Help with Vinyl stripes
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Mckinney, Tx.
Help with Vinyl stripes Ok, I need some serious help. I bought my car used and it had the twin vinyl stripes running from nose to tail. well it's been a few years and the stripes are starting to look like crap. So I need some advise on best (easiest) removal techniques. I am trying to save the paint underneath so a gas powered belt sander is out of the question. 
On my motorcycle Ive removed the stock graphics whic are vinyl, an dI used a hair dryer.... use on hi and just keep it moving athe the leading edge that your pulling up....so heat up the vinyl careful not to letit get too hot then start pullin up..its slow but it works...
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,829
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From: Central Indiana Honors: 4th grade spelling bee contestant
Yes, your best bet is using a hair dryer. It will "soften" the vinyl. I used one to install vinyl stripes that I had made on my brother's 5.0 Mustang. The heat allows the vinyl to stretch and fit contours better. The hair dryer should really help you remove it too. You really want to avoid using chemicals if at all possible for obvious reasons as you could potentially damage your paint.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Mckinney, Tx.
thanks for the replies. i have tried a heat gun and plastic scraper, but the stripes only come off in very small pieces. i have had some success with a 3m eraser wheel that is mounted in a vsr drill. but damn, that is gonna take forever.
Use an eraser wheel(pick one up at local auto paint supplier)I just bought an old co.truck(2000 md)which had grapics on it for 5 yrs,eraser wheel,graphics gone,paint a OK! 
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I heated up my hash mark stripes which were vinyl with a blowdryer for like 1.5 minutes and just peeled. Came off awesome! and they were on for 2 years with bad weather.
Anyways.. just becareful of clearcoat peel. You dont want to pull that off.
Anyways.. just becareful of clearcoat peel. You dont want to pull that off.
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On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 124
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i work at a sign shop and put on and remove vinyl graphics all the time. just use a heat gun or hair dryer. the reason its coming off in small pieces is that you're most likely over heating the vinyl and it breaks. you just want to warm the vinyl and the surface its on, then pick at it until you can get a good hold on it with you're thumb and index finger, then put just a little bit of heat on it and slowly pull it off, but don't go to fast or the vinyl will break. most of the time i can get a graphic off in one piece. but take your time, you'll get it off.
