Trunk Seal Glue Removal

[Panici]

Have the majority of the original trunk weatherstrip removed.

I need to remove the dried adhesive and last bits of foam. Any suggestions for solvents to use/process?

I started with a razor scraper but it wanted to take the paint along with it.


PFA

[jayjaya29]

3M Adhesive Remover. It will attack paint a little bit but it works well.

[Mike W.]

Paint thinner or lacquer thinner if you're impatient. Maybe even Goo Gone. Rubber gloves are recommended. Do use touch up paint or something anyplace you've gone thru the finish paint. Primer tends to be porous so you want something more than that if you scraped the color paint off.

[Shawn D.]

3M Adhesive Remover. It will attack paint a little bit but it works well.

3M™ General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40070712/

The stuff is awesome! I keep one can in the garage and one in the basement workshop.

[Panici]

That general purpose stuff is a good half-hour drive away, and I bet they would have to order it in.

Looks like they sell "3M Specialty Adhesive Remover 03618C" in spray cans near me.
Will pick up a can after work and give it a try this weekend.

[garageboy]

OMG, all wrong answers.

There's only one thing that works that doesn't damage the paint. All these suggestions will damage the paint.

Würth Clean-Solv. Hard to find. Expensive. Worth every penny. You're welcome.

[Shawn D.]

OMG, all wrong answers.

There's only one thing that works that doesn't damage the paint. All these suggestions will damage the paint.

Würth Clean-Solv. Hard to find. Expensive. Worth every penny. You're welcome.

That's bullshit. The 3M Adhesive Cleaner doesn't damage paint. I've used it extensively on multiple cars, with both original and aftermarket paint and it's never damaged any of it.

[Mike W.]

OMG, all wrong answers.

There's only one thing that works that doesn't damage the paint. All these suggestions will damage the paint.

Würth Clean-Solv. Hard to find. Expensive. Worth every penny. You're welcome.

That's bullshit. The 3M Adhesive Cleaner doesn't damage paint. I've used it extensively on multiple cars, with both original and aftermarket paint and it's never damaged any of it.

Shawn is usually more diplomatic than I am, except when it comes to grammar, but yes, auto paint is very rugged. Gasoline spills over it all the time, with no issues except for it takes wax off. Paint thinner in particular is a good general purpose solvent, which auto paint just laughs at. With enough time, lacquer thinner might, might, might do damage, but it's a lot hotter than paint thinner. Auto paint isn't exactly house latex.

Now I'm not saying the Wurth product isn't good stuff, no personal experience, but auto paint is hard to hurt.

[Panici]

Used "3M Specialty Adhesive Remover 03618C".
It removed the adhesive, but took a lot of the paint off down to primer.

I gave it a topcoat of paint before installing the seal.

[Shawn D.]

Used "3M Specialty Adhesive Remover".
It removed the adhesive, but took a lot of the paint off down to primer.

What specific part number was that? It's important to know which ones we're discussing, which is why I included the P/N.

[Panici]

Used "3M Specialty Adhesive Remover".
It removed the adhesive, but took a lot of the paint off down to primer.

What specific part number was that? It's important to know which ones we're discussing, which is why I included the P/N.

It was 03618C.

I updated the post to reflect the part number.

https://www.3mcanada.ca/3M/en_CA/p/d/v000245577/

[garageboy]

Used "3M Specialty Adhesive Remover 03618C".
It removed the adhesive, but took a lot of the paint off down to primer.

I gave it a topcoat of paint before installing the seal.

I'm sorry to hear that, but glad you were able to give it a coat of paint. I would have also suggested clear coat as a protection before the seal. Hopefully, you never have to revisit this issue.

The first time I used the Würth stuff was for precisely this job, and I was blown away. I must have rubbed that paint in that track a million times, and it was still shiny and gorgeous and now clean AF under the seal once all the glue had disappeared. It made the new seal go down perfectly and last for years without issue.

[Panici]

I would have also suggested clear coat as a protection before the seal. Hopefully, you never have to revisit this issue.

The eBay seal fit so poorly, that I will be replacing it. I heard the Uro brand trunk seal fits well.

I tacked the eBay seal in with some hot glue, so it will be easy to remove. I can add clearcoat in the springtime as well, thank you for the suggestion.

[HayekFan]

The eBay seal fit so poorly, that I will be replacing it. I heard the Uro brand trunk seal fits well.

What brand was the eBay seal (so folks can avoid it)?

[Panici]

The eBay seal fit so poorly, that I will be replacing it. I heard the Uro brand trunk seal fits well.

What brand was the eBay seal (so folks can avoid it)?

No brand that I saw. The eBay seller is "bamboli-ltd" out of Turkey.

I should note that the seller refunded half of the purchase price when I told him about the fitment issues.
Hopefully the door seals actually keep water out and I only have to replace the trunk seal.

[matreyia]

I bought their set of inner door seals and they fit well with some trimming. Didn’t know the turks made a trunk seal at all. The Uro trunk seal fit ultra snug like OEM. I don’t see it leaking for years to come the way it felt and fit.