Road Splatter - Epoxy? Not good.
Road Splatter - Epoxy? Not good. Thought I picked up a little tar on the passenger side of my TA from a construction zone a couple weeks ago. Have been unable to remove it though, using pressure washer; Turtle Wax bug and tar remover; mineral spirits; clay bar; or kerosene. Based on my difficulty, I am assuming it is epoxy- based. It looks exactly like tar splatter, but is translucent gray and extremely hard. There is a significant amount of it on the front fender, TA trim, rear bumper cover, door, and rear quarter. The only way I have been able to remove any of it is scraping it off with a finger/thumbnail or straight razor (eek) with lubrication. It took far too long to clean the small area I was working on, and because of the all the curves I am not comfortable with extensive straight blade use. Any suggestions.
Just tried WD40 + clay bar; no help at all. Also tried acrylic lacquer thinner ( DuPont 3608S). That also failed to have any effect. What I have not tried is allowing any of these chemicals, besides the bug and tar remover, to soak more than a minute or two. Leaving lacquer thinner on the clear too long concerns me.
So, what next? Enamel reducer? Angle grinder? Fire? Pixi dust mixed with unicorn sweat? Really would like to get all of it off, even the bottom of the panels that no one but me ever sees.
So, what next? Enamel reducer? Angle grinder? Fire? Pixi dust mixed with unicorn sweat? Really would like to get all of it off, even the bottom of the panels that no one but me ever sees.
TECH Junkie
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,551
Likes: 2
From: Rutherford, North Carolina
have you took and tried to peel some of it off like if it was road tar? if you can do that, do it then try some type cleaner on whats left that may or may not work but its worth a shot though
Will not peel. The application pattern resembles splattered, tire-thrown tar, but it is hard, not flexible. It is well adhered, but can be picked or scraped off with effort. Before I commit to spending 6 or 7 hours scraping the stuff and then repolishing w/ my Porter Cable, I wanted to see if anyone had encountered this and how they solved it. The color is mostly translucent. So much construction going on. Not certain what something like this would be used for in road or bridge repair.
TECH Junkie
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,551
Likes: 2
From: Rutherford, North Carolina
around here they are sand blasting the bridges to get off some kind of stuff the state has a big name for lol but i understand the whole tryin to see if someone else has had this happen to em, id do the same thing also
If you can scrape it off, I'd use something like a bug and tar removing or WD40 (letting it sit of course) and a bondo board. The plastic won't hurt the paint (use a NEW one with no burs) and the WD40 should help get it off as well as be a lubricant to keep from damaging the paint. SHOULD take it off...
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I see you are in MI. I have seen them use a two part epoxy road patch in areas around here. If I were you, I would contact MDOT or road commision. I've seen the two part epoxy used on 696. But that was a while ago. Just pick one of the construction areas you drive through most, and call them up. I've got stuff covered by them before.
