Removing 3M tape from tailgate spoiler

[Lostineurope2]

Hi
I’m after some advice please
Had my T5.1 for around 6 years now and it had a tailgate spoiler fitted when I bought it.
Unfortunately it blew off in the storm a few weeks ago , didn’t realise it was loose and luckily the van was parked up at the time.

It looks like it was fastened with 3M style tape and Its left all that behind on the tailgate

I am going to try and remove it and fit a vw standard tailgate bike rack rather than refit the spoiler

Any idea the best way to remove this residue so as not to damage the paint work?
I have tried a plastic scraper and it’s tough going next thought is a caramel wheel on a drill
Good idea or not ?

 

[Dundee_Kev]

You tried a hairdryer? That can soften the glue and make it a lot easier to remove

 

[Lostineurope2]

You tried a hairdryer? That can soften the glue and make it a lot easier to remove

I’ve got a heat gun so will dig that out tomorrow when its daylight and try and get the bulk of it off with a plastic scraper then see how much is left behind
Thanks

 

[Dundee_Kev]

If you got the worst of and then had some isopropyl alcohol to r move the rest

 

[BikerPa]

Be very careful with the heat gun, a hair dryer is a much safer option IMO.

I used a ‘toffee wheel’ spinning slowly in a cordless drill to carefully clean 3M VHB tape & Sikaflex residue off where my ABT eyebrows were bonded on badly (not by me but VW)

Like this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CANOPUS-Professional-Removing-Pinstripes-Adhesives/dp/B079RVH36L/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=toffee+wheel&qid=1704472121&sr=8-3

 

[Martinf]

It looks somewhat similar to the dreadful stuff a company used to sick down my Solar panels, now failed.

After a challenging removal of the panels themselves, I scraped off the thin layer of soft material, then used my heat gun to ease off the residual glue. For mine a hair dryer would not have given anything like sufficient heat. This process was effective but very slow. The small amount of residue was removed with IPA.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

I’ve got a heat gun so will dig that out tomorrow when its daylight and try and get the bulk of it off with a plastic scraper then see how much is left behind
Thanks

That would be my plan. A heat gun and a hard plastic scraper. Not metal.
But as pointed out would be careful with heat gun. Leave it on setting 1 and take a bit longer with it rather than roasting it and going at it.

 

[Lostineurope2]

It looks somewhat similar to the dreadful stuff a company used to sick down my Solar panels, now failed.

After a challenging removal of the panels themselves, I scraped off the thin layer of soft material, then used my heat gun to ease off the residual glue. For mine a hair dryer would not have given anything like sufficient heat. This process was effective but very slow. The small amount of residue was removed with IPA.View attachment 224487

They made a mess of that by the looks of it.
If that came off then I’m hopeful either using the wife’s hairdryer or a careful heating with the heat gun and plastic scraper will get the big bits off then either use the toffee wheel which is actually the same as the one in the link and then try and clean it down with some cleaning fluid

 

[Vanderlust]

The toffee wheel works really well on painted metal parts not so well on painted plastic parts like say the front number plate mounting. Doh ! fortunately covered by the new number plate .

 

[BikerPa]

You have to use a toffee wheel extremely slowly & keep stopping on painted plastic parts like I did on the front bumper, to stop the wheel getting warm/hot & digging the paint off!!

It can be done. My bumper was going for repaint anyway so not an issue.

As stated they are easier to use on painted metal, again with care! Take it slowly & spinning slowly with minimal pressure

 

[roadtripper]

It looks somewhat similar to the dreadful stuff a company used to sick down my Solar panels, now failed.

After a challenging removal of the panels themselves, I scraped off the thin layer of soft material, then used my heat gun to ease off the residual glue. For mine a hair dryer would not have given anything like sufficient heat. This process was effective but very slow. The small amount of residue was removed with IPA.View attachment 224487

If you're replacing quite a few folks around these parts put a layer of vinyl or ppf down first to ease replacement (flexible panel life seems to be not great)

 

[Finchy]

I use autosmart gelsolve to remove adhesive residues etc

 

[Chrishall888]

I used a hair dryer and a plastic scraper on mine.
Took a long time and be very careful that there isn’t any small debris in there as it can scratch the paint at the same time.

 

[Graham Jones]

Mineral Turpentine will disolve glue....will not harm paint. will have to keep working it wet though.

 

[Lostineurope2]

Well 2 hours scraping with the use of a heat gun to remove the tape left behind this
I then used the toffee wheel to get rid of 70% of the rubber residue but there appears to be some undercoat of black paint or something which won’t budge I’ve tried a label adhesive remover and plastic razor blade to no avail what could this be and how do I remove it ?
Any other ideas?

 

[ginkster]

WD40? It’s good for getting adhesive off without damage but maybe not what you have left!

 

[Phil_j89]

That's primer for the black adhesive that had been used bond the spoiler.

You may find that it needs sanding down to remove. Might be worth a conversation with a local bodyshop.

 

[Wills]

Tar remover may help lift it.

 

[crushturtle]

That's primer for the black adhesive that had been used bond the spoiler.

You may find that it needs sanding down to remove. Might be worth a conversation with a local bodyshop.

Yep looks like it could be I will speak to the local body shop see what they advise.
It doesn't want to come off whatever it is
Thanks