Removing the invisible bra

[Sepisllib]

For you out there that have actually removed this thing yourselves --- please advise what you found to work the best.

Mine is beginning to "Spider" all over the place and needless to say it looks bad unless kept waxed and spotless.

Going to try and remove it next summer.

Thoughts??

God Bless

Bill

[JHowell]

Good luck, wife and I spent 60 hrs removing ours on the Dynasty. Had to repaint front end. Tried heat, cold,water, thinner and nothing took it off but raiser blade and hard work. There is a place in Cleveland I found on internet that does it for 750.00 I painted ours 4 colors for around 600.00.
I know this wont help but that 3M stuff is tough. Nice when new but ugly when old.
Jim

[boaterok]

I have done it on a smaller item but I wouldn't even attempt on a large area now that I know. I used a heat gun and wore out and burnt my finger tips and it took forever. Probably the best idea if your set on doing it is to just have a body shop d a it off and repaint since your going to have to repaint it anyway.

[Lued]

Sepisllib I just started on mine, what I found worked the best was clothing steamer and plastic razor blades, the steamer will not hurt the paint, for the glue that is left I used Turtle Wax label & sticker remover. It appears that the paint will be ok, I have only removed a foot or so, plan to finish it while in AZ ?

[arby]

Someone else posted on here a while back the best method I have ever heard. Use two plastic credit cards. One to scrape it with and the other is to pay someone else to do it.

But seriously folks.............Due to an accident a few years ago I had to remove mine. Two of us spent about 6 hours non stop (except for an occasional beer) using a wall paper steamer. Paint was damaged some but had to repaint anyway so no big deal. It is a hard job. Plan on repainting for sure.

[1948boat]

2005 Monaco Diplomat, when we purchased it in June (stored inside since new) it looked quite good with little to no spider cracking, but after just a month in the sun it started to show some cracking. I contacted Diamond shield and felt good about their product along with their lifetime warranty, so we decided to have it removed by a 3M dealer. They worked on it 7 hours with two persons and only removed about 30% removed at the cost of $390. We were to return it the following Monday to finish the removal with a total cost not to exceed $700. Over the weekend we decided to work on it ourselves and save the money since the dealer had no scientific method of removal. So with many hours over a week we got it removed using goo-gone and plastic grout/caulk knives along with cheap hand lotion. We only had three areas of paint damage actually from the work the dealer did, the largest was about the size of my small fingernail. We have now read that Diamond Shield has the same problems so we are keeping the front well waxed and our trip from Michigan to California showed little to no ware.

[Sepisllib]

Wow!!!!

If the 3M folks have that much trouble removing the thing ----- I am wondering "why" would one want it on to begin with.

Sounds like I have my work cut out for me next summer!!!

Just curious ---- does the 3 M folks have suggestions??

God Bless

Bill

[1948boat]

Originally Posted by Sepisllib

Wow!!!!

If the 3M folks have that much trouble removing the thing ----- I am wondering "why" would one want it on to begin with.

Sounds like I have my work cut out for me next summer!!!

Just curious ---- does the 3 M folks have suggestions??

God Bless

Bill

The people we used (3M specialized in wraps) were using some citrus solvent and the 3M flapper type wheel that was installed on a special 3M motorized tool. They told me that they also used heat lamps and heat gun with no great results. We were lucky if we could pull off 8 sq. in. at a time and often leaving the adhesive on the coach which we used the goo-gone and hand lotion to softened and a lot of elbow grease rubbing it off.

[Sepisllib]

I am reconsidering now.

Just might purchase the Bra for the coach and put that on over the top and let the Diamond Shield alone.

God Bless

Bill

[super_rep]

Originally Posted by Sepisllib

I am reconsidering now.

Just might purchase the Bra for the coach and put that on over the top and let the Diamond Shield alone.

God Bless

Bill

Just keep in mind that sand, dust and small stones will get behind the bra and also scratch the finish as you drive down the road.

Check this out Welcome to ArmorCoatUSA

[Sepisllib]

Well - if I purchase and install the Bra - it will be installed "over" the top of the Diamond shield as I do not plan on attempting to remove it.

Whatever happens to the Diamond shield, underneath the bra, I really do not care much. I realize there will be some chafing and rubbing - however I doubt it will show and the black bra will add to the coach as mine is a really nice shiny white.

Just thinking out loud here

God Bless

Bill

[RickGyver]

Here is what worked for me,,,but still alot of elbowgrease ! Park your rig so the bra is in the sun for awhile. Surface should be warm,,,not hot! I have found that a heat gun/hair dryer is too much heat and leaves the gooey adhesive mess and burned fingers! DO NOT use razor blades,,,they will damage paint/gel coat. I used a couple things and the best results were from a paint-stir stick of good quality,,,not the cheap pine ones you may find at HD/Lowes. A plastic putty knife also works. Sharpen the paint stick to a chisel end. You will have to continue to resharpen the paint stick after using. You can also make a hardwood stick from a small piece of hardwood moulding sharpened like a chisel. Whatever you use has to be softer than the paint/gel coat or you will have damage! Trying to pull off the bra doesn't work either. Just breaks off in your hand. You can do long strips about 1/2" wide at a time. Tedious! Works better with a beer! Remove adhesive with mineral spirits and paper towels. If you have a good bra that hasn't deteriorated yet, you should be keeping a good coat of wax on it. This will protect it and keep from drying out (crazing). I just did one a few days ago.

[Pigman1]

Originally Posted by super_rep

Just keep in mind that sand, dust and small stones will get behind the bra and also scratch the finish as you drive down the road.

Check this out Welcome to ArmorCoatUSA

Flat out wrong! I pulled off the Diamond Shield on a previous 2008 Allegro Bus and installed a bra. We pulled that rig about 65,000 miles over many different types of roads from the east coast to Alaska and Yuma, AZ. We regularly run 200-300 miles a year on unpaved roads and have never had a problem with the finish under the bra. When we stop for more than a day or two the bra comes off and is cleaned, then put back on before we leave for the next run. I ordered the 2013 Bus WITHOUT the Diamond Shield and it came through with it. Tiffin made good and removed it, but some spots had to be repainted. Five BIG guys pulling hard got the junk off in about 30 minutes, but they had to work hard to do it. I can fix rock chips in paint, but when the paint chips under the Diamond Shield from a rock hit, the only solution is to peel the whole piece and then repaint the whole panel. We have a bra on the new bus and have had it once to AZ and once to AK without any problems.

[bboone]

I tried many methods to remove my 3M bra. It was left on way too long, because I tried to get it off, starting about 5 years after it was installed when it started cracking. Labor intensive! So over the years I would try working on it a little bit at a time. Very frustrating. But ... Thanks Diplomat Dan! Dan's advice, from a previous older post on irv.com of "Problems with 3m bra." Finally ended my Clear Bra Removal Nightmare, by using a 3000psi Water Pressure Washer. Viewable video at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTwtInpOThI

Thanks again Dan! Least I wanted to answer the question at the beginning of this post ... "Has anyone tried using a Power Washer".