Removing Vinyl?
Thread Starter
1st Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 77
Removing Vinyl?
Well I haven't had stripes on my car very long, but they have already taken quite a few scratches from numerous things. I really liked them at first, but now I'm thinking about taking them off. Any of you guys who have done this, I'd appreciate suggestions on what's the best thing to use to remove the glue w/o damaging the paint.
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 941
From: Dallas, TX area
RE: Removing Vinyl?
Well, if they haven't been on there all that long, then you just peel them off like adhesive tape. They have to be warm, though. Not sure what temperature, but short sleeve shirt type temperatures. You can use a hair dryer for heating them. But if you get them too warm, then they melt and you've got a real mess.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 245
From:
RE: Removing Vinyl?
mine were a pain. Took like 8 hours with my wife and I. We tried everything! It was a hot day, and we used a blowdryer to heat them up just a little. Too hot and they melt onto nothing, and just pulling a little at a time. Then heat some more, pull some more. If we got a 6x6" piece we were lucky. Then it left all the residue on the car. Had to soak it in adhesive remover and scrape it off (old credit card). Then soak it some more and wipe off the rest. WHAT A MESS. I still have some little remnants i find every once in a while. I was scared it was going to hurt the paint, but in the end it came out fine after the first wax. I don't ever want to do it again though. I've heard other people say it's easy, but mine were defintely not.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,135
From:
RE: Removing Vinyl?
I just took my girlfriends stripes off of her Mustang and I started using a blowdryer but found out I didn't even need it. Pick up some 3M Adhesive Remover to get rid of the residue once you do get them off. Re wax effected areas though.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,401
RE: Removing Vinyl?
I took mine off after 2 weeks. OMG, I never want to do that again, my fingers still aches and that's after 4 months 
Best thing is if it's warm, so if you're in a cold environment, use a hair dryer on them to warm them. Not too much though or they'll stretch too much and tear. Too Cold and they'll tear as soon as you get pulling (which is Boozshey's problem probably).
Also, you have to be patient and pull them slowly.
Best thing is if it's warm, so if you're in a cold environment, use a hair dryer on them to warm them. Not too much though or they'll stretch too much and tear. Too Cold and they'll tear as soon as you get pulling (which is Boozshey's problem probably).
Also, you have to be patient and pull them slowly.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,127
From: Los Angeles Ca
RE: Removing Vinyl?
ORIGINAL: Stage4
mine were a pain. Took like 8 hours with my wife and I. We tried everything! It was a hot day, and we used a blowdryer to heat them up just a little. Too hot and they melt onto nothing, and just pulling a little at a time. Then heat some more, pull some more. If we got a 6x6" piece we were lucky. Then it left all the residue on the car. Had to soak it in adhesive remover and scrape it off (old credit card). Then soak it some more and wipe off the rest. WHAT A MESS. I still have some little remnants i find every once in a while. I was scared it was going to hurt the paint, but in the end it came out fine after the first wax. I don't ever want to do it again though. I've heard other people say it's easy, but mine were defintely not.
mine were a pain. Took like 8 hours with my wife and I. We tried everything! It was a hot day, and we used a blowdryer to heat them up just a little. Too hot and they melt onto nothing, and just pulling a little at a time. Then heat some more, pull some more. If we got a 6x6" piece we were lucky. Then it left all the residue on the car. Had to soak it in adhesive remover and scrape it off (old credit card). Then soak it some more and wipe off the rest. WHAT A MESS. I still have some little remnants i find every once in a while. I was scared it was going to hurt the paint, but in the end it came out fine after the first wax. I don't ever want to do it again though. I've heard other people say it's easy, but mine were defintely not.
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 860
From:
RE: Removing Vinyl?
I had my friend Scott do mine and he had some kind of tool that he used on my roof that stripped off the stripes and i'm not sure what else, lol...but he repainted the stripes back on though so he may not have been very concerned about how he took the stripes off but i love the painted on stripes now, it looks worlds better...
but i love the painted on stripes now, it looks worlds better...