Will Removing Clear Bra Peel the Paint

antidentite · 08-20-2008, 07:04 PM

I currently have 3M clear bra installed on the front of my car, and would like to remove it before installed the Aero lip.

Does anyone know if there's a danger of of removing the factory paint underneath the clear bra if I remove the bra?

Or would you add the aero lip on top of the clear bra?

XYR03 · 08-20-2008, 07:15 PM

Your stock paint will not come off but do it slowly. If anything is re-painted and if it doesn't have enough layers it will come off. In my case the shop I went to messed up on my front aero lip, so I made them pull it off and redo it. And when the pulled it off it lift the paint and left a lemon size on there. Just take it easy.

mrvuml · 08-20-2008, 07:37 PM

Be very careful. When I removed the clear bra from my son's 2000 Jetta (Dark Blue) because it had bubbled large areas of the clear coat came off with it, even though I heated it up with a heat gun first! So now there's a dull area where the clear coat is no longer present. Will probably need to get the entire hood refinished!

JW330xi · 08-20-2008, 07:38 PM

I took the clear bra off of my car about a month ago. It was all clouded and yellowed, and just plain looked like crap!

The best advice I would give is to make sure the bra is warm, it makes it a lot easier to pull off. Park the car in the sun for a bit to heat it up, or use a hairdryer as you are doing it. Also, pull it off slowly and carefully. I had no problems getting it off, all of my paint is still in tact and looks new!

Make sure to get some goo gone to get rid of the residue. After that, give it a good coat of wax!

roadkillrob · 08-20-2008, 08:07 PM

Yep - I have taken it off before - get it nice and warm and peel it back at a 90 degree angle and a little water alcohol mix may help soften the glue as that is what makes the glue work when it is put on.

That being said - I wouldn't bother taking it off - I put my aero lip on over it no issues and then clear bra'd the aero lip also.

Auto_Armour335i · 08-29-2008, 05:38 PM

I take clear bras off all the time to re-do them. The best way to take them off is to use a steamer. A clothing steamer works best. If it is factory paint it will not come off. But I have removed several that have ripped paint off that the bumper have been re-painted before.

jonerik26 · 02-08-2010, 08:02 PM

sorry to bring back an old thread, but i was wondering if anyone has attempted doing this on their own as am looking to have a clear bra taken off?

08-20-2008, 07:04 PM	#1
antidentite Second Lieutenant 19 Rep 269 Posts Drives: See signature Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Belleuve, WA iTrader: (0)	Will Removing Clear Bra Peel the Paint I currently have 3M clear bra installed on the front of my car, and would like to remove it before installed the Aero lip. Does anyone know if there's a danger of of removing the factory paint underneath the clear bra if I remove the bra? Or would you add the aero lip on top of the clear bra? __________________ Retired: '00 e46 (5mt) Retired: '07 e92 (6mt) Current: '08 S2000 (6mt) Current: '17 Porsche Macan GTS Current: '04 V8 4Runner
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

08-20-2008, 07:15 PM	#2
XYR03 Lieutenant Colonel 133 Rep 1,673 Posts Drives: Cayman S Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC iTrader: (6)	Your stock paint will not come off but do it slowly. If anything is re-painted and if it doesn't have enough layers it will come off. In my case the shop I went to messed up on my front aero lip, so I made them pull it off and redo it. And when the pulled it off it lift the paint and left a lemon size on there. Just take it easy. __________________ [SIGPIC]2015-Cayman S (Can't leave bimmerpost) 2009-E92 M3 2005-E46 M3 1998-E36 M3 2007-E92 328i[/SIGPIC]
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-20-2008, 07:37 PM	#3
mrvuml Lieutenant 20 Rep 459 Posts Drives: E90 335i w/ZSP Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: SLO, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 335i Sedan [0.00]	Be very careful. When I removed the clear bra from my son's 2000 Jetta (Dark Blue) because it had bubbled large areas of the clear coat came off with it, even though I heated it up with a heat gun first! So now there's a dull area where the clear coat is no longer present. Will probably need to get the entire hood refinished!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-20-2008, 07:38 PM	#4
JW330xi Private First Class 17 Rep 148 Posts Drives: 2010 E90 M3 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Crystal Lake, IL iTrader: (3)	I took the clear bra off of my car about a month ago. It was all clouded and yellowed, and just plain looked like crap! The best advice I would give is to make sure the bra is warm, it makes it a lot easier to pull off. Park the car in the sun for a bit to heat it up, or use a hairdryer as you are doing it. Also, pull it off slowly and carefully. I had no problems getting it off, all of my paint is still in tact and looks new! Make sure to get some goo gone to get rid of the residue. After that, give it a good coat of wax! __________________ Current: 15 Macan S Past BMWs: 10 M3 - 09 335i - 06 330xi - 98.5 M3 - 98 M3/4 (x2) - 97 M3 - 91 318is S50 swapped - 87 325is M-Tech 1 - 85 Euro Spec 325
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-20-2008, 08:07 PM	#5
roadkillrob Major General 896 Rep 5,476 Posts Drives: 08 335i,22 X3M, 2012 C63 Black Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: NH iTrader: (15)	Yep - I have taken it off before - get it nice and warm and peel it back at a 90 degree angle and a little water alcohol mix may help soften the glue as that is what makes the glue work when it is put on. That being said - I wouldn't bother taking it off - I put my aero lip on over it no issues and then clear bra'd the aero lip also. __________________ 2025 X5 Msport 2008 E93 335i FBO 2012 Mercedes C63 Black Series Alanite Grey
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-29-2008, 05:38 PM	#6
Auto_Armour335i First Lieutenant 28 Rep 385 Posts Drives: E92 Montego 335i Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sacramento, CA iTrader: (2)	I take clear bras off all the time to re-do them. The best way to take them off is to use a steamer. A clothing steamer works best. If it is factory paint it will not come off. But I have removed several that have ripped paint off that the bumper have been re-painted before.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-08-2010, 08:02 PM	#7
jonerik26 Lieutenant Colonel 60 Rep 1,913 Posts Drives: black 335i e90 PRE-LCI Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: somewhere iTrader: (23) Garage List 2007 335i [8.00] 1998 Acura Integra [8.50] 2006 325i [8.00]	sorry to bring back an old thread, but i was wondering if anyone has attempted doing this on their own as am looking to have a clear bra taken off? __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote