Helitape on Carbon frame - easy to remove or possible damage to paint / carbon?

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Helitape on Carbon frame - easy to remove or possible damage to paint / carbon?

9 posts & 8 voices | Started 1 year ago by superdale | Latest reply from bikebouy

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superdale - Member

Some concern with the idea of helitaping my carbon frame (Titus) and it damaging the paint / peeling it away from the carbon / resin weave when it came to renew it? Never had a carbon frame before not sure this is of major concern? Have bought some Paragon tape and was going to test its strength first. Does anyone have any experience of this?

Posted 1 year ago #
njee20 - Member

How strong do you think it is!? It'll be fine.

Posted 1 year ago #
neilnevill - Member

I had some protective tape on some pace fork lowers....when it started t opeel at the edges I removed it to redo it....taking the lacquer and the 'Fighter' decal with it and it wasn't that strong a tape....it was a pace fork though...I'd hope the titus would be better.

Posted 1 year ago #
andyl - Member

if worried use a hair drier when removing as well as applying.

apply with a hair drier to allow the tape to stretch easier so you can avoid wrinkles.

warm to remove to soften the adhesive and make the paint it is applied too less brittle (and less likely to flake)

Posted 1 year ago #
frogger - Member

Don't know about the paint on the carbon frame but there is no way it will delaminate the carbon unless the carbon was very poorly made which I doubt very much on something like a mtb frame. I've used 3M heli tape on clear carbon a ton of time and never had a problem.

Posted 1 year ago #
sparkyspice - Member

I've been taping Trek carbon frames for the last 5 years and I've had no issues with the laquer on the frame coming off or de-laminating. I guess any risk would come from whatever glue is used on the type of heli-tape you're using. Lizard skins and standard issue RAF heli tape seems OK!

Posted 1 year ago #
superdale - Member

Thanks I just had to remove the old clear patches off my old frame and these took some budging - am just worried clear tape would be stronger than the decal glue under the laquer and pull off the sticker laquer and all. Will give the hairdryer a go to see if that makes the glue tacky first.

Posted 1 year ago #
rickmeister - Member

Some of that brake cleaner stuff makes short work of glue remains too.

Posted 1 year ago #
bikebouy - Member

Yup another vote for a hair dryer pre/post sticker adhesion. Then brake cleaner too to get the glue off.
Some frames have little laquer on them, some none at all. I'd say you'd need a pretty harsh heat to melt the binder in the carbon weave and once done then you'd be hard pressed to get rid of the burn/bubbles thereby making the weave structurally soft and brittle.
You'll be fine..
If the laquer does come off then rub the remaining part of the frame down with wire wool and make it matt, or re-laquer it with some Yo 2pac..
I have a nekkit carbon bike and have used white tape on the inner forks/stays to great effect. I used the hair dryer to soften the decal and it's been fine for 8mths now.

Posted 1 year ago #