Fiberglasses are coverings that are built on top of your typical Jeep. While they are tough and does not break easily, that doesn’t mean that they are invulnerable.
If your Jeep is exposed to the heat for a long time, the fiberglass might show cracks on its surface. That is why it is important that you know how to fix fiberglass top on a Jeep.
So what makes for the most convenient Jeep fiberglass top repair that stays effective for a long time? Well, stay with us and keep reading to get all of your queries answered.
Common Problems of Fiberglass Top
Fiberglass is a very special material that is made from various strands of fibers of glass. They are used for reinforcing multiple objects, including your Jeep.
There are several problems that can be associated with a broken fiberglass top. We have compiled and listed some of them below along with their short details.
1. Surface is scrapped
If the surface of the top of your fiberglass has been scrapped, you might think that this is no big deal. In most cases, you might also be right.
However, it is through these scrapped points that the natural entities like air and the sun will cause them to corrode. As a result, these scrapes will soon turn into cracks.
2. Hole In the Fiberglass
Holes are usually formed on the fiberglass due to sudden impact or unintentional contact with any other large bodies.
While typically this can pass as a simple scratch, if the force applied exceeds what the fiberglass can handle, this will result in holes or splits on top of the surface.
3. Cracks On the Fiberglass
Nature might be the biggest enemy for any jeep. At the same time, the sun will not affect the fiberglass of the truck in the first contact. Long-term exposure will cause changes in the glass molecules.
As the heat of the sun that is absorbed in the fiberglass increases beyond its extreme limit, the molecules will start to melt, causing the fiberglass’s composition to become brittle and eventually begin cracking.
4. Pinholes
While not so common, it is indeed possible for the fiberglass in your Jeep to develop pinholes on its surface. This is usually caused by improper or not enough resin application while the fiberglass was applied.
As such, over time the fiberglass will start to deteriorate causing leaks or pinholes to appear.
Why You Should Repair Fiberglass Top On A Jeep?
Now that you have got a brief expectation of how exactly fiberglass works, we can move on to explaining why exactly you should repair the fiberglass of a jeep.
Of course, it is common sense to repair any damaged part of the automobile to reduce the chance of any major accidents. That is why we won’t be including this point on our list.
1. Damaged Frame
The body frame of your Jeep is interconnected to fiberglass. As such, if the fiberglass gets damaged, expect the damage to erode and spread to other parts of the Jeep including its very framework.
Eventually this will cause the Jeep to weaken and vibrate more. It might not run smoothly on rough terrains either.
2. Overheating
The fiberglass is a major source of insulation on the Jeep. If it breaks, expect your Jeep to overheat by a significant amount. This heat comes from the engine that was usually contained by the fiberglass.
Now that there are no fiberglass, your air conditioner will not work properly either. As such it is important that you fix the fiberglass as soon as possible.
3. Delamination
If the stress that your Jeep’s top can handle with a damaged fiberglass exceeds, the layers of the top will start to peel off. This will result in the gradual depreciation in the longevity of the Jeep.
How Much Does It Cost To Repair Jeep Fiberglass Top?
The amount of money you are expected to spend on the jeep fiberglass repair can be broken down into two major portions.
While there might be certain deviations, the cost breakdown displayed below will remain the same for most parts of an average repair.
Mechanic Cost:
If you are going to hire a mechanic to help you out with the resin, expect to pay a labor cost that might be as much as the amount you are paying for the fiberglass resin.
Expensive shops charge about 200-300 USD. You can get the job done for 100 USD if you go somewhere less famous.
Parts/Product Cost:
Depending on how many coats you are going to buy, the average person spends about 300-500 USD on a coat of fiberglass resin.
Additionally, the sandpaper will cost about 20-50 USD. If you are going to buy a sanding machine, it will cost you even more.
How To Protect Jeep Fiberglass Top?
You can follow several tips to prevent any potential harm that might come to your fiberglass top. We have compiled and listed some of these below.
- Make sure to apply a trim protectant like penetrol
- Make sure that there are no bubbles once the resin has been applied
- Repaint the surface as a form of reinforcement
- For every coat of fiberglass resin that you apply, dry for about 2 hours
- Park your Jeep in shades if it is accessible
Conclusion
Each year there are more than millions of people who die by road accidents. Remember, if you do not take care of the fiberglass top, it could prove to be one factor that might cause the accident.
However, as long as you take care of it in time, your Jeep can remain safe and protect you from any possible road accidents that might come on your way.
Fixing the fiberglass can be hard for a beginner. As such you are more than welcome to hire a mechanic to help you out. In such cases, you might need to spend a lot on labor costs.
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