Getting auto body work done is a worthwhile investment, but it can be a big one. Doing some of the prep work yourself before taking the vehicle to the shop can help reduce the cost of the work getting done and maybe even expedite it a bit. Here, you will learn how to remove the emblems on your vehicle to get the prep work started.

Note the Placement

If your plans include putting the emblems back on your vehicle after the body work is done, you will have to note the exact placement of each one. To do this, you will simply need a roll of masking tape and a marker.

Run a piece of tape across your vehicle using the body lines. For example, to note the placement of the emblems on the rear of your car, use the trunk lines as a guide. You will use the lines in the body to place the tape back into position when the body work is done.

After you have the tape in place, use the marker to mark the placement of each emblem on it. Take your time and be precise – this will ensure proper placement of the emblems when you get your vehicle back.

Remove the Emblems

To remove the emblems easily, you will need to warm up the adhesive that holds them in place. You can do this by parking your vehicle in the hot sun for a couple of hours or using a heat gun to manually heat it up. Be careful with the heat gun – you don't want to overheat the paint on the vehicle or it could bubble.

After you have heated the adhesive, use a metal putty knife to slide underneath it. Use a gentle touch and keep the putty knife level so that it doesn't gouge the surface of the vehicle under the emblem. In some cases, you may need to reheat the adhesive a few times before you get the emblem to come off cleanly.

Once the emblem comes off, set it on a sheet of wax paper. The wax paper will keep the emblems secure but will release the adhesive cleanly when you want to put them back on the vehicle.

Clean the Adhesive Residue

There will likely be residue that remains on the paint after you remove the emblems. Cleaning the residue off can be a fairly easy task if you purchase an eraser wheel. This is an attachment for your drill that spins to safely buff the residue off of the paint without causing any damage.

If you don't have an eraser wheel, you can try different cleaning agents to remove the residue. Many products that contain citrus oils will work very well to clean away the sticky residue.

Talk with your auto body technician to learn more ways that you can prepare your vehicle for body work to reduce the cost of labor on the project.

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