Removing glue residue from carbon tubular rim

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wootenlakeguy
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 6:55 am

by wootenlakeguy

I'm having difficulty removing glue residue from a high end carbon tubular rim. I've tried finger nail polish remover and acetone but with limited success. I thought of using a hair dryer to heat the glue, but am afraid of warping the carbon rims.

I know Calfee, Continental, Effetto Mariposa, Tufo and Vittoria all market their own tubular glue remover, but haven't tried them yet.

Does anyone have any experience with these products and would they be more effective than acetone? If yes, does one of these products stand out as better than the others?

I appreciate any input.

antprok
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Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2016 11:22 am

by antprok

I use Tufo glue remover and its doing what it should, fast clean and easy.
I guess the rest are good too.
Dont use acetone, its a nasty chemical, bad for your health.

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rpenmanparker
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by rpenmanparker

Fingernail polish remover used to be usually ethyl acetate, but now it seems to be acetone in most cases. The acetone is a better solvent for the polish and the glue. The acetone won't kill you as long as you use it in a well ventilated area like outside the house. Wear gloves, preferably "nitrile" ones (readily available at the pharmacy) and safety goggles.

Have you tried general purpose commercial products like Goop? Since they are not so volatile and they don't evaporate rapidly, you can let them soak into the glue over a little bit of time and make wiping it off easy.
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beatle
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by beatle

I used a heat gun on low and passed it over a small section of the rim, making sure to not get it too hot. Then I easily scraped the glue off with a plastic tire lever. I found this tip on Zinn's site and it works very well.

jimborello
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by jimborello

Ive always used Schwalbe glue remover , I let it work overnight and the next day I brush the rim with a copper brush and finally I use a little acetone to leave the rim as new. Ive done it that way for years (I only do it on my wheels) it is by far the fastest and best way to remove the glue.

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Calnago
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by Calnago

@jimborello... Have you ever tried gooping on the Schwalbe glue remover, then leaving on for just 20 minutes or so, then taking a hose to it? That's what I do and it pretty much washes everything right off with little effort. I found that leaving it on too long kind of lets it go back to how it was before you even started almost. For instance, I can't imagine having to use a copper brush on it after letting the glue remover work for only 20 minutes, but could certainly see a lot of work ahead if I let it all dry out before removing.
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topflightpro
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by topflightpro

I used a glue remover substance. It wasn't Goo Gone, but it looked like that. It was yellow/orange and in a spray bottle.

It worked, but not great. Basically, I'd spray it on, let it sit, then scrape off as much glue as I could. Mostly I was using a small flat-head screwdriver to dig into the glue and get it off. Then I'd spray it again, let it sit, then scrape off more glue. It took hours. And as the layer of glue got thinner, I spent more time just scrubbing the glue with a rag coated in the remover.

Once the glue was off, I then had to fully clean off the glue remover substance.

I am going to try to avoid having to remove the glue again in the future, as the process absolutely sucked. I only started on it because when I removed my tire, the base tape tore off and stuck to the wheel.

sungod
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by sungod

acetone is ok for a final degrease, but hopeless for removal of any significant glue deposit, it flashes off far too fast

schwalbe glue remover works very well when there are multiple layers of glue and you need to get back to bare rim

if you only need to remove patches, try white spirit, white gas, petrol etc., apply with a rough cloth, in all cases i'd suggest doing it outdoors well away from sources of ignition and taking care not to get it on you just in case!

i've read that citrus degreaser will also remove glue, but not tried it

Qman
Posts: 118
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by Qman

Try WD-40. Spray it on and let it soak in for a while. It softens and dissolves the glue and you can wipe it off. I suspect it's less toxic than some of the alternatives.

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53x12
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by 53x12

Goof Off.
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kfreytag
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by kfreytag

I recently tried Tufo's glue remover for the first time. Took a couple of applications, but it got the rim to brand-new condition.
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Geoff
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by Geoff

Any paint thinner will do the job, but you need to be sure to clean the rim well after. I find that Goof-Off works really well. I like to use a piece of terrycloth rag, changing often. It will be gone in seconds.

Be sure to use these products in a well-ventilated area...

tinozee
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by tinozee

goof off and open doors and windows, get the right gloves, etc.

wootenlakeguy
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 6:55 am

by wootenlakeguy

Thanks guys! There's a lot of excellent suggestions here. I'll try the Goof-Off and cheesecloth first and if I don't get good results, I'll try one of the more exotic suggestions.

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wheelsONfire
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by wheelsONfire

wootenlakeguy wrote:I'm having difficulty removing glue residue from a high end carbon tubular rim. I've tried finger nail polish remover and acetone but with limited success. I thought of using a hair dryer to heat the glue, but am afraid of warping the carbon rims.

I know Calfee, Continental, Effetto Mariposa, Tufo and Vittoria all market their own tubular glue remover, but haven't tried them yet.

Does anyone have any experience with these products and would they be more effective than acetone? If yes, does one of these products stand out as better than the others?

I appreciate any input.


Tufo glue remover and standard glue remover, which you can buy at any special store selling paint and glue will most likely work!
Tufo you may need to order but it may be worth it!?
I have used both cleaning off Continental glue and it works.
Only used some cloth rags to wipe it off. No metal tool or sharp objects needed.
Take some time though!
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