Fender flare paint removal

[airspeed]

My 88 MJ has matching white fender flares. How can I remove the paint and what color will the base material be? I want them to be semi-flat back.

[dasbulliwagen]

They should be black plastic underneath, but it will be next to impossible to get the paint off of them, just remove them, scuff up the paint real good, clean with a good solvent, like laquer thinner, and spray with your choice of flat or satin paints from any number of stores. Youll chance ruining them if you try to remove the paint. Traditional paint removers will eat up the plastic, and the strippers for fiberglass are made for fiberglass, not ABS plastic. I wouldnt risk ruining them if I were you. Especially with as rare as the rear flares are to find. Good luck, and post us some pics when done!

[ParadiseMJ]

Get some Krylon Fusion Satin Black. It's not FLAT, flat black, but it's not super shiny either. Follow the instructions on the can. If your going to sand the flares, use a very fine Wet/Dry sandpaper or steel wool.

 

New plastic = rub down with mineral spirits or Xylene. Let dry, then paint. Several light coats. Then one finish coat.

 

Old plastic = rub down with straight ammonia. Let dry, then paint.

 

The stuff bonds to plastic, unlike most spray paints. No need for primer (actually primer is not recommended)....and two cans ought to do all four flares.

 

I painted my two fiberglass canoes with the stuff and it has held up great for 3 years (except where I scratched it on rocks, sand etc.).

 

[Akula69]

There is a stripper for plastic bumpers that I have used on the flares with great success (although some of our flares had obviously been repainted in the after-market and had been primed with some strange purple primer that was quite difficult to remove :nuts: ). I cannot remember the exact name of the paint stripper but it was manufacturered under the brand of "Bulldog" and was specifically labeled for removing paint from automotive plastics. I bought it at O'Reillys Auto parts.

 

It also turned out to be very effective in removing human skin as well :roll:

[Darren]

Don't use Krylon. Use SEM. The only reason to use Krylon is if you only have $5 to dedicate to the project.

[ParadiseMJ]

Don't use Krylon. Use SEM. The only reason to use Krylon is if you only have $5 to dedicate to the project.

 

Actually it'd be more like $12

[Frankdm83]

Use SEM trim black!