DIY Remove Your Badges

Here is everything that I used: Orbital Buffer (with Polishing Cutting Compound), Hair Dryer, Putty Knife, Goof Off, Simple Green Cleaning Spray, Paper Towels and a Micro-Fiber Rag.



Example of the side "Toyota Tacoma" badge removal:
Original Look



Step 1.) Apply "hot" air with the hair dryer for a few seconds and then slowly and carefully slip the corner of the Putty Knife blade underneath a corner of the badge and gently (as you're blowing heat on the upcoming letters) move the Putty Knife along, lifting the badge off one letter at a time. You won't peel all of the adhesive underneath, but that's okay...

It should look like this once you peel the badge off:



Step 2.) Use the Hair Dryer again to heat up the adhesive and slowly "rub" or "pick" the adhesive off -- when you get it starting to peel it will roll, and by doing that the adhesive will gather more adhesive. Heat ahead of where you're picking at, it will help the upcoming adhesive come off easier -- if you're like me I have no fingernails so this was a pain in the a$$ step.
It will now look like so:



Step 3.) Once you have all the major adhesive off, hit it with some Simply Green Cleaning Spray and wipe all that gathered dirt off.

Step 4.) Use a folded up paper towel with some Goof Off on it to get some of the dirty adhesive completely off of the paint, repeat this a couple of times - each time switching to a new part of clean paper towel.
After Step #4 it will look like this:



Step 5.) Use the Orbital Sander (I found it best on the highest speed for 20-30 seconds moving it all around the area) -- you can also use whatever Polishing Pad you have, it will just be more work --> either way use the Polishing Cutting Compound you will ultimately come to this result:



Repeat Step #5 as many times as desired --> I had found it takes 3-4 times to become completely satisfied with the end result.

Final Result:



I know it's not easy to see, but the paint was very clean & reflective at this point but believe me, if you stand back you can't even notice there was a bright chrome badge there before.

 

Just a heads up, it you aren't very careful when peeling off the badge(s) with your Putty Knife then you are very liable to break or bend the badge(s) BUT if you don't care about them then no worries.

 

Also, the side badges have A LOT more adhesive holding them on, so if you do want to get rid of your badges I suggest you start out on your back badges as they have very little adhesive holding them down...
Before:



After 1:



After 2:



GOOD LUCK!

 

i find this pretty helpful. wanting to debadge also. could you use the old fishing line trick to get them off if you heat it up you think?

 

I tried using 6 pound fishing line but that broke within a few slides back and forth so I resorted to the Putty Knife and that worked just fine. Maybe the fishing line broke because I have a 99' Taco so the adhesive has been on there for 14+ years...

 

lol potentially. i used the fishing line to get the window deflectors off my truck that were on there when i got it from carmax. i tried just pulling them off but one broke and sliced my hand so i went to the internet for solutions and the fishing line came up. im also worried that i will be showing serious fading around the badges too. you can still see where the carmax sticker was if you look hard enough and i took goof off and plenty of elbow grease to that. never messed with a buffer though. kinda nervous to not knowing what im doing...

 

I used floss and a hair drier.

 

worked pretty well for u? for was it a major pita?

 

Don't even worry about using the buffer on your own - hell what you need to do is take your Taco to the Toyota Dealer, go to detail shop and ask one of the detailers to buff that spot with some cutting compound polish for $10 bucks -- I guarantee they'll do it.

I have a buddy who works at a Toyota Dealership and they're always running under the table projects because they work like dogs detailing the lot cars & customer cars all day and they don't get paid diddley squat.

Before I did my own detail work I gave him $20 and 2 packs of smokes and he detailed my old 2000 Explorer inside and out. Just make small talk with em at first and I'm sure they'll do it

 

Floss would break after a min or so. Just keep the badges warm and they come off pretty easy. Then used goo gone (iirc) to clean up.

 

does the shade of the paint differ from the rest of the truck under the badges if the truck stays out in the sun all day for years??

 

thats my concern. red fades worse than any other color. i had a carmax sticker on my truck (obviously only on there for the little bit of time it was at carmax) and i can still see where the sticker was. i can only imagine seeing under the badges that have been on there since 04

 

I can't personally answer that from experience but if your body paint is starting to noticeably fade then yes I would assume the paint underneath your badges would be more vibrant in comparison

 

my paint actually doesnt look too bad until its next to another radiant red taco

 

great write up man, i have usually skipped the step with the porter cable and stuck to good ol elbow grease. but now that i have a PC polisher, i'll be doing it this way

 

Ok, so I want to take off my door "Tacomas" paint them body color and put back on. Anyone have exp doing this??

 

Really make sure to heat up the badges before you start peeling back on em'. This will make them come off easier, which will make it less likely that you break the badge in half -- regardless be careful when you're doing this.

After that just sand it down with 600 grit sandpaper, clean with rubbing alcohol and then shoot with 2 coats of whatever color you chose. Let paint dry for a minimum of 10 minutes between coats (or longer just to be safe). Should stick back on with whatever adhesive you choose to do.

BE SURE TO TAPE OFF WHERE THE BADGES WERE***
so you don't lose their spot and have it look funky when you're next to another Taco

 

Thanks Mark!

 

run very hot water over badges or stickers and clean up with goo gone. DONE! works like a charm no hassles! for badges run fishing line behind them in sawing motion....

no heat gun needed!

 

I've debadged just about every recent car/truck/motorcycle I owned. I found that heat and a credit card that has been sharpened with a cheepo drag-through knife sharpener works the best for me. After removal I use WD40 and then polishing compound. I have also used dental floss which is good too. I don't try to save the badges and most break. My 2 cents!