| Prevent most minor dings, paint-chips and body | | | | straight. You may want to measure up from the |
| blemishes that can happen when someone parks | | | | ground at each end to get a parallel line. Stick the |
| next to you, opens their door and whacks your | | | | masking tape at one end, and hold it a few inches |
| vehicle. Many vehicles had factory-installed decorative | | | | away from the car while pulling tape off the roll to |
| protective side moldings strategically placed at | | | | the other end, eyeball your line, then stick it down |
| "door-ding height" to help prevent this problem. But in | | | | lightly. Step back and look to see the lines are right, |
| the last few years, these moldings have been left | | | | change if necessary. It is easy to change the tape at |
| off to save a few dollars in this very competitive | | | | this point. Once the body molding is installed and the |
| market. | | | | glue sets for a few days, it does not come off! |
| If your vehicle lacks protective molding, you should | | | | Once the straight line of masking tape is in place to |
| consider installing it yourself. Installing auto body | | | | provide a guide, use pieces of masking tape to |
| molding is a fairly simple undertaking for DIY, | | | | temporarily "dry-fit" the entire length of body molding |
| provided that you take the time to apply it carefully | | | | in place on the vehicle. |
| and give it your full attention. | | | | Determine where you'll need to cut the body molding |
| Materials: Body Side Molding kit, Sharp Cutting tool, | | | | for the doors and seams for a precise and accurate |
| Rubbing alcohol, Clean white rag, Masking tape, | | | | installation. Use pieces of tape or a grease pencil to |
| Grease pencil (marks will easily rub off). A warm | | | | mark the exact locations on the molding where you'll |
| garage or a sunny day makes the whole job a lot | | | | make the cuts. At the door openings, and where the |
| easier. | | | | molding ends at the edge of wheel-wells, you may |
| Quality moldings with 3M peel-and-stick tape are best | | | | need to cut angles to match the vehicle lines. Allow 1 |
| installed at temperatures warmer than 65 degrees. | | | | 8" minimum gap for door clearance. At the hinge side |
| Plastic moldings are more flexible, easier to manipulate | | | | of the door you may need to bevel the end of the |
| and cut when warmer than 70 degrees. Smaller | | | | molding so there is enough clearance when the door |
| moldings can be easily cut with heavy sharp kitchen | | | | is opened. |
| shears or tin snips. For larger moldings, more than 1 | | | | Once you've marked all the locations, carefully cut |
| inch wide or 3/16 thick, a clean straight cut is | | | | the molding. The molding is made from a relatively |
| somewhat more difficult. A clean sharp anvil pruner | | | | soft plastic. Cutting isn't difficult, but it is easier when |
| will make it easier to get a straight cut on all sizes. A | | | | the molding is warmer than when it is colder. |
| carpenter's utility knife with razor blade inserts also | | | | Work with one section at a time, peel about a foot |
| works well, but not one with the break-off blades. | | | | of the backing from the adhesive strips and press |
| The professional tool used by automotive installers to | | | | the molding into place. Then pull on the loose end of |
| cut molding looks very similar to a set of anvil | | | | the backing and move along the molding, pressing it |
| pruners, except the blade is 3.5 inch long replaceable | | | | into place. After it is applied to the vehicle surface, |
| razor blade. A thirteen dollar anvil pruner from your | | | | rub the section of molding firmly with a soft clean |
| local garden or hardware store will do nearly the | | | | cloth to help ensure that it is seated securely. You |
| same job if it is sharp and clean. | | | | may want to come back a few hours later, or the |
| Prepare the vehicle bonding surface by cleaning it | | | | next day, to give it another pressure rub to ensure |
| thoroughly with alcohol and a clean white cotton rag. | | | | the best adhesion. |
| This removes wax residues so the peel-and-stick | | | | Open and close the doors slowly, watching to ensure |
| adhesive can bond to it securely. Avoid using colored | | | | that the side molding is not touched or rubbed as the |
| cloth for this purpose, as the dyes in the fabric may | | | | door moves. Allow the molding adhesive to set up |
| leave colored residue behind. | | | | for at least 24 hours before washing your vehicle. |
| If you do not have a ridge or body line to follow on | | | | Maximum adhesion is reached after 3-5 days in |
| the car, apply a strip of masking tape to be a guide | | | | temperatures above 70 degrees, longer if it is cooler. |
| to help position the auto moulding to be perfectly | | | | That's it, Now you're protected. |