Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

My question pertains more to the body than the paint. I just got an s10 hardbody and I'd like to strip the paint. My question is does anyone know what these bodies are made of? I don't want to soak it in brake fluid and find out it reacts with this type of plastic. Brake fluid works great on Tamiya bodies but I've yet to try it on any different types like a NewBright or this one(radio shack I believe). Is brake fluid safe on all plastics?

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

no it is not,

I used brake fluid on a RC4WD Toyota Hardbody, too remove two layers of Green Camo top coat paint and two layers of different colors of thick non sand able primer.

And you can see where the brake fluid harden the abs plastic and made it brittle and now got cracks in it and it discolored the Yellow truck body.

I don't care cause I dinged and dented up the body and added layers of rust, the harden and discolored areas look good.

It blends into the beaten up Truck theme.

Maybe the ABS Plastic on my Truck body is old

I bought it used and was stripped a few times before I got it

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

It almost looks like white abs but it has some sparkle in it, I have no idea. This body needs serious tlc, the paint on the box is even thicker.
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/...psz4uygyel.jpg

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

is it painted on the inside, pick a small spot and use a little brake fluid on the inside like under the bed or inside the fender and see what happens.


Here are some pictures of the Truck now

see how the plastic is dull looking not shiny like a new Toyota Hard Body would be and it been sanded and Scotch Bright Padded too rough it up

so the rust colored paint would stick better

The dull sections make it look old and rusty and dirty and looks it has been worked over

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

In my experience it made my Bruiser body brittle and crack easily. Hard to say what to use as there is nothing designed as a remover. Personally I'd sand the thick areas off with sand paper then hit it with primer sand and paint.

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

I just used Citristrip spray (found at Wal-Mart) to remove several layers of paint from a Land Rover D90 body that had original plastic and some Styrene sections. It worked well on both plastics, but I noticed that the areas where it was left on for too long softened the top layer of the ABS just a bit. Once everything was cleaned off, washed and it had a day to dry out it sanded smooth.

Citirstrip is supposed to be the safest thing to remove paint from plastic, so nothing is perfect I guess. At least it did not harden the plastic or make it brittle.

I hate painting. Removing paint so that I can paint again is like torture.

Good Luck! :mrgreen:

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

From the picture it looks like you already have it sanded pretty good. I would just paint over that.

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

Citristrip eh? never heard of it. I will check out wally and see if they have it. I heard that graffiti remover works as well as oven cleaner. Im going to try the oven cleaner first and see what happens.

I wish, check this out.
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/...pswx6se2oo.jpg

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

I know oven cleaner works to remove chrome, Cause I used some on the front bumper on my Toyota build it was chromed when I got it, I like it black better.

It should be ok to remove paint it may take a few cans and lot of scrubbing,

I keep old toothbrushes just for use of chemicals instead my fingers and hands.

Wally World sells three little hand brushes in a pack

there is a nylon one, one with brass bristles and one with steel bristles

I have also used those too.

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

Oven cleaner can be used to remove paint. What I use is Super Clean Degreasser. I usually buy it by the gallon at Wal Mart. I also use it to strip the paint on my scale plastic models.

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

That's a neat looking scale scene you have going on there! "thumbsup" Home-made cinder blocks?

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

I used Super Clean to remove the chrome from a few plastic parts, but it never occured to me to use it for paint remover, lol. :mrgreen:

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

So I tried oven cleaner and it did not work. Next up is superclean then citristrip if i can find it. I think this thing is painted with tremclad rust paint for metal, cause its sure is tough.

Thanks Alpha, the cinder blocks are 3d printed.

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

I have also used Simple Green to remove paint, at full strength and it let soak, it works on certain paints good and not so much on some. its cheap and easy to find

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

I jumped right in and did an 8 hour soak in Dot3 brake fluid. Worked very well and seems to have had no bad effect to the plastic. That blue paint under the red is very stubborn. It's coming along nicely.
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/...psgdv7e6xf.jpg

Re: Hardbody paint removal questions.
 

It may take awhile but it will come off, it will come off pretty easy once the brake fluid start breaking done the paint, that's why I use brush it helps loosen the paint.