Sikaflex

[Guest nelly]

Hi all,

 

How does one go about removing well set Sikaflex from painted bodywork without too much grief? A friend of mine who is rebuilding an old Series 1 is currently trying to get it SVA ready (it was never completed by the first owner). In doing so, he's removing the screen and has a lot of the nasty sticky stuff to get rid of. :boohoo:

 

Any tips, other than "Throw the car away and start again" or "leave car outside for 40 thousand years letting the elements rust the car away from the sikaflex" would be much appreciated.

 

Ta,

nelly

[Guest Tim Norman]

Wire brush in the drill, worked for me!

[Guest Daren.F]

You can get silicon eater in mastic tubes, I don't Know if it works on sikaflex

I remove mastic using a 1" flexable scraper, pressing on firmly and trying to remove the mastic back to base, for the remnents I use wire wool.

[Guest nelly]

Cheers guys, - exactly what I would do myself, but any ideas on how to do this without touching the nice new paint job he's had done or is that pretty much an impossibility?

 

nelly

[Big Jim]

try Auto-glym tar remover, it's the best stuff for removing glue from the 'wrong' side of the carpet!

[Guest Phil Slater]

You might have a struggle with sikaflex. It's got a reputation for being solvent reisistant once it has cured.

 

Phil Slater

[Guest brummy-ade]

I must agree with jim that auto glym stuff is bloody good

ade

[swan]

hi I presume the screen removal prior to sva is to avoid fitting a de-mister? edges on screen suround etc

with sikaflex being so difficult to remove and the prospect of buggering the paintwork up i would certainly try to address the problems associated with leaving the screen on for sva

 

Good luck

swan

[Big Jim]

Nelly,

If the SVA inspector see's evidence that a screen has been fitted (in any way) by mounting holes etc. showing, then it will fail.

It would be best to do the job properly. That by-the-way means rounding the edged of the windscreen frame & mounting brackets, from on an older model, as well as the wiper, washers, & demister items.

[IanS]

Petrol gradualy softens sikaflex. Takes a couple of months though

[Guest mickmellors]

One of the 'Stain Devil' type products is a 'sticky stuff remover' - couple of quid from ASDA, Sainsburys etc - Might be worth a try. I would suggest removing the bulk of it carefully with a good sharp knife first so there is less of a problem to deal with.

 

Even if it doesnt work on the Sikaflex you can at least get all those annoying little labels off the cut crystal glasses ! ! ! Why cant they use peel off labels like they do on greetings cards etc. ?

[Guest nelly]

Righto then,

 

Will pass on all your comments to Haff. Thanks Jim for the tip re evidence of screen - very useful.

 

Have to say I may be mistaken in saying that he's removing the screen for SVA but that was certainly his plan at one point.

 

Anyone who knows Paul White should give him a ring with tips also, as he's helping Haff on this project currently.

 

Cheers again,

 

nelly