removal of paint and stickers from plastics

[2-strokes-4-life]

hi, i wanted to know of the best way to remove paint and sticker residue from plastic i am restoring a 1983 cr60 the only sticker material is from whats left of the number plate backgrounds and the 2 gas tank decals just want to remove the stuff without eating my plastic since finding parts for this bike is next to impossible. any advice would be appreciated

 

[razorboy]

Goo-gone or any other citrous type cleaner works well for breaking up old glue residues.

 

[JTurn36178]

Methyl Ethyl Ketone Or MEK for short is in some hardware stores. It is used mainly for ink thinner. It will remove practically anything. But it evaporates quickly so you must improvise to keep and area wet (such as wrapping plastic wrap around the rag to keep an area wet.)

Good luck,
Jim

 

[mxkid90]

fingernail polish remover works excellent i used it on my kx to remove it glue residue

 

[Colorado]

Old bike stickers will sometimes have actually worked a pretty permanent shadow right into the plastic --- I never could completely get it out of my '80KDX tank. I've had good luck sanding old tanks (and other plastic) to got them close to new condition after using goo-gone, etc.. I start with 100 grit in my palm sander, then gradually work to black, 400 grit wet and dry paper. After using it dry I fill the bathtub and wet sand it by hand, then polish it with rubbing compound.

You can remove all of the oxidation from old tanks stored outside, and get an almost new looking tank. It's a great method for old bikes when new tanks aren't available. Salvage yards usually let the really oxidized ones go cheap. I've also bought old fenders that someone painted years ago because they were faded a little (or for whatever reason --- who knows why some people do what they do to bikes with paint). I used a product called Dad's Stripper to remove the enamel, which had actually protected the plastic from sun fading over the years while all the unpainted ones got really faded. My IT400 has bluer fenders than any of the ones at the local salvage yard. The Dad's says it can harm plastic, but worked fine --- I just didn't leave it on too long, then cleaned it off really well afterward.

 

[barryadam]

Check out the pictures from this thread!!

B

http://webgroups.us/vdtforum/viewtopic.php?t=10

 

[kxguy967]

Check out the pictures from this thread!!

B

http://webgroups.us/vdtforum/viewtopic.php?t=10

link wont work

 

[Colorado]

My sanding results have been just as good. It really does work. Didn't think to take any before pics though.

My luck on fenders and side plastic have been partial. Sometimes the sun has actually bleached out the plastic pretty deep, and creases from old bends sometimes leave permanent white 'shadows.' Even then, the effort has been well worth it when restoring bikes where the original parts are not available.

Wet sanding is the key for getting the shine back. If you had a buffer and polishing compound you could probably even do better than I have.

 

[rm_racer]

Try some Acdelco penatrating fluid. I heard it works really good.

 

[Colorado]

Try some Acdelco penatrating fluid. I heard it works really good.

AC Delco, like the Ford products? What's it made for?

I was wondering if anyone tried the stuff for removing oxidation from convertible top rear windows?

 

[rm_racer]

I dunno if its made by Ford, but ya, AC Delco, and the cans are blue and white. Its made for penetrating stuff, lol. I geuss its like WD40, but I used it to peel crap like sticker stuff off before. Theres some other stuff I have in my shed that I used to take paint off of my mx stand today. It was dried on, and came off pretty good, it did so good it went under the rubber mat and removed that glue, too. :| :( Anyway, I'll find out what that is tomrrow or later.

 

[barryadam]

Quote:
Originally Posted by barryadam
Check out the pictures from this thread!!
http://webgroups.us/vdtforum/viewtopic.php?t=10

link wont work

OK, then try this:

http://users.ameritech.net/vray_8/78YZtank_1.jpg
http://users.ameritech.net/vray_8/78YZtank.jpg
http://users.ameritech.net/vray_8/78YZsidepanels.jpg

If you want the original thread on this restoration, go to Vintage Dirt & Trail website and register for the forum.

Barry