last resort, 3m gray automotive double sided residue..

[97 Supra]

Can't remove 3m automotive double sided gray tape residue. I got the foam tape off, but the thin layer of 100% hardened 14 year old adhesive is REALLY on there good.

Tried and did not work: scratch x, color booster, windex, wax remover, claybar, wd40, goo gone, pencil eraser, plastic blade, bug and tar remover, pb blaster..

I removed the door bumpers from the neon and I can't for the life of me remove that old glue, not to mention one of them must have been off before because some idiot used silicon glue also! I can't get this stuff* off the door with out scratching it up so is my last resort a hair dryer and rubbing my fingers raw trying to rub it off the paint or what?

I saw an old thread on this but I have tried everything I could find in the house on it, and no amount of elbow grease (spent 4 hours doing this to no avail) is doing anything. I even used my orbital at some points but that was useless too.

Hair dryer my only option, or is there a paint safe solvent that will eat the darn adhesive?!?

[Markus Kleis]

Re: last resort, 3m gray automotive double sided residue..

First of all, are you 100% sure there is adhesive left, and not damaged or faded paint?

Any chance you can get some pictures?

[CieraSL]

Re: last resort, 3m gray automotive double sided residue..

Your best bet would probably be to heat it with a heat gun or hair dryer, then remove it with adhesive remover and a plastic razor blade. You can probably find both of them at any auto parts store. Hope this helps, and I hope you get it off!

[97 Supra]

Re: last resort, 3m gray automotive double sided residue..

The paint is not as nice under where the bumpers were, but I'll hit that with some medium cut polish. The residual adhesive, is in the form of whats left of the 3M double auto tape, and the silicon clear RTV i guess? The person used to try and hold on the part that was falling down.

I don't know why they thought this would work, since the bumper was warped from sitting in the sun for 3 years, there was no way to fix it with out replacing it. (which I was trying to do, both sides were falling off.)

Here's photos are 4 hours of trying different things. I used the second area as the test panel for somescratch X, which is why there's no swirls in the second pic and there are in the first. The cars in pretty rough shape but I'm workin on it :P It sat for 3 years outside.

[jfelbab]

Re: last resort, 3m gray automotive double sided residue..

Tried Goo Gone of Goof Off?

[KTruck]

Re: last resort, 3m gray automotive double sided residue..

Hi:

Did not see 3M adhesive remover it your list of things tried. To my surprise our Walmart carried it in the automotive touch up paint section. Comes in a metal can.

Never used it so I can not tell you how it works.

I would checkout the 3M web site for other products.

Regards,

KTruck

[97 Supra]

Re: last resort, 3m gray automotive double sided residue..

I gave the hair dryer and goo-gone a try. I have about an hour and a half into it, and I cleaned up the drivers side which I posted photos of. I had to scrape the silicon off with my finger nail, but once the glue is heated up and I spray a little goo gone on it, it comes off with some elbow grease and healthy persuasion of the microfiber clothes.

I got 1 side down, I'll post photos when I'm done if I have time.

I should have looked for the 3m solvent first, that would probably have made the most sense.. I'm such a Rube Goldberg :P Make everything ten times as hard as it has to be.

[97 Supra]

Re: last resort, 3m gray automotive double sided residue..

Here's a pic of the passenger side after removing the glue, the car hasn't been polished or waxed yet, not even washed. It's just shiny because I didn't remove all of the goo-gone yet. Final results should look similar though.

[Nappers]

Re: last resort, 3m gray automotive double sided residue..

.....Make everything ten times as hard as it has to be.

I with ya brother!

Glad you got it solved, I was DOH! thought of a plastic razor but worried about gouging paint up.

Looks good.

[ShinyMopar]

Re: last resort, 3m gray automotive double sided residue..

I use Goo Gone to get road tar off the side of my white truck and it works well. I even had a big glob of grease the size of an old silver dollar that it pulled off without smearing which is all it did before I used the Goo Gone.

[97 Supra]

Re: last resort, 3m gray automotive double sided residue..

I cleaned up the drivers side which I posted photos of.

I must have been sleepy, but I meant to say passenger side. not like it matters I got it all done, but anyway goo gone can't defeat this glue, only heat did anything at all.

It worked on all the tar and bugs stuck to the car though, just not this adhesive that only came off by heating up and rubbing off with my fingers which are now all blisters.

[roushstage2]

Re: last resort, 3m gray automotive double sided residue..

Never liked Goo Gone. It wouldn't even remove the 3 year old glue on my old Neon from the decklid badges! I keep a can of industrial strength Goof Off around now. Strong stuff, but used with caution it works wonders!

[97 Supra]

Re: last resort, 3m gray automotive double sided residue..

I'm going to have to buy that instead, goo gone is ****. It's for light duty jobs such as bug and tar remover would be. It can remove soft tar, or soft tacky glue but not dried 3M products that's for sure.

[roushstage2]

Re: last resort, 3m gray automotive double sided residue..

Again, just use caution and if in doubt, wipe it off quickly with a wet towel. Usually, if you pour some onto a towel and rub it tends to just dissolve the adhesive right off.