Removing Sikaflex / Tiger Seal from paintwork

[johnpbransfield]

I am removing number plates that are secured with blobs of black goop!

Any ideas as to the best and least laborious way to remove this from the paint work without damage to the paint work?

Thanks in advance.

[Jonathan Kay]

Have you already cut through them with dental floss or similar to remove the plate? After that I'd try a thumb nail or credit card to get under the residue.

If that fails then a gentle chemical cleaner such as this. Usual warning about trying it somewhere obscure first.

Jonathan

PS: There are lots of different products labelled "Sikaflex" and this assumes you used something similar to the rest of us. 

[johnpbransfield]

Yes, plates are off, just got big globs of gloop now.

I have tried a hair drier but to no avail so far!

[7 wonders of the world]

As JK said blade or wire cut off as much as you can then use petrol and a cloth, as with anything if you can try on a sample first !

[johnpbransfield]

Thanks,

Will try again tomorrow!

[OliW]

Same problem John. I tried to remove it without any joy so put the plate back over it in the end. I had wanted to put a sticker plate on, but gave up. Why they use shiksa flex I do not know.

[2GBR]

Have a go with nail varnish remover may work

[Jonathan Kay]

Traditional nail polish remover is based on acetone, which will remove most paints. Modern stuff is much less aggressive (which is why it doesn't work as well on nails). There's a long list of solvents I'd try before acetone.

Jonathan

[CharlesElliott]

Cut it off.

[johnpbransfield]

Thanks for all the advice.

No joy to day so it looks like a scalpel blade, hair drier, petrol and elbow grease!

[CharlesElliott]

Obviously you don't know exactly what it is, but here is a sample comment from a Sikaflex data sheet:

Once cured, the material can only be removed mechanically. Hands and exposed skin should be washed immediately using a suitable industrial hand cleanser and water. Do not use solvents!
 

[johnpbransfield]

Now sorted!

Hair Dryer, credit card or similar, petrol, a strong thumb nail, patience and three hours is all that was needed........but it does give you a pain in the back.

Thanks for all the advice.

[Jonathan Kay]

:-)

Jonathan

[The_ASH]

Why do Caterham use Sikaflex to attach the number plates? Is it to stop the plates from being stolen (it certainly does that). I believe the motor industry as a whole has embraced anti-theft fixings to stop plate theft but I'd guess this is a coincidence :-)

I've acquired another car which was SVA'd by them just over 3 years ago and I can see the Sikaflex is affecting the plates from behind so eventually it'll fail the MOT and need new ones, also some of the SVA piping around the front suspension was applied by them using what looks like Super Glue and something else which I don't recognise, anyone have any similar experiences to share which might give me a clue as to my next steps. I have already tried some xylene (paint safe) stuff which usually shifts anything and that doesn't touch it (although it does seem to work on Sikaflex).

The front wing piping is held on with black silicone and the fog/reverse light stuff clear silicone which is easy to remove.

[CharlesElliott]

They use it because it is quick, easy and remains stuck. 

[The_ASH]

I guess it is fairly obvious but it would be good if they used something with a bit less sticktion, as it is Sikaflex sticks so well that it pulls the paint off the primer!