Decorating Your Jeep Wrangler with Vinyl Decals

A decal is a custom adhesive design that can be placed on the body of a vehicle for novelty purposes or as a call-out. Stock Wranglers will use decals to call out some of the sub-models along the hood.

The subtlety of the right decals make a major difference in the appearance of one Wrangler from the other and this is why you may want to consider placing your own decals on your Jeep.

Composition: The common material used for automotive decals is vinyl. Vinyl can be cut and printed on in custom designs. This is a rugged material that can take beatings and be subjected to environments standard stickers may not.

The Wrangler is known for using decals to indicate its sub-model. The placement of these decals has always been very tasteful but can also be used for inspiration of where to place an aftermarket decal.

By using the stock locations you will be able to give the vehicle a personal touch without the decal looking out of place. One can also buy aftermarket Jeep decals to mimic or clone the sub-model the owner wished they had purchased in the first place.

Rubicon: Rubicon Wranglers use the sides of the hood to call-out the trim level. This location is a wide flat area where long designs can live naturally and is an obvious place to place a decal for both factory and aftermarket designs.

Renegade: The Jeep Wrangler Renegade takes advantage of the wide, flat, door panels. In this area Jeep was able to place their call-out for the legendary trim level of the YJ.

Willys: The Willys JK used the hood to place the sub-model call-out. Even though they use the same wide area as the Rubicon’s decal placement they center the decal to make it look proportional despite the smaller size of the lettering.

Not everyone is going to mimic the look of another sub-model or will want to follow the footsteps of Jeep Wrangler designers. This is what makes the use of decals so great. The concept is to take advantage of the platform’s available space to implement a custom design. The Wrangler has a lot of realty available to aftermarket decals and an owner can take advantage of the spaces as they so choose.

Hood Decals: The hood of the Wrangler is long and flat. The sides can be taken advantage of as well as the top of the hood. Depending on the model you are working with and hood design, the whole thing may be treated like an open canvas for custom decals to paint a picture.

Body Shield: The body shields run the span of the rocker panels on the lower side of the vehicle. These are actually vinyl decals that offer a level of protection against rock chips and scrapes that may occur inadvertently.

Windshield: The windshield has always been an extremely popular place for aftermarket decals to live. The decals are placed high up on the windshield to keep from obstructing the view while calling out a build name, sponsor, or even a custom logo.

Novelty Decals: Naturally, you will want to consider novelty decals to match the Yosemite Sam mud flaps. Jeepers love to take advantage of the windows on the hard top or side top for these decals. The tailgate and rear fenders that offer small spaces for these types of decals are also a wise choice.

When placing decals on glass you need to mindful of visibility. Decals are a thick, opaque material that can easily hinder one’s ability to see clearly. When placing them on the glass of the vehicle you need to be careful not to pick too large of a decal and need to be wary of their placement.

The body decals won’t obstruct vision but will be subjected to more abuse. Unless the vinyl material is meant to take a beating, you want to make sure that they are in a place where braches and other obstacles will tear them to shreds.

Over time, decals will need to be replaced. We’ve all seen Wranglers with decal lettering that has fallen off and you can see where the paint was protected from the sun. With proper care and installation you can prolong the lifespan of the decals to keep this from happening.

Installation: Proper installation of decals is the best way you can ensure a long healthy life of the vinyl. Before putting decals on your Jeep you need to make sure that you are working with bare paint that is completely clean.

You want to work in an area where moisture and dust are not an issue. After the vinyl is placed take a squeegee and work out any air bubbles or defects while the adhesive is still fresh.

Care: Decal care is almost mindless if you regularly care for your Jeep. Keeping them clean and being mindful of their presence while off-roading will keep them from peeling up on you. While you’re cleaning your Wrangler you will want to be mindful of the edges to prevent them from peeling up and getting moisture underneath them.