Know How To Remove BADGES?

Has anyone successfully removed "Silverado" and "1500" badges and stickers without scratching or leaving a haze on the paint? I'm going for a cleaner look but can't afford a paint job... Thanks.

I use a heat gun to remove emblems that are held on with adhesive. Once they are warmed up they will peel right off. :)

Has anyone successfully removed "Silverado" and "1500" badges and stickers without scratching or leaving a haze on the paint? I'm going for a cleaner look but can't afford a paint job... Thanks.


Use a hair dryer to CAREFULLY heat the badges up. In my experience, a well placed heat gun is begging for a ruined paint job.
Clean off any residue w/ "Goo Gone". NOT "Goof Off"!!! That stuff is deadly.

Goo Gone is citrus based, works wonders. After that, clean with soap and water just to neutralize the stuff.

I used a PLASTIC scraper to carefully pry the badges up and then got whatever goo remained with Goo-Gone. I also scraped off my pinstripes which was a HUGE pain in the a$$! My truck is all black now and looks alot better without the gold pinstipes and the excess badging! :)

Depending on how old the truck is, this may be beneficial or not....I have a '04 ex-cab and I removed all the badges including the door guards for that clean look. Heat the badge up with a hair dryer NOT a heat gun. Use a heavy dental floss, put several strings of it together and run it behind the badge. This will remove majority of the 3M super tape they use. With the rest, just use a citrus based cleaner. :2cents:

txnitro,

Do you have any pics with your door guards taken off? I'm considering doing that with mine but not sure how it looks. thanks!!

I'd definately be interested in seeing pics of your truck, TxNitro. I've been considering removing those stupid rust hider wheelwell decorations. Have you removed those?

I had the detail dept detrim mine at work it came out perfect. I did leave the LS badges on the cab though. They said they used a heat gun, and fishing line then a clay bar to remove the excess.

Before
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/37043avatar2.jpg
After
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/37043truckcrop.jpg

Sure thing, I'll get some pics thrown up here to show how an ext. cab looks without all that plastic.

Btw, Shortbus, sweet truck...I like the yellow without the door guards.

Yeah only problem is the door ding factor, I have tried to be careful and it seems to be paying off parking in the back of store lots when shopping, but I still have one tiny ding in the passenger side. I actually hated the yellow when I first got it but now its really grown on me.

Those are old pics I have some better ones, since I have dropped the rear 2 inches and added a billet grille and bowtie emblem.

I also recommend the escalde chrome handles they are cheap and make a huge difference.

Shortbus,

Your yellow truck definetly looks much better without the black side trim. That stuff only belongs on the Avalanche....haha

Where did you get those escalade door handles and where they hard to put in/expensive?? I'm hoping they would look good on my black truck! Thanks!

Well I had an edge since I worked at a Chevy dealers so the handles I got at cost (around 28.00 each) and I had a buddy over in our bodyshop paint them and I didn't get charged for that since they were working on a truck the same color as mine and they had the paint already so while he was painting a hood he went ahead and shot my door handles too.

I did a little searching and found an excellent link to installing the door handles. Looks pretty easy....especially if you've had the door panels off before.

Click here for Escalade Door Handle Install Instructions (http://www.fullsizechevy.com/fscu/escint.shtml)

I used a PLASTIC scraper to carefully pry the badges up and then got whatever goo remained with Goo-Gone. I also scraped off my pinstripes which was a HUGE pain in the a$$! My truck is all black now and looks alot better without the gold pinstipes and the excess badging! :)


I also have the pinstripes, but just to make sure...the pinstripes we are talking about are on the sides, going the length of the truck (starting at the top of the fender to the end of the bed) right? I've always wanted to get rid of those stripes. I've always thought they were painted on and not decals...how did you go about gettin them off?

Well,

Yes, we are talking about the same pinstripes. I started from the back of the truck and worked forward (opposite to the way they were put on). On the driver's side I got lucky and lifted a little corner and gently tugged them off....going about 12 inches before they would tear and I had to do it again. On my passenger side, they constantly stuck to the truck and wouldn't peel off, so I had to scrape them off by fingernail and a plastic scraper. That lifted the stripe but left the glue like material which I got off with goo-gone. Hope this helps. Alot of work, but I am happy with the final product!

TxNitro,
Any progress on getting the pics?

When I get some time off, I'm going to tackle the job of getting those side door protectors off in a few days. I'm not looking forward to it.....but I'll post some pics when I'm done! :smokin:

Brum,

Funny thing happened last Monday, well not real funny. Last Monday, I left work, it was raining, was heading to pick up my girlfriend and I totalled out my new truck. Well it was only 6 months old anyway, maybe not real new but new enough. I hydroplaned (spellcheck) on the access road to IH-35, truck went sideways off the road and went it finally got traction sent me flying sideways four times. So I rolled it four times and did enough damage to total it out....well enough for 24,000 dollars in damage. The only thing that does not have a dent, ding, missing piece, bolt, etc. is the tailgate. I got the whole treatment, ambulance, firetrucks, Round Rock Police Dept., channel 7 news crew, rubberneckers, etc. I'm just glad nobody was with me and I didn't take anybody else out with my truck....BUT! I do have pictures, let me get them scanned and I'll post them here...you can't tell what it looks like without the badges, but you can see what a silverado looks like after rolling 4 times at 45 mph. I pick up my new '04 2500HD Diesel tomorrow.

Btw, no real bad injuries to myself....missed a week of work, some glass stuck in my left elbow and side of head, screwed my back up a bit and had a headache for four days. :banghead:

Man,

That sounds like quite the accident! Glad you came out relatively unhurt! :smile: You must of been wearing your seatbelt? Not that I'm a seatbelt fanatic....just that I've seen too many pickup trucks flip and people getting ejected from them.

On a brighter note, hope you enjoy the new diesel!

Tx,
glad to hear you weren't seriously hurt and neither was anyone else. Bummer, but now you get a newer truck!! I'd love to have diesel. Maybe you can post the pics of your diesel after you get it (and take the badges off it :ylsuper: )

Glad you weren't hurt in the accident. You will definately enjoy your new duramax.

Tx, so tell us about your new ride !! Do you have any pics?

Brum,

The last few weeks have been a cluster....especially from Chevy. I have had two trucks on 24 hour test drive...the first being the Duramax...couldn't get the best deal on it, so I didn't take it...
Second, fully loaded Z71 ex-cab...well being that I just rolled a 31K dollar truck, my insurance guy started to laugh...

So actually find out today on a truck that I looked at with some possibilities...

Here is what is on the table...

'04 4.3L V6 Single cab...
-pl, pw, auto, custom interior (upgraded)
-speciall paint (indigo metallic blue)
-GM limited 20"s wheel/tire combo
MSRP is 23,987. with tax, license, gap insurance, and 100k/5year warranty...

Im gonna get the entire package for 14, 567. out the door. This is a big financial break for me instead of a 36k Z71. I could go for another ex-cab truck like I had, but at this point in my life, Im 27 years old, its just me and my girlfriend, no kids....I don't want some big azz payment to bury me every month. Besides, I have a 93 Mustang that I am wanting to tinker with.

So here is the deal with this V6.....I am going to post pictures of it brand new and for every mod that I do to help newbies out a little.


Mods coming up....

replace inside door paneling with LS decor panels....(two speaker config.)
replace factory stereo/speakers
XM upgrade
Baer rotor upgrade for 20"'s
SS instrument panel
K&N 77 series air intake
Programmer
Exhaust
REMOVE ALL THOSE STUPID BADGES AND DOOR CLADDING!


Btw, Shortbus

Vortec now makes a charger for the 4.3L...around 2600, under warranty if installed my GM.....so sweeeeeeetttttttttt!