Several avid car fans are becoming more adventurous and creative towards making some creative designs or changes in their vehicle. One of the main things commonly done by these car geeks is using Plasti Dip in coloring rims of their tires.
However, there are instances when you just want to take out that rubber coating in your rim because you want to regain its natural look or change color. If so, good thing you are here as we are going to show you a complete and painless guide on how to do it.
What is a Plasti Dip?
Plasti Dip is a new innovation of rubber coating which is primarily used in insulating handles of various tools in order to have a better grip and avoid slippage. This material can be applied through brushing, dipping the object, or directly spraying into the surface.
Avid car fans are using this coat to make a new stunning look in your tire. It does successfully make an impression of a uniquely aggressive and sleek look.
How long does a Plasti Dip usually last?
This rubber coat has quite a strength which usually last for 3 years. Mostly, to get the best results, you need to do 4 to 5 coatings having a curing time of 15 to 20 minutes per coat. After the last coating, you need to let it sit for around 6 hours to have the strongest bond.
Easy and Complete Guide for Removing Plasti Dip
Materials
- Soap water solution in a bucket
- Sponge
- Rubber gloves
- Stick for stirring
- Kerosene
- Used or brand new toothbrush
- Pressure washer
- Garden hose
- Rags
- Cardboards
- Glass Jar
First Option: Using WD-40
A lot of people in the online community have said this process works. Without a doubt, this method really works. WD-40 has several uses such as cleaning tile, lubrication, rust remover and making leathers smoother. First, you need to secure a can of WD-40. Before spraying it into the wheels, you need to remove the wheels from the tires in order not to spray on the brake pad. After removing the tire, spray a sufficient amount of WD-40 on the area with Plasti Dip and let it sit for 5 to 7 minutes. After, you can use a pressure washer to make the quick initial removal of rubber coating. Then, for the tiny coats left, you can use a clean rag from wiping it off.Second Option: Using Bare Hands and Nails
The second option is peeling off the rubber coat manually using your bare hands and nails. This works for thin coatings but it consumes too much time and effort. Moreover, there is a high risk to create scratches on the rim while removing the rubber coat.
Third Option: Using Kerosene
This third option is cost-efficient and practical for everyone. The chemical components of this rubber coat are organic compounds. If you recall your chemistry lesson, we have the rule of thumb “like dissolves like”. Thus, you need to use an organic solvent like kerosene to dissolve this organic rubber coating.
- Remove the tire from your car and place it on top of old or used cardboard to cover your floor or ground from too much mess.
- Pour a substantial amount of kerosene in your glass jar.
- Wear your rubber gloves and then dip your toothbrush into the glass jar filled with kerosene.
- Apply and brush kerosene into the rim surface only. Do not include the rubber of the tire as it might dissolve or deform it considering that kerosene is a good organic solvent.
- Let the kerosene sit for around 6 to 8 minutes.
- Use a wooden stick and apply the right amount of force to peel off the rubber coat in the rim. You are safe from scratched surfaces as a wooden stick does not have enough strength to scratch it.
- You can use the rag to remove the tiny coats left in the rim.
- Once the majority of the coat has been removed. Use the soap water solution to clean the rim and remove the strong odor of kerosene.
- You can rinse it with water using a garden hose or a pressure washer.
- Repeat the same process for the other tire rims.
Fourth Option: Using Other Adhesive Removers
Aside from the three options mentioned above, you have the fourth option of buying commercial adhesive removers from online stores. The general chemical compositions of these removers are still organic solvents with other components added. Some adhesive removers sold in the market include Goo Gone Adhesive Remover Spray Gel or Dip Your Car Dip Dissolver Spray Type.
- Remove the tire from the car to prevent the adhesive remover from having contact with the brake system.
- Wear a face mask to prevent inhalation of the chemical and rubber gloves for your hands.
- Spray a substantial amount of the Goo Gone Adhesive Remover or Dip Your Car Dip Dissolver into a paper towel or clean rag. Then wipe the rag or paper towel into the rim of your tire. This adhesive remover is non-toxic but wearing the mask and rubber gloves is a safety precaution.
- Allow the adhesive remover to stay for around 5 to 7 minutes.
- Peel off the rubber coating with a rag or wooden stick. Do not use sharp metallic objects as it might leave scratch marks on the rim.
- You can rinse it with soap water solution or water to remove excess chemicals and coatings. After, you can wipe it with a clean rag and let it air dry in a secure area.
Fifth Option: Paint Thinner as Rubber Coat Remover
A paint thinner is also known to have good solvent properties with organic chemicals. Thus, it has a good status for removing adhesives, coatings, and paints. This also shows good potential to remove rubber coatings in rims.
- Secure a paper towel and one bottle of paint thinner. The volume of paint thinner to be used depends on how thick are the rubber coatings and how many tires are your planning to work on.
- Pour the paint thinner in a glass jar or bowl. Secure a cover for it as well for it is a volatile liquid.
- Get some paper towels or a clean rag and submerge it into the paint thinner.
- Wipe the rim with the soaked paper towel or rag. Let the paint thinner sit on the rim surface for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Peel off or scrape the rubber coat using a wooden stick or another paper towel and rag.
- Repeat the process until no rubber coats are left on the rim.
- You can rinse the tire with water and wipe it dry with a clean rag.
Sixth Option: Use Isopropyl Alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol or any alcohol has a good solvent potential for dissolving organic chemicals. Thus, this can be used as a medium for removing rubber coatings in your rims.
- Prepare your isopropyl alcohol, rag or paper towel.
- Pour a sufficient amount of alcohol to the paper towel or rag.
- Use this to wipe into the rim surface. Let the alcohol sit for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Peel with bare hands or scrape using a wooden stick or rag to remove the rubber coating.
- Repeat step 3.
- After removing all rubber coats, rinse the rim with soap water solution or just water. Then wipe dry with a clean cloth.
What To Do After Cleaning and Drying Your Tire Rim?
Once you are done removing the rubber coating and drying your tire rim. Next thing you can do is to make it look good or brand new. You can do this by applying a chrome finish to your rim. The color of the finish you apply depends on the natural color of the rim. Applying a chrome finish will also hide the possible scratch marks made during the peeling or scraping process.
Conclusion
Indeed, this rubber coating adds a unique design to your tire but taking it out can be quite stressful and demanding. There are plenty of ideas on how to quickly and effectively remove it. Here, we shared six options for an easy and effective way of removing this nasty Plasti Dip in your tire rims. Likewise, if you have extra budget, you can buy commercial removers in the market.
There are several factors you can consider in choosing which option is most suitable. Some factors you can consider include the availability of materials, cost, and convenience of the method. From the array of options, we consider using the WD-40, kerosene, and isopropyl alcohol as our best method of removing Plasti Dip. You can actually combine the three methods to get the best results. However, we leave you the final decision of choosing which option best suits your need.