How to remove traffic paint

[MandarinaRacing]

It's driving me nuts
I've tried claying, ScratchX, Tar Remover, heck even mineral spirits, and nothing seems to work....help

Alex

[sneek]

just a wild guess but DC1 with a terry worked in very very well

[Kevin Brown]

If the paint is stuck to non-painted plastic (textured or smooth), it'll eventually loosen up due to expansion/contraction, oxidation, or out-gassing of the plastic. In other words, it'll eventually come off. Sometimes, use of a pressure washer will help things along. Applied liberally, M40 Vinyl/Rubber Cleaner & Conditioner will help to weaken the bond.

If the paint-blob is stuck to automotive PAINT, and the paint-blob is thick (and nothing in the chemical realm works)... Use a plastic razor blade (or a brand new putty knife, taped with masking tape) to push against the paint-blob. Again, liberal use of the M40 will help. This method is a long-shot, but give it a try.

If neither of these methods work, this one will:
Oh boy, I can hear the screams in protest of this recommendation already)...

1. Remove loose contamination (pretty obvious).
2. Wax the area with the hardest wax you can find (a paste carnauba works well).
3. Let haze, then wipe off excess residue.
4. Use a new razor blade. Rub the blade-edge across some rough leather (like the backside of a belt). The motion should be as if you were painting with a paint brush... Back and forth. This will fine-hone the blade.

Now, gently push the blade (at an appropriately slim angle) against the paint-blob, doing your best to avoid gouging the car paint (duh).

The wax coat is a barrier, and will allow the razor to ride upon it. Sometimes you'll notice the wax being scraped away. If that's the case. re-apply and repeat the process.

I've used this process dozens of times. A few times I did 'scrape' away a little paint, but it was not very noticeable.

BIG recommendation that you get the feel for the razor on a junk panel before you make the attempt on your ride.

FYI...
Before there was such a thing as over-spray clay, a company used this method (with huge success) to remove paint overspray from vehicles (primarily for insurance companies).
I used the method a couple of times to remove overspray, but it was too freaky for me!

[MandarinaRacing]

Thanks for the recomendations, I'll try the M40.

The paint specs are not that big, some on the rear bumper (plastic) and some on the rocker panel (textured paint)

I have some #16 in case I need to use the "surgical" approach!

Alex

[LiquidBlack]

I detailed my mom's car for christmas, and she had road paint splashed all along the side of it. The paint had sat there for nearly three years.

I ordered some plastic razorblades from Auto Detailing solutions. I also used clay. We would scratch at the paint a little bit, then clay, scratch, clay, repeat. It was a slow process, yet worked. Within two hours I think the majority of the splashed on paint was gone.

After that I followed up with #83 on a w8006 pad at speed 5 to remove any marring caused by our process. After a few passes, the panels looked brand new.

[Accumulator]

I was able to get it off freshly waxed surfaces with just clay, but on some other surfaces it wasn't coming off at all. I used Langka's Blob Remover to get it off.

Heh heh, I like plastic razor blades for all sorts of stuff (and I can see using a regular one if you have the touch), but if I can avoid marring my paint I will The Langka worked great and there wasn't any marring to polish out.

[DFTowel]

Simple... WD40, it will easily dissolve road paint.

[LiquidBlack]

Just to be sure, can anybody testify to this? Can anybody else say WD40 takes care of road paint?

[Jimmy Buffit]

Road paint canbe quite difficult. So many variables are in play. Trial and error works best for us... Start with the least aggressive method...

Kevin, I need to learn how to spell "cajones", cause you got some big ones!!!

I'm gonna practice that one. Now, how can I get road paint on a junk panel???



Jim

[Kevin Brown]

Originally posted by Jimmy Buffit
Kevin, I need to learn how to spell "cajones", cause you got some big ones!!!
I'm gonna practice that one. Now, how can I get road paint on a junk panel???

Jim

Very FUNNY !!!!


If anyone can pull off this method, an NXTti grad like you can!

BTW... I enjoyed that pic you posted... You know, the one that was on for almost a day...

[The_Architect]

Re: How to remove traffic paint

Just to be sure, can anybody testify to this? Can anybody else say WD40 takes care of road paint?

Here it is:

http://www.maine.gov/bgs/riskmanage/tipofthemonth/tip21.htm

[Detailing by M]

Re: How to remove traffic paint

Thanks for bumping this post

I just came across this problem the other day.
This truck came from Lake Tahoe and the road paint has been on there for some time.
This job was an Express detail and the customer wanted my opinion on the road paint.


I tried scraping with a plastic razor it worked but it on took off the smaller specks.

The bigger blobs of paint were going to take a real blade or at least alot of pushing with the plastic razor blade.
I figured this would take me at least 4-6 hrs to do. Including polishing and waxing.
So a plastic razor and alot of time will remove road paint safely.



Here's a cropped pic. of the truck.The whole lower side was covered with a nice thick coat of paint (Sorry, I didn't think I would post about this truck so I didn't take good pix)

[bobrose]

Re: How to remove traffic paint

If I don't have plastic razor blades I have used a new plastic putty knife with a very light touch and Meguiar's Final Touch for a lubricant.