Removing Plasti Dip From Alloy Wheels
Posted on: 09/09/2014Plasti Dip is a rubberised liquid plastic, applied as a re-colouring spray for cars or accessories, either from a can or pro spraying kit.
In its uses as a car re-colouring method, it’s generally regarded as the next evolutionary step from car wrapping as it takes far less time than either wrapping or a genuine re-spray will and for a fraction of the cost.
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A full professional car re-spray will take several days of prep, spraying, oven drying and re-spraying, building up layers of colour and lacquer. This can all cost somewhere in the region of £2000, but on the plus side, will also last quite a few years.
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Vinyl wrapping is less complicated as a process than a re-spray, however it is still a fiddly and skilled process, where coloured vinyl sheets are cut to the size of each car panel and then stuck on, ensuring there aren’t any bubbles between the car surface and vinyl wrap. As a finish, it really lends itself to truly metallic finishes like reflective gold or chrome, but can also have designs incorporated into it, mimicking a custom paint job.
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Plasti Dip however, is applied in liquid form and can be brushed or sprayed on to whatever it’s being applied to. Generally with cars, it’s sprayed. Plasti Dip therefore takes half the time that wrapping takes to complete: Just perfect for the ‘now’ generation.
Plasti Dip doesn’t damage any underlying paintwork and affords some extra protection against stone chips, UV and scratches. On top of this, it also comes in any colour or finish, particularly lending itself to matt, fluorescent or unusual effects. Professional Plasti Dip servicers suggest they can take any colour, say your favourite pair of socks and match it.
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Not surprisingly, it is also extended to customizing alloys, spoilers, grills, portions of cars, like bonnets, badges, etc., anything, really. When it’s only been on for an hour or so, it remains supple and is very easily pulled off, but if several layers are laid on and it’s left to bake for a few days- just sitting in the sun, it really does become quite a resilient skin that won’t be budged by heat, carwashes and the like. It has been successfully used on exhaust pipe tips and not burned off or dis-coloured.
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However, somewhere under there is the original item. So, when the perfect pink begins to wear thin, or starts to look a bit shabby on your mags, how do you get it all off again?
Plasti Dip can in fact be worked off pretty well by hand; this can work really well for bigger pieces, as the still relatively soft surface can be very easily scored, even by fingernail. Panels like bonnets doors and roofs are therefore a push-over and once a corner or edge of peel is started, it will pull off in a stretchy complete sheet, leaving the original finish perfectly intact. Manual removal can however be a laborious and strenuous way of doing it- quite hard work on the fingers, especially around the more fiddly areas such as wheel-hubs, nuts, star bolts and the like.
