Door Strip Removal - Techniques Needed!

[axnutty 10]

On certain base model Peugeots/Citroens there are those god awful stuck on rubber door strip things.

 

I know about the heat gun and boiling water methods on stickers etc, but how the hell are you supposed to remove these without ripping the paint off? (or leaving big torn wodges of rubber stuck to the door still!)

 

Anyone got any ideas?

Edited April 22, 2007 by axnutty

[bren_1.3 1]

i use window frame cleaner, it turns the adhesive into just a ball of snot once soaked in, then i use an old plastic card to scrape it all off. nasty horrible job that took me a good half a day to do.

[Paintguy 0]

Not sure exactly what you're asking. Have you removed the trims and have got sticky stuff left behind, or are you wanting to know how to remove the trims?

 

For removing the trims, I generally use a plastic filler spreader. Work one of the chamfered edges behind the trim, and work your way along. Being plastic it wont (or shouldn't) harm the paintwork.

 

On really stubborn ones, I use a bread knife! I have a thin flexible one that can be bent behind the trims, and the small serrations help to cut through the 'sticky stuff' Masking tape the paintwork either side of the trim if you're worried about scratching it.

[axnutty 10]

I havent done it yet Paintguy (not on this car at least!) - just wanted to know a good way before I remove them Planning ahead and all that!

 

I dont think you could get a knife in very well due to it being in the swage line (its an AX). Ill give that a go though.

 

Ive posted this on a few other forums, and ive been told white spirits and meths would disolve it... is their any harm in using products like this though on the paint?

 

Ive also been told of a plastic rotary bit (think its called a Caramel wheel) that is used to remove the stuck on plastic. Anyone heard of that and would like to shed some more light on it!!

[Paintguy 0]

It depends on the paint whether those products will mark it or not. Test them on an out of the way area first to be sure, but they ought to be ok.

 

Caramel/toffee/marzipan wheels are well known to me, I use one regularly See here