Removing a vinyl sticker from plastic trim

[EazyDuz]

Is there a particular way to remove vinyl from paintwork without damaging the paint with it? The sticker has been on there quite a while thanks
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To shreds you say? Tss tss tss

[monkeybiker]

Can you run it under the hot tap? Or use a hair dryer but be careful.

Peal it off slowly and keep heating it to soften the glue.

[WD Forte]

A hair dryer to warm it then stiff plastic/credit card type stuff
to start it peeling off often removes them.
Mind you I've just had to remove lettering from a 1999 van
(a lot of it) and while the vinyl lettering came off easily enough
the adhesive stayed put.
I tried all manner of chemicals which did FA, but what shifted it in the end
was the use of a 'toffee wheel' on a drill. ( google it)

Its still somewhat labour intensive but did the job without damaging
the underlying paint work.
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[EazyDuz]

Its only a small sticker about 4 inches squared so shouldnt be too difficult, thanks for the tip on the hair dryer i'll give it a go tomorrow.
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To shreds you say? Tss tss tss

[lozzypop1]

WD40 to remove the sticky residue.
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[WD Forte]

Re the hair dryer.
Take your time to try and warm the panel a bit too, not just the sticker.
With luck most of the adhesive will lift with the vinyl.
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bikers smell of wee

[Ed Case]

When it comes to removing sticker adhesive I have a choice of four products and if one don't do it another one will...........Meths.....cheap paint brush cleaner(Wilkinsons, usually excellent).......WD40........petrol soaked cloth.

[WD Forte]

WD40? bollocks
I tried that plus Halfords road tar remover, thinners, bleach, petrol, piss, spit, blood, sweat and tears, you name it I tried it.
NONE of it shifted the adhesive off the sides of my van
some of it did smear it somewhat.
Bastard stuff had been on there since 2000 but the toffee wheel
did the trick eventually.
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bikers smell of wee

[grr666]

Next time use isopropyl alcohol (Aka IPA) and it should sort that right out.

I just bought a paddock stand and removed the 'safety' warning stickers
and cleaned up the residue with IPA. Not a trace of adhesive left.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Polarbear]

[barrkel]

[WD Forte]

Isopropyl alcohol?
Nope, not on my van.
was one of the first things I tried.
Satans stickers just laughed
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bikers smell of wee

[Polarbear]

[barrkel]

[EazyDuz]

Came straight off with a bit of hair dryer heat, WD40 got the white residue off quickly too.
Without making a new thread, can anyone recommend a good product to remove petrol tank scratches? Looks like from a jacket zip or something, can post a pic if required.
I can feel it with my finger nail
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To shreds you say? Tss tss tss

[grr666]

If you can feel it with your nail then theres no quick fix, it will need touch up
paint or respray. Alternatively, cover with a tank pad if it's in the right spot.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Just_James]

A pic will help
Getting your nail in means it's deep but not necessarily beyond salvage without paint - it would likely need flatting and polishing though, there is no magic quick fix product.
Try wiping it over with a wet cloth and if it is still very visible when wet then it's probably time for respray or touch up. If the wet hides it then you've a fair chance of removing it.

[monkeybiker]

[EazyDuz]

[WD Forte]

[Just_James]

Well it's not too easy to tell from the pic' with flash bounce etc but I'd go out on a limb to say it doesn't look at all catastrophic.
As to putting it right - it depends on how much you want to spend, how close to perfect you want it and what the bike is worth etc etc.
If you were local I'd charge you nothing to nib them down and machine polish back up.
To do yourself 'properly', it's probably not worth you investing in the materials involved to be honest unless it's something you were going to be doing regularly. There's also the risk of you flatting or polishing too far so going through the paint and ending up with worse than you have now and then certainly requiring a paint job.
If you just want to have a go yourself and improve them then I'd say pick up some T-Cut and give a good rub down with that. Apply plenty of pressure with a decent cotton cloth / microfibre towel (not an oily rag or the other halfs knickers) and stick to straight lines. Then go over with some polish / wax to remove the lines made from T-Cutting. This won't provide a perfect finish but will smooth the harsh edges of the scratches and give a lustre that will generally make them much less noticeable.
Another option is to take it down to a local bodyshop or detailer and ask them to flat and buff them out. They shouldn't charge you anymore than £5 - £10 to sort those out.

..... or as others have mentioned, put a sticker on it! You can even cover good size dents with a GB sticker

[WD Forte]

My lad had pen thing he used for scratches on his Merc paintwork
As I recall it worked quite well.
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bikers smell of wee

[Just_James]

[EazyDuz]

Thanks for the tips ive ordered some Meguiars Scratch X 2.0 after watching some youtube vids of how well it works.
For £9 its worth a shot. Even if it just masks them. Pretty sure it will get that long, hair line scratch out though as that isnt deep at all.
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To shreds you say? Tss tss tss

[Just_James]

The Meguiars range of stuff is pretty decent - if a little pricey.

Not used the scratch x but looks to be a mild abrasive and should do the job. Am sure you'll sort it with a bit of elbow grease