best way to strip bumper?

N

NoobDude

I have a 97 lincohn bumper cover with about 4 coats of paint and primer to strip. What's the recommended way to get it ready for some primer?
Sand it?
Blast it?
Chem strip?
Thanks
 
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I talk to a lot of shops that always sand blast the bumpers if they must strip, I would say the other 50% use a 180 DA.
Rarely does one talk about paint stripper and for good reason.
 
Thanks Barry, I just threw the chem in for others down the road, I didn't really mean it!

After spending the day trying to replace my busted backing pad finaly buying one for a drill at home depot and cutting threads on the shank so it would work with my DA, I said screw this and started setting up a series of blasting projects for today. I was really hoping this was an ok route, Dusty Day here I come.
 
I have my 88 Mustang GT. It has tons of contours and stuff on the plastics that a DA can't reach. I have a bunch of 220 grit 6" round paper for the DA. Out that ok enough for sanding? How do I get all the tight angles? Just use my hands with the 6"DA paper? I'm looking for a tutorial on prior technique for sanding.
 
I've heard that the bumper companies use media blasting, but I don't know what type. For what we do, it's better to find a new aftermarket or a used one with only factory paint than it is to try and get all those nasty paint jobs off. It's just too much labor, and time is money. If your '88 has only the factory paint, all you really need to do is sand it real good, except for the top, which is probably sunburned and should be stripped.
 
BONESTOCK;24463 said:
I have my 88 Mustang GT. It has tons of contours and stuff on the plastics that a DA can't reach. I have a bunch of 220 grit 6" round paper for the DA. Out that ok enough for sanding? How do I get all the tight angles? Just use my hands with the 6"DA paper? I'm looking for a tutorial on prior technique for sanding.

Good luck on this as it is truly A PITA!!! Although on my last one scuffing and cleaning very well with scuff paste; and using epoxy only, sealing with epoxy, and then activating the base has been holding up very very nicely!
 
No flex additive ever.... as a matter of fact on this one i am working on now, it was AdPro, epoxy, sanded, sealed with more epoxy, Spi Red activated, and Euro mixed 4:1:1.... the car was backed into and nothing but scuffed..... not the first sign of a crack anywhere!
 
Not sure if it would work on yours but I stripped the rear bumper on my '87 Corvette with a heat gun and fairly sharp putty knife. A single-edge razor probably would have worked but I was afraid I might cut the urethane. I was able to remove 14 layers of paint. I'm guessing the previous owner wasn't happy with the colors - they ranged from dark copper to light gold with primer in between layers. You have to be careful not to overheat the urethane. I tried to keep the heat down to touchable temperature -- probably 120- but no more than 150-degrees.
 
I have stripped many bumpers with plain old paint stripper and never had a problem,
I always tested first and washed real good afterward with a scotchbrite and let dry a day
before painting.
I don't have a blaster and some of these bumpers have so many nooks and crannies
it makes sanding next to impossible.
I try to avoid stripper but it has worked good for me, especially
the ones in a spray can.
 
I'm thinking I'm going to use the media blaster. 70 grit alum oxide should be ok, right?

Oh and tthomp50, I don't know what most of what you listed off is. lol!!
 
Soda Blasting.

Will take off paint and not damage any of the substrate.
 
Barry;24187 said:
Rarely does one talk about paint stripper and for good reason.
They might seem cheap and easy but they can be expensive down the road!
 
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