How do you remove stick-on N-numbers?

What's the best way to remove stick-on numbers from bare aluminum? They have been stuck for quite a while. I've tried scraping with a razor blade, but they just come off in tiny giblets. Is there any chemical process that would help the glue give it up?

Heat gun maybe?

Jeff, we used a good hot hair dryer to help soften the blue stuff from Van's...maybe try it.

Best,

They also make a decal eraser that is a rubber wheel you chuck into your drill and supposedly removes the decal. I haven't tried it, but it may do the job.

We peel a lot of vinyl truck lettering here at PHAC. The commercial large-area method is to place a space heater inside the aluminum truck box and run the temperature up to 200F, attack it with plastic scrapers, then use a specialty adhesive remover.

Cabs and doors are done with a heat gun. Warm a square foot or so of metal just past too hot for your bare hand. The vinyl and adhesive should get soft.

I removed some dealership decals with a heat gun and a plastic scraper, then removed any residue with a product called "goo gone". Goo gone seems to work like magic on most sticky residues. It does not take that much heat. I was working on a painted vehicle so the heat gun was on low, constantly in motion, and a fair distance away.

Time consuming, but patience will pay off.

I would think that using a heat source to soften the vinyl would work just fine. However, I have one of those "pinstripe erasers" that goes into an electric drill and have used it successfully to remove some striping from a vehicle once. Worked as advertised and didn't mar the paint.

Unless it's some really cheap vinyl, the heat should work. I applied and removed LOTS of vinyl from Smokey before I settled on the scheme that I wanted.

a couple of methods FWIW

if you are talking 12" N numbers, the 'eraser' is going to be slow.
It takes a little practice to scrub off the viinyl without burning the background....an air drill with the pressure turned down is good.

Here's how I tackle vinyl removal from vehicles, but there are a lot of variables, so experimentation is the word.
I would use a razor blade, to lift only the corner of the letter/number.
dull it first by scraping it on the concrete floor or driveway, ( like you are stropping a razor) and knock the sharp corners off ...which will keep it from digging in to the aluminum and leaving a big gouge. some plastic razor blades are good for this if you really want to be safe.
If the lettering has been in the direct sun, it is probably warm enough for trial one. try to peel the tab you've lifted with the razor at 90 degrees to the surface.
If it snaps, or the adhesive stays on the surface, try a different angle, speed, and heat. the ideal of course is when the vinyl takes all the adhesive with it! If the vinyl is old, thin, and breaks a lot, you may be unable to peel it.

Another method is to coat the vinyl with a solvent that softens the vinyl, soaks thru and softens the adhesive. ( check your yellow pages for
'sign supply'....or automotive graphics/detailing?) 'Vinyl-Off' 'Rapid-Remover' and 3M all make similar products.
You now have a real gooey mess, but most of the orange based cleaners like 'goo gone' will clean it up pretty well. Good ol mineral spirits or other slow thinners will also allow you to scrape the adhesive off with a plastic squeegee blade onto a paper towel.
spray, scrape, rinse, repeat.
If you are going to paint afterward, be aware that a scrupulous cleaning will be required to get all this adhesive snot out of the rivets and seams!

Another vote for hair dryer and mineral spirits to get the remaining adhesive. Worked quick and easy for me when I had to remove the "N" number and replace it with a "C" when I imported my six.

FWIW, I have used WD-40 to remove the adhesive goo from so many labels, stickers, and tapes that i've lost count. Spray on, allow to soak, and wipe with paper towel. Tougher or older adhesives may require wetting a paper towel and holding in place on the adhesive for a minute or so to break it down before wiping. WD-40 hasn't damaged any surfaces i've tried it on either (Note: Does not include plexi! I haven't tried that...).

The PB Blaster people make a vinyl remover and so does 3M. Auto parts stores usually have the products.

We use this type of "vinyl eraser" all the time. It will remove vinyl from painted surfaces without harming the paint whatsoever.

http://www.signwarehouse.com/TT-VR-p-HT-STPELM.html

There are many types. Try eBay too.

Someone said that this technique is slow. Not true. We've done trucks and trailers that had graphics all over them and it only takes a few minutes to 1/2 hour at the most for even very large graphics.

Much easier than heat and razor blades... ugh... razor blades? Not on aluminum!!!

pierre smith said:

Jeff, we used a good hot hair dryer to help soften the blue stuff from Van's...maybe try it.

Best,

Click to expand...

Same thing I used coming back from the Bahamas. Least expensive way as I had nothing to buy. Numbers and letters came off easier than they went on. Only down side was some invisible glue residue that showed up a few weeks latter. Easy to remove with IPA or WD40.

Vinyl removal Boo Boo

Well I went to pull off a few vinyl decals from my engine cowling and from that point everything went South. The decals pulled the paint off the fiberglass cowling. So now I have to go back and refinish the cowling. Just my luck, but you know I really am not all that angry about it. Just a bump in the road. Had a few flaws I never was happy about.

RV 8A her name was Toozicoot but changing it to Little Miss Kitty.