Guyechka

I have some gold stripey decal things along the sides of my truck that are beginning to come off in places. They never looked very good in the first place. So I want to know what is the best way to completely remove them without messing up the paint.

PismoJoe

I have used this product with very good results http://www.signwarehouse.com/FL-RE-p...YLOFF-8OZ.html

It helps to get some heat on the decal before removing, so go over it with a hairdryer, heat gun (careful ) or park it in the sun for a few hours. Its going to take some time if it is already cracked (then it won't come off in one piece)

Guyechka

That looks like good stuff. Thanks.

I'm not sure if it's cracked, but some of the gold has come off the top leaving just the sticky stuff underneath. What a pain!

85gijunk4x4

heat up a blade, then scrape off the stripe, then use a wool buffing wheel to get the glue off...

or if its hot out, try to peel the corner up with a blade, the slide dental floss behind it, and work it down the decal, then buff out the glue with some rubbing compound

PismoJoe

Not everyone has a...er...'paint job' like you do, so a blade might not be the best

I have found that surfboard wax remover works best to remove the sub-adhesive layer, better than goo gone in my opinion

85gijunk4x4

lol, not like scrape it off...just kinda squeeze the blade between the stripe and the metal, you want enough heat to excite the glue, but not enough heat to mess with the paint. you should barely even touch the metal with the blade, worst case scenario is that you get a few small scratches in your clearcoat, but the should buff right out

Guyechka

This seems like one of those projects that take forever and, in the end, there isn't much to show for it. I'm going to leave it out in the heat for a while and then attack it. See what I can get off first.

Innervision

3m makes a stripe remover tool that you use like a buffer. I have heard it works great with no damage to the paint. Search the threads here I think I remember someone removing all the graphics from their 4Runner with the 3m wheel. I think you can get it at Napa.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...s-gone-190998/

SigEp4Runner

My cousin went into the local auto parts store looking for one of the buffer disk things to remove stripes and the guy told him that was too much work. The guy then showed him a bottle of some stuff that you just wipe on with a rag. My cousin said his stripe came right of with out really having to scrub too hard. I'll find out what its called, but any auto store should know of it.

Guyechka

Ok, I spent a couple hours and managed to remove about one foot of the stripe. Went with sticker remover from goo gone, but I think they had bumper stickers in mind. Basically, heating with a blow dryer works wonders to make the glue pliable, but I still need something to lift it off easily.

rusty87

I had excellent results using a power washer. Not the car wash but a personal one with a little briggs and stratton, so you can adjust the spray to a fine point. It did not damage the paint and removed the graphics easily.
Then I was left with the adhesive. and I used 3M adhesive remove and a PLASTIC razor blade. (got them at local auto paint supplier) and then finished with rubber wheel on a battery drill.
When I had smooth paint I buffed it and it was amazing!
keep in mind this was red paint and there was a big difference after all the adhesive was removed, but the buff worked wonders on the blend. I wish I had taken before and after pictures. It can easily be repeated in one weekend.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

How I removed the stripes on my hood:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/Stripes.shtml

kiyobrown

The decal itself came off with a pressure washer, the adhesive I took off with acetone and a rag. If your clear coat is in good shape, acetone won't mess with it. My sister works at a detail shop and said that's what they use. I think I asked her about a couple different products, and she said they were all garbage.

Oh yeah, wear gloves. That is all.

Swimmerboy2112

iTrader: (2)

Heat gun and credit card (or similar plastic card) or clay bar (or combination of the 3). This is what helped me get the pin stripe off my old car.

Mudd Duck 1

The 3m tool that goes on your drill works AMAZING I removed all the stripes off my pickup with one and it really didn't take too long I got it at Napa i believe it was called a vinyl eraser. I don't have any good before pictures but if you look at my build thread (link in sig) the first pic kinda shows before and the rest show after i took them off

Guyechka

I used the 3m wheel after giving up on all the rest. It took me about an hour and a half to remove all the decals. Of course, it didn't do me any good in the end since about a month later the truck got totaled!