What is the best way to remove a roof decal. Its been on for about 5 years much of the time baking in the California sun. I may replace it with a new one.

Thanks.

 

Probably in lots of tiny pieces. I've removed vinyl after a couple years in the SoCal sun and they are greatly deteriorated. They don't remove like new vinyl in large pieces. You're posting this in the Classic Mini forum so I'm assuming you are removing this from your classic?

 

I removed original side stripes off a 78 Mini Clubman with this:
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...glLQVQNBR0DRbl

Works wonderfully! Easy-peasy! Just a big eraser....

 

+1 on that! A little heat(hair dryer) may help at first, and get some 3M adhesive remover to help loosen it. There are plastic scrapers that are like little razor blades, they should help as well. Probably have to go to paint supply store to get them.
That's gonna be a bear for sure, but doable! Good luck!

 

No issues with your paint from the friction?? These aren't little stripes. Is the entire Union Jack...

Oh and my post mysteriously disappeared from MM site...

 

Yes, its the classic. I tried a couple of corners and yes, seems very brittle. Like the entire decal will have to be removed in quarter inch square pieces. I wonder if I should just install the replacement Union Jack right over the existing one.

 

Try it. You have nothing to lose. If you have to strip it in small pieces, you're gonna hate it. My side stripe was a PITA to pull off little tiny pieces with a solvent and razors. Then it left the glue behind. With this I stripped both sides off in 20 minutes w/o damaging the paint..... As far as heat, keep moving. How hot is your roof in the sun?????

 

I'll look for the disc at a couple of local parts shops that sell paint products, though I'll bet on-line will be the only source for this. Were you using a regular drill or can it be used with Dremel?

 

It's hard to judge the scale, but that wheel looks a bit big to be spun by a dremel.

I think you've decided to pull the decal off rather than put another one on top of it - my gut says good call!

 

I think the original side stripes were painted instead of being a vinyl decal wasn't it?

We tried one of these wheels to remove vinyl lettering from a trailer and it did nothing except shed a lot of rubber. I don't think it's going to help on this roof decal.

As was suggested a heat gun is probably helpful. Letting it sit in the sun for a few hours will probably do just as well.

What I've found from doing vinyl removal is this.

1.) Some vinyl is best removed when it's cold, by gently lifting an edge, and pulling abruptly..this lifts the glue as well.

2.) Some vinyl is best removed when it's heated, but not done carefully, the glue is left behind and you have to use solvents to remove them. Also when you heat vinyl, it stretches, so I find that by heating it for a few seconds with a hair dryer, then letting it cool for just a second or two so that it doesn't stretch when I pull it, it comes off easier and possibly with the glue.

3.) There are products intended to help remove vinyl. I use the lil'Chizler as a starting point for all vinyl removals. You might call a place that does vinyl installs for advice. Maybe even Mike at Aesthetic Creations.

Richard

 

Stripes were vinyl and on for 26 years....

Place in drill.

 

The thing that kept me from removing the side stripes (vinyl) on my SPI car was that the paint underneath was probably going to look different than the paint that wasn't covered. :(

 

Soem very good ideas Richard, Thanks! I've lifted Bini decal stripes off quite easily in the past, just lift an edge and then snap them off, but these roof decals seem so much less flexible. Maybe age and sun or maybe the material.

 

heat gun or a blow dryer if you dont have a heat gun.