DIY Decal Removal on my Tacoma: A Step by Step Guide

Rico's4G · 2025-08-16T19:05:32+00:00

One of the few mistakes some new owners do make, is not kmwoing how to differentiate a 3rd Gen OEM steps from that of a 4th Gen. There isn't much of a difference but the little difference there is, makes the 3rd Gen steps not compatible with a 4th Gen Tacoma. For 3rd Gen steps, the rail mounts horizontally to the ground. The steps for 24+ are angled to the rocker panel and the steps are mounted to the bottom rail with plastic side covers. Shared a photo of both the 3rd Gen side steps and that of a 4th Gen so owners can be able to spot and tell the difference. 3rd Gen 4th Gen

TrdMarkey

Member

Jul 4, 2025

#1

Nerve-wracking to tackle on a truck that hasn't been up to a year , but I went for it. I stripped the decals off the rear fenders. Scraped off the decal surface using my fingernail.

Taped around the decal, applied 3M adhesive remover, and let it soak for 2 minutes, before spraying it again after.

One thing to note, is to avoid spreading the 3M over the paint while wiping it off. I used a plastic razor to scrape off some of the adhesive and paper residue. Then, I sprayed 3M onto a rag to wipe away the leftover adhesive.

Sure, there were some light scratches on the clear coat, but Maguires compound worked them out with a bit of effort.

EDIT: Don’t skip applying a couple of wax coats after cleaning the surface.

Thrilled with how it turned out.

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