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Wrapping BMW Roof with shark fin aerial
Got a BMW booked in for a roof wrap soon, I was going to install the wrap without removing the shark fin aerial however after closer inspection I think to wrap in a single piece its going to need to come off. Removal will not be a problem however I have concerns over the re-installation. The fin will has a rubber seal gasket that hold the aerial cover and seals front he elements. I was thinking of using silicone to re glue however I am having concerns over its effect on the vinyl. Any advise would be great.
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12 Replies
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This is what you need for the job, It’s black and will look like the original seal.
signgeer.com
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Looks perfect, appreciate your help!
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Sorry Jamie excuse my stupidly but when you say wrap in one piece do you mean the roof or the shark fin?
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I will wrap the roof in a single piece and the fin in a single piece is the idea. I have spoke to my supplier this morning that has had a 4.5K bill for his BMW after it was wrapped as a demo vehicle and the fin was not 100% sealed, moisture got into the electrical parts and caused damage!
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I wouldn’t be removing it. Use Avery or Oracl 970 wrap joint never be seen.
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I’d do the shark fin in a couple of pieces. Do the back part first then the front edge and side with a second piece. Like Bernard said you’ll never see the join plus there’ll be virtually zero tension on it so will last the life of the warp. Will save you a lot of hassle. You can make a simple template of the aerial using multiple pieces of masking tape. Use this template then to precut the shape from your material (a few mm smaller) and start by placing the hole over the aerial and working from there on
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Just my opinion on this…
Explain to the customer the limitations of what can be done here.
Doing the roof in a single piece of vinyl is not difficult if done correctly.
But If the Fin antenna has to be wrapped perfectly, it can be done, but it is best to be removed to help relieve tension around the bottom of the antenna to prevent pull back.
However, this greatly depends on the antenna shape, "how it is fixed" and more importantly "who is removing it?"
You are saying the customer expects it in one piece, is he paying extra for this request?
Is he going to be having the antenna removed by a professional or expects you to throw that in on the price also?
Moreover, if the antenna isnt positioned back perfectly, or comes away, or issues arise, will he be chapping your door or his insurance company? My bet is it will be your door because the insurance won’t cover it, and if this is a relatively new vehicle, you will also have just void his warranty because you are not an authorised BMW garage/technician.
and for what, a £250-£300 roof wrap?
my purpose here isn’t to deter you for wanting to do the job, my post is only to try to make you aware of what can and does happen regularly within the wrapping industry on a daily basis. if it’s not roof fins, its door handles not sitting just right, ceilings inside the vehicle not clipping back into place correctly and more… just make sure you are covered for doing this type of work because I know of companies going bust due to trying to remove and replace car parts to wrap them.
OK, the flip side of this is that "some" antennas can be removed. some are a double-sided tape on the base. but how you get that off is the problem without damaging the seal around the base or the actual plastic shell itself.
if you have to try getting the tape away. "gradually heat the area around the antenna" as it will stop you possible distorting it with heat or whatever. once the roof surface around the antenna is as hot as a cuppa tea. you may be able to rock a bit of fishing wire side to side and cut below the antenna until your all the way around the perimeter.
you will be left to remove all the gunk and residue left on the base and on the roof. as I say, these things vary on how they are attached. tread carefully and make sure you charge extra where the extra work is involved.Personally, I body swerve it and manage to deter the customer with the above advice. small join on the rear edge of antenna is normally good enough.
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Can’t offer much help here other than a link to a video about just this.
Hope it helps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87qcd0A3sRw -
It can be done in one piece as shown here. We didn’t do it though :smiles:
John
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Doing them in one piece is not easy, but is doable. The more important part is it staying intact!
Not lifting out the deepest part of the stretch, not curling back around the base etc
This is because, if overstretched at the deepest angles, the adhesive on the rear is almost gone, meaning there is nothing to hold the super tensioned vinyl in the place you have put it.now if this fails a few days later, or even a month or so down the line.
you will have to renew it. to do this, in some cases, it means lifting the newly stuck with double-sided tape Finn from the newly wrapped roof. will it come away without damaging the roof?many things like this are doable, but your stretching method and being able to relieve stress and tension where it is required is the skilful part. not just a seamless 100% coverage.
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Agreed Rob. That masterpiece shark fin that took some serious skill & time, was met with a shrug of the shoulders from the client & some sleepless nights for the installer worrying about whether it’s staying put. I’m seriously impressed by that little piece of work but I’d piece that together & sleep much better.
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I’d definitely do that in 2 pieces. Bit of knifeless first up and round the wee flat back section, wrap that 1st. Then more knifeless around the edge of that and soytge front and 2 sides. Job done, no worries 🙂
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