Removing Badges for detailing.....

[Kris R]

I saw somewhere on another site this guy removed the metallic badge off an old car because he wanted to polish the paint under it, polish the badge and then re-apply. (The above pic is just an example, not the site i was talking about...)

On older cars there's a LOT you can remove with screwdrivers as far as chrome trim around tail lights and such. But not so easy on new cars.

I have never removed a badge but thought it would look SO good to polish under it. Has anyone done this? If so how?

Or are all badges stuck on with super 3M tape these days?

thanks.

 

[sparkie]

Brother I would like to know that myself. Hopefully someone will chime in and tell us. I use a q-tip to clean around them....

 

[Lrr81765]

You can do this, but I can't imagine for a detail.
A heat gun on LOW or blow dryer, and dental floss will get it done. At least it worked for me when painting.

 

[Kris R]

You can do this, but I can't imagine for a detail.
A heat gun on LOW or blow dryer, and dental floss will get it done. At least it worked for me when painting.

So it IS some sort of adhesive! I know on old cars its a post that goes into a hole.

SPARKIE what do you clean it with? ARO? APC?

 

[sparkie]

So it IS some sort of adhesive! I know on old cars its a post that goes into a hole.

SPARKIE what do you clean it with? ARO? APC?

Both will work. I use compound with a q-tip sometimes, depends how bad it is. Finish with a QD...

Lrr81765, thanks for the tip...

 

[andyo]

the holes on older cars are for aligning the emblem. i would take measurements before you remove the emblems. 3m makes the emblem adheasive as a tape form then you have to cut out the letters so the tape dont show.

i am repainting my buick grand national and i am going to paint the emblems with pinstripe paint (one shot) then clear over them so i can wax over them when need be.

 

[ZimRandy]

Here are some before shots of some crusty emblems. Luckily, these were just threaded studs and were basically hand tight when I removed them. There was a lot of body shop compound plastered in them.






I wouldn't want to try and remove adhesive ones and then try to stick them back on.

Randy

 

[zinc02gt]

My cars has alignment holes for the badges. I took mine off on the last detail I did to my car. It not only allowed me to get the paint around and under my badges, but also thoroughly clean my badges.

90% of the time the adhesive will leave residue and other crap behind. I used Goo Gone and a terry towel to remove the left over adhesive. A clay bar with a diluted degreaser or Goo Gone will also get it.

Also, to remove it I used 15 lb test fishing line and slowly worked a larger side and moved to the smaller edges.

 

[turbos17]

Most new cars emblems and badges are held on by a tape like 3M. Kit string and a heat gun if needed will remove them in a breeze. Just get behind it and go back and forth until they come off. However once they are off you will have to remove the stuff left behind w/ Goo Gone or something similar. To reapply you will have to buy new 3M tape and apply to the back of the badge. IMO debadged vehicles look the best!

 

[A4 1.8tqm]

:iagree: Fishing line, dental floss or string and a little heat. The hardest part is cleaning up the leftover adhesive on the paint without marring the finish. I've never reapplied badges after removing, but taking measurements seemed like a good idea if that's the plan.

 

[Mirror Detailing]

It would be cool, but its a waste of time. A Q-tip, as already suggested works just as well. Why buff something thats going to get covered back up anyways? Also another note, you add the extra time of removing the emblem without breaking it, cleaning all the tape off the paint, and then the emblem. Now thats just the easy part. Re-applying double sided tape to an emblem for the purpose of putting it back on, is not as fun or easy as one might think.

So all and all, you would be adding extra risk of breaking an emblem, a few hours extra time of hassel for no better outcome then a Q-Tip would offer you.

 

[Pie]

Most new cars emblems and badges are held on by a tape like 3M. Kit string and a heat gun if needed will remove them in a breeze. Just get behind it and go back and forth until they come off. However once they are off you will have to remove the stuff left behind w/ Goo Gone or something similar. To reapply you will have to buy new 3M tape and apply to the back of the badge. IMO debadged vehicles look the best!

This. I debadged my car, it looks so much cleaner.

 

[kovalchuk71]

It would be cool, but its a waste of time. A Q-tip, as already suggested works just as well. Why buff something thats going to get covered back up anyways? Also another note, you add the extra time of removing the emblem without breaking it, cleaning all the tape off the paint, and then the emblem. Now thats just the easy part. Re-applying double sided tape to an emblem for the purpose of putting it back on, is not as fun or easy as one might think.

So all and all, you would be adding extra risk of breaking an emblem, a few hours extra time of hassel for no better outcome then a Q-Tip would offer you.

Sorry for my ignorance, but what exactly is the q-tip for? Cleaning around the badges or applying a wax/polish?

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

the holes on older cars are for aligning the emblem.

Aligning and Attaching. Back in the old days when script and emblems were chrome the adhesive technology we have today didn't exist.

If you're ever working on a classic car and the owner wants the paint polished under and around any script, badges, trim or emblems, ask them to remove it. Some of that stuff is pretty spendy and a lot of these kinds of things are held on with speed nuts and the components themselves are made from pot metal and are easily broken and difficult to fix.

So ask the owner to remove it or have it removed for you so you don't have the risk involved.

Fishing line, dental floss or string and a little heat.

And it's still hard to remove and a paint to re-apply.

The problem with emblems, badges and scripts is that the paint around these areas is usually scratched up from people trying to clean these areas and instilling scratches and then from people trying to polish these areas and in the process instilling scratches when they try to wipe off residue.

IF a customer wants the paint polished around any type of trim like this, ask them to remove it or have it removed because replacing it if it breaks on your part will eat away any potential profit and most customers have know idea how hard it is to remove and accurately replace.