Remove silicone caulk and adhesive from aluminum

[erne.castro]

Hi all,

I'm in the process of doing a big maintenance to my Roadster MKII.

In this process, I'm removing (almost) all the aluminum panels, the old carpets, and insulation.

A big problem I'm finding is removing all the old caulking and insulation from the aluminum (and some parts of the frame).

I've tried: goo gone, heat gun, xyleno. Nothing has work good, some I was able to remove, but still there is a lot.

Any suggestion what to use? My idea is to leave the aluminum panels in like new condition to apply the new caulking and insulation.

Thanks.
Ernesto.

[edwardb]

I really don't know of any solvents or paint removers that will deal with cured silicone. There's a reason it typically has a 25 year or whatever exterior warranty. I suspect you're going to need to use some type of mechanical means to remove it. Maybe a razor blade scraper (like used on glass) and then sand what's left. Doubt you'll be able to remove without some effect on the aluminum and however it's finished. But still easier than new panels if they're still usable. Good luck.

[phileas_fogg]

WD-40 will loosen silicone. But be careful; if there is ANY WD-40 residue on the surfaces when you reapply the silicone, it won't stick.

Also, *most* carpet cements can be dissolved with mineral spirits. Check for discoloration on an unseen piece of carpet first.


John

[toadster]

razor blade, then refinish the panel and/or powdercoat...

[Walt]

When i built my car i tried to coat the footboxs with bed liner and it wouldnt stick where there was silicone even though i had cleaned the area with acetone, i ended having to spray with a primer and then use a spray on thinner bed liner, silicone is tough to deal with.
Walt

[Derald Rice]

My aluminum panels are raw aluminum, no coating of any kind. Gasoline will soften silicone. If you are just taking off road grime that is dried, I have had good luck with spraying mineral spirits on, let it set, then simple green and a green scotch pad to take it all off..

[steno]

On the areas that you won’t see, you could use a wire wheel on a hand grinder. It’ll tear that stuff off and leave clean aluminum behind. Be sure to use brass and not steel though.

[EZ$]

I ran across this item when I was rebuilding my transmission. Watched a video where the guy used them to remove old gasket material from aluminum casings. the product is 3M's Scotch Brite "Roloc" bristle disc. I tried to put in the web page from 3M, but I'm technologically illiterate.

[R. Button]

It's what I got too to clean up the panels that I need to remove.
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/Scotch-Brite-Roloc-Bristle-Disc/?N=5002385+3293223502&rt=rud

[Joe Campbell]

I've taken apart a couple of partially completed kits to start over. Steno is right, mechanical means are the easiest for silicone...razor scraper will get most, but not quite all. No chemicals I tried worked well. If they used butyl rubber sound deadeners, depends if they used cheap stuff or good stuff. Cheap will harden up with dry ice on it and will come off in chunks. Good stuff, you'll find it much less frustrating to just get new aluminum from FFR, if you can. Or a flame thrower in the back yard. There's a link to my re-do of FFR3144 in my sig, that part was lots of fun!

___________
FFR7859 (https://sites.google.com/site/ffr7859/) - graduated 5/16/16; '11 Mustang 5.0 'vert; '93 Mustang Notch; '98 F150; 4760 build website (https://sites.google.com/site/ffr4760build/home); FFR-3144 rebuild (https://sites.google.com/site/ffr3144rebuild/home)

[EZ$]

Thanks Ralph. I figured someone would know how to attach the web page. I've got to figure that one out some day.

[toadster]

Scotch-Brite Roloc Surface Conditioning Disc, TR 07480, 2 in x NH A CRS, 25 per box $25
https://i.imgur.com/MnO8prS.png?1
(https://amzn.to/3aBtf4N)

[erne.castro]

Thanks all for the ideas. I will try the deburring disk for the non visible parts and patients on the other ones.

Regarding getting new aluminium panel from ffr, do they sell them for mkii? I can't find them on the web page. I'm also looking for the front suspension lower control arm and they seem out of stock.

[Walt]

Hi Erne, do you have the ford mustang lowers still on it, i do and am needing to change to ffr , hopefully they are not out long, you can also call and ask, they maybe slow updating there web page.
Walt

[erne.castro]

Hi Erne, do you have the ford mustang lowers still on it, i do and am needing to change to ffr , hopefully they are not out long, you can also call and ask, they maybe slow updating there web page.
Walt

Yep, I have the Ford Mustang lower control arms still with me. They are now not mounted in the car as I'm taking the car apart for a major maintenance/check, but if I cannot get the FFR lowers I will keep the Mustang ones.

[Walt]

Fyi, they have a better set of bushings for the lower A arms but you need to order them separately.
Walt

[Norm B]

Get most of the silicone off by scraping and the other methods recommended. The areas that you can’t get completely clean use the pictured product to soften and remove. The old silicone has to be completely removed because new silicone won’t stick to already cured silicone.

[FLPBFoot]

I mechanically took off as much as I could and then took a bit of Sharkhide on a cloth and it loosened and took off any remaining silicone.