Stickers

The stickers in this section are pin-striping decals: thin, self-adhesive stripes that outline the rim of a wheel or the edge of a mirror cap. They add a line of colour without paint and peel off again when the look changes.

Pin-striping is narrow vinyl with an adhesive backing, and on a wheel it works in a hard place. Brake dust, heat from the brakes, wheel cleaners and car-wash brushes all attack its edges. It lasts when it goes on a clean, dry surface without being stretched, because stretched vinyl slowly shrinks back and lifts at the ends.

Choose by part, width and design:

• Rim stripes: 6 mm wide, supplied as four strips of 2.15 m, one per wheel. Colours include white, yellow, orange, red, power green and dark blue.
• Racing designs: rim stripes in a “Racing” design, in neon red, neon yellow or a carbon structure.
• Kits with a tool: neon green, neon yellow and neon red stripes come with an installation tool that helps lay the line evenly.
• Mirror caps: stripes 1.3 cm wide in two 35.5 cm lengths for a pair of mirrors, in white or yellow.
• Rim profile: the outer rim edge needs a flat band at least as wide as the stripe, so check the wheel first.

Clean the rim with a degreaser, let it dry and work at room temperature rather than in the cold. Lay the stripe in one smooth pass, press it down with a soft cloth and trim it where it meets the start. Leave it at least a day before the first wash.

Hand washing is kinder to the edges than brushes and strong wheel acids. To remove a stripe, warm it with a hairdryer and peel it back slowly at a low angle. Neither job needs the wheels to come off the car.