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How to remove weatherstrip adhesive?!

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jjbunn

jjbunn

Jedi Knight
Offline
After my fiasco with the A-post seals yesterday, I have removed them for the second time, and want to clean off the weatherstrip adhesive from the backs. Removing the adhesive from the frame is relatively easy with a few sprays of "Goof Off", but how best to get it off the rubber, so I can put a new coat on and apply the strips the *right* way? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wall.gif
 
Be careful of skin reactions and fumes inside with Acetone.

It evaporates very quickly, but is absorbed into your pores just as fast. I've seen several guys get very ill from that product.
 
Brosky said:
Be careful of skin reactions and fumes inside with Acetone.

It evaporates very quickly, but is absorbed into your pores just as fast. I've seen several guys get very ill from that product.
Click to expand...

Will acetone not damage the rubber? If not, then I will soak the seals in some overnight.
 
Don't soak them!!!!!!!
Try some 3M contact remover.
 
DNK said:
Don't soak them!!!!!!!
Try some 3M contact remover.
Click to expand...

So I now have a jar full of acetone, and a puddle of gooey black stuff at the bottom of it.

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/lol.gif
Just joking!

OK, I wont soak them. Where would I find this 3M contact remover of which you speak? Is it anything like Goof Off? If so, I haven't had much luck with that.
 
It's kind of hard to find. Cabinet makers use it for their contact cement removal on their projects.
 
Try your local auto parts dealer, a real one not a-zone or Npa, an old fashioned parts dealer that has 3M on it's shelves. Or a Marine dealership repair harbor that works on older boats.
 
I guess I should be more cautious with throwing out answers.
Whenever one uses chemicals, one should know the dangers and precautions. Do a goggle on Acetone and 3M contact cleaner for the MSDS. Material Safety data sheet. Both have dangers.
With proper equipment and common sense both are safe to use. Wear gloves and eye protection and have ventilation. Not following precautions can impact your health and life. But then so do a lot of other things.
FWIW.
 
Acetone, Keytone, laquer thinner, methylene chloride, tryethylene chloride, Xylene, Toulene, Are all chemicals you might try, Be careful of the toxicisidy tho, avoid breathing the fumes or skin contact of any of these chemicals. Check an inconspicous place on the weather stirp to ensure the chemical choice will not eat the weather strip itself. 3m does make an adhesive remover if you can find a dealer that carries it.
Getting an MSDS sheet on any chemical you intend to use is always a good idea, read it thouroughly and strictly follow the recomended safety proceedures to avoid injury to yourself.
 
Thanks for the cautions. I remember when I was at school in the UK we happily splashed benzene all over the place during chemistry lessons. Makes me cringe to think about it. Oh, and all the bunsen burners were sitting on asbestos mats. The horror!

I'm wondering if I really need to remove the adhesive anyway: I'm only going to put more on when I re-stick the seals. And, in fact, the instructions call for a layer of adhesive to be applied and let dry beforehand.
 
Julian,

You have probably seen photos of the terrible condition
my TR6 once was. The cleaner/solvent I primarily use is
xylene (xylol) followed by paint thinner, then paint
remover, hardly ever acetone, sometimes Coleman lantern
fuel. Brake cleaner works as a final, real fast wipedown product.

Most paint stores carry xylene (xylol)

We have a saying in construction- "oil cuts oil"
That means a lighter weight petroleum product will dissolve
a heavier weight petroleum product.

Xylene and all the other chemicals Kerry mentioned are
seriously nasty stuff. If you use them, wear heavy duty
gloves, eye protection and (read Paul's post on skin
absorption), use the stuff outdoors in a well ventilated
place (never indoors without a vent hood). Use these
nasties quickly and really try your best not to inhale the
fumes.

The nasties work but they can very quickly hurt you bad.
Remember- if it evaporates quickly and smells: it will harm
your lungs.

d
 
I'd start with mineral spirits. Not as volitile as the esthers 'n keytones. Hasn't hurt anything I've used it on yet. Can't expect to be able to SOAK the stuff off but with a dampened rag and elbow grease it'll come clean without damage.
 
OK I will start with Mineral Spirits (which I have "in stock"), and go from there to the nasty stuff /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
Norton47 said:
Do a goggle on Acetone and 3M contact cleaner for the MSDS. Material Safety data sheet. Both have dangers.FWIW.
Click to expand...

Mark- The 3M contact cement cleaner I use is citrus based.
 
jjbunn said:
After my fiasco with the A-post seals yesterday, I have removed them for the second time, and want to clean off the weatherstrip adhesive from the backs. Removing the adhesive from the frame is relatively easy with a few sprays of "Goof Off", but how best to get it off the rubber, so I can put a new coat on and apply the strips the *right* way? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wall.gif
Click to expand...

Just wanted to tell you I felt like I crashed and
burned in assisting on this weather strip deal. I really
did try my best. I was hoping that you would discern
it more clearly with the pics I posted. I feel bad
that you are now working to correct. The pics you
had posted are not showing in the post. Don't know
why. Not important at this point, I suppose.
 
2wrench said:
jjbunn said:
After my fiasco with the A-post seals yesterday, I have removed them for the second time, and want to clean off the weatherstrip adhesive from the backs. Removing the adhesive from the frame is relatively easy with a few sprays of "Goof Off", but how best to get it off the rubber, so I can put a new coat on and apply the strips the *right* way? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wall.gif
Click to expand...

Just wanted to tell you I felt like I crashed and
burned in assisting on this weather strip deal. I really
did try my best. I was hoping that you would discern
it more clearly with the pics I posted. I feel bad
that you are now working to correct. The pics you
had posted are not showing in the post. Don't know
why. Not important at this point, I suppose.
Click to expand...


Hey, no problem: it was all my own fault. I should have waited before rushing out and removing them the first time, because if I had it would have become clear that they were in fact correctly orientated.

I'm not having much of a weekend: I just managed to crack both the license plate lamp covers on a vintage BMW unit I got off Ebay, and which I spent fitting to the TR6 this afternoon. A little too much enthusiasm with the screwdriver, on both simultaneously, and voila! cracked Unobtainium covers /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wall.gif
 
Yep it is citrus based, but do the google for MSDS and see what it says. It is still an irritant and has warnings.
 
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