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Old 07-02-2014, 07:45 AM   #1
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3M Film Mask Removal

After reading the many posts on this forum about removal of the 3M film mask I decided to give it a try. My mask was in pretty bad shape with what looked like scratches. Come to find they were not scratches but small cracks in the film mask. These cracks were worse on the darker colored paint areas.

I followed the advice of many of the previous posters on this forum.

Tools used: heat gun, plastic razor blade scraper, a good supply of rags and a gallon of xylene.

The mask on my coach where horizontal strips anywhere from 12" wide to 36" wide. They followed the paint colors.

Working from the windshield down I would take off one horizontal strip at a time. This way I could could leave the job until the next day or next week without looking like a work in progress.

Starting on the passengers side I used the razor blade scrapper to grab an edge and then used the heat gun to start pealing back the mask.

I found out there is a fine line between to much heat and not enough. Too much or to little heat the mask will tear as you pull. As you heat the mask you can pull and get about an inch or so removed then reapply heat for a few seconds and do it again. I didn't use any xylene at this point.

Once I had an entire horizontal strip removed I would attack the glue residue with the razor blade scrapper and xylene. I found keeping the glue wet with xylene while using the razor blade scrapper seemed to work best for me..

Several coatings of xylene and several passes with the razor blade will eventually remove all remaining glue.

My biggest fear was paint damage. At no time did I feel like remove the mask would pull paint with it. The plastic razor blade scrapper will not scratch your paint either. There was no paint damage at all.

It is a lot of work, took me a total 26 hours over 6 days but finally got it done. It is well work the time and trouble.

A fresh coat of wax and it looks great.

Would I do it again knowing all the work involved....you bet. The end result is worth it.

It looked so good I decided to install new head light assemblies. It now looks like a brand new coach.
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Old 07-02-2014, 07:53 AM   #2
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Great report, Ken. Almost makes we WANT to do mine. Well, maybe next year.
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Old 07-02-2014, 05:34 PM   #3
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Heat gun was not fun. Still a work in progress and we found sun is the best heater of the mask for us. Not even half done yet. We figure a few more years and we'll have it. Ugh!!


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Old 07-02-2014, 05:44 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by obwahn View Post
Heat gun was not fun. Still a work in progress and we found sun is the best heater of the mask for us. Not even half done yet. We figure a few more years and we'll have it. Ugh!!


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Mine is an '03 also. I did this chore 2 years ago. Like you, the sun and plastic blades got the best result. I figure I had between 40-60 hours in the job when done. I still have nightmares.

Good luck & safe travels.


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Old 07-02-2014, 06:28 PM   #5
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I actually had to shade the front end it was too hot and the mask kept tearing. It was about 95 degrees the first few days and I was having a heck of a time until I shaded the front. The darker colored areas were the worst, they soaked up the heat from the sun and just kept getting hotter.

Something I hope to experience just once!
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Old 07-02-2014, 07:55 PM   #6
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I appreciate very much your first-hand explanation about removing the mask. A great job in describing how to do it and extremely informative, as I've been needing to do mine (it's an '06).

However, it does like a vast amount of prior experience is necessary to get the temperatures just right, and to that end I'm offering my coach for anyone that wants to practice before they tackle theirs.

Nawww, didn't work, did it? In all seriousness, that was the best 'practical' explanation I've seen. I've looked at mine for over a year now, and even got a fingernail under a couple corners and picked at the edges for a minute or two, and then suddenly remembered I needed to mow the grass instead. This gives me incentive as well as courage to get with it and get it done. Thank you!

One question... since I'm reading the job is best done in warm-to-hot weather, how do you keep the beer cold enough?
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Old 07-05-2014, 01:39 PM   #7
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Thanks--interesting and timely (for me) write up. Just today I observed what I guess is my first glimpse of mildew underneath the Diamond Shield mask on the front of our coach. Whatever it is, its not on top of the Diamond Shield and it is impervious to everything I rubbed on it. Can you tell if it was mildew in your case? I have seen and read about the crews that respond to campsites and remove the 3M masks and charge over $1200, so looks like you saved yourself some serious money.
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Old 07-05-2014, 05:25 PM   #8
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Here's a shot of ours where you can see the devision between the KRAP side on the right and the 3m gone on the left. Sure looks like mold/mildew to me. Click image for larger version

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Old 07-05-2014, 08:29 PM   #9
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I removed my 3M a few yrs back i tried the heat gun, special vinal remover and other ways nothing i tried worked it was a nightmare and i made a mess of it and had to have the front of the coach repainted and a couple months later a good friend decided to remove his ( both had the small cracks and mold under the 3M) he used gasoline in a well ventilated area with plastic scrapers and had no paint damage and acording to him was not a bad or hard job
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Old 07-05-2014, 11:35 PM   #10
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Hand held garment steamer and plastic razor blades worked for us followed by some adhesive remover from Auto Tech in Oregon, from a local paint supplier. No paint damage except for a couple of stone chips that the 3M held in place.
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Old 07-06-2014, 07:24 AM   #11
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Frank,

No mildew in my case, just what I would call heat cracks. So many in fact the mask gave the appearance of being dull. Originally I thought someone had used a stiff brush to clean and remove bugs. That was not the case as I progressed through the removal process. I'm guessing since I'm from Southern California that the weather is too dry and warm for mildew to get a foot hold.

Got luck on yours if you decide to remove it.. Not technically hard just time consuming.
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Old 07-08-2014, 09:43 PM   #12
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Mine is nasty too but I try not to dwell on it. I saw it being done for $750. I heard the steamer is what to use.
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Old 07-09-2014, 06:40 AM   #13
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Mine is all done, built a stand for a heat lamp and plastic razor blades lots of them, the red ones seem to be the strongest , along with a plastic razor blade holder, turned out great, a lot of work.
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Old 07-09-2014, 07:26 AM   #14
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Where are you buying the plastic razor blades from?
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