so i know someone is going to find it. weather it be on this site or another and i am going to look like a fool because i could not find it but i dont care. i need either a write up or even just some pics to show me how to remove the body cladding and flares on my 2000 limited 4runner. i plan to paint them black and dont want to do it while on the body so if anyone has taken them off and knows what i will need and should expect i would be very happy. plus i plan to paint them with plasti dip at first, to see how it looks but i am pretty sure i will like it so im wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to what paint i should use to get a nice matte black look. maybe even a textured look. ive seen the herculiner (probably spelled incorrectly) look and its alittle to much for me but i wouldnt mind using a different bed liner. ive heard a few spray cans that can get a good look but im horrible at painting and im afraid it will look cheap. ive done my emblems and grill in plasti and they look decent. i also just did my entire back bumper in plasti and it came out really well but i know it wont last. one more thing, i know im rambling on but my day is winding down and im a bit out of it, anyways i would also like to know how to remove and disassemble the side mirrors as those are also on my to paint list. thanks guys.

Okay I have done this, and trust me taking it off is not worth it if your just gunna paint them. You will brake the clips that hold them on, and the only place you can get the clips is from a dealer. Trust me you want to stay far away from them. 65$ for clips on each side. Your best bet is to tape everything off then go to town. And every paint I have used on them has peeled off. My next option is a Bedliner. Like herculiner. But for you I'd say skip aLl the crap and If your gunna do it find a easy bedliner that is to your liking like the rustoleum kind and call it quits. As far as the mirrors go though I am of no help

so i should just go with one the those roll on kits? if i wasnt going to plasti dip them then i wanted to sand them before painting. is this necessary for bedliner too?

1) Don't do this if you don't know what you are doing. I wouldn't do it but some might call me a p#ssy for holding back.

2) you can paint them with spray plasti-dip or whatever by using tarps and tape to block of everything else. YOu can easily tape around the fenders, using a knife or screwdriver to carefully tape in the cracks ect.


The only reason I see to go through the trouble of removing the fenders on a LIMITED is if you are going to have them professionally painted. If you are going to just spray it yourself, do it on the truck.

The LIMITED flares are a PAIN IN THE @SS to remove and replace "perfectly" ... you will break many clips and restoring them to look exactly right will be a lot of work and some money spent on parts. I assume they are on correctly now and you want them to go back on looking factory.

Lastly I think plasti-dip is pretty stupid for flares, bumpers, sliders, ect. Use actual paint

yeah i only wanted to start with the plasti dip to make sure i really wanted to go through with it. and ive tried painting while parts are on truck (rear bumper) and no matter how light i did the coat it begin to bead down the side and i couldnt figure out a better technique.

A roll on kit is going to look alot more rugged and if that's not what you would want I'd just get a spray on kind. And I know you need to sand for the roll on kit but I'm not sure about the spray on kinD.
And I agree with Brian.

But you can always do the plasti dip first. That's what I did. You might even like a hammered look

i do like the plasti dip look but im looking for something more durable. and thats what i did for my back bumper and it started dripping down the bumper forcing me to take it off to paint it. any suggestions?

I would guess get the thinest possible coat. And just do several coats like this. Lol I'm not much of a painter either

Painting is art man! That is why I asked my roommate to do the painting on my bumper. I did everything but the spray. He has been unofficially spray painting NY & SD for years so I figured he could handle doing a bumper.

damn. looks like im gonna have to wing it. ill put it off for another week or two and do the front bumper this weekend. maybe someone will notice this post who lives near me and offer to come help for a few

You're putting the paint on to thick. The very first pass of paint on the surface of the item you're painting should simply be a fog at best. It's referred to as a tack coat. This gives something for the heavier coats to adhere to. As a reference it should basically look like you've accidentally gotten overspray on the item being painted. After this coat however you can begin to build each coat thereafter heavier and heavier. If you try putting heavy coats on all at once the weight of the paint itself will cause it to run. Do several coats always building on the previous coat. ALWAYS REMEMBER its not the paint on your vehicle that makes it shiny, its the clear coat on top of the paint. Now trying to spray heavy coats of clear on an entire vehicle, thats a whole 'nother story.

Also, as everyone else has pointed out, just tape them off and paint them. Find out who supplies some of the local auto body shops with their products and check them out. I'd even suggest going in and talking to someone at the counter. Most of them at least have experience in the auto body world and can probably give you alot more advice then what i'm willing to type out. Good luck. If you mess up, paint thinner fixes all (just don't get it on anything you don't want to destroy

I believe that's where I went wrong. I was putting the first coat on and making the coat completely cover the piece. So ill try the new method. Thanks!