Fiber Glass Paint Cracking

[amlumber]

I found this on craigslist, and I was wondering what would cause the paint to "crack?" Would it be a problem with the fiberglass?

 

I have a ARE truck cap for sale.. It has solid sides and the cab window is solid not a sliding window. It is in good shape. there is a few places where the paint is cracked and looks sorta like a spider web. It is not peeling or anything just cracked.This cap is 1460.00 new. So at $400.00 this is a great deal... It will fit an 2008 chevy/gmc crew cab short bed only.. Please email me with any questions

[Doug_Scott]

I found this on craigslist, and I was wondering what would cause the paint to "crack?" Would it be a problem with the fiberglass?

 

I have a ARE truck cap for sale.. It has solid sides and the cab window is solid not a sliding window. It is in good shape. there is a few places where the paint is cracked and looks sorta like a spider web. It is not peeling or anything just cracked.This cap is 1460.00 new. So at $400.00 this is a great deal... It will fit an 2008 chevy/gmc crew cab short bed only.. Please email me with any questions

 

If it is "crazing" it is a function of fibrglas. From Wikipedia for Crazing

 

"A craze is different from a crack in that it can continue to support a load. Furthermore, the process of craze growth prior to cracking absorbs fracture energy and effectively increases the fracture toughness of a polymer. The initial energy absorption per square meter in a craze region has been found to be up to several hundred times that of the uncrazed region, but quickly decreases and levels off. Crazes form at highly stressed regions associated with scratches, flaws, stress concentrations and molecular inhomogeneities. Crazes generally propagate perpendicular to the applied tension. Crazing occurs mostly in amorphous, brittle polymers like PS, PMMA, and polycarbonate; it is typified by a whitening of the crazed region. The white colour is caused by light-scattering from the crazes."

[AdamsPolishes]

Improper care and maintenance of the paint might be part of it as well. I see many fiberglass tonneau covers fail before anything else b/c the paint quality from the manufactures is relatively low, plus the fact that fiberglass retains heat which breaks down any protection (wax or sealant) much faster than painted metal panels.

 

For the price, even if you stripped it and had it repainted you'd probably come out ahead on the deal.