With a funky grill at the front and being curvy, the front bumper of a Mercedes AMG is challenging to wrap. It is easy to overstretch the vinyl wrap film during the process. And here are some tips for the upper section, which might help you if you are frustrated about this part with a giant grill:
Prepping
Before wrapping the AMG front bumper, make sure you run masking tape at the bottom to lower the surface energy. Also, apply Knifeless tape near the edge of the hood. This way, you will have enough extra material to tuck into the gap between the hood and the front bumper later.
It might seem more convenient to install with the hood open. But that creates a chance for dirt to build up underneath the vinyl wrap film easily, which is not good for durability. Thus, wrapping with the hood close is better considering the long term.
Work in sections
As soon as the vinyl film is applied to the front bumper, you can separate it into the left and right sections, starting from the middle and towards either side. Use light heat to relax the material as you pull it. Remember to read the wrinkles during the process, which can help you figure out where the tension is and how you should stretch. Refrain from overheating the film, or you might easily overstretch it.
Form the material in time
When one side is set, make sure you use your palm to form it around in time before moving on to the other side. Doing this can help you prevent getting adhesive lines on the finish. Form with your palm and round with your finger to get the vinyl right to the edge.
Move on
Before getting to the other side, check the central point. There might be tension and wrinkles. Use heat to relax the vinyl and flatten it out. Then, pull the material towards the top, setting the central point properly. And you can now move to the other side. Handling it in the same way as before should be fine.
Leave the center last
When both sides are set, you can finally deal with the grill. Again, use heat to relax the film. Then, run your finger around the logo in the middle and the grill. Frame the whole thing out.
Next, sharpen your knife, and use a shallow blade to cut on the inside of the grill. Remember to leave enough extra material to tuck in for later. Doing this requires an understanding of how deep the knife should go. Thus, be sure to calculate precisely before the installation.
Tucking
When you finish cutting, it is time to tuck. Unlike forming the film in the last step, you tuck from the middle in this stage. Use the hard part of the squeegee to tuck the material properly at the central point and work towards either side. As you get to the sides, switching to a micro squeegee will help you better finish the job.
After tucking, release the Knifeless tape on the hood and tuck the extra material to the gap between the two areas. By now, the upper section for the AMG bumper is basically done. Keep an eye on teckwrap.com to learn the wrap tips for handling the bottom part of this bumper.
