So heres the problem. I have a 76 F250 with huge white, two-tone decals on it. Not sure if they were from the factory or dealer installed, but either way the suns cracked them and 30+ years of wear and tear have left them looking pretty crummy. So they need to come off.

Heres what I'm dealing with:


So whats the best way to get something like this off. I've got a rubber decal remover and that would take forever. Using the heat gun has been horribly slow as the decal comes off in tiny fragments.

Any hints or products out there. I know it's going to take some time and work to get them off but I don't want to be spending hour after hour on them.

Thanks in advance.

Shawn

 

Looks like a big job! I've used the rubber wheel for the small stripes and such. Hopefully someone who has done this will chime in. Good luck.

Jeff in norhern Wisconsin

 

3 M makes a spray on decal remover ,,then you need the adheasive remover ,,also a spray on ..Heat gun may work best ....

 

So I went at the passenger side fender today to see how things would work. This is what I ended up with:


On the plus side I still need to get the rest of the adhesive off but it looks good. I'm looking forward to seeing the final result once all the decals are off.

On the negative, I think I'll have to take the truck to the bodyshop or to a detailer to get the rest off. Just the fender was probably two to three hours of work and it still isn't done.

I tried everything i had in my arsenal.

The heat gun works but only tiny little pieces come off and there is still alot of adhesive left.

I bought some 3M woodgrain and decal remover, it doesn't work worth a damn. The decals are no easier to remove after application. The adhesive comes off ok with it but no better than it does with goo-gone which is half the price.

The rubber eraser wheel works but it's incredibly slow and should only be used on pinstripes and small stickers.

I ended up using a razor blade scraper along with the heat gun. Still incredibly slow as only small strips would come off at a time but it worked the best. I did knick the paint in a few spots so I still didn't like it.

Something like this would work best but I don't know where to find it and I imagine it would cost a lot.
Scotch-Brite(TM) Large Area Stripe Removal Disc

So it looks like I'll be getting a quote this week on the cost of proper removal. At least I know a bodyshop will have the right equiptment and know how to get the job done better and faster.

Any ideas on what this might cost?

 

Use some Naptha (or mineral spirits) to remove the decal. It's the solvent used in most adhesives. Use it along the glue line and it will release. Then on a soaked rag use it to remove what adhesive left on the surface.