How to....remove a tank pad or sticker.

[Whosthedaddy]

I went for a Max and Paddy ride to nowhere yesterday just because the sun was out, never mind that the roads were still wet and greasy from the previous few hours rain, but it was an excuse to get dressed in the gimp suit and head off for a ride.

All was good except I rode like a plank for the 60 miles, was freezing cold and got soaked in a few freak down pours that lasted less than a minute. With a vain attempt to unflatten the rear tyre from the commuting I was sliding over the tank quite a lot and managed to shift a half stuck down Oxford tank protector so that it was only being held on by my what were now very shrunken love spuds.

The aim of today...remove the gunk and glue.

You will need the following:

A gentle heat source such as a hair dyer
WD40 (I also used some white spirit on the pad but not the bike as I'm a chicken)
A cloth

Time: 30 minutes

I don't have power in the garage but I do have a swanky little gas powered soldering iron that has different attachments; soldering, hot knife, blow heater and gas welding flame. So with the blow heater on and fired I tried a test piece on the back of the pad and all was good so moved onto the tank.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/p1010003_166.jpg

There wasn't much gunk on the tank to be honest it was all on the pad but what was left was a very stuck down adhesive backing for the aforementioned gunk.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/p1010006.jpg

The blow heater was just enough to lift the edges to start either rolling or rubbing with a thumb or finger. I started off being a little too cautious as not to burn the tank but after a while I realised that an inch was a safe distance as long as the flame kept moving.

Patience was the order of the day and little by little the tape backing was removed.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/p1010010.jpg

With my glue residue on most of my digits smudging any clean surface dirty again I reached for the WD40 as recommended by 8/10 BCFers.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/p1010013_190.jpg

This with a small amount of elbow grease removed all the residue and highlighted the odd little areas that had previously been missed. So the heater out again all the odds and sods were picked off.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/p1010015_190.jpg

All thats now left to do is get some adhesive backing and stick the pad on the tank for real.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/p1010016.jpg

Top tip:

Don't cut your fingernails the day of the scraping as it makes it a little hard to get hold off all those little edges.
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[TUG]

excellent write up mate
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Haz ER-5, innit!

[Fnatic]

Brilliant

[TUG]

[Whosthedaddy]

[TUG]

[Fnatic]

I saw the date I just can't believe such a helpful thread got 1 response.

[TUG]

[ben_wheely]

Glad this thread was brought back up, had a little read of it yesterday, and saw the bit about the wd40 getting rid of the sticky gunky shite off the tank. I took my tank graphics off the bike on the weekend prior to fitting new ones adn was there for about 20 minutes scrubbing the goo, and it was just sticking. So i tried the wd40 last night, and it worked a treat !!

Cheers
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Rides: '05 Yammy WR290-F

[jack_zxr400]

can also use gaffa tap or what ever to lift the nasty gunk left when u've taken the tank protector off
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Previous Bike: ZXR 400
Current Bike: R6
Test Date: 8/8/2008-PASSED

[Stelmer]

I got some Ambersol adhesive remover which does the trick


Seriously, cracking write up. WD40 is fantastic in getting rid of residue. Even on skin.

[binge]

One of my least preferred jobs is removing tank pads.

I try to get it as warm as possible with a hair drier before I peel it off.





Ben

[TUG]

Its not that bad with a paint striper gun, burns your fingers though! I hate putting them on but takin them off is a doddle.
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Haz ER-5, innit!

[binge]

I am THE WORST at putting them on.

Not because I am bad.


Because I have serious OCD problems.

I get out the insulation tape, Measure, mark, Stick it down a TINY bit, walk to the other side of the garage, look at it from 15430 different angles. Go back, Move it a bit.


Nightmare.



Ben

[Visitor Q]

What concerns me is the 'don't cut your fingernails that day'...

Is this something us nail biters are missing, the joys of giving them a daily trim?
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China traffic/travel bike vid - When I make a sweeping statement, please add the word 'statistically' in to the sentence before you bitch...
From September 2014 to January/February 2015 I will not be using any English, nor reading any. As such, I won't be on here. PM at will, but I won't be checking/posting unless in emergencies. Certainly not for the first couple of months. Please berate me savagely if I break that rule...

[Louise]

Hairdryer was easy But I also got sacked for Gross misconduct at the time

[AngelGrinder]

Also, this works well for getting old bits sticky stuff that is left behind on your wheels from the balancing weights - spray some Mr Sheen on it, leave it 24 hours, and it all pretty much just wipes off!

Mr Sheen is also really good on everything on your bike, frame, bodywork etc!

[TUG]