How to strip paint from rubber coated pieces?

[Moparal]

I need to strip the paint off my M46 quarter scoops so I can get them painted with the organosol paint. The paint on them now has spider web type cracks and are not the right color. I want to install these next month so I am 1 step closer to having the car complete. These scoops ar like super thin aluminum and bend very easy, then the outside is dipped in rubber coating of some sort.  ANYBODY?

[Ross]

From what I've read, soda blasting is very delicate.

But my aint worth much more than that.

[Bullitt-]

Alan, I would not think that the rubber would be harmed by paint remover, I picked up some Marhyde spray paint remover for aircraft at the local Advance Auto Parts & it is for use on aluminum.

Wade

[Moparal]

I will do something by tomorrow. I want these painted before I get back home from work in 4 weeks. The price these scoops are , I cant afford to abuse them to awfully much.

[70Cuda]

I think I would avoid strippers (paint)  .  I used some on plastic and it turned the plastic gummy (ruined) and for the few products I could find searching when they mentioned rubber it was either to wear rubber gloves, not use on or even to remove chlorinated rubber (a tough coating). 

I have rubber bumpers and they were sanded down.  I did have my rear bumper sent into a place in Chicago through a local Keystone Automotive (paint, panels, bumpers) that does a thin over the top recoating too to deal with imperfections in the rubber and that has been OK.

This link makes it sound like soda blasting is safe on rubber: http://www.chesapeakesodaclean.com/

This link talks about using soda blasting to clean ink off of rubber print rollers http://www.centrasodablasting.com/what_is.asp and further says it won't damage rubber.

Good luck and don't ruin them.

[67vertman]

Alan,

Some chemical paint strippers (paint removers) are more aggressive than others and do not affect plastics in the same way. Polyethylene, probably what the scopes are made of, is a fairly solvent resistant plastic and is more tolerant to solvents than other plastics. Offhand I don't know which paint remover you should purchase, but I would look at the labels on paint cans in the hardware store and select some of the milder solvents, such as benzyl alcohol. Alternatively, purchase the smallest quantities available of a range of removers (where the ingredients differ) and test them on the polyethylene before you do the real job.

My moto, use the least abrasive and work your way up, and take your time.

Ron

[NorthWestcuda]

How about brake fluid?  I used brake fluid to remove the paint on my license plate light lens.  It worked great.  The only problem is it took almost two weeks of totally immersing it before the paint started to lift.

[elitecustombody]

I need to strip the paint off my M46 quarter scoops so I can get them painted with the organosol paint. The paint on them now has spider web type cracks and are not the right color. I want to install these next month so I am 1 step closer to having the car complete. These scoops ar like super thin aluminum and bend very easy, then the outside is dipped in rubber coating of some sort.  ANYBODY?

if the scoops are made out of aluminum, you should have no problem using any paint stripper, stop by Autozone or WalMart,they sell it in aerosol cans,that stuff works pretty good

[Moparal]

So paint stripper wont eat the factory rubber coating?

[IMNCARN82]

I thought not all the scoops were metal,some were plastic.     I'd try the latex stripper first if you do...It's a bit more gentle.   Coulple of light shots with a media blaster.  If it's metal,have at it.  Good luck AL.

[JayBee]

I wouldn't use paint stripper. You know those finger pockets on door panels, the '70's are metal with a plastic coating. Well, I tried paint stripper to clean them up a bit and the plastic coating bubbled and peeled back in some areas. I ended up having to get another set.

[elitecustombody]

I think Moparal is working on scoops, not interior pieces

I wouldn't use paint stripper. You know those finger pockets on door panels, the '70's are metal with a plastic coating. Well, I tried paint stripper to clean them up a bit and the plastic coating bubbled and peeled back in some areas. I ended up having to get another set.

[Moparal]

These scoops that I have are auluminum. Then, the outside has a factory coating of some sort like rubber car bumpers have. There's 2 bolts that are imbeded in the rubber and then 4 screw holes through each scoop. The rubber coating is not spongy but firm. It is close to 1/8 inch thick covering only the outside of the scoop. I talked to the body man last night and he said that the paint and supply store sells a special stripper for removing paint off rubber bumpers. I was just going to take them with me to the paint store and see what they say.  Thanks for the suggestions, we shall see what the way is to strip them.

[elitecustombody]

I'd probably just hit them with 180 on a D/A to get the crappy paint off, if you are trying to save the rubber/plasctic coating, DO NOT USE STRIPPER!, even if it's made for rubber/urethane /plastic, it will distort the surface of that coating,then you'd have to load bunch of primer to get rid of the imperfections and bumps 
 
 Stefan

[Moparal]

Well, I got scotch sanding wheels and a die grinder, and I also went to the paint supply store and took my scoops with me to show them. They gave me an areosol can of SEM 39913 Bumper Stripper. Anyone hear of this stripper?

It says Not designed to remove OEM baked finishes-Strips all refinish material off of most bumpers.  It says on the can Not forsale for the general public. Do not use on zenoy, p.c. ,abs, pvc, fiberglass, or smc.

Since I fly out for a month tomorrow , I wont get to use it on anything anyways..