removing hardened pin stripe tape

[bama16]

Hey all! I appreciate any insight into the issue I'm having! I think I've read nearly every forum and post online, but can't seem to find an answer.

I recently purchased a new to me vehicle, and it appears to have the factory applied pin stripes. The pin stripes looked good on a couple of the doors, the rest was starting to crack and show its age (8 years). I used a rubber wheel on the drill to start the removal process. The rubber wheel took the stripes right off on the ones that weren't cracked. On all of the cracked striping, it removed the silver color and left the tape behind. I've tried 3m adhesive remover, acetone, gas, and a heat gun. None of these seemed to have any impact on the remaining residue. Are there any other methods to remove this tape? I resized the image and it uploaded.

Thank you,

Bobby

View attachment 72143

 

[muaddba]

A picture here would really help. If the adhesive on the tape has hardened, there is one thing you absolutely MUST have in order to get it off. Patience. If you've used acetone, gas, and a heat gun, then you know this stuff is on there really good. Before you add any more chemicals to the mix, I will suggest the one I have used in the past that -- when mixed with the MUST HAVE ingredient above -- will work without doing additional damage to the paint (and yes, if you have used acetone and gas, you have damaged your paint).

Vegetable oil. Mineral oil is an option, too, but it tends to be more expensive. Just some nice canola oil, rub it on there, let it soak in, maybe warm the area up to help it penetrate. Then a soft cloth and some agitation. Repeat. I will be honest with you, this is likely to be an hours-long process. But in the end, you can wash off vegetable oil with some soap. Chemicals will damage your paint and require polishing (which is removing paint) to correct, and if you use enough of them for long enough, you won't be able to correct it.

 

[bama16]

I appreciate the replay! I will give vegetable oil a try. I'm up for anything at this point! The image error was due to size. I resized and it attached, hopefully it's big enough to see. View attachment 72142

 

[muaddba]

Looking at that picture, it honestly looks like those might be painted on or something. This is why the chemicals have not penetrated and removed it. I don't think vegetable oil is going to help there either just yet. Since I can't see it in person, you might try taking it to a local detailer or body shop and see what they suggest. Others here might have some ideas, but honestly this is not something that I, as a hobbyist, have seen yet.

 

[bama16]

It's definitely the stick on style. The cracks in the image are the cracks that were in the pin striping before removal. I can run my finger nail over the lines and feel the raised edges. They were silver, but the rubber wheel took the silver off, and left this.

Here is the rear door. The end was under one of those clear edge protecting strips, and wasn't sun damaged. you can see where it was, and it came off without any issue with the rubber wheel. View attachment 72145

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I used a rubber wheel on the drill to start the removal process. The rubber wheel took the stripes right off on the ones that weren't cracked. On all of the cracked striping, it removed the silver color and left the tape behind.

Sounds about right. The rubber wheel can only do so much when it comes to aged pin stripes.

I've tried 3m adhesive remover, acetone, gas, and a heat gun.

None of these seemed to have any impact on the remaining residue.

Yep - that's normal list of things I would try.

Are there any other methods to remove this tape? I resized the image and it uploaded.

Here's your picture,

At this point, here's an old school way to remove what's left...

Get a compound, the old RUPES Zephir Gloss is good for this if you have any but any compound will work.

Then go AGAINST all the experts DON'T apply by machine. This will just heat up the paint and you'll likely burn-through. Instead - work by HAND. Get some clean, soft COTTON TERRYCLOTH - like a wash cloth out of the hallway linen closet and rub-off the old pin stripes by hand.

After you're removed the stripes and the ancient adhesive - NOW machine buff to remove the marring you'll induce by working with cotton by hand.


Hope this helps...

 

[Billy Baldone]

Be very careful. I had a customer that wanted me to remove the shadowing left behind from someone else removing them. What I encountered was missing clear coat where the stripes were. Only time I have ever encountered that, but it is a possible problem

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Be very careful. I had a customer that wanted me to remove the shadowing left behind from someone else removing them.

What I encountered was missing clear coat where the stripes were. Only time I have ever encountered that, but it is a possible problem

Good point.

Just to add... when removing pin stripes or ANY type of graphic that has been on a car for some amount of time - often times there is ghosting left behind. A lot of people with the best of intentions have tried to remove 100% of the ghosting only to fail.

Not only fail but worse - buff through the clearcoat and expose the color coat.

Sometimes it's better to improve a defect versus try to 100% remove a defects.

 

[2black1s]

Good point.

Just to add... when removing pin stripes or ANY type of graphic that has been on a car for some amount of time - often times there is ghosting left behind. A lot of people with the best of intentions have tried to remove 100% of the ghosting only to fail.

Not only fail but worse - buff through the clearcoat and expose the color coat.

Sometimes it's better to improve a defect versus try to 100% remove a defects.

This post is right on. You will never remove that old pinstripe without leaving some ghosting behind. You will definitely need to assess "when to quit" and call it a day.

I've seen ghosting from situations like this telegraph through and into a new finish even when repainting over such areas.

Perfection, which is never actually achievable, should not even be a remote consideration/expectation in this case.