Removing the Subaru & WRX badges

[Clinton]

Hi guys,

How easy is it removing the Subaru and WRX badges off the boot lid?

Im assuming they are just stuck on so will not leave any holes, but some are stuck on very well and becomes difficult to remove glue residue etc so just seeing what they are like on the scooby?

Thanks

Clinton

[Scooby Pete]

2 options, nail varnish remover (acetone) to dissolve the glue, a strong bit of plastic to work behind the letters and prise them of can be messy though. Leave quite a bit of gummy stuff behind which require lots of elbow grease to remove.

Or use a hair dryer to warm the glue on each letter and soften it, and a strong bit of plastic to work behind the letters and prise them off. I did actually use my fingers, but it was quite painful. This takes quite a time to do as the glue needs to be quite warm to release it.

After you have got them off you will need to T-Cut and polish the area as you can still see the outline of the letters.

[Jay762]

Wotcha and welcome to the forum Clinton - some before and after photos would be useful should you decide to go ahead

[Clinton]

2 options, nail varnish remover (acetone) to dissolve the glue, a strong bit of plastic to work behind the letters and prise them of can be messy though. Leave quite a bit of gummy stuff behind which require lots of elbow grease to remove.

Or use a hair dryer to warm the glue on each letter and soften it, and a strong bit of plastic to work behind the letters and prise them off. I did actually use my fingers, but it was quite painful. This takes quite a time to do as the glue needs to be quite warm to release it.

After you have got them off you will need to T-Cut and polish the area as you can still see the outline of the letters.

 

Thanks Scooby Pete, i just wanted to make sure that it was possible, didnt want to take the letters off to find out there would be a permanant outline or something.

 

Wotcha and welcome to the forum Clinton - some before and after photos would be useful should you decide to go ahead

Hi, yea sure i will take a few pics during the process and the end result (providing i dont ruin it lol)

Clinton

[Gambit]

Hi mate welcome to the forums 

I found WD40 or petrol worked best when I removed some stickers of the car and boot badges. Halfords also do a sticky stuff remover that removes the glue too

[Clinton]

Hi mate welcome to the forums 

I found WD40 or petrol worked best when I removed some stickers of the car and boot badges. Halfords also do a sticky stuff remover that removes the glue too

Excellent, think im going to give this a go tomorrow if the weather holds out!

Clinton

[Gambit]

You're welcome and feel free to share some pictures. I like pictures, just how I like my books ;) 

I've been tempted to remove mine before but worried the paint might have faded :(  

[Miggs]

I removed the bump strip off the doors, heated it up with a heat gun first, pulled a load of paint off with them, hairdryer is definitely a safer option

[Clinton]

I removed the bump strip off the doors, heated it up with a heat gun first, pulled a load of paint off with them, hairdryer is definitely a safer option

Oh god....& that is exactly why i like to ask how to do things first lol!

I once used the scourer side of a sponge to get tar & bits of my bmw 330ci coupe, didnt show anything when i was doing it as it was wet...but when it dried... :(

[Gambit]

Yep did the same thing :) but only tried a bit lightly and dried it off and see what it did so stopped after that :D

[Clinton]

Hi guys,

Right i gave this a go today, let me know what you think?

I started out with a hairdryer and a plastic ice scraper to get the badges off, this was very easy and only took a couple mins to do.

I then sprayed some Sticky Stuff Remover (purchased from halfrauds at 4.99) onto the glue that was left on the bootlid. After a few mins i used the plastic ice scraper to remove the glue.

You need to spray and scrape a few times as you wont get it off in 1 go and i wanted to be very careful not to scratch the paint.

Once all the glue was removed, there is still the outline of lettering left. I then used Meguirs Scratch X which is similar to T Cut and many other variants that you can get, to try and remove the lettering outline as best i could.

I then gave it a wax and hey presto!!

To be honest its an ok job, if you look closely you can still see a faint outline of some of the lettering, i probably just need to spend longer and give it more elbow grease!! But i couldnt get it to show in a photo so you do have to look closely.

As requested i have taken photos, 1st shows as it comes, then with the badges removed, then a photo with a couple coats of sticky stuff used, then the last 2 are the end result.

Thanks

Clinton

[Scooby Pete]

Looks great. Loads of elbow work for such a small job, bet your right arm looks like popeye's now :D

[Gambit]

I agree looks great and you went with the stick stuff remover ;) (Before you ask rubbish on man juice stains mt leather pants are still knackerd) I have some still :D I do like that look really tempted with mine I've liked the debadged look going back to my st170. Top job mate can't tell from the pictures any outline :)

[Jay762]

looks good to me - cant see any outline

[Clinton]

Thanks guys,

Glad you all like it, im quite happy with the results!

Def worth a go if you have considered it, quite easy to do really!

Clinton

[Gambit]

I've removed them before on 2 of my old cars but the badges was smaller the the big SUBARU across the boot :D But think I will do it sooner or latter I will sit and think about it for a few weeks then just think right that's it there coming off and just go and do it :D

[Mephiston2k]

Aye it looks good, I generally just use an aerosol brake cleaner  :D  

 

Might have a pop at mine at some point, only the subaru bit.  I'm keeping the wrx badge, my cars not going to be 1 of these 'replicas' it'll just be a 285bhp wrx instead :D

[Gambit]

the Sticky stuff remover worked best for me by far followed by the WD40 (magic stuff) then the petrol on a rag but took longer as it made the glue go like wall paper paste so took longer cleaning off 

[STI330]

Hair dryer and use fishing line to remove the badges will stop any paint work damage. WD 40 works well so does Mr Sheen let it soak in to dissolve the adhesive. Then a good polish.

Mr Sheen is also great to detail the engine bay it brings up the plastics like new and has degreasing properties. It also makes the engine bay smell nice!!

[Jay762]

liking the fishing line idea

[Gambit]

Hair dryer and use fishing line to remove the badges will stop any paint work damage. WD 40 works well so does Mr Sheen let it soak in to dissolve the adhesive. Then a good polish.

Mr Sheen is also great to detail the engine bay it brings up the plastics like new and has degreasing properties. It also makes the engine bay smell nice!!

Thanks for the tips mate and welcome to S.O.C 

[Miggs]

if the outline, which by the way i can't see, gets to you the best way to get rid is with a machine, it's likley in the lacquer coating so will need melting out, machine polishers work on generating a bit of heat by high speed motion which melts the lacquer sightly to fill in any small lines or groves, they are a good buy for detailing as it saves time and gives a great finish, if you were to buy one and don't know how to use one i would suggest getting a DA as theres less chance of a first timer doing any damage with one, i lent my rotary to a mate the other week and told him to use the soft pads and low speeds on any edges, he did the exact opposite and made some new go faster stripes on the swage lines of his car, dark blue paint and white lines

[Gambit]

And that is why I wont try use one haha :D

[mfnick]

Dental floss also works great for removing badges for future reference. Used it to remove badges on my old cars and some of my mates'

Personally I prefer the Impreza with the badges but each to their own. :)

[Ash007ks]

Sorry im late to the party but for future reference Auto glym bug and tar remove does it without any damage to your paint :)