Removing Plastic on 99 Step Bars

Anybody have an easy way to remove the plastic that is on the top part of the step bar?

I want to get rid of the rust on the step bar and paint it. But first I want to remove the plastic. Preferably in one piece so I can reuse it.

Any suggestions?
I don't want to start prying at it before I know how it's done.

 

[MONMIX]

being able to reuse it would be the big task.
Getting it off cake, but it surviving is another story.

They are held on with pop tabs. Tabs that are tapered, and at one point larger then the hole they go into, once you get past that larger point it flattens so to hold in place.

Slither in with a flat screwdriver with a wide head. Push in on side of the tab and lift gently that should walk one end of the tab out, now hit that same tab from the other side, wile holding up the previous side.
It is a pain but possible.

best of luck.

 

[99SportX]

I got mine off sucessfully, but it was a pain. I might just buy new ones like monmix said, but first I need to have a friend sandblast them and then I am going to paint them body color.

 

[bluesmoke]

OK. So brute force it is.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Dan95-5.0]

any success doing this?

my step bars are rusting pretty bad on the surface in only a few months. they looked fine before i installed them.