LakersCentral
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- November 11, 2013
- Messages
- 232
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- City, State
- Southern California
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2014 Explorer Sport
The light aluminum trim wasn't really doin it for me, so I'm wrapping all these pieces in a carbon fiber patterned vinyl. So far I've done the center console. I'm still trying to figure out if the AC vents and door trim can be removed. It's easier to wrap when you have the pieces off, especially if they have any depth or complex shaping (like the door handle trim). The steering wheel is gonna be a nightmare!
This guide was helpful: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-wrap-your-interior-trim-with-3M-carbon-fibe/?ALLSTEPS ... but I don't recommend cutting the corners like it shows. All buttons on the lower section of the console are duplicated on the MFT screen, so I decided to make the lighting less busy. They can also still be pressed through vinyl... so if you know where the buttons are, no harm done
If you want to do something similar, here's what you'll need...
Tools & Supplies:
♠ Vinyl Wrap - search eBay and pick the color/pattern you want. should be less than $10 for 5ft x 1ft. the ones with patterns will be a bit more difficult because stretching the vinyl will disturb the pattern (not a problem for relatively flat surfaces).
♠ Heat Gun - here's a few highly rated ones: http://top3rated.com/three-best-heat-guns - you could get away using a blow dryer, but a good heat gun with adjustable temperature control is a nice investment.
♠ Panel Removers - http://amzn.to/130gTQz - I think I paid $3 from China, and they took 3 decades to arrive.
♠ Spreaders - http://amzn.to/1AfOEsk - wrap these with felt to avoid scratching the vinyl.
♠ Vinyl Adhesive - http://amzn.to/13sDHcH - not necessary, but recommended to hold down edges of vinyl better and improve longevity.
The finished product (sorry about the blurriness)(I wrapped my bike rack while I was at it ):
This guide was helpful: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-wrap-your-interior-trim-with-3M-carbon-fibe/?ALLSTEPS ... but I don't recommend cutting the corners like it shows. All buttons on the lower section of the console are duplicated on the MFT screen, so I decided to make the lighting less busy. They can also still be pressed through vinyl... so if you know where the buttons are, no harm done
If you want to do something similar, here's what you'll need...
Tools & Supplies:
♠ Vinyl Wrap - search eBay and pick the color/pattern you want. should be less than $10 for 5ft x 1ft. the ones with patterns will be a bit more difficult because stretching the vinyl will disturb the pattern (not a problem for relatively flat surfaces).
♠ Heat Gun - here's a few highly rated ones: http://top3rated.com/three-best-heat-guns - you could get away using a blow dryer, but a good heat gun with adjustable temperature control is a nice investment.
♠ Panel Removers - http://amzn.to/130gTQz - I think I paid $3 from China, and they took 3 decades to arrive.
♠ Spreaders - http://amzn.to/1AfOEsk - wrap these with felt to avoid scratching the vinyl.
♠ Vinyl Adhesive - http://amzn.to/13sDHcH - not necessary, but recommended to hold down edges of vinyl better and improve longevity.
The finished product (sorry about the blurriness)(I wrapped my bike rack while I was at it ):