Forum Discussion
- Yes, you can paint carbon fiber. I think it is a different formulation of paint as mentioned earlier, but I am not sure. Lots of folks shoot it with clear for the "cool" factor, but you can hide it under color.
- Or could be carbon fiber tape/cloth added to stress points, as is and has been done on boats. Then one uses an epoxy or plastic based resin to adhere e everything together.
I personally do not as mentioned see an issue. Unless they try to use in the bed of a pickup where one else do impact loads, IE loading rock of larger sizes with a loader. Even topsoil could cause an issue.
I have seen some flatness with "STARBOARD" or equal plastic bed material instead of wood or steel/aluminum. This seems to be working reasonably well.
Marty - Everyone is talking about a carbon fiber panel but the article references carbon fiber reinforced. I envision more of a scenario where they throw in some carbon fiber in the plastic resin and call it military grade plastic. The reality of manufacturing entire panels out of CF will probably continue to be in the realm of higher end performance vehicles.
- I wonder if it will be like the old Ford Sport Trac. GM does have previous experience in composites with its Corvette, Pontiacs and Saturns.
- It is to protect the resin (binders) more than the fiber, whether it is glass fiber or carbon fiber (carbon black dust is employed as the UV protective material in many things...like tires)
Also to be the sacrificial protective layer for the resin/binders against UV and O3 damage...
Also, there is a difference between sacrificial coatings....Clear coat is paint and the gel coat on fiberglass/CarbonFiber is clear/colored resin FishOnOne wrote:
I don't believe it is the same stuff as clear coat on fiberglass, but the purpose is the same: to protect the carbon fiber from UV.fj12ryder wrote:
Provided the carbon fiber is sufficiently protected by clear coat and protective finishes, there's no reason it won't last a very long time exposed to heat and the sun's UV. But "cheap" and "quality" are not words you can use in the same sentence when it comes to carbon fiber.
Can you apply clear coat to carbon fiber? I was thinking the same but I have no experience with this material so I'm not sure.fj12ryder wrote:
Provided the carbon fiber is sufficiently protected by clear coat and protective finishes, there's no reason it won't last a very long time exposed to heat and the sun's UV. But "cheap" and "quality" are not words you can use in the same sentence when it comes to carbon fiber.
Can you apply clear coat to carbon fiber? I was thinking the same but I have no experience with this material so I'm not sure.- Provided the carbon fiber is sufficiently protected by clear coat and protective finishes, there's no reason it won't last a very long time exposed to heat and the sun's UV. But "cheap" and "quality" are not words you can use in the same sentence when it comes to carbon fiber.
- From what I've read this material will be used on the high end trucks which in reality don't get abused like the work grade trucks. My concern is how will this material hold up to the heat and the sun's UV.
- We have carbon fiber parts on our dragster. Great stuff, light and strong. But don't hit anything. There is no way that we, or the body shop guys, know of to fix it if you break (tear) it. You just replace it. Wings, noses, small panels are no big deal. But a complete body is EXPENSIVE, as I would think a truck bed would be. Better to restrict it to roofs, hoods and possibly fenders and doors. Thinks that are less likely to see major abuse.
