There comes a time in the life of an SJ when you need to remove an old decal, and replace it with something new. Removing the old decals can be frustrating and time consuming to say the least. Here is an easy way to get the job done.

Removing the old decals...

The secret is to use a heat gun or hair dryer to heat up the factory decal. Try and do this job in the summer months, or if the weather is cold, do the job in a garage. The heat gun will soften the decal enough to peel it away from the body, but you will be left with some glue residue. Heat the decal gently, and then begin to peel it off. If you try to heat the decal while pulling it off, it will weaken the decal and cause it to tear.

Now it is time to get rid of the glue residue. There are two options.

Spray the area with a light coating of WD-40 or similar oil, slowly rubbing it into the glue with your finger. This will loosen the glue slightly. Then, using a clean dry cloth, rub the oil coated area, and the glue should roll up into little pieces which can then be easily removed. Once this is done, polish the area with a liquid polish like Turtle-wax.

The second (and easier) option is to use some really cheap nail polish remover on a folded paper towel. This will clean up the majority of the glue residue, but will leave a greasy smear. Now you need to get some better quality nail polish remover, and a clean piece of paper towel. The better quality remover clears the glue quickly. You could of course use the expensive remover at the start, but you will use a large amount of the stuff, and the cheaper stuff works just as well to remove the bulk of the glue residue.

Finishing...

Thoroughly clean the area where the new decal is to be placed. Spray the area with a thin film of glass cleaner. This will allow you to slide the decal around and position it where you want it. Now using a credit card or similar piece of plastic to force the bubbles out from under the decal using a scraping motion. Once this is done, slowly remove the covering tape from the decal, and smooth out any edges that may have lifted. Allow every thing to dry completly and that's it. All done ! !