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04-16-2021, 03:03 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Trailer: April 2016 21' "Ramble On"
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VHB Tape Removal From GelCoat
Well the passenger side exterior stock bubble leveler finally fell off my 2016 21C leaving some VHB tape behind. Will probably replace with a larger one.
What's this forum's brain trust advice for the easiest most foolproof way to remove the existing VHB tape without damaging the gelcoat?
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Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
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04-16-2021, 03:10 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,362
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If it has a foam layer, slice cut through it with a length of dental floss. Then use a plastic putty knife combined with acetone to remove what is left. Same for VHB tape without foam. Use as little acetone as possible, and keep as much as possible off the gel coat - prolonged saturation may soften the polyester.
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04-16-2021, 03:51 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
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I just moisten/soak it with lighter fluid, wait a few minutes, and rub it off with my thumb, adding small amounts of lighter fluid as needed.
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What a long strange trip it’s been!
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04-16-2021, 04:18 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Trailer: April 2016 21' "Ramble On"
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Thanks!
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Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
Theodore Roosevelt
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04-16-2021, 04:54 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Madison area, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2016 Escape 19 Chevy 2012 Express 3500 Van
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Ditto on the lighter fluid
Lighter fluid is naphtha, also available at the hardware store. A mild solvent, unlikely to do any harm.
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04-16-2021, 05:50 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
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Quote:
Originally Posted by C&G in FL
I just moisten/soak it with lighter fluid...
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER
Lighter fluid is naphtha, also available at the hardware store. A mild solvent, unlikely to do any harm.
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That's lighter fluid for wick-type lighters. Lighter fluid for gas-type lighters is butane, and not useful as a solvent.
Naphtha is also used as fuel for camping stoves and lanterns, where it is known as "white gas" or "Coleman Camp Fuel"... in case you want to use fuel as a solvent, and have some around.
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04-16-2021, 07:45 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P
That's lighter fluid for wick-type lighters. Lighter fluid for gas-type lighters is butane, and not useful as a solvent.
Naphtha is also used as fuel for camping stoves and lanterns, where it is known as "white gas" or "Coleman Camp Fuel"... in case you want to use fuel as a solvent, and have some around.
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Yes, correct. I should have been more specific. As Brian points out, lighter fluid for the Zippo type cigarette lighters. Also, not to be confused with charcoal lighter fluid.
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04-17-2021, 12:24 PM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: kenton, Ohio
Trailer: 2016 21 ft. with 2013 F150 Tug
Posts: 55
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WD 40 works well for taking adhesives off a surface along with a plastic squeegy. You don't have to worry about harming the surface.
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04-17-2021, 03:16 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grump
WD 40 works well for taking adhesives off a surface along with a plastic squeegy. You don't have to worry about harming the surface.
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However, it does stink to high heaven.
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04-17-2021, 08:30 PM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: kenton, Ohio
Trailer: 2016 21 ft. with 2013 F150 Tug
Posts: 55
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The good thing is that you would be using it on the outside and you could always (and should) wash it off with hot soapy water and eliminate the smell. It's better to put up with a little smell and use the least caustic of the options, at least in my opinion and I've been doing body work for 50 years so I've got a little experience in this.
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04-18-2021, 07:18 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,945
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grump
The good thing is that you would be using it on the outside and you could always (and should) wash it off with hot soapy water and eliminate the smell. It's better to put up with a little smell and use the least caustic of the options, at least in my opinion and I've been doing body work for 50 years so I've got a little experience in this.
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While I defer to and congratulate you for your extensive professional body work experience, I have been using cigarette lighter fluid to remove sticky substances from a variety of surfaces for at least 50 years and have never found it to damage any surface on which I have used it, to include the paper veneer used on the inside walls of the Escape. And outside, it too can be washed off, and then apply marine wax to the spot where the removal was accomplished. OTOH, isopropyl alcohol and Goof-Off will damage some surfaces, especially plastic. And WD40 leaves a residue which does not fully evaporate and must be thoroughly removed because it will affect follow-up application of wax. In my opinion, and that is what it is, also based on personal observation over many years, I do not find cigarette lighter fluid to be caustic whatsoever, although I would avoid using it or any petroleum derivative on rubber. I will, however, try WD40 for adhesive removal as I know it works well on removing scuff marks from vinyl flooring.
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What a long strange trip it’s been!
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04-18-2021, 07:50 AM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: kenton, Ohio
Trailer: 2016 21 ft. with 2013 F150 Tug
Posts: 55
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My reply didn't come across right. What I was trying to communicate was, but didn't succeed, was always start with the least aggressive and work your way up.
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04-18-2021, 11:08 AM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Port Angeles, Washington
Trailer: 2021 5.0 TA in about a year. Lol
Posts: 77
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First put the heat gun on the highest setting.....
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04-18-2021, 04:31 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2019 Escape 19
Posts: 176
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As with many adhesives it is good to see what the manufacture of the adhesive recommends. You can use the 3M™ Stripe Off Wheel shown in the 3M™ VHB™ Tape Removal Systems Manual. Here is the link.
https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/...lyer-hires.pdf
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