Hey guys,

Sorry in advance for the big post...

I've been getting some great ideas from this forum over the past year or so and just started modding my '02 1500 QC Sport 4x4. I've been put on a short leash financially by the fiancee, so I decided to start small and work up gradually to the larger mods in my "master plan" ( which have been put on hold until after the wedding next year).

So I decided to debadge my truck today after receiving the eraser wheel I ordered as suggested in the DIY threads. It seemed pretty straightforward, but I've run into a bit of a snag and I'm hoping for a bit of help/advice.

I removed the badges with fishing line, which worked just fine even though I busted the line a few times. I cleaned the areas and let them dry, then came back with the eraser wheel. I began on the passenger door, and that's where my problems started.

I set the drill on the low setting and gently began removing the adhesive. Almost immediately the paint began to come right off along with the adhesive, exposing white under the paint (bondo perhaps?). I continued to remove as much ashesive as possible, but you can see what I am left with in the pics below. What the hell, and how screwed am I?

Also, the tailgate pics show what I'm left with there. The adhesive came off but looks like it took a few layers of paint with it... Any ideas there?

Thanks!

 

I hate to say it but.... Looks like someone pianted right over the tape?? Did the truck used to be white? Defintaley not original paint. I'd put the emblems back on if I was you and call it quits.
Also, if you spray any kind of brake cleaner or heavy duty solvent, the tape absorbs it all and will eat away the paint where it sits.
Using an eraser wheel does and will heat up the paint. Any excess pressure will peel even the best paint out there.

 

Not sure of the original paint color, but I do suspect some body work has been done to the truck. I just replaced a severely bent front passenger side bumper mounting bracket, but that's another story. That's why I wonder if it could be bondo under there, perhaps a rushed repair/paint job and the badges were put on too early? That could explain the tailgate pics as well....

I really like the look of the debadged trucks on the forum here, but I suppose I could just reapply the badges and ignore it. It'll probably bug the hell out of me tho!

That's what gets me, I was using the lowest drill setting and applying very gentle pressure - being my first attempt, I took it real easy. That's why I was so surprised how easily it came off! I used more pressure on the driver side door and that's the only debadging in the whole process that actually came out good!! (Some gomer used some sort of epoxy on one of the "Sport" emblems )

 

wow thats a bummer. You might can try finding some spray can touch up paint in your color red and paint the emblems. It might would blend in a little better and give it a debadged look.

 

That's a really great idea, badblackram06! I'll certainly keep that as Plan B - at least I'll have a template to follow so they go back on straight!

 

Yeah either ur truck used to be white or the former owner replaced a door or 2 from an accident and did a bad job painting it. Put the letters back on

 

Um, I am having 2nd thoughts about doing mine now for sure!

 

That's exactly what I'm thinking happened. Oh well... Any suggestions as to what I should do to try and protect the paint in and around that specific area (if not the whole door if it really is a bad paint job on a replacement door)?

Thanks for all the replies and especially the suggestion to color-match the badges! I'll be sure to post some pics once they're finished....

 

Yeah, I'm not really surprised tho - the front bumper was messed up a bit when I bought it. I'm in the middle of replacing the damaged parts now. Plus, I have a crack on my passenger rear door that is obviously a poor repair job as well:



Just tryin to fix up what I can while we're saving for the wedding..... Thanks again!

edit: crappy phone pic - door handles aren't really blue! hehe

 

Jimmyguns, this is an isolated incident...ive never seen this happen before and the worst ive ever seen is a little etching around the badge edges, and that comes out

someone did a crack job at painting that truck. if you look at where the adhesive is, it looks like the badges were put on while the paint was still wet down deep (you should wait weeks to do that) OR they were put on with an epoxy and you are literally taking chips of a cheap paint job away with it

EDIT: and haha, thats the first piece of cracked sheet metal ive seen on a truck...I think someone fixed the truck themselves, sorry for that man