2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Removing Badges on Doors

[slo-ryde]

I'd like to remove the emblems on the doors, I prefer a clean look and it's less stuff to wax around. Anybody know if these badges have locating pins that mate with holes in the sheet metal?



I tried to look in to the door from the top but can't see the area where the emblems are attached. The Laramie badges on the rear of the cab came off pretty easy. The Dodge decal on the tailgate put up quite a fight. All that's left are to emblems on the doors.

 

[TORQUE THIS]

They come off pretty easy.



I used a heat gun on low for a few minutes. Don't get it too warm, or it will be a PIA to get the glue off the door.



Any remaing glue comes right off with WD-40.

 

[slo-ryde]

So, can I assume that when I remove the badges on the doors there WON'T be any holes in the sheet metal? It's hard to tell until after the badge is off, then it's too late!

 

[tntway]

the door badges are entirely stick on... ... NO pins.....



GO FOR IT!!!!!!

 

[slo-ryde]

Excellent, thanks for the info!



Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!!!

 

[Deezul1]

Another way to remove them is with dental floss or fishing line and saw behind the badge, WD 40 is good to get the glue off.

 

[Shovelhead]

I've also had success using waterless hand cleaner.

Just make sure it's not the kind with the pumice/grit in it.

 

[EShaw]

VERY GOOD CLASS!!!!!



So even though you guys think I'm just a LITTLE EXTREME

I'm glad that you guys payed attention to my numerous RANTS on this subject.

Remember NO RAZOR BLADES

Peace... ..... Out

Eric

 

[GAmes]

Braided fishing line like Spyderwire works great. Kinda like a small saw.

 

[rono]

I used a plastic Ice Scraper (that you remove ice from the windshield) you can pry up with it and the badges came right off. Some residue of glue had to be removed with goo-gone.

Ron

 

[slo-ryde]

Badges are GONE! Thanks for all the excellent info.



The paint on the tail gate is a little funky where the DODGE letters were. I'm hoping exposure to the elements will even everything out eventually.

 

[Ncostello]

Try 3M handglaze on that tailgate decal problem area. Its a silicon free rubbing glaze that wont scratch anything. And it will polish the area so light reflects off it evenly thus hiding the spot where the stickers used to be. Ive had excellent luck with it on a fire engine once where we restriped the whole rig and the new decals didnt cover where the old ones were. Still looks good 5 years later. And I use it on the red lights. It really makes faded plastic lenses look new. Plus I use it on motorcycle helmet sheilds. It actually is used by body shops to rub out very minor paint imperfections between coats of lacquer. Its tan, liquid, bottled and about 15$. It is NOT a wax, so you will have to wax afterwards. In fact decals stick perfect to areas rubbed out with this. But dont let it freeze up in the winter or its useless when thawed. The chemicals seperate and never really remix well. One last comment, it wont harm clearcoat. I used it on a new black truck couple of years ago where a dog pawed my door and left claw marks on it. All came right out.

 

[slo-ryde]

Ncostello, thanks for the tip. I'll pick up some of the stuff and give it a try. The paint looks like it actually absorbed some of the adhesive from the decals. You have to be looking at it from a weird angle to see it so it's not real obvious. The truck is white so that helps to hide it too.

 

[geusterman]

If I ever buy a new Dodge (again) I will get white. The dealer parts guy said my paint problem has been going on for years with Dodge. My new "graphite" paint about comes off with my fingernail. If the door opens against ANYTHING I can figure paint is gone. Primer is a light grey so it all shows. So frustrating. Plus the metal is so thin it reminds me of a beer can. Little tiny dents now here and there and only 4500 miles. Too weird. Leaving the badges on for protection! Maybe Rhino line the sides! George

 

[slo-ryde]

Hey Geusterman,



It could be worse. A guy at work has a 2001 Dakota with that wild blue paint color and it's really heading south on him in a hurry. The hood has these weird hazy or foggy looking areas all over it. It looks like something with the clearcoat to me because the color underneath still looks okay. Maybe heat from the motor? He's trying to get Dodge to repaint the whole truck but hasn't had any luck so far. Dodge says it's his fault, he says it's their fault.

 

[daveshoe]

Hey slo ride

Let us know how paint issue comes out on the blue truck.

My new 02 has a beautiful flame red finish, but the clear coat etches with bird poop-- even if only allowed to stay on a few hours. At least the dealer said it was your buddy's fault. My dealer blamed it on God. Said acts of God were a homeowners insurance problem.

 

[slo-ryde]

Originally posted by Ncostello

Try 3M handglaze on that tailgate decal problem area.

Got the 3M Hand Glaze today and I'm really impressed! After the first application the funky areas were almost gone. The second application did the trick. I can't see any evidence of decals on the tailgate now.



Ncostello, thank you sir!

 

[slo-ryde]

Re: Hey slo ride

Originally posted by daveshoe

Let us know how paint issue comes out on the blue truck.

I don't expect Dodge to do anything. When I bought my truck it was white or nothing. I've known too many people with Dodge trucks and paint problems. The first thing I did when I got the truck home was to use Meguiars Clear Coat Body Scrub to thoroughly prep the paint. Then 2 coats of PermaPlate followed by a coat of Meguairs Gold Class Clear Coat polish. My truck was 13 months old when I took delivery of it and was needing TLC. It's so shiny now I can't even look at it.



PS: Thanks to Ncostello for the reccomendation to use 3M Hand Glaze on the areas where I removed the badges and decals. It is awesome stuff! And worth repeating.



I'm reminded of a friend who was a framing carpenter and used his truck for work during the week and play on weekends. He had those magnetic signs for the doors and would pop them on or off depending on work or play. When he bought the new Dodge (a deep blue color) he transferred them from his old truck. The first weekend comes along and he pulls the signs off only to see a fog or haze right where the signs were. He gets out the polish but nothing is working. You can guess what Dodge said when he took it in for them to see. Yep, they blamed it on the signs. He moved away a year or so later and Dodge never fixed the paint.

 

[Ncostello]

I use those terry cloth wax applicators, the round ones you can buy in packs of 4 or so. Dont be afraid to rub hard too for those stubborn paint stains, blemishes, surface scratches, decal junk.



PS. . I wouldn't recommend using it on paint that is weak to begin with. This is only for good strong paint jobs that aren't thin or flaking etc. It is not a "miracle" polish that will restore badly damaged paint, merely its to remove surface imperfections.



Paint that has had UV rays damage the primer under the color coat and thus has delaminating paint layers is helpless. Nothing will work on it. Been there, done that. Only new paint works on that.

 

[TXCTD]

Just pulled the RAM3500 badges of my year old 2002 and I can't seem to get all the sticky residue off. Actually there is a lot of it I can't get off. Tried goo-gone, tried WD-40. Made a little progress but not much. Gonna try this 3M hand glaze and see how that works. Any other suggestions for getting this crap off my paint?

Thanks guys.