[ObrienActual]

Hello - Purchased 4-Runner new (14) and dealer had painted pinstripes as part of a package. Okay with look but a few areas have been dinged / washed away.

Have searched all over and there does not seem to be a clear (safe) removal method. Have seen people recommending Acetone, Lacquer Thinner, Oven Cleaner, and Wet Sanding.

What is the safest method in order to not damage car clear coat and paint. Willing to pay a shop if necessary.


Thanks!

[itr1275]

Disclaimer: I'm not a professional etc... try this on your own and don't come to me if it damages something.

If they are just stickers, you might try a hair dryer or heat gun. With that said, if you use a heat gun you can cook your paint pretty bad, so start low and move up.
YouTube

If they are flaking off, a buffer wheel might just knock them off too.

What you might see after you remove them is your original non-faded pain color and have a new pin stripe.

[ObrienActual]

Originally Posted by itr1275

Disclaimer: I'm not a professional etc... try this on your own and don't come to me if it damages something.

If they are just stickers, you might try a hair dryer or heat gun. With that said, if you use a heat gun you can cook your paint pretty bad, so start low and move up.
YouTube

If they are flaking off, a buffer wheel might just knock them off too.

What you might see after you remove them is your original non-faded pain color and have a new pin stripe.

Thanks, but these are painted.

[mteolus]

Probably depends on what they used and if the paint had hardener in it. You can try lacquer thinner and slowly wipe it on without putting too much pressure on it. It will be a long process if it works. Would be a good idea to put a buffer on it afterwards.

[<<<<]

Heat gun is good idea even for painted stripes because it'll soften that material. If you have small detail polisher it will take no time to level this down to paint with just some polish and yellow pad. Be careful not to burn trough original clear coat under that stripe. G.L.

[jbtvt]

I used an eraser wheel on a drill to remove large decals from both sides of one years ago, worked great. Think I used the second wheel on some pinstriping later as well. Something like this although can't vouch for this particular brand - Amazon.com: Decal Remover Eraser Wheel. Remove Car Decals, Vinyl & Stickers in Minutes with The 4" Wonder Wheel Toolkit - Arbor Supplied: Automotive

Prob be cheaper at auto parts store if you can find

[Tuco Ramirez]

Originally Posted by ObrienActual

Thanks, but these are painted.

I have seen these exact pinstripes put on a camry. It’s a decal/sticker, not painted. Maybe they told you it was painted. Did you buy from the HB dealer that sold the barcelona red pro to the other guy?

[?????]

Rubber wheel with finesse

[ObrienActual]

Originally Posted by mteolus

Probably depends on what they used and if the paint had hardener in it. You can try lacquer thinner and slowly wipe it on without putting too much pressure on it. It will be a long process if it works. Would be a good idea to put a buffer on it afterwards.

Thanks

Originally Posted by <<<<

Heat gun is good idea even for painted stripes because it'll soften that material. If you have small detail polisher it will take no time to level this down to paint with just some polish and yellow pad. Be careful not to burn trough original clear coat under that stripe. G.L.

Have tried a polisher and compound, little result.

Originally Posted by jbtvt

I used an eraser wheel on a drill to remove large decals from both sides of one years ago, worked great. Think I used the second wheel on some pinstriping later as well. Something like this although can't vouch for this particular brand - Amazon.com: Decal Remover Eraser Wheel. Remove Car Decals, Vinyl & Stickers in Minutes with The 4" Wonder Wheel Toolkit - Arbor Supplied: Automotive

Prob be cheaper at auto parts store if you can find

Have seen the wheels work magic on vinyl.

Originally Posted by Tuco Ramirez

I have seen these exact pinstripes put on a camry. It’s a decal/sticker, not painted. Maybe they told you it was painted. Did you buy from the HB dealer that sold the barcelona red pro to the other guy?

Definitely painted, I have removed some. You can also feel the difference between a vinyl type stripe and paint.

Originally Posted by ?????

Rubber wheel with finesse

Have seen these work on vinyl but not anywhere online for paint.

[obxbird]

Definitely not painted. Like others above said, you can use a heat gun or wait for a pretty warm day in conjunction with a heat gun and they should peel right of with little to no effort. Pin striping to me is such old school graphics. I hate the way it looks on a modern vehicle...just my $.02

[Tuco Ramirez]

Originally Posted by obxbird

Definitely not painted. Like others above said, you can use a heat gun or wait for a pretty warm day in conjunction with a heat gun and they should peel right of with little to no effort. Pin striping to me is such old school graphics. I hate the way it looks on a modern vehicle...just my $.02

He insists they are painted. He could be right but I highly doubt a dealer would take the time to paint a pinstripe like that unless they added some giant ass markup for it. Also as I mentioned earlier, I have watched them apply these pinstripes on a camry before and it looks exactly the same.

[LandCruiser]

I find it hard to believe that the original dealer hired a pin stripe guy who can paint them (a dying breed) to paint boring parallel stripes on your 4Runner when nearly 100% of these vinyl appliques are done badly by some idiot they don't trust in the sales or service departments.

[Mello03]

I’d be shocked if they’re painted as well. That’s a pretty uncommon practice these days. No way a dealer will pay that as mentioned without a huge markup. IF they are painted, lacquer thinner should take it off without affecting the clear. I have used lacquer thinner countless times on touch up paint on multiple vehicles. They clear is very resistant to it. The edges on vinyl will be super clean and not that way painted.

[mteolus]

I have used the rubber wheel. Works on vinyl pin stripes, not paint.

[ElectroBoy]

Originally Posted by LandCruiser

I find it hard to believe that the original dealer hired a pin stripe guy who can paint them (a dying breed) to paint boring parallel stripes on your 4Runner when nearly 100% of these vinyl appliques are done badly by some idiot they don't trust in the sales or service departments.

I haven’t seen painted pin stripes in years, only at a classic car show. A vinyl stripe usually wraps around the door edge where you can start peeling it off. Try a hair dryer to heat it up.