STONE GUARD REMOVAL: A SAFER PROCESS!
06-08-2006, 12:25 PM
#1
iPod Tamer
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
STONE GUARD REMOVAL: A SAFER PROCESS!
Lately I have been reading a lot of post about removing the stone guards with people damaging the paint etc. so I decided to have a go with mine this morning to see what I could do that might be a little safer for the paint. I think I have found a much safer alternative for everyone, it is working great for me so I thought I would share.
First instead of using a heat gun which I have seen melt the paint off of other cars in the past I decided to use a hair dryer since it doesn't get nearly as hot. It doesn't melt the stone guards like a lot of people have been doing, but it gets them soft enough to peel up with ease.
Second for my scraping tool I have been using a cheap plastic putty knife, the kind you can pick up at any hardware store for less the a dollar. The edge is sharp enough to scrape away at the stone guards and it doesn't scratch the paint.
Third, after an area of stone guard is peeled away, and the sticky residue is left behind, I decided to use stage 3 of Meguiar's paint cleaning/waxing system. This doesn't really remove the residue a whole lot but it gets it in a stage where the next step of my process was much easier. I also used stage 1 of Meguiar's which removes the residue more then stage 3, but for so much rubbing needed I didn't want to use it on the paint so much since its a bit more abrasive(its the cleaner wax) then the stage 3.
And finally to safely get the rest of the residue off I have been using a simple pencil eraser. A large one without the pencil will work much better since so much is needed. It doesn't leave any marks behind and rubs away the residue really quick. As I said before you could do it without using the wax but it takes much longer. The wax seems to break down the residue enough that the eraser takes it off a lot faster.
The process is still pretty much the same, heat with the hair dryer and peel away with the putty knife at the same time. Then wax the area with the stage 3 Meguiar's with some good elbow grease. And finally work the area with the eraser. I have gotten the at least half of my largest stone guard off in about 20 minutes using the process.
I know this may not involve buffing wheels etc. but it is working great for me and doesn't use any harsh chemicals and tools on the paint, and I am able to do it with simple common household items, and I have yet to leave a mark of any kind on my paint.
BTW- My car is alpine white and the stone guards were cracking and turning dark, which was horrible looking.
First instead of using a heat gun which I have seen melt the paint off of other cars in the past I decided to use a hair dryer since it doesn't get nearly as hot. It doesn't melt the stone guards like a lot of people have been doing, but it gets them soft enough to peel up with ease.
Second for my scraping tool I have been using a cheap plastic putty knife, the kind you can pick up at any hardware store for less the a dollar. The edge is sharp enough to scrape away at the stone guards and it doesn't scratch the paint.
Third, after an area of stone guard is peeled away, and the sticky residue is left behind, I decided to use stage 3 of Meguiar's paint cleaning/waxing system. This doesn't really remove the residue a whole lot but it gets it in a stage where the next step of my process was much easier. I also used stage 1 of Meguiar's which removes the residue more then stage 3, but for so much rubbing needed I didn't want to use it on the paint so much since its a bit more abrasive(its the cleaner wax) then the stage 3.
And finally to safely get the rest of the residue off I have been using a simple pencil eraser. A large one without the pencil will work much better since so much is needed. It doesn't leave any marks behind and rubs away the residue really quick. As I said before you could do it without using the wax but it takes much longer. The wax seems to break down the residue enough that the eraser takes it off a lot faster.
The process is still pretty much the same, heat with the hair dryer and peel away with the putty knife at the same time. Then wax the area with the stage 3 Meguiar's with some good elbow grease. And finally work the area with the eraser. I have gotten the at least half of my largest stone guard off in about 20 minutes using the process.
I know this may not involve buffing wheels etc. but it is working great for me and doesn't use any harsh chemicals and tools on the paint, and I am able to do it with simple common household items, and I have yet to leave a mark of any kind on my paint.
BTW- My car is alpine white and the stone guards were cracking and turning dark, which was horrible looking.
Last edited by potent951turbo; 06-08-2006 at 12:44 PM.
06-08-2006, 01:53 PM
#4
Nordschleife Master
I took the one behind the drives door off last weekend, it went very well on my guards red car. I used a heat gun with a plastic bondo spreader. That stage took about 45 minutes, then i was left with an adhesive layer. Another 40 minutes or so with nail polish remover and a few paper towels ( i figure its the least powerful acetone i can get) got rid of the glue..and no damage at all to the paint.
