Hood "wrap" to reduce glare (white '16)? Update/Opinions Requested (1 Viewer)

[Dan Higgins]

With the days getting shorter I find myself doing more driving into the sun near sunrise or sunset. The glare off the hood on my white '16 LC is pretty severe. That got me thinking about covering the raised areas on the 2016 with some sort of flat, black material that reduces or eliminates glare. I think I have seen this on some offroad vehicles but I'm not sure what it is called or if there are pros and cons for doing this.

I tried searching for "hood wraps" on this forum but all that came up were full body wraps. "Wrap" may not be the correct word but I wasn't sure what to use when doing a search.

Any thoughts on whether to do this and what to consider/avoid?

 

[TonyP]

@Markuson

 

[Dan Higgins]

Thanks, Tony. I'll PM him. I didn't think of Mark's rig. With it being gray I hadn't remembered that it has this stuff on the hood.

 

[KLF]

Hood Blackouts

I don't see an application for a 200-series, but I bet they may already have the pattern, or if you can get there they will make one for you. I had one on the hood of my '87 mini-truck and loved it. Very high quality 3M material, still looked new after 3 winters of DD.

Pretty sure the owner is on MUD, but I can't remember his handle.

Edit: found him: @Isotel

 

[mcgaskins]

The Expedition Overland guys did this small wrap on the hood for glare:

 

[bjorn240]

I used to race rally cars for a living and we would do this. Use 3M or Avery high-quality wrap. If you are brave, you can DIY a flattish panel like a hood.

 

[M1911]

Have you tried sunglasses with polarized lenses?

My 2013 is white and I haven't had any issue with glare off the hood. YMMV.

 

[Markuson]

I had matte black applied and I love it.

Also applied entire roof. The reason I initially did it is was the skyward-facing paint was beginning to fail. I got a very good deal at $400 total for both roof and hood...especially considering it took two guys most of two days to complete it. If you skip the very complicated food line and roof-rack removal & replacement...it should be maybe 1/4th that time or less.

3M is a common choice, but I went with its main competitor whose name is subject to a brain cramp... I’ll post when cramp subsides...

I take it through full-contact car wash at least twice a week...and it’s seen no ill effects.

See below for paint vs. vinyl.
Note the reflections and lack of...

Paint...

Closer...

Wrap:

 

[chilibit]

With a modicum of preparation Plasti-dip the hood. The rear of my 200 has it and has been unfazed by hundreds of brush car washes over five years. If you don't care for it peel it off. Just remember to do a half dozen coats to build up a layer thick enough to maintain its integrity if you choose to peel it off.

 

[Markuson]

With a modicum of preparation Plasti-dip the hood. The rear of my 200 has it and has been unfazed by hundreds of brush car washes over five years. If you don't care for it peel it off. Just remember to do a half dozen coats to build up a layer thick enough to maintain its integrity if you choose to peel it off.

Super surprised to hear it holds up to brush car washes. That’s pretty impressive.

 

[Union]

I think my wife would kill me if I used a matte black film on my truck anywhere. I could see doing what XO did but that'd be the absolute min. We'll see though when I install my 35,000 lumen light bar!

Side note: I used plasti-dip on my Tacoma's grill and it held up for over a year through multiple brush car washes with around 5 coats.

 

[Markuson]

I think my wife would kill me if I used a matte black film on my truck anywhere. I could see doing what XO did but that'd be the absolute min. We'll see though when I install my 35,000 lumen light bar!

Side note: I used plasti-dip on my Tacoma's grill and it held up for over a year through multiple brush car washes with around 5 coats.

She’d KILL you? Oh my!

Hmm...
-Tell your wife that the glare off your hood might temporarily blind & kill both o ya!

See there? I may have just saved your lives!

You’re welcome.

 

[codyaustin5]

3M 180c matte black

 

[Markuson]

3M 180c matte black

View attachment 1799799

Ah! I meant to hunt down a photo of Cody’s rig, since it looks great with the contrasting matte black...where mine is closer to my dark grey.

It was actually @codyaustin5 ’s hood that gave me the idea for mine when my paint started to fail.

I’ve seen it done on otherwise white trucks and it looks good there as well.

 

[codyaustin5]

Ah! I meant to hunt down a photo of Cody’s rig, since it looks great with the contrasting matte black...where mine is closer to my dark grey.

It was actually @codyaustin5 ’s hood that gave me the idea for mine when my paint started to fail.

I’ve seen it done on otherwise white trucks and it looks good there as well.

Nice part is if you want to change or get bored of it, it comes right off. Must use a high quality film though like 3M 180 or similar. Leaves no residue and paint good as new.

 

[Cruisin911]

I have one of the tacoma hood decals from this website. Turns out that the tacoma decals fit just fine. I have a gray topographic one

TRD Compass Edition

 

[Dan Higgins]

Thanks, Everyone! This is just what I was looking for. @codyaustin5, if you are following this could you tell me where you had it done? Also, I was hoping to only cover the high areas on the 2016 hood - the humps - as they will adequately address the glare from head on. It looks like you didn't do the full hood but you maybe you wrapped it around the front edge and the rear edge? Will the 3M material work if I'm not wrapping the whole hood? Using the 3M material makes a lot of sense as there is certainly the possibility that I will want to change it in the future.

Thanks, @Markuson, that is good info and feedback. I think the full hood treatment looks good on yours but for my white rig I think a full hood treatment will be too much.

Thanks, @Cruisin911, that white/black contrast is what I'm looking for though I would like to cover the 2 humps on the 2016+ hood rather than the section down the middle.

I may try to find a place that can do this in Eugene, OR or in Bend, OR before I start my drive back to Colorado through NE Oregon and then over to the Tetons next week. If not, I'll wait until I'm back in CO and then would be interested in Cody's installer (which is probably up in Fort Collins) or someone south of Denver.

 

[Dan Higgins]

BTW, for the 3M 180c I see there is a "v3". I also see a 3m 1080. I'm not clear which material is the best for this application.

 

[Cruisin911]

Ive used the 1080 on other cars. My hood wrap on my other car is 3 years old now and doesn't show any age at all. I did the black satin 3M 1080 on that car.

 

[codyaustin5]

Thanks, Everyone! This is just what I was looking for. @codyaustin5, if you are following this could you tell me where you had it done? Also, I was hoping to only cover the high areas on the 2016 hood - the humps - as they will adequately address the glare from head on. It looks like you didn't do the full hood but you maybe you wrapped it around the front edge and the rear edge? Will the 3M material work if I'm not wrapping the whole hood? Using the 3M material makes a lot of sense as there is certainly the possibility that I will want to change it in the future.

Thanks, @Markuson, that is good info and feedback. I think the full hood treatment looks good on yours but for my white rig I think a full hood treatment will be too much.

Thanks, @Cruisin911, that white/black contrast is what I'm looking for though I would like to cover the 2 humps on the 2016+ hood rather than the section down the middle.

I may try to find a place that can do this in Eugene, OR or in Bend, OR before I start my drive back to Colorado through NE Oregon and then over to the Tetons next week. If not, I'll wait until I'm back in CO and then would be interested in Cody's installer (which is probably up in Fort Collins) or someone south of Denver.

Here’s another pic but I followed the outside curves of the hood as I didn’t want to cover the whole hood. The first thing I noticed after install was the glare was gone. I’m in the printing business so got the material and install done free through connections.