Repainting the exterior trim on '03 XLT

[wheelin'explorer]

Hey Guys,

I did some searching and found the thread showing the best way to paint the plastics, but I was wondering if anyone has removed the trim that would be on an '03 XLT. I plan to remove all my plastics to paint them, just to make them all easier to move around and blah blah blah.... I just have not been able to find someone who has removed those panels, could someone let me know? or point me to the right place?

 

[therover1991]

Hey Guys,

I did some searching and found the thread showing the best way to paint the plastics, but I was wondering if anyone has removed the trim that would be on an '03 XLT. I plan to remove all my plastics to paint them, just to make them all easier to move around and blah blah blah.... I just have not been able to find someone who has removed those panels, could someone let me know? or point me to the right place?

i believe they are held in by clips underneath each individual trim piece.

 

[Triton8273]

i believe they are held in by clips underneath each individual trim piece.

He's right...you just pull it off, and its just as easy to put back on.

 

[therover1991]

also if you break them, you can get like a 15 pack at your local auto parts store for a few dollars.

 

[Triton8273]

also if you break them, you can get like a 15 pack at your local auto parts store for a few dollars.

Speaking from experience?

 

[therover1991]

Speaking from experience?

yes and no, when my mechanic replaced my rear diff and rear struts he forgot to put one or two clips back in so I had to buy new ones to make it fit flush with the other trim pieces. I have however broken other clips that could not be replaced, like on the scuff plates.

 

[wheelin'explorer]

Awsome guys! I'm glad to hear that it is easy! I made the decision yesterday to get all the plastics repainted. I'm tossing around the idea of doing the Herculiner like I've seen done on here, or just Krylon. Both ideas black. What you guys think?

 

[therover1991]

Awsome guys! I'm glad to hear that it is easy! I made the decision yesterday to get all the plastics repainted. I'm tossing around the idea of doing the Herculiner like I've seen done on here, or just Krylon. Both ideas black. What you guys think?

personally I dont like herculiner on trim pieces, but its up to you.

Id say krylon, would you go gloss black?

On another note I wonder how plasti dip would work. If you dont like it then you could always peel it off. My friend has it on his acura wheels and its held up pretty well since january.

 

[wheelin'explorer]

personally I dont like herculiner on trim pieces, but its up to you.

Id say krylon, would you go gloss black?

On another note I wonder how plasti dip would work. If you dont like it then you could always peel it off. My friend has it on his acura wheels and its held up pretty well since january.

I think I'll do a matt black when I do it, or a semi gloss. I'm a big fan of the matt look. I like the contrast between my black paint and what they are now, but they are discolored and just weathered. Krylon will probably be the way to go, we all know how well it works and how cheap it is!

 

[therover1991]

I think I'll do a matt black when I do it, or a semi gloss. I'm a big fan of the matt look. I like the contrast between my black paint and what they are now, but they are discolored and just weathered. Krylon will probably be the way to go, we all know how well it works and how cheap it is!

sounds good, hope to see some pics when its all done!

 

[wheelin'explorer]

sounds good, hope to see some pics when its all done!

I will for sure get pictures of it when it's done! I'm going to start on some of the small parts that I want to get painted. When it's all done pictures will be here! If I ever figure out how photobucket works haha! Want to get input on my X!

 

[Triton8273]

I will for sure get pictures of it when it's done! I'm going to start on some of the small parts that I want to get painted. When it's all done pictures will be here! If I ever figure out how photobucket works haha! Want to get input on my X!

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2371394&postcount=2

 

[wheelin'explorer]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2371394&postcount=2

Triton sir, you are a pro.

 

[03explorerxlt4x4]

I just recently popped all mine off and they are just clips,I used the rustoleum bed liner to paint them which is a much finer than herculiner and the rest of those. I think it looks great. I don't have any pix of it on the truck because I'm repainting the truck before I pop the trim back on but I can post some tomorrow of just the trim and running boards.

 

[wheelin'explorer]

I just recently popped all mine off and they are just clips,I used the rustoleum bed liner to paint them which is a much finer than herculiner and the rest of those. I think it looks great. I don't have any pix of it on the truck because I'm repainting the truck before I pop the trim back on but I can post some tomorrow of just the trim and running boards.

Please do, I would love to see that. I started with some of the small pieces this afternoon like the part are the fog light and the the factory lower grill, just used krylon. I really like how they turned out. And made me feel much better about taking on the project of painting it all. I know i could leave all the plastic on and paint it, but I've got to take my grill guard off any how to do the front, so why not take it all off and give the hidden paint some tlc.

 

[wheelin'explorer]

Started with the lower factory grill and the plastic pieces around factory fogs. Just those pieces painted make it look so much better.

 

[Mario81587]

I used a heat gun on my dad's Dodge Dakota to get the trim back to black. It was amazing how it made the trim look and feel brand new within seconds. Didn't have to remove or paint any parts. Took about 20 minutes to do all of the trim.

 

[dking]

Heat gun? Never knew you could do that. Can you give some details how you did this.

 

[Mario81587]

Put the heat gun on high and go over the plastic surface moving it slowly and evenly across the surface, almost as if it were a paint gun and you were applying even coats of paint. I held it about 3 inches away from the plastic as I was doing this. I forgot to add, wash the plastic pieces before doing this. Here is a YouTube video showing it in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-M0NNtrm-k

 

[wheelin'explorer]

Got all the trim repainted on my Ex today. It was a long process. But the end result was well worth the afternoon. I'll get pictures up when I get some in good light.