Removing Line-x?

[liberty]

Hey guys, I am getting some bodywork done on a company truck, they need to remove the box side and install a new panel. The problem is the truck box has a spray-in liner (Line-x or armagaurd ect. ) and it needs to be removed to do the cutting and welding around the seams, I've been trying to remove it using a torch and a heat gun to heat it but it is very slow going and comes out in small chunks. I've searched the internet and a few other forums, ppl say that chemicals and solvents wont touch the stuff. They said brakekleen, brake fluid, paint remover are all useless. So I'll ask here for suggestions has anyone removed this stuff before?



Oh, i also tried a grinder with a wire wheel but the stuff is incredably tough and the grinder wouldnt work.

Thanks, Dallas

 

[BTighe]

the linex shop here told me that they send them out for sandblasting when they need to remove an existing liner.

 

[liberty]

I could try that, the sandblaster here was worried that the sand wouldnt cut or penatrate the hard coating and that the sand would just bounce off

Dallas

 

[nickleinonen]

knotted wire wheel on angle grinder???

 

[JRD]

I dont know how it would work, but make sure to use gloves and long sleeves... but how about Aircraft coating remover?

 

[RJared]

I was told that methanol (alcohol) when soaked on the line-x will turn the stuff to jelly. Try soaking a rag and let it set on the liner... ... .

 

[DCaswell]

burn truck, call insurance

 

[TWilkening]

burn truck, call insurance

:-laf



Guess the body panel wouldn't need to be replaced then.

 

[liberty]

burn truck, call insurance

Haha, I am beginning to think thats the way to go...

I tried the wire wheel, its way too slow and makes a huge mess, I soaked it in aircraft paint remover, it foamed and fizzed, but wouldn't soften it, I will try the methanol tomorrow, and get back to you guys. I have learned one thing this stuff is made to stay on!

Thanks for the suggestions

 

[RDyson]

Not sure what brand of liner is in my son's truck, but on it I used a utility knife to cut a line and then got under it with a sharp stiff putty knife. It peeled off pretty clean.



Randy

 

[GOlsen]

Not sure what brand of liner is in my son's truck, but on it I used a utility knife to cut a line and then got under it with a sharp stiff putty knife. It peeled off pretty clean.

Randy

If that's the case, then wherever it was done probably didn't prep it correctly. My buddy let his dad borrow his truck a couple years ago, and he backed into his house. :-laf Anyway, it hit just to the left of the tailgate, towards the top, and it put a gash into the Line-X. We tried just taking up the area that wrinkled on impact, and it stuck pretty good. Eventually, we just took it to the line-x dealer and had them fix it.

 

[drewRoberts]

When I picked my truck up after having it sprayed, before the guy was done he was going over my truck with mineral spirits removing overspray.



I dont know if that will help any since when the guy was cleaning up the stuff was still fresh and not hardened.

 

[GOlsen]

Yeah, I usually spray Extreme Liner, and until it hardens, you can clean it up very easily with lacquer thinner. Once it hardens, it's a different story.

 

[DFriedson]

I'm a LINE-X dealer.



As far as solvents go, forget it, you'll just create a mess and you will not get the results you're looking for. I suggest an angle grinder with a heavy knot brush like the one on the LEFT in this pic:

#ad




Also, use a hammer and chisel for the areas you can't get to with the brush.

 

[merryman]

My '01 CTD had the over the bed rail spray in liner and I dropped my 5th wheel on the truck and put a good dent in the bed rail. I lived 55 miles from the nearest "city" body shop, so I took it to a little one horse body shop in our town. In talking to the owner, I asked about dealing with the liner. He said not to worry. When I picked up the truck, the bed rail was fixed fine, but there was about a 20 inch stip with no liner. The guy handed me the intact strip he had removed and said just glue it back on; I did with an epoxy two part glue and all you could see was like a knife cut at each end of the strip. When I asked how he removed the strip, he refused to expalin. I drove the truck for five more years, and now my son has it and the removed strip of liner is still there.

Vaughn

 

[abrankod]

The "magic trick" your body man likely used was an inductive heating system. It uses an inductor pad to heat the metal which then makes removing the liner much easier. I've seen it in action at a demo at our local tool supply. Its quite amazing how it de-laminates adhesives of almost any kind from body panels, be it urethane windshield adhesive, 3m decal adhesive or even spray in bedliners. The machine is big bucks, but for a body shop, it can save hours upon hours of annoying work.

Check it out. They even have a smaller unit that may be of interest to some of the home techs out there for putting heat to fasteners and bearings without torching them.

http://www.theinductor.com/

-Dan

 

[MoparDave]

My trucks at the body shop this week and the inductor is what they used to remove my Line-x.

 

[liberty]

thanks for all the help guys, I finally got the liner removed with a torch, scraper, pry-bar, and a knotted wire wheel for the tough spots. It sounds like the inductor the best way to go, I had the best success by heating the back side of the panel I was working on with the torch, It kept the line-x from melting and burning and allowed the glue to peel off, basically the same principle as the inductor.

Dallas

 

[StricklandJ]

My truck has line-x in the bed and after I had it done I decided to have a pop-a-lock added to the tailgate. Had it all done at the same shop. Salesman said no problem no extra charge to remove and recoat tailgate after lock install. After about 4 hours for the shop technician to get the job done with a die grinder I think the shop guy wanted to kill the salesman for even taking on the job. They didn't have a inductor.