Removing Gorilla tape residue from rims

steve_sordy

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 $od! 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?

whyamihere

I would try acetone if they're aluminium rims, maybe not on carbon rims. You can get this in nail polish remover, but that will be dilute, you can get it in a pure form elsewhere. Wear gloves...

As an aside, this is why I advise against using Gorilla tape for tubeless setups. It's fine while it's on, but if you want to change it for any reason, it just causes a huge mess.

gomezz

Would petrol remove it?

jimbohorizontal

Plus gas?

reaperactual

I've used a good soak of squirty tin lighter fluid and leave to soften for a while on certain sticker residue like vinyl rim stickers etc. then it just needed a gentle rub to remove.

me-109

GT85?

darkhairedlord

brake cleaner?

webboo

What about setting fire to lighter fuel when it’s on the rim.

steve_sordy

Thanks guys for all your suggestions. I finally got it clean.

What didn't work?
#Gorilla tape
#Nail polish remover
#Paint stripper
#Iso-propyl alcohol (brake cleaner)
#Hot water (and by extension, a hair dryer) they just move the glue around.

What did work?
#Sellotape. Short lengths 3"-4" pressed on and SLOWLY peeled off. Took me 90 mins to do less than 25% of the rim.
#Petrol and rags (I used cut up bits of old Terry towel). At first it doesn't look as though it's going to work, but keep the rag wet and keep rubbing. Suddenly it goes! And it gets right ingot the corners, which was a problem with the Sellotape. It took me only 20 minutes!!!!
#Also recommended, but not tried by me was AutoGlym's Tar & Adhesive Remover.

Here are the before and after pics. The bits on the after pic are just fluff left from the towel, before I wiped down with iso-propyl alochol.

gomezz

That's one way to spend a day in Lockdown.
Well done.

reaperactual

All methods usually need to be used in conjunction with tried and tested elbow grease.👍

elbowloh

reaperactual said:

All methods usually need to be used in conjunction with tried and tested elbow grease.👍

I produce no grease.

JBA

You have just found out why Gorrilla tape, although cheap and easy to apply, is not a good idea for use as tubeless rim tape, Steve. It's a false economy when you consider what it has cost in products and time to remove the sticky residue.
The whole concept of Gorilla tape is that it is as sticky as a sticky thing and doesn't come off.
One of my mates used it about 6 or 7 years ago and had the same trouble as you. He spent a bit of extra money on proper rim tape and has sworn never use Gorilla tape again. I learned from his mistake when I first went tubeless and used proper rim tape. No problems applying or removing it.

reaperactual

elbowloh said:

reaperactual said:

All methods usually need to be used in conjunction with tried and tested elbow grease.👍

I produce no grease.

My elbow grease is in a tub on a shelf, inbetween the tin of tartan paint and a left handed spanner.😄

steve_sordy

JBA said:

You have just found out why Gorrilla tape, although cheap and easy to apply, is not a good idea for use as tubeless rim tape, Steve. It's a false economy when you consider what it has cost in products and time to remove the sticky residue.
.......................................

I would never have thought of using it, but it was recommended by the Sherwood Pines Bike Shop. So I thought it must be good. And it was; it went on easily and looked great, and it's cheap (which was not why I used it, it was the LBS recco).

But I would now count Gorilla Tape on your rims in the same way that I view WD40 and your bike - Never the twain shall meet!!

I now have the rear wheel to look forward to cleaning up. But not just yet. No point fixing what isn't broken yet.

veronese68

I know perceived wisdom is the rim needs to be cleaned before applying tape, but I would have been tempted to try tape over the residue faced with that. Might end up wasting a bit more time if it doesn't work, worth a shot though.

gomezz

veronese68 said:

I know perceived wisdom is the rim needs to be cleaned before applying tape, but I would have been tempted to try tape over the residue faced with that. Might end up wasting a bit more time if it doesn't work, worth a shot though.

If that doesn't work you have wasted time, wasted good Stans or other tape and have to start all over again and clean of the old residue .
Just as well do the job right in the first place.

steve_sordy

veronese68 said:

I know perceived wisdom is the rim needs to be cleaned before applying tape, but I would have been tempted to try tape over the residue faced with that. Might end up wasting a bit more time if it doesn't work, worth a shot though.

I did contemplate it! But what is missing from my original post was what caused the event. I had decided to replace the 29x2.5" Maxxis High Roller II with a WTB Vigilante. The HRII had gone on dead easily and came off easily too. But the WTB was a different matter. I just could not get the last 25% of the tyre bead to lock into place, both sides and opposite each other. Eventually I had to use a tube inflated to 50psi or so to achieve that. The plan was then to undo one side, remove the tube, replace the tubeless valve and then finish off.

But I couldn't get the tyre off! No matter what I did. I even put the tyre in a vice and used the 29" wheel to lever away at the tyre - nothing! Having arthritic fingers didn't help, so I took the wheel to my LBS. After a struggle, they (yes, it took two of them!) removed one side for me and I was good to go. But when I saw the Gorilla Tape all rumpled up, with adhesive that had oozed out and had been sticking the WTB bead to the rim I decided to strip it all down. But I couldn't get the remaining side off!! So back to the LBS, where it again took two of them and this time a spray can of lube. They both said it held the prize for the hardest tyre removal they had ever done.

When looking at a cross-sectional drawing of the rim (RaceFace AR30-offset), it is clear that there is a hump just before each rim wall. The tyre bead has to rise over the hump before it can drop into the gulley between the hump and the rim wall. The WTB was tighter than previous tyres, but things were not helped because of the thick Gorilla Tape on top of the hump. Also, because of all the previous manipulation of the tyre, the tape had been dragged about and in places was double thickness. Also not helped because the tape was no longer smooth and the friction was preventing the bead from sliding smoothly into place.

It had all to come off and get cleaned up.

Anyway, after help from this Forum and another one, I got the job done. All I have to do now is to wait for the DT Swiss rim tape to arrive (special delivery of course).

When I get the opportunity, I will be giving my feedback to the guys who recommended I use Gorilla Tape, and to the tape makers! For them to say they have no recommended cleaning product is astonishing, after all what do they clean their machines with in their factory?

veronese68

In which case I understand and can only sympathise

Charlie_Croker

Reading that, I don’t think it’s fair to blame the gorilla tape solely. Who’s to say another tape wouldn’t do the same thing? I think its fair to say the gorilla tape has served its purpose well until you introduced these WTB tyres to your wheels. Most (if not all) tapes I’m aware of degrade with time.
I think the new tyres were the original cause of your woes, I will avoid WTB Vigilante and probably all WTB tyres as I don’t want the sort of a fight you had (and lost), not just too tight, way too tight. What’s going to happen out on the road/trail if you need to get one of them off the rim, for whatever reason? absolutely ridiculous!
Thanks for the feedback, appreciate it

dabber

I had a Vigilante (27.5/2.3") which I found had punctured (tubed) whilst at home, fortunately. I had a massive battle to get it off. It was just ridiculous. If I'd been on a ride I'd have been walking. Made the decision to dump it.

steve_sordy

Charlie_Croker said:

Reading that, I don’t think it’s fair to blame the gorilla tape solely. Who’s to say another tape wouldn’t do the same thing? I think its fair to say the gorilla tape has served its purpose well until you introduced these WTB tyres to your wheels. Most (if not all) tapes I’m aware of degrade with time.
I think the new tyres were the original cause of your woes, I will avoid WTB Vigilante and probably all WTB tyres as I don’t want the sort of a fight you had (and lost), not just too tight, way too tight. What’s going to happen out on the road/trail if you need to get one of them off the rim, for whatever reason? absolutely ridiculous!
Thanks for the feedback, appreciate it

I do not blame the Gorilla tape solely, but mostly. Despite looking good and being easy to apply and cheap, it is unfit for purpose. It is too thick and too hard to remove. I blame the LBS that recommended it, but I'm willing to bet that they never had to deal with the consequences. You can be sure that I will be giving them some feedback at the first opportunity. I will be doing it face to face so I can be sure they get the message!

I became all too aware that the WTB tyre is a tight one, I had thought it might just be this particular tyre, but Dabber's post has given me a sinking feeling. However, I had no difficulty removing the 27.5x2.8" WTB tyres from my grandson's bike. It was looking at them and subsequent reading of reviews that caused me to try the 29x2.5 Vigilante.

It was because the tyre was so tight and the concern about what to do on the trail that made me decide to clean it all up and start again with dedicated rim tape. Once the tape arrives, expected Monday, I can only hope that the tyre flies on in the usual easy manner and not be once again a proper trial.

Ref the "what happens on the trail" question. I ride tubeless and as long as I keep the sealant topped up and I don't have a faulty tyre, I have never had a problem that I couldn't deal with on the trail. I carry a Stan's tubeless tyre plug gadget with spare plugs and use a latex sealant that works well with it. I have only ever had to use it once and it worked first time. I also carry a spare tube, mini-pump, tyre levers, tyre patches and also tube patches. I believe that I can pretty much cope with anything, but most of the latter require me to be able to get the tyre off on one side at least!

I have put some new Pedro's tyre levers on my Xmas list!