Common Types of Scratches on Commercial Trucks

If you manage a fleet of commercial trucks, you must know that the body is one of the most critical maintenance areas. It is especially the case if your trucks spend most of the days on roads delivering products since it exposes the bodies to paint issues. Notably, paint damage on commercial trucks is caused by various elements, the most common being scratches. Unfortunately, paint scratches expose the inner parts of a truck's bodies to moisture, promoting rust. Besides, minor scratches can also lead to expensive paint peels. This article highlights the most common types of blemishes on commercial trucks. Read on for insight.

Clear-Coat Scratches -- The first and most common type of scratches are clear-coat. As the name implies, clear-coat scratches affect the thin layer of paint on a truck's body. The primary purpose of the thin coat is to protect the paint from destructive elements, such as acid rain and dust. Notably, some clear-coat scratches are so mild that identification becomes challenging, particularly on brightly coloured truck bodies. It is unfortunate because failure to repair clear-coat scratches in good time increases the chances of extensive paint damage. Nonetheless, clear-coat scratches are mild and easy to fix once identified.

Paint Scratches -- Another type of scratch common in commercial trucks is paint scratch. Paint scratches are more profound than clear-coat damages because the former affects the paint. Notably, paint scratches are caused by various elements, including mild collisions, vandalism, and flying debris on roads. Paint scratch repairs are expensive because a technician must prepare a fresh coat of paint. Besides, the time it takes to repair paint scratches depends on the number of spots affected. Therefore, the more the scratches, the longer it takes to conduct repairs.

Primer Scratches -- It is the most severe scratch type that commercial trucks are exposed to. Primer scratches are deep and rip all the three layers—clear-coat, paint and primer—exposing the bare metal underneath. Primer scratches are common in major accidents where a truck's body rubs against a rough surface at high speed. Primer scratches need immediate repairs because delays speed up the chances of corrosion. Moreover, primer scratches deprive a truck of its shine and smooth surface. Notably, primer scratches take longer to repair because technicians must strip the paint off a large section to avoid unevenness between the new shade and the rest of the body.

To learn more, contact a truck repair service.