Offroaders: What do you do for paint protection?

[5GENIDN]

Do any of you guys with PPF have videos of you running down tight trails and photos showing the PPF afterwards (or months later)? I'm on the fence with it and curious to see what type of abuse it holds up to.

There is some definate pushing of branches at a moderate speed in this....

Like Jmanly I went with the Stec.... half the price of xpel and I believe a better product. and I sell vinyl for a living.... I have a great installer here in the treasure valley that used to work for me as well.

about 13 min in (and esp 15:30) you will see considerably more potential that the Stec protected against and had no issues with.... No "racing stripes"....

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/lost-trail-in-idaho-ride-along-video-it-does-get-tippy.98623/

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[mjohnso3]

I have a non 2DR non-SAS Badlands ordered that I intend to use as it was built to be used -- I live near a lot of great trails. But, I do want to keep it as nice as possible and try to at least mitigate the rock chips, trail scratches and rash and other things that will be inevitable.

I am wondering what all you offroaders do for paint protection. I plan to swap out for the SAS fender flares and probably add some mudflaps for more protection from rock chips. I will also do my standard PFF on the entire grill and leading edges that I do on all my vehicles, but also I am considering PPF on the sides -- either partial or maybe even full coverage.

What have you done on your rig? Flares, flaps PPF, other?

I'm using PPF, Expel, I tinted windows for 20+ years so I went back to my old shop that I used to work at and installed the PPF myself while not exactly the same concept as window tinting but close enough and came out really well. I used their plotter and cut out the rest except the back tailgate and will install it in the near future.

 

[timhood]

I have a non 2DR non-SAS Badlands ordered that I intend to use as it was built to be used -- I live near a lot of great trails. But, I do want to keep it as nice as possible and try to at least mitigate the rock chips, trail scratches and rash and other things that will be inevitable.

I am wondering what all you offroaders do for paint protection. I plan to swap out for the SAS fender flares and probably add some mudflaps for more protection from rock chips. I will also do my standard PFF on the entire grill and leading edges that I do on all my vehicles, but also I am considering PPF on the sides -- either partial or maybe even full coverage.

What have you done on your rig? Flares, flaps PPF, other?

I also have the 2-door Badlands non-Sas. I did PPF on the grille and lights, hood and fenders. I thought about doing the lower door up to the crease but didn’t do it. I got the OEM splash guards for the front only mainly to keep mud and snow off the doors. I’ve had no issues with rock chips on the doors before or after I installed the splash guards, which was about 6 months and one winter after purchase. I like the splash guards because they do t look tacky and look like they came with the Bronco. Plus, they are cheap (about $50) and they flex. A friend spotting me said I had caught them on rocks at one point, and they just flexed, didn’t tear or even crease. They only caveat is I had to cut a hole for the rock rails, but that was just a matter of tracing with a pencil and cutting with an X-acto or similar utility knife. PPF on the doors is probably a questionable need on the 2-door. Maybe I would do it if I didn’t have the splash guards, but I don’t think it’s necessary with them.

Also, I got got protection for the windshield, but it didn’t stop a rock from cracking the glass. The film also scratches easily from mud and debris, so unless you like pre-washing the windshield all of the time before you use wipers, definitely pass on that.

 

[CitrusBronco]

We get scratch’s and chips and dings and crunch’s. Shit happens unfortunately, not that I enjoy it but I do enjoy the journey it takes to fuck my Bronco up.
If your not going to be ok with that you just need to limit your adventures to more open roads/trails.
I know ppf is popular but it sucks ass to remove and it does not last forever and gets to looking like shit over time. Its another expense going on and coming off. It’s not for me but it does the trick for others.

 

[Canyon Coolers]

y

I mostly just cringe. A partial wrap on critical areas has helped me, I hand applied McKee 37 ceramic elsewhere which is probably negligible protection

.Mek Magnet makes removeable body armor for both steel and aluminum panels that might be the right magic for you. I have a friend that runs it on his Bronco and he loves it.

Personally I think PPF is too costly to justify as you can almost repaint or just wrap the scratched vehicle later to refresh it / sell it.

 

[t3n2and4]

Full xpel ppf, ceramic coat on everything else.

 

[TopRamenGod]

I have a full wrap of Xpel Ultimate 10 Plus on my 2023 4 Dr Wildtrak, including the outside of the tailgate. Didn’t opt for the grill for what should be obvious reasons.

It’s not cheap, but I’ve had run ins with many thorny shrubberies, many tiny rocks, even full on whacks into my drivers door from 2 inch thick branches that only imparted some sap that I wiped off easily. So far, no lasting pinstripes, no scratches, no gashes or chips.

It’s been pretty worth it for me, as far as I’m concerned. Every time I wash my Bronco, it looks brand new.

Mind you I wash by hand with quality equipment and soap as it’s a necessary part of having PPF, but I wouldn’t take it to an automated wash regardless.

I was using the Gatorback mudflaps for general protection, but recently switched to the Rokblokz mudflaps. Both are technically removable, but the Gatorbacks leave plastic mount that hangs down a little bit and gets caught on a lot of stuff, which ends up bending the metal mount frame. The Rokblokz leave nothing hanging down, and are easier to remove.

https://rokblokz.com/products/ford-bronco-2021-mud-flaps?variant=40911069347883

Honestly though, what’s ended up being the greatest general protection from rocks hitting the doors has been the addition of the ZRoadz TrailX.R1 rock sliders. They flare out just enough to block like 95% of the things the tires like to fling at the doors.

https://zroadz.com/i-23915785-2021-...r-side-steps-for-4-door-model-pn-z745401.html

 

[Baja Bronco]

Another vote for MEK Magnet

 

[ToothlesstheBronco]

I have a non 2DR non-SAS Badlands ordered that I intend to use as it was built to be used -- I live near a lot of great trails. But, I do want to keep it as nice as possible and try to at least mitigate the rock chips, trail scratches and rash and other things that will be inevitable.

I am wondering what all you offroaders do for paint protection. I plan to swap out for the SAS fender flares and probably add some mudflaps for more protection from rock chips. I will also do my standard PFF on the entire grill and leading edges that I do on all my vehicles, but also I am considering PPF on the sides -- either partial or maybe even full coverage.

What have you done on your rig? Flares, flaps PPF, other?

So my Xpel PPF has been amazing. I also use limb risers which gives my hood a little reprieve. We got caught under a branch that looked pretty tame, toned out it was hiding a thick middle. All of us got the same stripe on our hood. Mine was shorter thanks to limb risers,

everyone inspected later and a few got down to the metal, all of us had at least a 4”-12” paint mar- later in the FL sun mine started to disappear, end of the following week it was impossible to find.

added a 2nd Bronco to the family and just ordered my hubby his anniversary present for his: Mek Magnet. Custom designer is putting our influence photos into a one of a kind. It’s part sticky and part magnet, fully removable and storable - and able to be replaced a single piece at a time if need be. Heard great things about it as a trail armor. Will have to report back on my personal use.

 

[Michael541]

Do any of you guys with PPF have videos of you running down tight trails and photos showing the PPF afterwards (or months later)? I'm on the fence with it and curious to see what type of abuse it holds up to.

Just saw your post after my initial reply to OP. I just took these photos in the garage. My original photos were of my last 2 wheeling trips. The black sand was just prior to some serious manzaneta bush bashing. The marks you see on my bumper are equal to both driver and passenger sides. We were driving up/down trails where the bushes were basically from my headlights out. Lots of nails on chalkboard sounds.

 

[Valhalla]

Just saw your post after my initial reply to OP. I just took these photos in the garage. My original photos were of my last 2 wheeling trips. The black sand was just prior to some serious manzaneta bush bashing. The marks you see on my bumper are equal to both driver and passenger sides. We were driving up/down trails where the bushes were basically from my headlights out. Lots of nails on chalkboard sounds.

Same color and bumper with same trail rash... are you me and I don't know it?

 

[Michael541]

Same color and bumper with same trail rash... are you me and I don't know it?

Just holding down the westside......

 

[jh3113]

As others have stated, I have full body PPF and ceramic coating. It is surviving amazingly and beats my expectations from what I have put it through in the last year (manzanetas!)

. I have the same use vs still looking nice desire. If you can stomach the XPEL pricing, you likely won't be disappointed.

This looks really good! What are the details on that XPEL PPF? What is the color and what was the price and who did it? Thanks!

 

[Michael541]

This looks really good! What are the details on that XPEL PPF? What is the color and what was the price and who did it? Thanks!

Thanks! It is their Clear stealth/Satin finish (Area51 under). I think it is 7 or 8mm thick. Decent self healing up to a point(I am putting it through what they never really intended). I don't believe there are any PPF manufacturers directly marketing for what adventurous offroaders regularly encounter. Their website can detail all the specifics.

https://www.xpel.com/products/paint-protection-film/stealth

I had a local dealership motorsports shop perform the work. Kendall motorsports Bend oregon.

PPF $5500 - gulp
Ceramic coat $1500 ($125 annual visit for refresh thereafter, did this back in July).

Would I do it again? Absolutely!

 

[VE7 NGC]

I couldn't find a lot of info on PPF used for actual trail abuse when I got mine done. I decided to go for it and boy am I happy with it. It hardly shows any damage and I have not been kind to it so far, many extremely tight and grown in trails in the British Columbia forests.

I was initially concerned with edged peeling up and basically having it scratch up anyways. Both have turned out to be non issues

I have a friend who also has an Area 51 bronco and did not get PPF, it is incredibly noticeable on his truck and I don't think he goes out nearly as much as I do.

TLDR: I would 100% do PPF if I had the option to do it over again, very happy with it

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