The clear bra will protect against most small chips but anything of size and at that speed you would have to have one of the heavier clip on vinyl and fabric bras to stop it.
Clear bra failed!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 813
Likes: 70
From: Delaware, OH
Clear bra failed!
Road trip to Woodward Dream Cruise in Detriot. Took a rock or something at 80 plus and heard it hit windshield. I assume it hit the hood first, cut the bra and chipped the paint. Now I need that section of bra removed, fix the chip and replace bra. Question is best way to fix chip. Touch it up, let dealer respray that area or any suggestions. Chips never look the same after touch up. The good thing is that it is at outer edge of hood. Thought clear bra would prevent this, but not.
Sucks..
Sucks..
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 3
From: Maple Grove MN
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,352
Likes: 568
From: Ventura County, Calif
Bummer......but Clear Bra isn't armor. Hit something big enough/fast enough and it's going to penetrate. 
That chip might be okay with a quality paint touch-up, maybe a good body shop. Might want to ask in the Car Care Forum too for opinions from all the detail people. Good luck.
That chip might be okay with a quality paint touch-up, maybe a good body shop. Might want to ask in the Car Care Forum too for opinions from all the detail people. Good luck.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,109
Likes: 0
From: Huntsville Alabama
The clear bra probably protects against a lot. I wouldn't say it failed. You hit a rock going 80 mph!! You can't put a clear bra on, let me hit your car with a brick and think everything is going to be ok.
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Advanced
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: DFW Texas
First off, what type of clear bra do you have on there? Some people are going the cheap route and actually getting clear vinyl as opposed to real paint protection film.
A gravelometer is used to test surfaces for chip resistance. As you can see in the video below (just the first one I found...) that half inch stones are chot at the film directly, not at an angle like the rock would have hit your hood. The film stopped all of the damage. From looking at your pic I am inclined to think that either you dont have genuin paint protection film on oyur car or the object that hit you was large. I would also like to see the painted surface after you remvoe the film... as sometimes the damage is in the film and not the paint.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hv1E8db10k
A gravelometer is used to test surfaces for chip resistance. As you can see in the video below (just the first one I found...) that half inch stones are chot at the film directly, not at an angle like the rock would have hit your hood. The film stopped all of the damage. From looking at your pic I am inclined to think that either you dont have genuin paint protection film on oyur car or the object that hit you was large. I would also like to see the painted surface after you remvoe the film... as sometimes the damage is in the film and not the paint.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hv1E8db10k
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 11,081
Likes: 29
From: Murfreesboro TN
First off, what type of clear bra do you have on there? Some people are going the cheap route and actually getting clear vinyl as opposed to real paint protection film.
A gravelometer is used to test surfaces for chip resistance. As you can see in the video below (just the first one I found...) that half inch stones are chot at the film directly, not at an angle like the rock would have hit your hood. The film stopped all of the damage. From looking at your pic I am inclined to think that either you dont have genuin paint protection film on oyur car or the object that hit you was large. I would also like to see the painted surface after you remvoe the film... as sometimes the damage is in the film and not the paint.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hv1E8db10k
A gravelometer is used to test surfaces for chip resistance. As you can see in the video below (just the first one I found...) that half inch stones are chot at the film directly, not at an angle like the rock would have hit your hood. The film stopped all of the damage. From looking at your pic I am inclined to think that either you dont have genuin paint protection film on oyur car or the object that hit you was large. I would also like to see the painted surface after you remvoe the film... as sometimes the damage is in the film and not the paint.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hv1E8db10k
Last edited by RadarP3C; Aug 21, 2011 at 09:21 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: DFW Texas
Your example is a little misleading. A rock shot directly will do less damage than one at an angle like the OP's hood. Hit at an angle, the rock can act like a knife and cut through the clear bra protection and do it's damage. Hit straight on, the rock only compresses the clear bra and the energy is absorbed. That is where the clear bra has the advantage up to a point.
Last edited by pro-tect mobile; Aug 21, 2011 at 10:44 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
There is a limit to just how much protection a clear bra can provide and it looks like in this case, the rock, speeds, direction and impact velocity was beyond what could be stopped. Physics can't be ignored but be thankful that the bra was on there as it could have been a lot worse.
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,419
Likes: 2
From: "Cedar Valley" (Northeastern) Iowa
First off, what type of clear bra do you have on there? Some people are going the cheap route and actually getting clear vinyl as opposed to real paint protection film.
A gravelometer is used to test surfaces for chip resistance. As you can see in the video below (just the first one I found...) that half inch stones are chot at the film directly, not at an angle like the rock would have hit your hood. The film stopped all of the damage. From looking at your pic I am inclined to think that either you dont have genuin paint protection film on oyur car or the object that hit you was large. I would also like to see the painted surface after you remvoe the film... as sometimes the damage is in the film and not the paint.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hv1E8db10k
A gravelometer is used to test surfaces for chip resistance. As you can see in the video below (just the first one I found...) that half inch stones are chot at the film directly, not at an angle like the rock would have hit your hood. The film stopped all of the damage. From looking at your pic I am inclined to think that either you dont have genuin paint protection film on oyur car or the object that hit you was large. I would also like to see the painted surface after you remvoe the film... as sometimes the damage is in the film and not the paint.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hv1E8db10k
