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Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:00 pm

Hi.

So I have some 3-line pinstriping that has seen better days. Much of it is cracked and faded.
I would like to remove it and potentially replace it with some newer striping.

What do people suggest for removing it without damaging the paint underneath? Paint underneath is pastel white.

A friend who has a paint shop suggested a hair dryer and a plastic putty scraper/spreader. I also have access to a heat gun for heat-shrink tubing, but am afraid that using it for this purpose may be too hot, and could potentially damage the paint.

I'm thinking that after I get most of the vinyl striping off, that a little goo-gone should help remove any adhesive residue that's still there.

Anyone done this before?

thanks for any and all suggestions.

Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:05 pm

The fastest,& cleanest way to remove any kinda decal or pinstriping from a painted surface is with a 3-M stripe removal wheel.

It chucks up into a drill, and will remove the stripe's as well as the glue--all in one move.

Quick, clean,& no damage to the paint.

Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:17 pm

http://www.mytoolstore.com/astro/astmat06.html

Scroll down to the "400E" eraser pad. You can spin one of these with a cordless electric drill. No more pinstripes, then make with the GooGone.

If you go this route, be easy- too much RPM or pressure can burn the paint.

Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:39 pm

I have had good luck with 3M™ General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner 08987. I used it to remove pinstriping from one of the PO. No paint damage. I bought it at WESCO paint supplies.

It has also worked well on other tasks of removing labels, decals, etc. with adhesive backings.

Sun Nov 16, 2008 10:14 pm

Work real quick with the adhesive remover--don't linger in one spot too long , or rub too hard--you'll cut through the paint's skin faster than you think---

Sun Nov 16, 2008 10:16 pm

My brother-in-law had great success using the 3M wheel. He used it to remove the blue stripe from his white Westy. It came out great and made the car look like it was new.

Sun Nov 16, 2008 10:40 pm

So these 3M eraser wheels really work well eh?
Is it a rubber wheel?

I'm having issues finding it online...and where should I be able to buy such a thing? Autobody shop?

I guess I was shying away from this route, thinking it may damage the paint...but apparently not!

:D

Sun Nov 16, 2008 11:26 pm

I bought my wheel at an auto detail supply shop. You should be able to find it locally. They work great.

Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:17 am

If you decide to use one of the rubber eraser wheels, make sure you keep the rpm of the wheel really low. The eraser wheels can tend to turn the paint yellow, especially on white. This is not "burning" the paint, but rather the transfer of the color of the rubber wheel to the paint. Once yellowed, it's darn near impossible to remove. This is especially true for new wheels. They have a sort of break-in period where you have to be even more cautious. The key is low rpm, med/light pressure and constant movement (don't sit in one place). One other tip to make it last longer and go faster is to orient the the wheel so that the scuffing surface is pushing against the edge of the tape stripe, peeling it back instead of dragging across it.

Do not be surprised to find "ghost stripes" in the paint once the old stripes are removed. The paint underneath has been protected from the environment more than the surrounding paint has. Usually a good buffing will remove, or at least reduce, the variation between the two. However sometimes there is nothing that can be done. White is especially sensitive to this.