Restoring trim?

[hyu]

Not many people know but Neon SRT4's are notorious for their trim turning grayish black.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97gOb2Qtsl0&feature=player_embedded]YouTube - Repairing window molding on SRT4[/video]

Not sure if it can be applied with other cars and trims. Has anyone tried this?

[IOMCAMARO]

Nope, but all he used was a heat gun to activate the chemicals in the rubber, and the wax melted away.

[ROMEO]

I would be concern by doing this, I think it would end up messing up the paint or something, those heat gun get really, really hot...

[SeaJay's]

I've never personally tried this, but as long as the heat gun is constantly moving, I wouldn't think it would hurt the paint. A car sitting in direct sunlight in the middle of summer probably get just as hot. Obviously if the heat gun sat in one spot for longer than a few sections I can see how it might effect the paint. Of course you can probably only do this a few times before the trim actually shrinks enough for you to notice.

[photoadjuster]

It has now been 121 days since I tested the heat gun method on the plastic wheel flares on my Dodge Sprinter Van.

Although it looked great when finished, it did not last. It darkened the trim, and the trim is still somewhat darker, but now it is several different colors. I kept Ultimate Protectant on it the whole time.

If I can find the photos, I will post them.

Regards,
Stephenson

[hyu]

Can't wait for the pictures. Different colors meaning spots of light trim?

[OCDetails]

How about just cleaning the crud out of the trim? There are a number of products which will do that including several home remedies like the peanut butter solution. Even though keeping them protected won't necessarily always prevent damage from happening if the material is faulty, it always is a good idea. The biggest mistake new car owners make is in assuming that the car is new and doesn't need protection. The fact is that a new car is in the greatest need of protection since most likely all of the materials are barren of anything which will save them from damage.

While heating it up is a good trick, it isn't really solving the problem of the fillers in the rubber. A product like Poorboy's Trim Restorer (http://www.autogeek.net/pbtr16.html) would be a good one to try. I've always had really good luck in repairing trim with it.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/CorollaDetail/railbeforeandafter.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/CorollaDetail/trimbeforeandafter.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/CorollaDetail/trimbefore1.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/CorollaDetail/trimafter1.jpg

[Lasthope05]

Can't wait for the pictures. Different colors meaning spots of light trim?

The heat gun makes the chemicals in the trim to move out to the surface and at the same time it burnishes(semi-melting, one of the reasons why it gets its color back) the plastic. However, once those chemicals on the surface begin to degrade the trim will now retain a splotchy look. This is due to uneven heating/burnishing of the trim. While this might not be so apparent on small pieces like window trims, it is extremely noticeable on larger pieces like bumpers and such.

[hyu]

So I guess a remedy is just heating it with heatgun that clears most of that caked on debris (even though most its just the trim fading) and follow up with Poorboys trim restorer?

How long does the poorboys last?

[OCDetails]

It's not about 'lasting' with that product. It helps clean the crud which causes the fading out. As long as you keep it protected (any rubber/trim protectant will do the trick, but some are better than others) then you shouldn't have to worry about it coming back. ...unless you hit the area with polish again, of course. ;) Unless the car is fifteen or twenty years old and the trim is just drying out from years of neglect, you shouldn't have to worry about it coming back if you keep it protected and clean. The Trim Restorer isn't what I use for protection. I use it to clean the trim and then I use Aerospace 303 for protectant.

[Lasthope05]

No, more of a remedy is a thorough scrubbing and cleaning. Then once all residue is removed, redye the trim with something like forever black or Kiwi black leather dye, then top with a trim dressing if you want. I've been doing this verses topically applied solutions, like PB trim restorer, and it lasts for months vs weeks.

[photoadjuster]

I am still looking for the photos. But I did want to mention that on the wheel flair on the other side I used 303 aerospace. Even though I like the 303, it was a complete failure in this application. It lasted less than 2 weeks. I replaced it very two weeks and now it looks like it did prior to the heat gun. I can't do a picture of this because I am now testing a urethane finish on that side.

Regards,
Stephenson

[photoadjuster]

Here are the photos . . .

Before the Heat
In Process
After the Heat
121 days later

Regards,
Stephenson

[WEST SIDE]

No, more of a remedy is a thorough scrubbing and cleaning. Then once all residue is removed, redye the trim with something like forever black or Kiwi black leather dye, then top with a trim dressing if you want. I've been doing this verses topically applied solutions, like PB trim restorer, and it lasts for months vs weeks.

I asked this once before but wouldn't griots weatherproof tire dressing be good to dye the trim?

[Lasthope05]

No personal experience with the griots dressing, but it is a dressing with a dye in it so it would lead me to believe it would work better and last longer than a regular dressing. I am unsure of its durability though. Do some testing with it and see what you come up with.