I just bought my truck and the original owner put fake hood scoops on it. I just removed them tonight and it took forever. After I pried them off, I heated the tape with a heat gun and pulled it off. I then soaked the residue with goo-gone and rubbed it with a towel. I then polished the hood with a high speed polisher, then washed and waxed. The problem I ran into was that the glue from the 2 sided tape that held them on was turned into what I would describe as "sticky boogers" that were terrible to get off. No matter how many times I tried, they kept smearing. After 3 hours it finally looks good, but there are a few spots I will have to go over with the polisher again. It'll have to wait until the next time I wash it. Anyone know of an easier way to do this? Oh, also, there are 2 very small spots that it looks like he used some type of glue. How should I get this off without destroying the clear coat?

body I feel for you, I took all my side moulding off and it SUCKED, I used GOO GONE and it did not work that good ,I then used a little lacquer thinner, but I didnt get to aggresive with it, then I hand buffed the whole area with 3m dark color swirl remover, it worked but I think I would have rather cut my pinky off instead, good luck

3M adhesive remover works pretty good. I tried Goo Gone but it wouldn't hold a candle to the 3M stuff.
not sure it will do anything for the glue tho.

Elbow grease is what I used. I put the heat gun to it first and it pulled off. (in pieces)

Ben

I used the 3m adhesive remover after debadging. That stuff works RIGHT NOW.

I use Dupont 3812S Fast dry enamel reducer to take off just about everything. works great on road tar and tree sap.:ro) You can get it at automotive paint stores. :grd:

Release agent works pretty good too...

Elbow grease and a heat gun was my not so successful method. I'm assuming I need to go to an automotive paint store to get the 3m adhesive remover? What exactly is that DuPont stuff? It sound pretty serious. It won't eat the clear coat? Also, what is "release agent" usually used for and where do you get it?

I got the 3M adhesive remover from autozone. Just ask at the counter if you can't find it with the paint stuff.

I've never been a big fan of vinyl decals like the 4X4 (My next removal project. Shouldn't be nearly as difficult.) on my truck. I've often wondered why car manufacturers think we need to advertise the fact that we have 4 wheel drive in giant plastic letters. I took everything off my Dakota except the V8 badge which had a hole underneath it or it would have gone too. How many of you guys are removing this stuff.

You'd probably be surprised, but WD40 works really well.

Jason

I took off the cheesy 4x4 decals on the back (easy, just peeled right off), as well as the Sierra and GMC badges on the tailgate (hard, boogery mess). Those were a real bi*ch to get off. I used the 3m adhesive remover and it was still a pain. I'd remove the Duramax diesel and 2500HD badges on the sides too, but one of the rear ones pulled a little paint when I took it off and the ones on the side seem like they are on pretty good. Too me, looks much cleaner and I don't need to be a rolling advertisement for GMC.

Bubba's method: peanut butter! :rolleyes: Mama JJ can get just about any sticky stuff off using it. I have no idea how it works. Good luck! JJ :)

Another vote for 3-M - good stuff.

Could try rubbing alcohol and a soft cloth.

Bubba's method: peanut butter! :rolleyes: Mama JJ can get just about any sticky stuff off using it. I have no idea how it works. Good luck! JJ :)
Crunchy or smooth?

There are lots of different adhesives so they will dissolve in different solvents.

I use tetrachlor (tetrachloro ethylene). It's a great solvent and makes short work of just about every adhesive (all I've run across). It's harsh, so I do not spray it onto the paint directly. I use it to thoroughly wet a shop-quality paper tower, then wipe the area. Use a dry towel to wipe it back off. It evaporates very fast too, so it doesn't stay on the paint long enough to hurt it, but be careful anyway.

After a few wipes (depending on how mush adhesive there is to remove), as the tetrachlor dissolves more adhesive, it starts just smearing it around...time to reload a fresh towel.

You can buy tetrachlor in spray cans as electric motor cleaner (CRC).

This procedure will totally strip any wax from the paint, so rewax when done.

Bubba's method: peanut butter! :rolleyes: Mama JJ can get just about any sticky stuff off using it. I have no idea how it works. Good luck! JJ :)


Might be the oils in it, I've used just plain old cooking oil and it works pretty good.

Butter, peanut butter and cooking oils all work well. Oils tend to make the boogers not want to stick to anything except the towel used to remove them. When your done, call your significant other to observe you licking your truck clean.

Yes to oily stuff. At Todd's shipyard we would use naphtha to take off the duct tape residue on the aluminum and stainless parts.

I made the mistake of parking my truck under a liquid amber tree for a week while getting the garage ready for this 21.5 foot long beast and the roof(crew cab)now has hundreds of little spots that wont come off with commercial bug,tar,sap removers. Most of these products seem to made mostly of inert ingredients w/ a little diesel fuel. To make it worse, there was a car carrier scratch the dealer needs to repaint on the roof. What will take the sap off w/o damaging paint/clearcoat? Dont want dealer to paint over sap and it would not suprise me if they did.:help:

You'd probably be surprised, but WD40 works really well.

Jason

I second that

Forgive me answering my own question but found a very effective way to remove just about anything w/out damaging clearcoat-- A clay bar like the auto detail shops use worked great,found it at Pep Boys made by " Mothers" out of huntington beach,CA,took about two hours to do whole truck. Tried wd40,bug removers,even laquer thinner,hot soapy water,nothing would touch it except clay bar,looks like it came right of showroom floor

i just had to remove one of my side window vent shades because it was starting to fall off. i went down to the dealership and they let me use a really soft rubber wheel that you connect to a drill. it worked great and took all the 3M tape and sticky stuff off in just a few minutes.

isopropyl alcohol at the drug store will remove goo and its cheap. Also takes off the wax so remember to wash the spot and rewax right away.