Marc Gelefsky

Hey all,

My stone guards look like hell, all cracked and dirty. I want to replace them.

Whats the best way to remove them?
I tried the hair dryer but it seemed like that might take days! <img border="0" alt="[sleep]" title="" src="graemlins/sleep.gif" />

Ideas?

Should I just go buy a good heat gun? They are pretty cheap but this would be the only time I use it.

T'anks

Bruce '89 s2

1) High pressure car wash hose stripped one side of the S2 in about 4 minutes.
2) Tin of lighter fluid and a plastic spatula to lift one corner then pull & pour stripped the other side in not more than 10 minutes.
No problem.

led

FWIW, the haynes manual suggests the heat gun method.

SamGrant951

rubber eraser pad is another option

Chris_924s

I heard heat gun and wooden spatula.. I havent done this yet..

PSUice944

I used heat, plastic scraper (was gettin repainted) and an eraser wheel (which does wonders on the rear lettering!).

Retrospect, heat and a proper chemical... Lighterfluid I guess!

Marc Gelefsky

So how is the lighter fluid applied?

I guess I should not smoke a cigar while working in it eh?

Luis de Prat

I used a hair drier and "goof off," that solvent that comes in a yellow tin with red lettering/spout. Readily available at K-Mart.

A heat gun might be too strong and you'll risk marring the finish.

Flight_951

After using a heat gun and plastic scraper, 3M Adhesive Remover and an old cotton towel worked well at removing the residue. My stone guards spent 12 years in Sarasota so they were bonded to the car pretty good. This task took a while.

db944

The one and only time I have done this I used a heat gun and spatula, then finished with 3M adhesive remover. Mine were on a texas car that spent a good bit of time in the sun. After playing with the optimum method I found that applying heat to the "melt" point of the plastic and then scraping the residue off with the spatula seemed to work best for getting the most goo off at once. The 3M works well for remnants, not for the entire guard.

It is slow and painful. My best advice is to take your time and make sure you have ALL the residue removed before applying the new guards. Remember, it took years for them to get yellow and cracked. Hours to remove them is small in comparison.

Bruce '89 s2

Just lift one corner with the spatula and pull that corner while running lighter fuel behind the decal. Works a treat. 10 minutes tops.
Don't smoke.

Mouthpiece

Clark's Garage has a tutorial, although I have not performed this fix myself...yet.

<a href="http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/body-20.htm" target="_blank">http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/body-20.htm</a>

jason952

use the eraser wheel, it was good