Track Armor - To Use or Not To Use?

[scubes13]

When my number is called, I will be picking up a RAM 1500 from Maryland (Koons) and driving back to South Carolina.

I've read about others using Track Armor for those rides home.

When looking on Amazon for reviews, I see mixed results. The last thing I want to do is screw up the paint job right out of the gate.

Who's used Track Armor for the ride home? Any issues with it?

 

[Camelot]

Why? driving is driving, do you plan on having some other type of paint protection added when you get home? Seems overkill to me. Its transportation.

 

[GeorgiaBoy]

I had two 5 1/2 hour rides home. Didn’t put it on for the first leg and got three rock chips. Used it on the second leg and got none! My plan was to have PPF installed as soon as I got home. They touched up and put PPF over the chips and they cannot be seen.

I think the poor reviews come from folks that left it on for several days. I took it off as soon as I got home and you would never know it was there.

May be overkill to some but this truck is more than just transportation to me. I wouldn’t have spent this much money on just transportation. But to each his own!

 

[BowDown]

If you're going to have PPF installed, get it. If not, then there's no real point

 

[blue_by_you]

I'm in the same boat. I have an 800 mile trip back home from the dealer and looking at track armor or xpel tracwrap. i want to minimize debris/chips but also me touching the paint. can you just slap this stuff on the truck without washing it first?

 

[mike146]

has anyone considered using a LeBra for the truck? 1500 mile drive for me and considering this. Although I may still have it shipped. Lots of things going on and its all about the timing.

 

[BowDown]

has anyone considered using a LeBra for the truck? 1500 mile drive for me and considering this. Although I may still have it shipped. Lots of things going on and its all about the timing.

That'd do more damage than the rocks

 

[BowDown]

I'm in the same boat. I have an 800 mile trip back home from the dealer and looking at track armor or xpel tracwrap. i want to minimize debris/chips but also me touching the paint. can you just slap this stuff on the truck without washing it first?

I believe as long as there was no dirt/dust on the paint surface, you can. I'd probably run it through a quick coin-op carwash 1st though

 

[GeorgiaBoy]

I'm in the same boat. I have an 800 mile trip back home from the dealer and looking at track armor or xpel tracwrap. i want to minimize debris/chips but also me touching the paint. can you just slap this stuff on the truck without washing it first?

I took some washer less wax and some microfiber cloths to clean it a little but really didn't need it. And didn't use it.

 

[GeorgiaBoy]

We've since sold both of these cars but I had a GS350 Lexus that did not have PPF and the front was beat to hell and back. When I bought a 2015 IS 250C got talked into PPF. I didn't even know what it was. Sold the IS250 and didn't have a single ding on the front. Very close to same number of miles on both. Will never spend this kind on cash on a vehicle without it.

And yes I know this thread is about track armor and not PPF, but couldn't resist....sorry......well maybe!

 

[kdoublep]

Blue tape it

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

I had two 5 1/2 hour rides home. Didn’t put it on for the first leg and got three rock chips. Used it on the second leg and got none! My plan was to have PPF installed as soon as I got home. They touched up and put PPF over the chips and they cannot be seen.

I think the poor reviews come from folks that left it on for several days. I took it off as soon as I got home and you would never know it was there.

May be overkill to some but this truck is more than just transportation to me. I wouldn’t have spent this much money on just transportation. But to each his own!

But it is just transportation. Just another vehicle to drive around, rack up miles on and get another when it is worn out.

It is not a collectors item being a mass produced pick up truck. It is not an investment of any sort as it depreciates as you go down the road. Not an heirloom or really anything special.

It is an averaged priced pickup truck in today's market. Same as any Ford, Cheby or GMC tooling down the road.

Drive it and be happy for the few years you will have with it.

 

[GeorgiaBoy]

But it is just transportation. Just another vehicle to drive around, rack up miles on and get another when it is worn out.

It is not a collectors item being a mass produced pick up truck. It is not an investment of any sort as it depreciates as you go down the road. Not an heirloom or really anything special.

It is an averaged priced pickup truck in today's market. Same as any Ford, Cheby or GMC tooling down the road.

Drive it and be happy for the few years you will have with it.

Ain't got that kind of money to rack up miles, throw it away and get another! Even if I did I wouldn't! I use my trucks for what they are intended for but I like to take care of my belongings. To each his own! If I wanted just another vehicle to drive around I'd get a Subaru or Mach 1....

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

No offense but you have the money. You bought the truck. You bought two Lexus vehicles. You used them while you could then you sold them. The truck is new and shiny and exciting. You're not going to drive it? Sure you are. Same as driving it home. I am sure driving it during normal use it will incur as much damage as the couple hundred miles home.

Have the dealer do PPF. It might be more but is it more than your local shop plus the armor you want to buy? I have a sport package and did PPF on the front. The rest comes clean in the car wash.

 

[ferraiolo1]

It’s going to get rock chips and scratches in it once you start driving it as soon as a you take the film off. So why bother to be so cautions on the initial drive home?


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[mike146]

That'd do more damage than the rocks

I have to assume that what is under the LeBra is not a soft type fabric and will just scratch up the truck. I was looking at the possibility of using one for the drive feeling it had to be stronger than the other suggestions...but not surprised it will do more harm.

 

[WasatchBack]

Have used it at the track as intended, as well as at purchase until PPF install, and on road trips. It works, period, does not harm even when left on for months.

 

[GeorgiaBoy]

It’s going to get rock chips and scratches in it once you start driving it as soon as a you take the film off. So why bother to be so cautions on the initial drive home?


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Because my intent was to have PPF installed as soon as I got home which is what I did. In hindsight I should of had the dealer install it but I've never encountered a dealer that was competent until now.

 

[scubes13]

@GeorgiaBoy what size Track Armor strips did you use?
3"x100' or 6"x100' ?

 

[GeorgiaBoy]

No offense but you have the money. You bought the truck. You bought two Lexus vehicles. You used them while you could then you sold them. The truck is new and shiny and exciting. You're not going to drive it? Sure you are. Same as driving it home. I am sure driving it during normal use it will incur as much damage as the couple hundred miles home.

Have the dealer do PPF. It might be more but is it more than your local shop plus the armor you want to buy? I have a sport package and did PPF on the front. The rest comes clean in the car wash.

The reason I have the money is that I don't abuse and throw away my stuff. I make every effort to take care of my things, cars, tools, tractors, guns etc. And not that it's anyone's business, the GS350 was a company car that was gifted to me when I retired after 37 years.

As I stated before my truck is not a garage princess. It is my daily driver and of course it will get it's fair share of dings, dents, scratches etc...That doesn't mean I go looking for two beaters to park between or pull it out of the garage during a hail storm just because I could!

I'm not trying to tell anyone how to take care of their truck, simply relaying what I did. For all I care wash your car with brillo pads.

And you a right about having the dealer install the PPF. I should have done that in hindsight but that cow is out of the barn.