Just looking for any tips/tricks. I started pulling one off & it seemed to be leaving quite a bit of residue behind. I'm also concerned about it lifting the Macco-quality paint job underneath. Any advice?
Just looking for any tips/tricks. I started pulling one off & it seemed to be leaving quite a bit of residue behind. I'm also concerned about it lifting the Macco-quality paint job underneath. Any advice?
I've actually had the most luck softening the adhesive using a heat gun and using plastic razor blades to scrape off the residual adhesive. Goo Gone and decal removal sprays can work well too, but they tend to dissolve a the top layer of single stage paints.
I've been down this road a couple of times. I've had good luck with Goof Off and plain naphtha (a.k.a., Zippo lighter fluid). Soak it, then rub off with a microfiber towel.
If you can find a rubber cement thinner called Bestine, it seems to do a good job removing adhesive residue, while being fairly benign to the finish underneath. Test first in an inconspciuous area, of course.
I second the recommendation to warm the whole panel with a heat gun first, to soften the adhesive before peeling.
Citrus solvent like goo gone takes the residue off. After 2 years i got smart and put them on magnets.
For others watching and some pre-event advice...
$25 at Amazon got me 24" wide and 5 ft long roll of magnetic sheet.
The GRM Number panels are 16" x 20" so you will need about half of that $25 purchase to place the stickers on magnet before placing them on the car. I do not add this cost into my budget because I rationalize that the magnet does not add any benefit to the "race" it merely adds benefit to the "after the race". For the drag portion which has high trap speeds unlike autox, I then add a little bit of masking tape to the leading edge of the magnet to keep air form getting under the magnet and lifting it off.
Of course, in the instance of Pete's fiberglass Vette, this advice is useless.
for other adhesive goo, try combining WD40 and a hot summers day (or a heat gun). (have a fire extinguisher handy)
Wax & grease remover normally used for bodywork will take off the sticky while being safe for paint and not risking scratching. As others mentioned hair drier or heat gun to warm before/while peeling.
I literally just came in from the garage where I was removing all my Challenge stickers. It around 40 degrees out, probably lower in the garage, so I placed a small electric heater on a stool next the door of the car and let it sit for several minutes. On the stickers where I could get the entire thing warm they came off pretty cleanly. The big door number panels left a lot of glue. Pull them off by pulling straight back along the surface, not at 90 degrees to the surface, and they'll take more glue with them and they're less likely to rip, too. Next time I'm using magnets.
Patrick said:After 2 years i got smart and put them on magnets.
That doesn't work out so well on a Vette. ;-)
I have a heat gun, so I'll try that this weekend, unless it's sunny & warm enough to park it outside. If they still leave residue I'll look to one of the chemical solutions.
Thanks!
Fire.
Patrick said:Citrus solvent like goo gone takes the residue off. After 2 years i got smart and put them on magnets.
That's not going to work on your Corv...oh, nevermind.
Not sure I’d trust those rubber-eraser-wheel things with a Maaco paint job underneath.
My racecar had a crappy Maaco job done by the previous owner. The finish flakes off pretty easily. Nothing like a factory paint job. Not even close.
Shotgun?
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