Repainting radio bezle, center console and door pulls

[koda2000]

Has anyone repainted the silver interior parts, and if so with what? Mine show signs of wear and I'd like to freshen them up.

 

[01STrunner]

Sure have! Krylon fusion spray paint. Lots of thin coats and it will hold up to anything. Mine's a trail rig and gets dirt and mud all over all the time and hold up well to cleaners. No prep other than cleaning the parts before painting. They still look like this over 2 years later.

 

[koda2000]

That looks really good. I wonder if it comes in silver.

 

[just1me]

Krylon Fusion makes a Metallic Shimmer and a Hammered Silver.

 

[BeefMan]

I've been modifying my bezel to put in a tablet for the head unit, and have a can of the Krylon Fusion "Decarotor's Touch Textured Shimmer" in dark silver. The metallic/shiny look of it is actually pretty much the same as the look of the stock pieces, it's just a little bit of a darker color. Was kind of thinking of doing all of mine in it.

 

[koda2000]

Either Krylon Fusion has be replaced by Krylon MAXX (which says it's good for metal, wood and plastic) or Walmart doesn't carry it. I picked up a can of the MAXX silver and will try it. I think it will be okay. I'm pretty good with a spray can. I'll take some before/after pics for my "New Toy" thread.

 

[429CJ-3X2]

My local Walmart had both not long ago. I think they were at opposite ends of the Krylon section. I didn't buy either, was just looking.

 

[koda2000]

OK is there some trick to getting the top of the console off? On my other Explorer's/Mountaineers it just pulls off starting at the front of the console. I've pulled up on my ST's and nothing's letting go. I've even tried prying on it with a trim tool and still nothing. I don't want to break anything and I see no screws, so I figure it must use the same clips as the regular Explorers. Has anyone taken one of these off?

 

[429CJ-3X2]

I have a spare from a Sport - same part as an ST - looks like you need to squeeze it just ahead of the small cupholder, and there are 2 tabs with metal clips between the cupholders. 2 tabs w/clips in the front at the top, too. I didn't take this one out, it was laying in the back of the Sport at the salvage yard. I can post a pic if you like.

2 plastic tabs at the rear too.

 

[koda2000]

I have a spare from a Sport - same part as an ST - looks like you need to squeeze it just ahead of the small cupholder, and there are 2 tabs with metal clips between the cupholders. 2 tabs w/clips in the front at the top, too. I didn't take this one out, it was laying in the back of the Sport at the salvage yard. I can post a pic if you like.

2 plastic tabs at the rear too.

Yeah, a picture couldn't hurt. On my other Explorers you just grip the console top near the dash an give it a tug and the clips pop out. I can't seem to make this happen on the ST. Maybe my clips are rusty???

 

[429CJ-3X2]

OK, I just checked my spare Explorer console, and it looks the same

 

[01STrunner]

Console should just pop off with 4 or 6 clips. Radio bezel does have screws

 

[koda2000]

I finally got it off. I was sure I was going to break something. My finger tips are really sore, but it finally started to come up at the rear and then I was able to lever it off.

So, then I cleaned it with Purple Power and a SotchBright sponge, rinsed and dried it, warmed it up with a hair drier and gave it about 5-6 light coats of silver paint. Of course after coat 3 I had 3 bugs decide to commit suicide in the wet paint, but I got them off and the next couple of coats covered the damage. It turned out really well, It will look even better with the black rubber cup holder, ashtray and mat reinstalled. Pics below.

After cleaning. Dull scratched and ugly.
http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/kodabear2000/media/115_0077_zpsmbxd5zop.jpg.html?sort=3&o=7

http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/kodabear2000/media/115_0076_zpszfjmgbic.jpg.html?sort=3&o=8

After a couple of coats of paint.
http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/kodabear2000/media/115_0079_zpsg3bvuokn.jpg.html?sort=3&o=6

http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/kodabear2000/media/115_0080_zpsobuq07il.jpg.html?sort=3&o=5

After the final coat. It has a nice texture to it too. Tomorrow the radio bezel.
http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/kodabear2000/media/115_0081_zpsdvqcgsvd.jpg.html?sort=3&o=4

 

[mcclureautomotiv]

I used duplicolor hyper silver wheel paint for mine. It matches my wheels and holds up well!

 

[koda2000]

I used duplicolor hyper silver wheel paint for mine. It matches my wheels and holds up well!

looks good. Did you remove the door pulls to paint them?

 

[mcclureautomotiv]

looks good. Did you remove the door pulls to paint them?

Yes, I took them off and scuffed them up with scotch brite, then sprayed them with Bulldog adhesion promoter, then primer, then base and clear. They looked horrible when I got them from the junkyard!

 

[koda2000]

Yes, I took them off and scuffed them up with scotch brite, then sprayed them with Bulldog adhesion promoter, then primer, then base and clear. They looked horrible when I got them from the junkyard!

Yeah, mine have almost no paint at all on them anymore. I wish I'd painted them while I had all 4 door interior panels off, but it wasn't a priority then. Oh well, not that hard to take them off again.