Best way to remove paint from TRX-4 body?

[BashNSlash]

I want to clear our the windows on a few TRX-4 bodies, but it seems that everyone has their own "best" method...

I've heard:

• Sanding
• Acetone
• Nitro fuel
• Tamyia paint cleaner
• Break Cleaner
• etc.....

Seriously, what's a surefire way to make those windows clear on the TRX-4? Preferably one that won't take hours/days to get done.

I've only ever used nail polish remover on a Traxxas Slash body and it was a PITA.

 

[svt923]

I used nitro fuel on the windows of my Redcat, it takes off the paint fairly quickly and leaves the lexan clear. My buddy sanded his windows, said it took forever so I didn't bother going down that path.

Acetone based paint removers will cloud the lexan so they aren't really a good choice for doing windows.

Haven't tried the other options but nitro works well and a quart of nitro isn't that expensive.

 

[BashNSlash]

I used nitro fuel

I don't know anything about nitro fuel, but is there a certain type or percent that I need to worry about or is all the same?

 

[svt923]

I don't know anything about nitro fuel, but is there a certain type or percent that I need to worry about or is all the same?

Not sure it matters too much, 20-30% nitro is the most common stuff for cars so that is usually what is available. I used Redcat/VP 20% because that was the easiest for me to get but I heard of other people using 30% with no problems.

 

[BashNSlash]

Awesome. Thanks!

 

[CM9000]

I wanted to know the answer to the same question awhile ago.. a really old thread suggested pine sol. But I think I'm going to try out this nitro fuel trick first. I have a few stock bodies id like to repaint.

 

[Inspector86]

Hemistorm did a YT video where he wet sanded the windows and finished with something like 3000 grit then polished the plastic and they turned out very nice. I thought what the hell I already have wet/dry sand paper up to 5000 grit so I tried it on my Sport body and it worked well and did not take long at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czRcr_B4ixA&t=314s

 

[BashNSlash]

I thought what the hell I already have wet/dry sand paper up to 5000 grit so I tried it on my Sport body and it worked well and did not take long at all.

Is that all you used or did you use polish and that other stuff that Hemi mentions? I've got two bodies to do this to, so I'm looking for simplicity.

My LHS didn't have the Tamyia polycarbonate cleaner, and they said nitro fuel was expensive. Damn.

 

[Inspector86]

It's called cutting compound and it is available at any auto parts store, just work it on the plastic surface with a micro fiber rag. Then finish up with a swirl remover polish. A headlight polish kit also works well to polish the plastic surface.

 

[BashNSlash]

Nice, thanks.

 

[BashNSlash]

Ok, I picked up a bit of nitro fuel (20%) and it worked incredibly fast and clean - however, I have a red tint from the previous paint, so it's not "clear".

Does anyone have any experience with how to remove this tint? I heard of headlight cleaner polish might work.

 

[BashNSlash]

Hemistorm did a YT video where he wet sanded the windows and finished with something like 3000 grit then polished the plastic and they turned out very nice. I thought what the hell I already have wet/dry sand paper up to 5000 grit so I tried it on my Sport body and it worked well and did not take long at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czRcr_B4ixA&t=314s

I ultimately opted for this as I needed to sand/polish the windows after using the nitro fuel anyway.

Picked up 1000 and 2000 grit and a headlight polish - the results have been very good! Almost done two bodies now

 

[Liam659]

I ultimately opted for this as I needed to sand/polish the windows after using the nitro fuel anyway.

Picked up 1000 and 2000 grit and a headlight polish - the results have been very good! Almost done two bodies now

Thank! I will use this advice for a long time I doubt how to clean the plastic. This should work neatly."thumbsup"

 

[olydemon]

I just finished clearing my red TRX4 Sport windows. I started on a side window with the Non-Acetone polish remover and it took forever. Part way through I had the center of the window clear but the edges were not clearing. So I grabbed some 1000 grit wet/dry and went to town using the remover as the "water". It worked good with the sandpaper so I did the other windows with just the sandpaper and regular water. I got the other side and front/back in about the same time as the first window. After getting the initial paint cleared I switched to 2000 grit and did another round of sanding. It looked great wet, but as soon as it dried it was still very hazy. Tonight I stopped at the auto-parts store and got some Mothers plastic polish. This stuff worked great and got most of the haze away. Overall i'm pleased for now. Some quick photos of the results....

After the wet sand...

After the polishing...

going to need an interior now....

With the label of the polishing compound I used..

 

[BashNSlash]

Yeah, it's unnerving when you see the windows that hazy, then it's like magic when they become clear after the polish!

Great job [emoji106]

 

[Inspector86]

If you use a 3000 or 4000 wet/dry sand paper there is less hazing when dry. The Mothers polish looks like it does a great job.

 

[BashNSlash]

If you use a 3000 or 4000 wet/dry sand paper there is less hazing when dry. The Mothers polish looks like it does a great job.

I couldn't find anything above 2000 sandpaper. But I'd have definitely got some if I found it.

 

[soze]

Tamiya polycarbonate body cleaner.