getfast

What is the best way to remove racer tape adhesive/residue left behind after the tape has been pulled off, specifically when I don't want to damage the paint underneath?

I have Simple Green and a scrub brush. I also have brake cleaner and rags. But I think these methods will scratch and/or damage the paint underneath, which isn't good.

PS- It's not on a racecar... and it's not even on my car... if it was, I wouldn't care about preserving paint.

Thanks in advance,

Jon

civicrr

3M adhesive remover. The car will need to be waxed again but it won't damage the paint.

sjasmund

Goof Off

I've seen it sold at a lot of different places and it works great. Bettern than Goo Gone and some of the other competitors.

WRXRacer111

Does the Goof Off take off the wax too? I picked up some Turtle Wax Bug and Tar remover, seems to do good job on scrub marks and some other light adhesive stuff. Haven't tried it on tape goo yet, but it seems to remove cone marks reasonably well. It leaves some sort of a wax coating behind when it gets dry, so at least I think it doesn't do any damage to the paint.

Chris

Simple green works for me so far.

BryanSprinkel

This is what I use. Works very well.

Bryan

B18CXr

Softscrub

getfast

Wondered about that stuff... used to use it like water when I worked on sailboats. It has an interesting odor that doesn't leave your skin for days...

Anyway, I went to Lowe's and couldn't find the 3M stuff, but I did pick up a $7 bottle of "Un-Du Sticker & Decal Remover"... which, combined with a little elbow grease, worked like a charm.

Thanks again all,

Jon
(or "Yon" in b18cxr-speak)

krshultz

Jon, next time you're at Lowe's, get some of that blue low-tack painter's tape. Good for headlights and such. Probably not so good for holding a car together though. Not that my car needs to be held together with tape...much...

buji

I've used Goof Off to remove cone marks, and it works, but it does remove wax.

-buji

Dyno Dan

WD-40 is what I use. It works really good, and won't destroy vinyl decals or screen printed decals.

getfast

Yeah, I thought about the good old steadfast WD-40, but I was concerned that it would leave chemicals in the paint and/or promote scratching. (Same thing I worried about with brake cleaner... and aerosol engine degreaser for that matter.) I now highly recommend that "Un-Du" crap I got at Lowe's, it really did work well!

PS- Karl, speaking of Lowe's, I don't need any of that cool blue tape for VIR in 12 days because I'm pretty sure my excellent, kind, wonderful, fast, badass co-driver already has some.

Jon

mojoGSR92

Yeah, I use that stuff for my numbers. Did you know it is pretty much the same as normal masking tape? I can't discern any difference whatsoever.

Jonna - who is too lazy to buy real static/magnetic stickers for autox.

WRXRacer111

My only worry with painter's tape is that it might be a little below the task of holding glass together. Autoxing a few weeks ago, I taped up the front end and side moldings on my car. I hit a few cones with impressive ferocity and managed to slice through some of the tape on the side moldings. I'm wondering if it would hold up to receiving even a light bumper-bonking on the track, and if the low-tack adhesive would actually be strong enough to hold broken glass to it. When I have time, I intend to tape up half a bottle with racer tape, and half with painter's tape. Tie them off inside a paper bag, then chuck the "test device" into the air so it lands on some hard surface at a high velocity. Then, compare the glass-containment abilities of each tape. Probably be about 3 weeks before I can get around to doing the experiment though.

Willard

WD-40

Will
-who likes water displacer

chad

jon are you going to make me take the tape off for VIR???

4WDrift

How come none of you use mineral spirits (paint thinner)? It's cheap by the gallon and is basically in WD-40, bug & tar remover, adhesive remover, etc. Great as a parts / hand washer, no oily residues, not very toxic. Of course anything harsher than soap will take off the wax too.

Gary


[Modified by 4WDrift, 11:53 AM 11/26/2001]

WRXRacer111

the idea of putting paint thinner on my clearcoat bothers me. wouldn't this attack the clearcoat?

typer_801

I used Brake Cleaner in my days as an auto detailer. I tried to do that as infrequently as possible (for obvious reasons), but when I did it worked like a charm and we didn't have any trouble with scratches or paint damage/loss. fwiw-the cars I was doing this on were Porsches, Bimmers, Mercedes, etc.

civicrr

Everyone probably already knows this but.....Make sure to put a fresh layer of wax on the areas before you apply tape/decals. Put it on & allow to dry. Apply the tape, then wipe off the haze that isn't covered.

Big Phat R

Lighter fluid or WD-40 work best.

Honda318dx

Then a match

Willard

I just want to know who puts duct tape on those cars...

Will

Steppin Razor

I second (actually third) the 3M adhesive remover. Safe (most important) and effective. Or you could try a clay bar. I found the 3M adhesive remover at a Track Auto near my house.

4WDrift

Paint thinner (not stripper/remover) is just mineral spirits (basic petroleum distillates) and should not harm dry paint. A gallon for little more than the price of a pint of tar/adhesive remover, there isn't much difference. WD-40 leaves a slight oil film residue.


[Modified by 4WDrift, 10:56 PM 11/27/2001]