Has anyone seen something like this before? They are all around the rear window. It isn’t anywhere else on the rear panel or any of the side panels.
yep. mine didn’t last 10 months. the powder coat was flaking off. fixed it and it’s happening again
send in a service request
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Hey @Wild_Mitten - Bummed to see it, but thanks for getting a service request form sent in for this issue. While we don’t own the powder coating process and farm it out to a local shop, we’re looking into ways to prevent this in the future alongside preventative maintenance to improve the lifespan of the panels.
More to come on the PM opportunities, but for anyone else experiencing issues, please click here and submit an SRF. I experienced the same issue myself after our harsh winter months, so know that I understand first hand.
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I appreciate all of the assistance. Customer service was quick to get my new panel into the production queue. I’m guessing our brutal winter wasn’t helpful. I was actually about to submit a service ticket for my locks before I noticed the blistering. Two birds, one stone.
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Hey Thayne, the panels are aluminum correct? Has GFC ever considered instead of powered coating, moving to an anodizing finish on them (Or even offering anodized panels as an option)? May not be AS durable, but it removes the issue of failing powder coating.
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But doesn’t anodized aluminum fade pretty gnarly in the sun? Just thinking about the winch fair leads over the years changing from black to pink lol.
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I mean……yea, maybe 
. But hey, it still inhibits corrosion well and doesn’t bubble! Plus you can always just re-anodize too. Also I’m sure it would make a difference on how think the anodized layer is in regards to UV fade. Who know, I’m just throwing spaghetti at the wall here.
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As @Dogandagladiator mentioned, the UV impacts over time can be pretty gnarly, and it’s not as durable in comparison. While there are preventative measures you can take to prolong things, but black fading to purple might not be everyone’s favorite transition, haha. We’re still diagnosing the issue with a few rear panels, but there’s no question that powder coating is still the way forward.
And thanks for the inspiration, I’m making spaghetti tonight. 
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I’m not super familiar with the anodizing process, but I believe it can’t be re-anodized, whereas powder coat can be sand blasted and re done.
Didn’t the extrusions switch from PC to anodized? Any issues with those fading to purple?
You’re correct, but our extrusion uses an architectural grade ano hence why these stay black. And before we go there, dipping items like panels might seem straightforward, but it can actually be quite challenging in terms of process and consistency. Anodizing large items presents some difficulties when hoisting/ positioning, and achieving uniform coating thickness with a consistent current is a technically demanding task. There are places that specialize and do it well, but the cost compared to a solid PC job is much higher and less durable in the long run. Plus, anodizing a second time has a whole other set of complications.
So at the moment, we’re still confident in the powder coated panels, and this just gives us a chance to learn more. Anyone with issues can reach out whenever, and talking shop with us directly will resolve things more quickly.
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For the record, my panels are fine. Knock on wood.
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To me the look of powder coated panels is awesome. 
I still have a month before I pick mine up. The waiting isn’t getting any easier.
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Update: new rear panel showed up today. Might take a week or two before I can get to it. Happy with how easy this process was. 
GFC sent me mine due to a design & fitment issue for my truck a while back. Smooth process and everything came ready to go. Pro tip: get another person to help as the panel will get heavy trying to slip the hinge on and lining up the pocket locks simultaneously.
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Absolutely already have a buddy on the hook. He’ll also double as the beer assistant.