Member III
Magnetic sheets
- Thread starter tritonl
- Start date
@tritonl
Boort
Before the days of vinyl wraps they used to sell precut kits of these for various trucks. I've not seen them in a while but seem to recall they worked well for branch scratches but dust had ways of getting under the edges and the vibes on rutty roads tended to scratch the paint if anydust was trapped under the edges.
Boort
Enthusiast III
The last trail I was on was fairly narrow and had lots of shrubbery that kept rubbing along the jeep. Worst sound ever. Drove me crazy, so I've been thinking of the same thing. I saw this on Amazon vs this from Smittybilt. My jeep is white, so the roll from Amazon would blend in and not be very noticeable, which is what I would prefer. Had not thought of dust getting underneath and scratching the paint. @triton1, where did you see the 25' long roll?
Member III
Advocate III
I've used magnetic sheeting on vehicles for identification/signage purposes for years.
It comes in various mil thicknesses; two popular thicknesses are 15 mil and 30 mil. Some is meant more for hobbyists (15 mil, generally) and some is more for suitable for exterior or vehicle use. I've had good luck with stuff from Magnum Magnetics out of Marietta OH, but no idea if they will sell directly other than wholesale. They make a Digimag sheeting that is inkjet printable and takes enamel well, if you're thinking of matching your vehicle color.
Here's their 25' roll of 30 mil for $80 on Amazon. Personally, I'd shy away from the 15 mil for other than craft use.
In my experience, what you really have to look out for with magnetic sheeting is to remove the panels and clean under them regularly. Don't leave them on your vehicle for weeks at a time without cleaning/drying under them. They will trap moisture and can affect paint jobs.
Also need to watch for custom cut edges if you're rounding it for a logo or vehicle corners, or cutting it to fit around trim, etc, as any pointed or smaller edges are more likely to lift and allow grit or moisture.
I never had a problem with grit getting way under, but didn't take trucks with panels of mag sheeting out in the desert or onto woods trails, either.
You can leave the sheeting on at highway speeds if you like. Unlike the old vacuum-formed plastic signs contractors used to use for vehicles (are they even around anymore, old plastic door signs? that's how freakin' old I am) that had rows of magnetic strips, the mag sheeting is magnetic over its entire back surface, usually with a vinyl front.
It comes in various mil thicknesses; two popular thicknesses are 15 mil and 30 mil. Some is meant more for hobbyists (15 mil, generally) and some is more for suitable for exterior or vehicle use. I've had good luck with stuff from Magnum Magnetics out of Marietta OH, but no idea if they will sell directly other than wholesale. They make a Digimag sheeting that is inkjet printable and takes enamel well, if you're thinking of matching your vehicle color.
Here's their 25' roll of 30 mil for $80 on Amazon. Personally, I'd shy away from the 15 mil for other than craft use.
In my experience, what you really have to look out for with magnetic sheeting is to remove the panels and clean under them regularly. Don't leave them on your vehicle for weeks at a time without cleaning/drying under them. They will trap moisture and can affect paint jobs.
Also need to watch for custom cut edges if you're rounding it for a logo or vehicle corners, or cutting it to fit around trim, etc, as any pointed or smaller edges are more likely to lift and allow grit or moisture.
I never had a problem with grit getting way under, but didn't take trucks with panels of mag sheeting out in the desert or onto woods trails, either.
You can leave the sheeting on at highway speeds if you like. Unlike the old vacuum-formed plastic signs contractors used to use for vehicles (are they even around anymore, old plastic door signs? that's how freakin' old I am) that had rows of magnetic strips, the mag sheeting is magnetic over its entire back surface, usually with a vinyl front.
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Enthusiast III
Just watched a video on this magnetic armor. https://www.mekmagnet.com/ A little more than my budget allows, but cool nonetheless.
Great comments to note by Road. To add a word of caution is to be weary of cheaper printers and their use of inferior products. Last year I printed a set for a cross country trip and three weeks and 4500 miles later the protective coating started peeling and cracking. I supposed their inexpensive price was onpar with their poor quality. All that said, however short, they did serve a purpose. It did also give me an idea to change the graphic and make it trip specific. Please forgive the poor quality of this picture.
