Removing Gorilla tape residue from wheel rims

Mcharza

E*POWAH BOSS
Aug 10, 2018
2,613
5,357
Helsinki, Finland
I thought you might be interested to see what I'm on about.

I have already made a start on removing some of the adhesive residue from where the tyre bead sits at the top of the picture. But not at the bottom. You can see that the offset spoke holes in the RaceFace AR30 rim alternate from just a bit off-centre to almost breaking through into the gully where the tyre bead goes. Not sure how I can seal that close spoke hole without also laying a layer of rim tape on the bulge between it and the gulley.
For a cross section view of the rim see post #4 from @STATO here:
Tips on removing a tyre please - EMTB Forums

View attachment 45632
And gorilla tape did that? I have never seen anything like that, only with cheap imitations
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
8,930
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Lincolnshire, UK
And gorilla tape did that? I have never seen anything like that, only with cheap imitations
Yep the real McCoy. When I contacted the manufacturers, they were aware of the problem, particularly on bike rims, but were unable to offer a solution "We have no recommended product that will remove the adhesive". I expressed astonishment that their technical team had no solution (how did they clean their machines for example?). The person I spoke to was trying to be helpful but could only pass on anecdotal solutions - none of which worked. I rang them today to tell them of several solutions, but their office doesn't work on Fri afternoons.
 

Gary

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So long as you realise that's just a little bit crazy too @RickBullotta ;) .
By 22 I'd been with half my home town and was busy working my way through my second city.
The Female half BTW
 
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Gary

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I'm just Easy Zims. and get about an awful lot.
At 22 I also had a 3yr old child to a one night stand with the craziest (Married) woman you could ever be unlucky enough to meet.
Nowhere near a 10 in looks but off the scale crazy. Like actual certifiable personality disorder(s).
 

Zimmerframe

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Jun 12, 2019
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I'm just Easy Zims. and get about an awful lot.
At 22 I also had a 3yr old child to a one night stand with the craziest (Married) woman you could ever be unlucky enough to meet.
Nowhere near a 10 in looks but off the scale crazy. Like actual certifiable personality disorder(s).
Is it true that your testicles operate independently, enabling you to get off multiple shots with different ladies without the need to reload ?

Ladies, there's no need to fight over him !
 

Gary

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multiple shots with different ladies without the need to reload ?
Never been an issue. No.
Is that even a thing?

Cum to think of it though, I've genuinely been asked by multiple partners. "does *it* ever run out" ?

Sorry Steve. I bet you're scared to start a thread on "sealant" now ?
 

Gary

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I used to live off Edam (or emmental)and salami baguettes for lunch
banana and nutella is awesome as an energy fix
Not that Ebikers need any ;)
 

R120

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Apr 13, 2018
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I used to live off Edam and salami baguettes for lunch
banana and nutella is awesome as an energy fix
Not that Ebikers need any ;)
Reminds me that I am also partial to a banana split down the middle and filled with peanut butter too
 

Gary

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peanut butter

tenor.gif


hmmm... nah
 

B1rdie

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
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Feb 14, 2019
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This thread was about gorilla goo and soaked rags, now go figure how peanut butter, bananas, bagels and rotweillers can help Steve clean his rims...
 

enCrypt

New Member
Sep 13, 2020
57
39
Douglas
As the thread has "diverged" somewhat, (and you're already sorted anyway) I now feel safe suggesting soaking the rims in the petrol then setting them on fire, that'll do it! ;)(y)
 

Hamina

E*POWAH Master
Mar 22, 2020
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So did I understood correctly that Brake cleaner didn't work for Gorilla tape adhesive?
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
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So did I understood correctly that Brake cleaner didn't work for Gorilla tape adhesive?
I didn't try brake cleaner because I didn't have any, but the main ingredient of brake cleaner is iso-propyl alcohol. I tried the 70% stuff neat and it didn't even soften it.
But maybe I lacked patience, maybe if I had left it in contact for 30 mins or so it may have worked. I'll never know now.
But I do have a rear wheel to do sooner or later. (aarrgghh!!) But the petrol and rag was so quick, I reckon I'll not mess about and just go straight to a tried and tested proven solution.
 

Hamina

E*POWAH Master
Mar 22, 2020
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I didn't try brake cleaner because I didn't have any, but the main ingredient of brake cleaner is iso-propyl alcohol. I tried the 70% stuff neat and it didn't even soften it.
Steve, we've had this discussion couple of weeks ago:

I'm surprised we've seen all kinds of strange magical kitchen chemicals here but no brakecleaner. It has solved almost 90% all cleaning problems. I'm very doubtful that acetone didn't work - it should be able to remove the paint.
 

Archer Yates

Member
Aug 9, 2020
8
7
Colorado, USA
I used Gorilla tape on my wheel rims, as recommended by my LBS. It's great, looks fantastic and it works a treat.
:)


But Oh boy! When you want to remove it what an absolute sod! When you peel it off the thick sticky adhesive is left behind. I have tried a proprietary "Sticky Stuff Remover" that has shifted all other adhesive residues before today, but not this time. I have tried iso-propyl alcohol which easily shifted sun-baked pine sap from my car roof, also a fail. It won't even rub off with a rough towel!

I contacted the Gorilla Tape manufacturers, hoping they might say use meths or soap & water, anything! To my dismay, I was told that they do not have a recommended method of removing the adhesive residue. The person I was talking to says that she has heard recommendations of using the tape itself to pull off the residue. That might work, as I have used Sellotape to do that on Sellotape residue. But it didn't..., well, maybe just a little bit. It does pull some off, but only reduces the thickness of the adhesive it wont pull it of the alloy rim.

I have tried picking it off, but it very, very, very slow indeed. I have taken a break from the task right now, so I thought I'd post here. Does anyone have any solutions for this task? PLEASE!

I have at the back of my mind to try a hairdryer to maybe soften the glue and just rub it off. Or maybe hot water would be quicker?
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
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Lincolnshire, UK
Steve, we've had this discussion couple of weeks ago:

I'm surprised we've seen all kinds of strange magical kitchen chemicals here but no brakecleaner. It has solved almost 90% all cleaning problems. I'm very doubtful that acetone didn't work - it should be able to remove the paint.
I wrote my response in that thread before I had to remove Gorilla Tape adhesive. I sincerely believed that 70% IPA would shift it (the main constituent of brake cleaner), but when it came to the test, it didn't work!
I didn't try acetone as I didn't have any, so I used the next best thing nail polish remover, which has acetone in it. That didn't work either, maybe because it wasn't a high enough % of acetone.

I freely confess that I was looking for a quick solution. If it didn't show immediate results, I assumed it was crap and moved on to the next possible solution. It is entirely possible that if I had left the various liquids I had tried to rest on the adhesive for 30 mins or more, then I may have been able to just wipe off the adhesive. But I was too impatient. I will now never know, petrol works quickly and it is readily available in large quantities..
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
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Lincolnshire, UK
Try Acetone. Its label states for removal of residue from glue- It requires you to wear non-latex gloves. It will melt the latex.
I have stated elsewhere that I didn't have any product labelled acetone except nail polish remover which didn't work. I tried a "Sticky Stuff Remover" that had proved highly effective on multiple occasions. But it didn't work on Gorilla Tape adhesive.
 

GrandPaBrogan

⚡ eGeezer ⚡
Oct 5, 2019
1,329
2,068
New Zealand
I have stated elsewhere that I didn't have any product labelled acetone except nail polish remover which didn't work. I tried a "Sticky Stuff Remover" that had proved highly effective on multiple occasions. But it didn't work on Gorilla Tape adhesive.
Feeling sick from petrol (the solvent that worked for you) is not just from inhalation. You can do it outdoors or even wear an organic mask and could still get sick if you aren’t wearing proper gloves. Skin is actually porous and petrol (and other solvents) will leech straight into your bloodstream and make you crook especially from prolonged exposure.

Next time get a frying pan and preheat some cooking oil (preferably olive oil). Grab an egg (you might need two if you’re working on two wheels) and add salt, some water, a dash of Tabasco and some grated cheese if you have some... while beating it vigorously. Pour into the pan and keep folding it over itself with a spatula until firm but fluffy. What were we talking about again? Oh yeah. Think about your gummed-up rims while eating the eggs. You’ll do your best work when you’re not hungry. :cool:
.
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
8,930
9,269
Lincolnshire, UK
Feeling sick from petrol (the solvent that worked for you) is not just from inhalation. You can do it outdoors or even wear an organic mask and could still get sick if you aren’t wearing proper gloves. Skin is actually porous and petrol (and other solvents) will leech straight into your bloodstream and make you crook especially from prolonged exposure.
...........................
I started off outside and with vinyl gloves on, but the glove I was holding the petrol soaked rags in soon tore at the fingers. I swapped to a much thicker washing up glove and I had no further problem. As I used up each rag I laid it flat on the coal bunker for the petrol to evaporate before chucking them in the incinerator. My incinerator is a metal dustbin with a metal lid with a chimney on it and lots of holes in the sides. The whole thing sits on three legs and I keep it in the garage next to my bike. I dump into it all the oily rags, paper towels, anything that will burn. When it's full I take it outside and set fire to it.

After seeing those Darwin Award video applications earlier, if I can still smell petrol when it's incinerator time, I will remove those petrol soaked rags first or I may put the incinerator lid into orbit!
 

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