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Ed_G · 10-17-2010, 03:55 PM

Our Monaco product came with a nice across-the-read mud flap with a Stainless Steel? plate on it with "SAFARI" cut into it. Unfortunately the dealer in central California let this coach sit in the hot sun for a year or more and did not peel off the clear plastic stick on coat that protected the shine of the Stainless Steel. It has baked on thoroughly with thousands of little cracks and appears near impossible to get off.

Here is what I've tried: Alcohol, Acetone, Paint Thinner, and an RV solvent product called Acrisol. None of those seems to do much to this baked plastic. It does soften it slightly to the point that I can chip some of it off with a razor blade scraper, but this doesn't necessarily get the entire coating, and the razor blade does leave some scratches on the Stainless Steel finish. I could probably work at it slowly for many days and maybe get that off but it is horribly labor intensive and I sure don't want to scratch up the shiny finish.

It seems so difficult that I have considered just using a powerful wire brush power tool and remove it that way .... along with the shiny finish to my SAFARI mud flap. That would certainly be a last resort.

Does anyone have any other ideas?

pawpawboyce · 10-17-2010, 04:44 PM

i would be careful with anything abrasive or wire brush. stainless will scatch and can't be buffed out.

it would seem you've used every product, so i can't help. just a note not to scratch your stainless.

boyce and lisa

'04 u320 foretravel
06' jeep wrangler tow

Knotdodger · 10-17-2010, 05:17 PM

Goof Off!, OOPS or Krud Kutter?

fun time · 10-17-2010, 05:42 PM

The key to your problem may be what you said "it softened". Try using a hair dryer and a plastic scraper. Might work as it could soften the adhesive.

Techie · 10-17-2010, 05:52 PM

You probably don't want to hear this but a plastic scraper is your best bet...of course once you get enough miles on the rig the dirt/grit from the road will probably take it off for you.

Cdn-Tx · 10-17-2010, 06:34 PM

Didn’t have that exact problem but maybe similar. My wife’s Miata has a polished stainless exhaust and you can see the muffler that sits crossways in back. She drove over a huge Target bad that melted to the muffler. I used a heat dun and a Teflon spatula to get it off. Then used metal polish on it.

radams · 10-17-2010, 06:43 PM

I can't personally vouch for this product but I've heard some pretty amazing stories about what it can do. I've bought some but haven't had a chance to use it yet. It's called DSR-5. Might be worth checking with them to see if it can work. With the cracks that you have in the plastic it might have a path to get in there and dissolve the adhesive.

Ed_G · 10-18-2010, 11:19 AM

My thanks to those of you who responded with suggestions . I will probably pick up some "GoofOff" today, but I do believe the suggestion regarding using a heat gun ( hair dryer ) will work best for me. I've already tried that on a small patch and it is far easier than what I was getting using chemicals. Also, Since the metal is so massive it sucks up the heat pretty fast so I must work in small areas hitting it with heat while scraping. I don't know if a plastic scraper will work without melting itself. We shall see. A razor blade scraper does a good job under heat and if careful I can minimize the scratching potential.

JPMaly · 10-18-2010, 11:48 AM

Maybe a call to Future Sales in Indiana might help. They may have manufactured it, or you could price a new one.

TQ60 · 10-18-2010, 12:42 PM

If you picked it up from a dealer, then it should be the dealer's responsibility to prep the coach for you, this includes a fresh coat of wax and removing all such "protective" coatings, that is what the line item "dealer preperation" is all about.

I would first take it back to the dealer with a punch list of all of the nit-pick things you can find that need to be addresses, missing manuals, loose knobs or other MBS that you discover.

On a re-read of your OP, I see Oregon, if you are not near the place of purchase, then contact the manufacturer, they may authorize a warranty correction at a dealer or servicer near you, it only costs a phone call, and you may need to determine the path for warranty coverage in the future so you will be ahead of the game.

If the dealer will not provide this then get soem MEK at the paint store or Lowes, this stuff is what makes sprinkler pipe glue, it is a solvent for most plastics and will attack lots of stuff.

If acatone does not touch what is left it could have a film used as a carrier for the glue, the MEK will soften the film.

This is a bubber flap so it is fine, put paper under the flap as the drippings will stick to whatever they land on and may be difficult to remove.

Put some in a small bowl or tuna can, use a small brush to keep a small area wet, when it softens up wipe with rag, and use PURPLE gloves.