Sticker removal

[4x4mike]

I need some suggestions for some stubborn sticker removal. Most stickers I've applied were to glass so it's pretty easy to remove. I've got 2 on paint I need to remove. I've searched around and everyone seems to have a method but wondered if anyone has personal experience.

Both stickers are bumper sticker style stickers that are pretty baked on. I've tried the simple finger nail pick but it's not going anywhere. Even if I could pick them off it would take forever. The surface the stickers are on is clear coated and I'd rather not damage the paint or clear coat. I also do not want to scratch it all up.

I saw the pin stripe removal pads which look cool. Problem is I think it would scratch and my stickers are bigger than your average pin stripe.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

[CJM]

Heat gun on low or blow dryer and some goof off/goo gone. You can use more aggressive things like mineral spirits (usually doesnt damage paint) but stay away fromthings like paint thinner, acetone, brake cleen or carb clean-they will mess up the paint.

Take your heatgun or blowdryer and heat up the sticker and begin to peel it back if you can. Then pull up in such a way (almost towards yourself and up) so that the sticky junk comes with the sticker. For very stubburn stickers use an old credit card or similar to help.

When your done Id clean the spot with alcohol and wax it a bit just to bring out any shine you probably removed when using the chemicals.

[4x4mike]

I'll try the hair dryer. I didn't want to use chemicals because of the paint and need to restore the area. The credit card thing makes me cringe because of scratching and whatnot.
I'm wondering if mineral spirits will soften the sticker? Ideally I want that because they are pretty baked so they are hard and dry looking.

[DHC6twinotter]

I used a rubber eraser wheel (iirc, that's what it's called) on my drill to remove the factory stripes on my 2nd gen. It took me 5 hours to do, but turned out nice. If you are using it on plastic, you have to be very careful or it will take the paint off. You might have to wax or something afterwards too. I got the eraser wheel at my local automotive paint supplier.

[4x4mike]

I can wax afterwards, in fact the entire vehicle is over due. I just don't want to cook one spot and screw it up. I'm guessing the sticker was vinyl but is more like hard plastic now. I imagine the wheel would create friction and then a sticky mess. Did you have anything like that with your factory stripes?

[DHC6twinotter]

Nope, no sticky mess. It came off in really small sections though, almost like scrapping paint off of siding. My stripe was already in pretty poor shape (cracked, etc), so I dunno if that helped any.

I used low speed on my drill, and there are two really small spots where I couldn't quite get the sticky residue off. I didn't want to attack it too aggressively since I was worried about burning the paint, so I just left it. It sounds like my sticker was a different composition than what you have, so I'm nots sure how well the eraser wheel would work. Might be worth a try, although might be kinda iffy if your sticker is on plastic.

[04 Rocko Taco]

Use the heat gun method, then when its off use rubbing compount over that area to remove all the junk from the surface, and then wax. good as new.

[paddlenbike]

The 4Runner isn't going to look the same without those rainbow stickers.

[Seanz0rz]

http://thedoghousediaries.com/3283

i have nothing useful to add.

[4x4mike]

To my defense the stickers are on the roof and were under my two mag mounts. It protected the paint from the magnets. It protected it all right, now I have to burn the things off.