Removing Exterior Trim

schneid · 07-04-2004, 10:28 AM

I didn't like the "Pathfinder" pasted above the "Armada" on my lift gate. Read a lot here about dental floss, fishing line, hair dryers, and adhesive removers.

I decided on trying with the surface cool. Mainly cause my honey gives me suspicious looks when I run outside with the hair dryer. I took a strand of 17 lb test fishing line and looped behind the emblem and cut through the length of adhesive by pulling and gently sawing. Once the emblem was gone the entire length of the adhesive was still in place. Much to my surprize I was able to roll it off with my fingers like the you do the goo they stick things like your credit cards with when you get new ones. The little residue remaining came off with one-step polish.

Not to knock the hair dryer. It is invaluable in removing stickers, decals, and appliques. As for dental floss, it kept breaking. Besides, real men don't floss, they use Bowie knives.

Slurppie · 07-04-2004, 07:20 PM

On my 02 Altima I let the car bake in the sun then used my trusty old Blockbuster card and slid it behind the emblems. Since the card is thinner than most credit cards it worked like a charm. I then used Meguires paint cleaner to remove any excess adhesive.

schneid · 07-04-2004, 08:24 PM

Cool! You mean I wasted three foot of good line? Hope you screw up BB's scanner on your next rental. :-)

Slurppie · 07-04-2004, 08:35 PM

The card still works, although it looks like I tried to break into my house with it since it's so bent up.

pciley · 07-05-2004, 01:46 PM

Fishing line has always worked for me too. Just make sure you are on the "emblem" side when you are sawing (and pull away from the truck as you do this), not the paint side as you can scratch. I had alot of dust and sand embedded in the edges of the adhesive that would have been ground into the paint if I was sawing too far back. I just used adhesive remover or denatured alcohol. Any LIGHT solvent will do, just stay away from the paint thinners/strippers for obvious reasons. Even momentary contact with these and you are off to the body shop.

ps. maybe wear dirt bike gloves or gardening gloves or something as by the second or third emblem your fingers start to turn blue and get all cut to hell if your fishing line is sharp enough. Needs to be sharp to cut the adhesive though.