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dbaur · 07-25-2009, 06:30 PM

Can anyone suggest a solution to removing pine resin from the top of our Airstream? We have tried a number of solvents with no success.

Thanks, Dave

purman · 07-25-2009, 06:35 PM

Have you tried that bug off stuff you get at auto part stores.. It took the pitch off one of our cars...

Mr. Decent · 07-25-2009, 06:45 PM

Simple Isopropyl Alcohol works very nicely! I have used it on my 1960 to great effect for the removal of pines resin as well as have read that many use it on painted vehicle surfaces.

FLYNCLD · 07-25-2009, 07:15 PM

Also Acetone or Mineral Spirits should do the trick?

TravisA · 07-25-2009, 07:59 PM

You can go to your nearest Honda motorcycle dealer and buy a can of spray cleaner called Pro Honda. The stuff works amazingly well on removing tar so it might work on pine sap. For all the Harley riders you can also buy the same stuff, different name, at your local Harley dealer, but it costs twice as much.

Gene · 07-25-2009, 08:13 PM

Any ofd those things may work and I've used most of them, but that stuff can be real stubborn, and I use a tool I always have with me to help. It's called a fingernail.

WD-40 will take off duct tape glue and someday I'll have to try it on sap.

Gene

Isadora · 07-25-2009, 08:37 PM

We parked under a pine tree once....grrrr. Sap all over the truck and the trailer. Took the pine sap off with mineral spirits, it worked like a charm.

Speaking of duct tape.......someone mounted a picture to a friend's restaurant wall with duct tape. Would not come off without damaging the wall. A quick-thinking chef grabbed his little torch that he uses to carmelize desserts and heated up the tape. Came right off without a mark.

Mexray · 07-25-2009, 11:25 PM

Yes, WD-40 works great on pine sap - just used it yesterday...I sprayed a bit of the 'juice' onto a paper towel and it rubbed right off!

AIR-Quarius · 07-26-2009, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Decent

Simple Isopropyl Alcohol works very nicely! I have used it on my 1960 to great effect for the removal of pines resin as well as have read that many use it on painted vehicle surfaces.

Make sure it is a high percent type of alcohol. I use it to remove glue and it will work just remember to get a high percent usually found at walgreens.

AIR-Quarius · 07-26-2009, 05:50 AM

Did you know that 'many parts of a pine tree ARE edible!

AIR-Quarius · 07-26-2009, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

Any ofd those things may work and I've used most of them, but that stuff can be real stubborn, and I use a tool I always have with me to help. It's called a fingernail.

WD-40 will take off duct tape glue and someday I'll have to try it on sap.

Gene

Yeah but fingernails can leave those little 'swirl marks'!

**Kevin245** · 07-26-2009, 08:04 AM

We use to use rubbing alcohol on our old classic cars. It dissolved the hard stuff very well.

Kevin

FLYNCLD · 07-26-2009, 08:26 AM

Yes, alcohol does work pretty well. I just grab a beer and tell my wife "there's some pine sap on the AS"! Problem solved!

**Kevin245** · 07-26-2009, 08:49 AM

Whew....Was worried there...for a minute I thought you were using the beer to remove the sap. Around here we'd consider that alcohol abuse.

Mexray · 07-26-2009, 09:13 AM

If alcohol does indeed work, I guess I could allocate a few drops of my 151 Ron Rico from the liquor cabinet, in a pinch - just don't use it around any open flame...

Wingeezer · 07-26-2009, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FLYNCLD

Also Acetone or Mineral Spirits should do the trick?

I don't know this for a fact, but I would have thought that acetone would be a pretty "hot" solvent somewhat akin to lacquer thinner and might have the ability to remove clear coat if applied. No? Mineral spirits I would think should be safer.

Brian.

FLYNCLD · 07-26-2009, 12:23 PM

No clear coat on our AS, so don't know the answer....you could be right. Mineral Spirits works quite well, although not as fast.

I think 151 might actually remove the aluminum!!

As for the beer, it should be applied liberally!

Becky B. · 07-26-2009, 12:34 PM

I store my trailer under a pine tree (for lack of a better spot). I've found that simple HOT water on a rag melts it right off. Haven't had to go to other extremes yet.

Gene · 07-26-2009, 12:40 PM

In the intense sun of the high altitude desert of the Southwest, pine sap gets very, very hard and is difficult to remove after it bakes for a while. I know I should remove it quickly, as soon as I get around to getting out the 8' ladder, finding something to remove it with, etc., etc. I have ordered a phaser as that will be more effective and I won't need a ladder-just set it to high stun.

Gene