Installation
How to Change Skins
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 Download Printable Instructions |
1 Make sure the skin you are installing matches the truck for which it is intended. Remove the existing skin. First, release all bottom ratchets. Unhook from the fiberglass rod and let them hang. Then release the rear hardware, slide it off and set it aside. Position the ladder or scaffolding at the front of the van body. Slide the old skin up and out of the front, then slide it out.
| 2 Lay the old skin on the ground, then lay the new skin on top after determining the placement of the new skin. The TruckSkin is interchangeable right to left, but artwork may determine placement. Once you have the two skins laying on top of each other correctly, use the old skin as a template and make any necessary cuts in the new skin. This step may also be done on the truck rather than on the ground if that is easier for you. |  |
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3 Lay the TruckSkin out so that the front top edge is available to the person on the ladder at the front of the van body. 4 Check the fold or roll of TruckSkin™ to make sure it will appear correctly on the truck when installed from front to back. Position the top kedar at the top SkinGrip™ Molding in front and guide it in, sliding towards the back of the truck. Have a helper ease the back edge of the TruckSkin® back as you guide the kedar into the SkinGrip™ Molding. |
| 5 Lift the bottom of the TruckSkin® up to the top of the front SkinGrip™ Molding. Insert the front keder into the SkinGrip™ Molding and guide the TruckSkin® into the SkinGrip™ Molding as a helper pulls it down, until the front is taut. |
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6 Slide the rear keder into the SkinGrip™ Molding. Put vice grips on the bottom of the kedar to hold it while you go to the other side. 7 Go to the passenger side of the van body and repeat steps 2 through 7. Rear SkinGrip |
8 Next, select one of the following two options:
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A Attach the three ratchet straps across the rear of the van body, attaching the strap clips into the slots provided in the back SkinGrip™ Molding. Once all the straps are attached and the slack is taken up, you are ready to start tensioning the TruckSkin® panels. Starting at the top, take up tension until the wrinkles are drawn out of the panel. Move down and take up the middle, then the bottom. The TruckSkin® will start to take on the appearance of a skin. |
| B Using the SkinGrip™ tool, tension and fasten. |
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| 9 Next it is time to attach the rear SkinGrip™ Molding. With all tensioning devices still attached, predrill holes in the rear SkinGrip™ Molding using a 3/16 drill bit. After both sides are predrilled, release the rear tension only on the three rear straps and move the SkinGrip™ Molding away from the van body sides. Fold straps and skin forward, out of the way. Drill holes for riv nuts to 19/64 and install riv nuts using supplied tool. After both sides are done, put molding back in place using the supplied 18" white fiberglass rod with strap and clip. Tension and fasten. |
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10 Slide the 5' fiberglass rods into the bottom pole pocket of the TruckSkin. At this point, note all fuel filler necks, mud flaps and step bumpers which are in the way. These obstacles may need to be notched out on the TruckSkin, so mark them now.
If you have a fuel neck up in the body of the truck, remove it or pull it out a little ways, slide the skin behind it, slot the skin, then put the neck back on and reattach hoses right over the skin, folding the skin back behind the neck to create a smooth finish. If the fuel neck is at the bottom of the body, remove the fasteners, drop it, notch the skin, fold skin behind, and put the neck back in place. If the neck doesn't have a finished flange, use the 3/4" wire loom provided to create a finished edge around the flange.
If you have an angle step in the back, cut the rod so it ends right at the apex where the two angles meet. Make a vertical slit in the TruckSkin right at that point. Fold the skin underneath, using duct tape if necessary to hold skin in place. Using your hand, slide the skin up to make a finished angle. When you tighten down the skin, the folded skin should look like a finished edge.
If you have any mud flaps, make vertical slits in the skin on either side of the flap so that the skin will be tightened down around the mud flap.
| 11 Use two straps per rod, approximately 6" in from each end. One of the rods will have to be cut to fit. In 99 out of 100 cases, you will need to use two ratchets per rod. Move to the front of the van body and attach the lower front strap to the longitudinal van body frame beam and take up some tension on this ratchet. Moving back incrementally, do the same with all ratchet straps until you have reached the back of the van body. Be careful at this point: there is no need to OVERTENSION the skin, you just want it taut. Repeat for the other side. |
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12 At this point, the sign should look very much like a part of the van body. It should not have any wrinkles or unsightly distortions.
13 When wrinkles and distortions are gone, go along the sides of the van body using the provided plastic tie wraps and snug up any loose tails on the lower ratchet straps.
14 Finally, using the provided reflectors, peel off the backing and apply under the area of any overhead clearance lights. Also reinstall any placard holders that might have been removed. Use riv nut fasteners so they can be removed for future TruckSkin® changes.
