How to remove sikaflex

Scott & Heather · September 03, 2015, 02:39:30 PM

With the drama in Sean and Angie's life right now, I know this is trivial, but if someone knows an answer to this:

On our new bus, the previous owner sika-flexed galvanized steel sheet to skin it. On the lower beltline section, he sikaflexed a roll of fiberglass over the galvanized steel. I want to remove the fiberglass. It's wavy and I just am not a fan of fiberglass skins. Am I being naive thinking I can remove them? Is sikaflex pretty much not gonna come off?

Lostranger · September 03, 2015, 03:24:21 PM

Comes off great with a side grinder and time. Lots of time.

Jim H.

Scott & Heather · September 03, 2015, 04:41:33 PM

Noooo!

sigh. so is life with a bus

Jim Eh. · September 03, 2015, 05:18:31 PM

This might work if you don't want to grind off the metal surface below the sikaflex? Not sure where to get or what the cost is but this guy seems to make it work on small areas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxXemzzyQZ4
They also come for use on a drill
http://www.gamart.com.au/Products/Item/tabid/100/BLASTW.aspx

eagle19952 · September 03, 2015, 05:25:40 PM

SIKA-FLEX says mechanical removal methods on all of their adhesives

luvrbus · September 03, 2015, 05:27:57 PM

If you can find a place to get started a piano wire with handles works removing the siding then the clean up begins

eagle19952 · September 03, 2015, 06:00:29 PM

Quote from: luvrbus on September 03, 2015, 05:27:57 PM
If you can find a place to get started a piano wire with handles works removing the siding then the clean up begins

or a bunch of broken e strings....

Oonrahnjay · September 03, 2015, 07:08:22 PM

Quote from: krank on September 03, 2015, 05:18:31 PMNot sure where to get or what the cost is ...

Australia (in these ads, anyway). The guy calls it a "caramel wheel". Problem is that Sikaflex is meant to be permanent -- really, really permanent.

Darkspeed · September 03, 2015, 07:15:35 PM

I thought SIKA-FLEX had a failure temperature? I watched an Airstream guy remove what I thought was a SIKA-FLEXed on panel with a torch.

Scott & Heather · September 03, 2015, 07:49:37 PM

ugh. ok...I may just pull the panels and put new ones on....

luvrbus · September 03, 2015, 07:57:12 PM

I don't think using a torch on fiberglass would be a good idea

John316 · September 04, 2015, 04:58:46 AM

Quote from: luvrbus on September 03, 2015, 07:57:12 PM
I don't think using a torch on fiberglass would be a good idea

Could be kinda cool

bevans6 · September 04, 2015, 04:59:37 AM

If you can get the fiberglass off you could probably get the adhesive off with a wire wheel, that might not damage the steel skin too much. The airstream thing may have been two part epoxy, that comes off nicely with heat and is commonly used to bond aluminium.

Brian

Jeremy · September 04, 2015, 07:00:28 AM

I've just taken apart the plastic headlight units on my Range Rover using heat, and the adhesive that holds them together looks and behaves exactly like Sika. That was with careful use of a hot air gun (definitely wouldn't attempt it with a torch). Also - Sika is polyurethane-based, as is expanding foam, and there is stuff called 'foam eater' for removing cured expanding foam: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Everbuild-PUREX-Eater-Expanding-Remover/dp/B0012XDEM0 Might work (or might not) if you want a chemical approach

I'd also wonder if you actually need to remove all the Sika that's on there - once you've separated the panels using the cheese-wire technique (same as how bonded-in car windscreens are removed) you should be able to slice-off 99% of the remnants of the Sika bead using a razor blade, leaving a surface that's to-all-intents-and-purposes completely flat and ready for having something else bonded to it.

Jeremy

eagle19952 · September 04, 2015, 11:02:32 AM

call Safelite... they have some weird tools