Newell Gurus

Just sharing some of my recent experience with this tape.

The aluminum molding running down the side of the coach just above the compartments had come loose in a few places so I decided to remove and reinstall it. It was attached at the factory 25 years ago with double sided tape. The top has been much easier to separate from the coach than the bottom. The bottom has been a real challenge to get loose. I have discovered that soaking the tape edges with WD-40 (how could we live without that stuff) makes it release or come apart MUCH easier but requires a bit of patience for it to soak in and do its thing. I just hope that it works as well when I'm removing the remnants of the tape from the 2 surfaces.

Since the tape holding the top side of the molding is exposed more to the weather and sun it seems those aspects will cause the tape to loosen its hold. The bottom tape is protected from those conditions by the overhang of the molding and is a real buggar to get loose. A lesson perhaps is that when this type tape is used externally it might be best to cover the exposed edges with a bit of sealant so it is protected from direct exposure to weather and sun.

I found that a heat gun and a putty knife worked. Doing it on a hot day helps as well!! As you can see here I silicone caulked the rivets that are behind the trim. New 3m double sided tape was used (along with the screws) to reattach.

when it takes an air chisel, cutting, freezing it, a rotary stip off wheel and hitting it with a hammer to get that two sided tape off, (like 3m says), that is some tough stuff.

tom

About half the rivets are loose or broken so replacement is in order before sealing them.

I've got one of those wheels somewhere, left over from the overhaul of the entry door where it was essentially useless. I got most of it off the coach, but getting it off the trim strip is proving more difficult.

I've noticed the tape on the top is far more checked across its whole width than the bottom tape so I suspect solar heating has effected it, probably more than water exposure.

I used my multi-tool with a blade attachment (look like a 2” knife blade) and was able to cut the tape off VERY easily! It took about 1 minute per panel - I had to reinstall a couple long pieces when I damaged them a while back - then used VHB 3M tape and pop-rivets from the back side. The front piece in front of the driver wheel has given me fits - had to redo it several times because of the stress there. I keep pushing the trim piece up too tight and the flex keeps popping it back out. I finally got the pop-rivets to stay in...

Hmmmmmmmmmm,

I have had really good luck with 3M adhesive remover. Soak, and scrape with a putty knife. Worked better than anything I have tried including wire brush on side grinder, air chisel, razor scraper, and a good talkin to.

The key is to keep the working edge wet with the adhesive remover.

By the way, thanks to a tech at Newell for this trick. He saw me struggling to reskin a bay door. He came back with a spraycan of the 3M. I couldn't believe how well it worked.

There is an overlapping vertical seam in the exterior skin about in the middle of the rear passenger side trim piece. Mine had double thickness of tape aft of that sea. I wasn't paying sufficient attention to how far aft that doubling went. Anyone know?

Mine only had one layer

(04-23-2018, 04:35 PM)77newell Wrote: [ -> ]There is an overlapping vertical seam in the exterior skin about in the middle of the rear passenger side trim piece. Mine had double thickness of tape aft of that sea. I wasn't paying sufficient attention to how far aft that doubling went. Anyone know?

You definitely want to seal up VHB if it's going to be in the sun and exposed to the wet. The adhesive breaks down pretty quickly if it's being UVed and wetted a lot.