How to remove highway road paint on rocker panels and fender wells?

[philbert78]

Hi everyone - first time poster here (was referred by someone at my Toyota Truck forum)....

On June 16th we drove to Reno airport for a week long trip. While merging onto a freeway from highway 80, we were part of a line of cars stuck behind a road crew that was laying new white lines with a sprayer. When we could, we all passed the road crew when the lane opened wide enough. This was around 5:30 AM.

We parked in long term parking, came back a week later and noticed what you see in the photos below....I was perplexed by what it could be. Took me a post in the Toyota forums and some feedback to recall the paint truck passing incident and then everything clicked - we drove over the fresh lines of paint and kicked this stuff up into our wheel wells and bumper/rocker panels/exhaust pipe. It has been there, drying, for over a week now.


My insurance won't cover it without a deductible, and told me the road crews never cover this. I'm on my own. This car is brand new and has 500 miles on it - I want to take care of it, but don't want to spend a lot if not needed.

I read online that you can use acetone and a plastic razor blade to get this off, but that acetone can remove the car paint (!). I also read that this paint has ground up glass inside to make it more reflective....and more abrasive.


So....I'm hoping someone here can help guide me to the best course of action? I know taking to a body shop would likely be best, but if it's something I can tackle I'd like to, to save money and learn. The wheel wells are really bad - I may just remove them and paint them black to cover it up.

Thanks everyone.

Phil

[CHzo6]

Re: How to remove highway road paint on rocker panels and fender wells?

I've been able to remove some in the past with a bug and tar remover and a power washer.

[philbert78]

Re: How to remove highway road paint on rocker panels and fender wells?

I've been able to remove some in the past with a bug and tar remover and a power washer.

Thanks! Did you let the but and tar remover sit/soak on the stuff, and then hit it with a power washer? I do have a power washer.

[Murr1525]

Re: How to remove highway road paint on rocker panels and fender wells?

I had a previous co-worker use Goof Off... not sure on how mch rubbing, swirls caused, etc.

[Showmob]

We use 3m adhesive remover in the quart can works great soak a rag in it then rub it on the paint and it will soften the road paint without harming your clear coat

[ChevysLastSled]

Re: How to remove highway road paint on rocker panels and fender wells?

Showmob

We use 3m adhesive remover in the quart can works great soak a rag in it then rub it on the paint and it will soften the road paint without harming your clear coat

Do you mean 3M general purpose adhesive cleaner? A good way to soak your steel panels without solvent evaporating would be to stretch a rag across the affected area and pinning down the edges of the rag with neodymium magnets, then soaking the rag in solvent

I remember those wheel well clips that Toyota uses- the ones that are round with a hole in the center. They're haARRible! practically speaking, they are 'single use only' fasteners. I got to a point where I'd cut the tops off and replace them to reinstall the wheel wells.
pretty much all other clips toyota uses are really easy to use and are very reusable.

[mis3]

Re: How to remove highway road paint on rocker panels and fender wells?

This happened to me last summer. I drove over some freshly painted white lines at lunch time and I tried to remove them in the same evening. First I tried Meguiars Paint Cleaner, it did not work. Then I went to buy some paint thinner, it did not work neither.

I finally removed them with a small ice scraper. The painted surfaces were easier because my car was well waxed. The fender wall was a challenge and it took me 2-3 hours to remove the white dots.