Stripping plastic parts.| Grassroots Motorsports forum |

Curmudgeon MegaDork
6/1/12 1:02 p.m.

I needed to strip the paint off of two ABS plastic headlight housings and most strippers don't want to get their hands dirty or are not safe to use on plastics, so I figured I'd be sanding for a while.

I was cruising Home Depot and found something called 'CitriStrip'. I'm not usually too fond of these type products, for instance the citrus adhesive remover is pretty well useless. But the can, unlike everything else, said it could be used on plastics but test first. So I rolled the dice.

Damn stuff works. It took spraybomb cheapie stuff and also what I think was urethane off the ABS without hurting it. Not often I can say some newfangled stuff works.

xflowgolf Reader
6/1/12 1:04 p.m.

I will have to try that. I just brought home an aftermarket bumper cover that the PO put some kind of wacky 3 color paint job all over with what looks to be a brush or a splatter method.

I'd like to salvage the bumper cover, but wasn't looking forward to that much sanding. I'll have to give that a try.

GameboyRMH GRM+ Memberand UberDork
6/1/12 1:04 p.m.

That citrus adhesive remover is great for cleaning rims though.

Sky_Render Reader
6/1/12 1:32 p.m.

Denatured alcohol, rags, and elbow grease is all I ever used.

stuart in mn UberDork
6/1/12 1:48 p.m.

The old trick for stripping paint off plastic model cars is to use Easy-Off oven cleaner. They are styrene plastic, I don't know how oven cleaner reacts with ABS plastic so you'd have to test it first.

Curmudgeon MegaDork
6/1/12 3:38 p.m.

I've heard of using Easy Off too, but the warnings on the label about not getting it on vinyl floors etc stopped me. I'd hate to spray Easy Off on the unobtanium ABS plastic housings and watch them go all Wicked Witch of the West.

noddaz GRM+ Memberand Reader
6/1/12 9:14 p.m.

Is it spray bomb? Have a little time? Try Spic-n-Span liquid. Original flavor. This will remove spray paint and not hurt the plastic. If the part has vacuum plated chrome Spic-n-Span WILL remove that...
I have been using this to remove spray paint from model car bodies and slot car bodies for years... Pine Sol works too... But can leave the plastic smelling funny. I have also had Pine Sol make slot car bodies brittle. So use that at your own risk...

CGLockRacer GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
6/1/12 9:31 p.m.

I think one of the Gearz tech tips was to soak the part in brake fluid. I could be wrong though.

Found this: http://www.ehow.com/how_7524246_strip-paint-brake-fluid.html

Might need too much brake fluid for your needs though.

ThePhranc Dork
6/1/12 9:37 p.m.

CGLockRacer wrote: I think one of the Gearz tech tips was to soak the part in brake fluid. I could be wrong though. Found this: http://www.ehow.com/how_7524246_strip-paint-brake-fluid.html Might need too much brake fluid for your needs though.

I believe that was on Powerblock with the Muscle Car guy that does the fancy paint work. I've been thinking of doing my front trim with it.

Curmudgeon MegaDork
6/2/12 7:01 a.m.

Brake fluid will do it but it's SLOW. It also evaporates fairly quickly compared to paint stripper so it's best if you can dunk the part, or you have to constantly keep it wet.