Duct Tape for Aero Testing?

[cfg83]

elhigh -

Originally Posted by elhigh

Try using masking tape instead. If you're just taping gaps for testing, masking tape should hold well enough, long enough to get the numbers you need, and ought to peel off with no damage to the finish when you're done.

Yeah, I was kinda leaning in that direction too. Masking tape only seems to go bad when it's been left on for a longgggggggg time.

CarloSW2

[JerkOfAllTrades]

Calm down, everybody.

The solution is to use blue painters tape. It is specifically made to not harm painted surfaces.

If you must use duct tape, wax first to help in the release and make sure you use a high quality tape. I used to use tons of duct tape to seal environmental chambers at work and found the best was the "357" tape I would get at Orchard Supply Hardware.

[blueprintbill]

After 30 years of masking tape usage on a wide range of boating applications, I and many other sailors, have found that UV degradation is the real culprit. We use the blue or bright green ( 3x more expensive ) by 3M - only. It's designed to lift, leaving little or no residue even after 10 days / 2 weeks. Be careful after more time than that ! Duct tape is very sticky and designed for wrapping metal ductwork - permanently. Inexpensive, tan paper tape masking tape will degrade overnight if it gets any moisture and with sunlight light after a day or two and it will be a bear to get off wax or not.

[Joenavy85]

after a while (a long while) the UV rays degrade it so much you can literally wipe the "adhesive" off of the body panel

[Otto]

Use painter's tape, as some stickier duct tape adhesives may pull off some weak paints or clearcoats.

[expensivehobby22]

We use a really nice black gaffer's tape made by Permacel in the windtunnel in addition to a 3M Aluminum tape. I've never seen it hurt a car's paintjob per se, though most of the vehicles have been relatively new. Those two styles of tape are pretty standard for all the windtunnels I've been in.

Waxing the car first is going to have some adverse effects on tape adhesion, at least in my experience.

A good trick for removing blue painter's tape is to get it wet. Also, another good removal tool for glue residue that almost everyone has is WD-40.

[JMPVW73]

A few years ago at Halloween time I had the bright idea to make a jack-o-lantern with my orange Beetle. I cut the shapes out of black poster board and applied them to the doors with plain old masking tape bordering all edges. It looked great! Many people thought it was painted that way.
It was like that for 3-4 days. When I removed them I pulled off specks of paint. Not enough to see immediately but once pointed out you can quickly connect the dots.
This was cheap paint that was also lifeless and 15-20 years old. As long as you don’t have a 90's Chrysler product, factory paint in good condition will be ok. If you have pealing clear coat or a poorly prepped re-spray I would use with caution.

[Vekke]

My experieces are that duct tape works fine unless you let it get wet. Then it will be nigthmare to take it off. Otherwise good for that job. I attached my kammback with duct tape and it hold yp nicely for 3 weeks. on the last week there was lots of rain and it came off. Duct tapes didint and I have still some residues of those tapes in my cars rear end.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by cfg83

Hello -

Here's a silly question. Can Duct Tape hurt your paint job? Assuming it doesn't hurt your paint job, how easy is it to remove the sticky stuff that it leaves behind? I am asking because I am thinking about using Duct Tape to test changes to the car's nose.

CarloSW2

I've experienced duct tape pulling a newly painted surface to pieces but not a factory,fully reacted finish.
DuPont PrepSol or any de-waxing agent or paint thinner,with enough elbow-grease, will remove adhesive residues.
At Bonneville many racers use it.Out there they call it 200 mph racer's tape!