best way to remove stainless rocker trim?

[Forrest Nearing]

just bought a truck that has stainless rocker trim... what's the best way to remove this stuff? heat gun? solvent? dynamite?

 

[CBrabec]

I would like to know as well. A couple of mine are already peeling back. I would like to put on some fender flares and then I will have the bottom rocker panels sprayed with line-x.

 

[nauidvr1]

Gentelmen,

I used to professionaly tint windows and apply this type "fake" chrome rock panel decals. If yours are the stick on type, then just make sure they are warm (hot sun) or use a heat gun to get them warm. Then peel up a corner and start pulling SLOWLY.



Once you get all the material off of the rocker panels, take some lemon scented amonia (lemon scent is best because you can actually stand to smell the stuff for longer than 2 seconds), put it in a spray bottle and wet the area that has the left over adhesive. Now leave the amonia on there for a good 5 minutes, this will start to gum up the adhesive (like snot from a bad cold), keep the area wet with amonia at all times. Rub the adhesive off with a paper towel or other non scratching towel.



You may be able to use another type of liquid to remove the adhesive (I know that there are new adhisive remover products on the market now days), you may even find one that works better or quicker. There is also the possibility of using an eraser wheel on a drill.

 

[JGK]

Forrest,



If yours is truly the stainless steel trim like mine, it is a royal pain in the butt to remove. I removed 1 piece that was not installed to my liking just above the exhaust outlet to reinstall it correctly. I spent most of a day getting it off and the adhesive removed. I tried the heat gun approach, which worked the best, but was only moderately useful. I literally cooked the adhesive off the trim piece with a propane torch once it was removed. Used a half gallon of adhesive cement thinner to get it off the fender. I'd never do it again if I wanted to use the trim pieces again cuz you really want to destroy them taking them off!



In your case, since they are "throw away", you might try a thin SS wire with a loop or handle at each end and try "sawing" through the adhesive. A little soapy (ammonia) water sprayed as you go might help keep the adhesive from re-sticking to itself.



Getting the remainder off the rocker panels my be quite a project. If the same adhesive was used as on mine (dealer installed them new), it sticks extremely well.



Good luck,

-Jay

 

[Graphic man]

Gentelmen,

I used to professionaly tint windows and apply this type "fake" chrome rock panel decals. If yours are the stick on type, then just make sure they are warm (hot sun) or use a heat gun to get them warm. Then peel up a corner and start pulling SLOWLY.



Once you get all the material off of the rocker panels, take some lemon scented amonia (lemon scent is best because you can actually stand to smell the stuff for longer than 2 seconds), put it in a spray bottle and wet the area that has the left over adhesive. Now leave the amonia on there for a good 5 minutes, this will start to gum up the adhesive (like snot from a bad cold), keep the area wet with amonia at all times. Rub the adhesive off with a paper towel or other non scratching towel.



You may be able to use another type of liquid to remove the adhesive (I know that there are new adhisive remover products on the market now days), you may even find one that works better or quicker. There is also the possibility of using an eraser wheel on a drill.

I agree, 20 years in the graphics buss. and heat is the best, after the panel is removed you can get a rubber wheel 3M makes one, and it looks like a round eraser, put it in your drill and it will roll of the tape left behind.



Scott

 

[Forrest Nearing]

mine are high quality stainless and seem to be really on there!!!!



I've got eraser wheels, but I was just wondering what the best route for removing them would be... I guess I'll try some heat and or amonia.

 

[JGK]

The true stainless steel ones didn't use tape. The whole back side of the panel is one solid sheet of adhesive (again, if yours are like mine).



The rubber wheel might work, but I wonder if it would work better on this stuff if the adhesive is actually chilled some first to firm it up. Just a thought.



Get out the dynamite!

-Jay

 

[NoSeeUm]

just bought a truck that has stainless rocker trim... what's the best way to remove this stuff? heat gun? solvent? dynamite?

My first choice would be dynamite!



Good luck with your truck.



Jim

 

[TJarecke]

My recommendation is DON'T. What a PITA. I wouldn't plan on having great looking rockers when you are done. Mine had adhesive on the enire back side of the strips and was a pain to get off. I am goning to have to do something on my rockers to cover up the mess they left.

I will never put the chrome strips on a truck.

Good luck!

 

[Forrest Nearing]

well, it only took me about 5hrs last night



that stuff was NOT designed to come off... my driveway is COVERED in eraser material...



rockers have pale stains on them here and there, but it looks a thousand times better than that stainless junk (which isn't stainless BTW, magnet picks it right up)



I'll never understand why anyone north of the Rio Grande would put that crap on their truck!



I'm planning on having the rockers eventually line-x'd black (rhino... whatever won't fade (right Jeff? :-laf ) till then, I'll live w/ the stains. truck looks a thousand times better IMHO.



ditched the rear bumper for a pipe bumper, and the grill is now black... as soon as I can score the front bumper I want, the only thing left of the "sport" will be the tail lights.



chicken lights go on tonight! :-laf

 

[dsherman]

rocker trim

I use 60 lbs fishing line and had no damage

 

[Forrest Nearing]

they must not have been on there very long. these look like they've been on for a long time! the stains are from the adhesive... actually, the stains are in spots where the adhesive did NOT adhere to the paint. I'm hoping they'll clear up a littlle (like when you remove a magnetic sign)

 

[thekidfan]

I'm planning on having the rockers eventually line-x'd black (rhino... whatever won't fade (right Jeff? :-laf ) till then, I'll live w/ the stains. truck looks a thousand times better IMHO.







Crazy Texans

 

[DonS]

that stainless junk (which isn't stainless BTW, magnet picks it right up)

That's not necessarily a valid test. Stainless steel, depending on the elements added to the alloy (e. g. Cr, Ni, C), can still be "magnetic".

 

[Forrest Nearing]

That's not necessarily a valid test. Stainless steel, depending on the elements added to the alloy (e. g. Cr, Ni, C), can still be "magnetic".

well, it means it's cheap and not worth scrapping

 

[DonS]

well, it means it's cheap and not worth scrapping

Usually, it (magnet "sticks" to it) means it's a martensitic or ferritic stainless, and doesn't have much, if any, nickel in it. An example would be an MBRP exhaust system made from 409 (ferritic) stainless.



An MBRP 304 (austenitic) stainless exhaust system won't be "magnetic", because of the much higher nickel content.



Whether it's worth "scrapping" probably depends on how much you have and the price of nickel. Currently, 304 stainless should be worth about 10 times as much as 409 to a recycler - primarily because of the current high price of Ni.



Whether 304 or 409 is "better" depends on the application and environment. For example, I likely wouldn't need to pay the premium for a 304 exhaust system, because I don't worry much about salt corrosion (one of the benefits of the Ni alloy).



Of course, now this has gotten way off-topic.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

oh, I'm aware of all that... and I don't have salt either... but if I was gonna put something that ugly and that difficult to remove on my truck, I'd want it to be 304! LOL!



I'm just glad that junk is GONE!