Blacking Out the Runner's Chrome
- Thread starter doodman
- Start date
Stream2Stream
New member
I've been going back and forth on how to black out my handles. I've decided to just replace them with the trail edition matte black handles. Will cost me more, but I think it will look better and (obviously) last longer.
DaPersianRug
New member
Just my $.02, but I'd plasti dip everything instead of spotting with Krylon. Here's here's why I say that:
1. The Plasti Dip DIY is full-proof. If you mess up, there's no mess or fuss and no one will ever be able to tell anything happened. All it takes is 3min of rubbing the plasti-dip and boom you're back to "factory default". You can take off the plasti-dip a year from now as easy as you could an hour after applying it.
This is different than the Krylon alternative, because if you want to do it the "right" way, you're best off sanding the chrome handles to prep for paint. Then, if you mess up the project or if the paint fades for one reason or another, the sanded chrome handles will show through and every jabroni walking buy will know there's a disappointed weekend warrior nearby.
2. The Plasti Dip is durable, which was my biggest concern when I was deciding between the Plasti-dip, Krylon, options. I've powerwashed it from inches away to get all the dead dragonflies off, and it also stood up against the guys at the carwash brushing it with brooms. I can safely say that this stuff hold up to normal wear and tear indefinitely and even make it through some incidental direct abrasions.
Do what you want to do though. I'm not trying to change your mind per say, just trying to walk you through my experience so you're best prepared to make your decisions... After all that's why we're all here.
I really wanted to do this too for the durability side of it. Eventually decided against it since I didn't want to lose the Limited's touch lock funcitonality and that pocketing the difference was worth the Plasti-Dip trial.
EDIT:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...92s-ideas-since-mid-2010-a-27.html#post775510
Last edited:
Stream2Stream
New member
Yea, if I had a Limited I think I would be in the same boat. But, with the SR5 I'm not super worried. I'll post up some pics when I get it done.
I'm also planning on getting the matte black rear garnish off the TE. Hoping it looks as good in person as it does in my head...
cbielat
Senior Member
In the garage right now plasti dipping the chrome handles and skirt on the limited.
I've posted a pic of my first coat below, is it too thick a layer for 1 pass?
Prepped:
1st coat:
I'm thinking it's a bit on the heavy side so I'll make the next ones lighter, but it's always nice to have some reference points.
I did my door handles some time ago and am curious as to how or if you were able to get full coverage behind the handles. My driver side front door is wearing off on the back side. I can feel and see it peeling.
brittneynicole
Member
DaPersianRug
New member
Well I could pretend like i knew what i was doing, but i'll be honest and say I took a gamble that paid off.
The first parts i plasti dipped were the front and rear bumper/badge chrome pieces. One thing i noticed was that the plasti dip became easier to peel as the coat thickness increased. With a heavy layer of dip, 3 or 4 simple rubs back and forth would start a peel. That's why I decided to take a gamble and put a few thin coats on the door handles (just enough to make it look matte).
As for the coverage, I can't say definitively that I have 100% coverage, but i'm pretty darn close- you have to press your head against the glass to see the original finish on the handle. As for the coverage, my spray technique was swiping right to left (and vice versa) across the length of the handle starting with the can pointing straight down, the can spraying normal to the door handle, and ending with me in a squat position spraying the can straight up towards the bottom of the handle. The key to full coverage is thin layers, with the spray nozzle 18-22" away from the handle.
hope this helps
cbielat
Senior Member
I sprayed plenty of coats on all of my chrome trim. I'd say about seven. I just couldn't seem to get in all the way behind the handles.
Bro that is a clean job!!! I just dipped my rear emblems couple hours ago and I didn't get the end result that I was hoping for. Did about 5 coats with 10minute intervals and i don't think I applied enough dip during my coats (even my wife was nagging saying I didnt.) so when I tried to peel off excess, it didn't come off too clean. Got dip stuck in between letters and such. Just wondering your process on how you did yours?? Any feedback would be amazing!
Colo15T4R
New member
Thanks man! I did 4 light coats and 15 min between them and 2 light coats of the Plasti Dip Glossifier which adds a bit of a sheen and UV protection so it doesn't fade and IMO looks better and more of a finished look. I also used and exacto knife and lightly cut closely to the letters and emblems so the dip was easly removed with crisp lines. I did remove the front emblem from the truck cuz that was easy.
kittyhawksurf
New member
Sweet thread. I just finished reading the entire thread and couldn't find an answer to one question I have.
If I remove the "4RUNNER" from my license plate garnish are there holes back there? Or will it come off clean?
I was thinking I may simply remove it and leave it off, but I saw someone's pictures of an older one and it looked like there were holes.
I can hear it now... "Why would you want to take off the 4runner..." Not sure... just wondering if I like it without the letters I may leave it off. But I want to know the option before I go pulling the letters off.
If I remove the "4RUNNER" from my license plate garnish are there holes back there? Or will it come off clean?
I was thinking I may simply remove it and leave it off, but I saw someone's pictures of an older one and it looked like there were holes.
I can hear it now... "Why would you want to take off the 4runner..." Not sure... just wondering if I like it without the letters I may leave it off. But I want to know the option before I go pulling the letters off.
Diver Deuce
New member
Sweet thread. I just finished reading the entire thread and couldn't find an answer to one question I have.
If I remove the "4RUNNER" from my license plate garnish are there holes back there? Or will it come off clean?
I was thinking I may simply remove it and leave it off, but I saw someone's pictures of an older one and it looked like there were holes.
I can hear it now... "Why would you want to take off the 4runner..." Not sure... just wondering if I like it without the letters I may leave it off. But I want to know the option before I go pulling the letters off.
The lettering has adhesive on the back.
kittyhawksurf
New member
were you trying to heat the adhesive up before getting it off? I heated it up to get the letters off. Once they were all off I started to peel the adhesive off. At first I started heating it up again, wrong move. The adhesive peels off much easier from the plastic if it's cool. Here is a before and after:
My question is about the holes. Take a look at this picture and it looks like there are holes under the adhesive.
DOES ANYONE KNOW if there are holes under the adhesive on the 2015?
kittyhawksurf
New member
Dang it. Somehow I've managed to ask the same question in two threads... jeez.
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