Grey Cladding Coming Off

[Johnny4runner]

I have an early 2003 with the grey cladding. And gaps between the cladding and the body are starting to grow. I'm not sure if the fasteners are coming loose, or if the plastic is warping. At the worst spot (over a back wheel) I can peak behind the cladding and see that a fastner is no longer holding the cladding to the body. The seal is also loose.

Any recomendation on how to repair? I would like to fix it without taking the cladding all the off, but it looks like I might have to. Any chance I could get by with just some double sided tape?

Also the cladding is fading quite a bit. An recomendations on how to refurbish it?

Thanks, JB

 

[Toy4R4Me]

Mother's makes a product called "Back to Black" that will help freshen it up, but it is a temporary fix. I believe to fix it permanently you will have to repaint them black or some people go the Rhinolined route.

 

[rook]

I have an early 2003 with the grey cladding. And gaps between the cladding and the body are starting to grow. I'm not sure if the fasteners are coming loose, or if the plastic is warping. At the worst spot (over a back wheel) I can peak behind the cladding and see that a fastner is no longer holding the cladding to the body. The seal is also loose.

Any recomendation on how to repair? I would like to fix it without taking the cladding all the off, but it looks like I might have to. Any chance I could get by with just some double sided tape?

Also the cladding is fading quite a bit. An recomendations on how to refurbish it?

Thanks, JB

There are several different fasteners used to keep the cladding on.

There are 2 different types of clips, rivets, a nut and bolt and 2 sided tape. Removal is not complicated, but you will want to replace all the clips as some will break and redo the double sided tape.

The FSM shows how to remove and replace the cladding. it is too large to attach. IF you want to download it (very large file), head over to 120 or I can send you the just .pdf for the cladding.

 

[Johnny4runner]

I downloaded the FMS, thanks. What's frustrating is that I have about 4 pieces of cladding that are loose at one corner, but not all the way around. So I might buy a bunch of clips and some of the tape (from here ) and try to fix just the clips that are broaken. I can peak behind the cladding and I can see a broken clip in the loose areas. Anyway I'll post how that goes.

Thanks for the tip on "Back to Black" also. I'll give that a try.

- JB

 

[borgzman]

- Buy new Clips
- Remove the (door) cladding
- let it lie in the floor w/ the outer facing the floor. Use a towel as mat.
- You would probably see a 1/2 inch gap between the floor and the clading. So press it down with your foot while pouring hot water straight from the keetle(boiling)
- Put it back on using new clips ....gap no more!

Edit:
Where exactly is the gap? do you have pics? The unpainted plastics are bumper covers, fenders and door claddings. Since you mention about "4 pieces of cladding", I assume they are the door claddings?..Its better to take them off and have the specific clips/fasteners because you are going to replace them all. Mark where the gaps, if the corners are deformed what I mean above is you need heat. Push it back against the wall or floor..bend it back to shape while someone pours hot water or use hair dryer. Try it back on until you won't see a gap, then put clips/fasteners.

 

[Asmara]

I just took the cladding off the front of my '04 to have it repainted.

As far as double sided tape goes, I was told by the body shop when I got my roll (for my spoiler install) that once you put the tape on it stays forever so it might work if you can get both surfaces clean. The tape I got for the spoiler was 3m Automotive Acrylic Plus Attachment Tape 06382.

If you can see a broken blue or orange clip and can reach it with needle nose plyers, rotate it 90 degrees and it should just come out of the mounting hole (Both fender and cladding). Then you can get a new one in there.

Removing the cladding was a pain. The plastic clips are old and brittle. You have to remove sections of the fender liner so you can get your hands behind the fender to release the clips. Some of the clips that hold the fender liner on are under the cladding so you can't release those (clearly this was designed for quick install not disassembly).

I have some pictures of the front fender cladding off is you want to see them, let me know and I'll post them.

 

[Johnny4runner]

UPDATE

I got my clips and I have fixed a couple of the loose panels, replacing 1 or 2 clips each, but not removing the whole panel. Getting the old clips out is a PITA! Most of the clips shear off when it try to remove them and I have to use a screwdriver to pry them out. Once out, replacing the clips is fast and easy.

Any suggestions on removing the clips? Removing the fender liner would help with some (but not with the cladding on the door).

Or is there a special tool I should be using?

 

[rook]

UPDATE

I got my clips and I have fixed a couple of the loose panels, replacing 1 or 2 clips each, but not removing the whole panel. Getting the old clips out is a PITA! Most of the clips shear off when it try to remove them and I have to use a screwdriver to pry them out. Once out, replacing the clips is fast and easy.

Any suggestions on removing the clips? Removing the fender liner would help with some (but not with the cladding on the door).

Or is there a special tool I should be using?

rotate the clip 90 degrees with a pair of pliers and they pull out easier.

 

[Johnny4runner]

DONE . . .

In hindsight, for small repairs (just tightening up small gaps) the 3M tape is why to go. It's super strong and does the job. For most of my gaps I just heated up the cladding, squeezed some tape in and pressed it together for a few minutes and it would fix the gap. I replaced the clips and tape on one whole panel, and it worked well, but it was a lot of work just to fix a gap at one end of the cladding.

Turning the old clips to remove them worked only about half the time. The clips were so old they would just break rather than turn. I found that I could pop the clip out by inserting a small screwd driver behind the clip from the top (which releases one of the barbs that holds it in).

Hopefully I won't see any gaps for a while.