.

The usual proportions are 600mm x 300mm rectangles for battenberg and 150mm stripes for rear chevrons.

Hope this helps a bit,

[Paul Goodwin]

Thanks BigG 🙂 it sure does

i knwo wet is a dirty word 🙂 but shoudl i slide the squares in wet or should i do dry?

most of my fitting is dry now anyway, but if this stuff sticks like sh*t to a rocking horse would wet be better for a n00b liek me?

[Andy Gorman]

What material are you thinking of using? If it’s engineering grade, you can apply it wet (although the makers don’t recommend it, I’ve never had a problem applying it wet). If you are going to use a prismatic material, like diamond grade or avery EV, apply dry. It is very grippy but is fairly easy to apply because it is so rigid. Just don’t try to apply round compound curves or you’ll get spikes where it pops off again, sometimes days later.

[Paul Goodwin]

Was going to use the NikkALITE mg 4400 SERIES FROM EUROPOINT

whoops caps

[Andy Gorman]

I know the name Nikkalite but not the product code. Is it a ‘regular’ reflective like engineering grade or is it a thicker, cellular type. In any case, the distributor/manufacturer should be able to advise on application conditions. Personally, I would apply dry. An old trick is to stick the reflective to a 5 year calendered vinyl before cutting it – this makes application a doddle, and removal easier in future.

[Simon Kay]

I’ve done that wee trick (An old trick is to stick the reflective to a 5 year calendered vinyl before cutting it – this makes application a doddle, and removal easier in future.) BigG it works a treat eh? Far better than taking a mm of reflective off at a time 😕

Hey Mort – Let us know how you go. I’ve been asked to do a recovery vehicle in 3 weeks time. It’d be interesting to see what you do – even to be able to show my client what can be done. 😀

Good Luck.

Cheers.

[Phil Halling]

Just want to echo all the above and add the latest spec for rear chevrons is an angle of 60 degrees, and remember there are restrictions on what reflective colours you can use on various parts of the vehicle,
ie: no reflective red on the sides or front, no reflective white to the rear
These materials are governed by the vehicle lighting regs so if you did use in the wrong area it just takes 1 pedantic traffic cop (yes they are out there ) to cause a lot of problems for your customer who will no doubt not blame you in the least.
Phil

[Paul Goodwin]

Cheers for that Phil, didn’t know about the 60deg bit or red on the sides 🙂

BigG thanks for tip about puting on cast first i’ll do that

Scozzie willdo 🙂

[Andy Gorman]

Thanks for that bit of info Phil, that’s news to me as I haven’t been involved in emergency services for a couple of years. Does that 60 degree rule apply to private breakdown companies or just Fire/Police/Ambulance?

[Simon Kay]

Thanks Mort,

Look forward to seeing it.

So that was red 60 degree chevrons on the side and huge white reflective letters on the rear that spell ‘Get st**ffed pedantic coppers’

Was that right 😀