Who has painted their faded plastic?

I've got an unusual problem with one plastic bed rail. All the plastic on my 02 is really faded. I want to remove the bed rails as well as the fender flares and spray paint them. One of the bed rails came off easily but for reasons I'll never understand, the driver side has been glued to the body near the front of the bed. I have no idea how to remove this without damaging the paint.

I could leave it be and try to paint it in place but I'm nervous I'd get overspray on the body.

Here are a few pictures.

Has anyone removed their fender flares or bed rails and painted?

 

Try Solution Finish. It’s pretty much ink for your trim.

 

It looks like it was re-sprayed at some point in the either painted over that area or put it on when the paint was fresh. Am I seeing silicone? They probably broke the mounting tabs on the bed caps and then glued it down.

 

It certainly looks like it. When I try to remove it the plastic actually starts ripping/breaking over that area. In person it really don't look like it was painted but perhaps that's why they removed it, and then had to glue it back.

 

Thanks for the tip. I tried Meguiar's black plastic restorer and it helped, but washes off over time.

 

https://parts.toyotaofcoolsprings.c...kcmEmeT0yMDAyJnQ9bGltaXRlZCZlPTQtN2wtdjgtZ2Fz

Sounds like you just need to replace them. The plastic is rotting and done. I doubt even paint would stick to it for long.

 

It’s hard to keep plastic looking good forever. It all washes away eventually. Even new plastic starts to fade within a few years.

 

Oh I completely agree that replacing the bed rails would be ideal. I'm just not sure how to get this one off since it's so firmly glued to the paint. If I pull hard enough I can rip it off, but some of the plastic will be left behind.

 

I would imagine if you get most of it off the new bed cap willcover the residue. Sounds like they used some pretty good stuff. Usually silicone will peel off with a little elbow grease. They must of done some good prep LOL. I suggest taping off any area that you don’t want to scratch and getting a plastic putty knife. Then have at it! Sounds like you might just have to dive in.

 

Anything will wash off eventually, but Solution Finish lasts much longer than anything else.

 

Something we can buy in town?

 

Who else has their Tundra parked ourouts 24/7 365? Like me? Wiper blade arms turning color, not as black when brand new, also noticed passenger side door handles turning faded, passenger side gets the most sun @War Machine any solutions???

 

Also getting some type of spots on the rubber trim at bottom corners of rear window, pics later, at work now

 

I haven’t seen it in any stores, I get it from Amazon. It’s a little expensive, but it goes a long way.

Solution Finish Black Plastic & Vinyl Plastic Trim Restorer - Car and Truck Polish - 12 oz

$30 Solution Finish - Black Plastic & Vinyl Trim Restorer - Use for Car and Truck Detailing, No Wet Look, Instantly Revives Color to Trim, Bumpers, Mud Flaps, Etc., Black (12 oz)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006NZRAFE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_fd8eCb7H9EZB4

You can also buy an ounce of t for $12.50.

Mine is always outside also. The fading is something you just have to maintain. I generally use Waxaddict or other trim restorers on mine, since I do it often and it hasn’t gotten too bad yet.

Solution Finish is better if it’s more faded. It’s pretty much a bottle of ink. It restores older plastic better, and lasts a great deal longer than anything else. Even with that, you’ll still have to reapply on occasion. It’s just something that’s gonna happen unless you keep it garaged.

 

I still think I'll go the paint route on the fenders as I think that will last longer.

I found a Youtube video where the guy explains that the 1 oz bottle goes a long way. He was shocked at how much you can get done with the tiny bottle.

 

I painted all the 02’ trim with rattle can flat black from Rustoleum. The ‘Industrial Enamel’ works really well. Lots of blue tape and masking paper is needed. The hard part is taping everything off. Clean with alcohol and then paint a few coats. Did mine in 2 stages on two separate days. About 3 hours of taping off each stage for 15 minutes of spray time. Better to spray trim on the truck vs. pulling it all off and breaking stuff only to have to turn around and reinstall. Too much work.

Next time I do this, I’ll spray the big box truck bed liner spray can stuff first with a light coat and then go over with the finish coats with flat black. Did an experiment on a few pieces and man, it looks good. Wish I had known before doing a good portion of the truck. Its been two years and the paint is holding good. Two cans of paint $18? Blue tape and masking $30? 8 hours labor worth it.

Got tired of all the ‘fix’ potions lotions out there that wash off.

 

So you would tape it off, spray it, pull the tape, re-tape and spray second round? Is this so you end up with a good line at the paint edge?

 

Nope. One taping per stage. Did front bumper and door sides one day. Rear and mirrors trim second day (stage 2).

 

I see. Thanks for the clarification. I’m always trying to pick up something and learn even if it doesn’t pertain to a project I’m working on at the moment.

 

I pulled mine off around 2009, sanded, sprayed with adhesion promoter, then sprayed with 4 light coats of rattle can bed liner. It's just barely starting to wear off.

Getting them off is the start of your problem, putting them back will be a nightmare if they're busted.

 

I removed and sprayed my plastic flares on my old Tacoma (02) with Rust-Oleum plastic spray paint. Came out great!

 

https://youtu.be/2ue-1_Jk2Y0


A guy at work showed me this. I have not tried it though.

 

Yeah, don’t do that. It lasts about as long as trim restorer and more expensive to fix if you screw it up.

 

Glad you said that. Because I was going to try it on the Sequoia...

 

I was trying to sell him on Areospace 303 and he showed me that. I wouldn't do it either. My vehicles are garaged when not at work.

 

I’ve used wipe new before. Last application was four years ago, and maybe going to do another when it gets warmer. Just can’t get any on the paint LOL

Probably going to end up taking everything off and painting then dropping a clear coat on the trim. Maybe it’d last longer than 4 years

 

Read post #16. Thats the best solution for long term. Everything else is a temporary solution (or sketchy that heat gun trick is new to me and I’d be leery).

Taping off and painting the trim on the truck sounds tricky, but its far easier than removing trim (breaking tabs) then painting and put back (messing up fresh painted trim and breaking more tabs at reinstall).

If you are dead set on removing side door trim, then the best way to do it is by removing the inside door panels first. You can then access the ‘trim tabs’ from inside the the door and squeeze the tabs butterfly lock. This is a lot of work versus just taping off and painting on the truck.

Same goes with all the other plastic trim areas all over the vehicle. Here are some proof pics.

 

Looks to me like that trim was "fixed" at some point. You'll either commit to ripping it off & dealing with whatever damage may happen & potentially bending the cap & needing to replace, or you commit to leave it be & re-glue down that front corner now.

It looks to me that you've got a lot of 'crap' on your rail. Environmental debris, old wax, etc...
Start out by doing a really good cleaning of your rails. Use wax remover a couple of times. Probably end with rubbing alcohol scrub down. Once you take a close up photo like above & the valleys are the same color or -darker- than the top of the bumps, then you are ready to paint. But you may find when it's properly cleaned it doesn't need paint.

It's going to be far easier & cheaper to buy a roll of wide masking tape & couple sheets of thin plastic.
Wipe down bed rail & paint surrounding it with a rubbing alcohol. Tape off the rail, get the tape edge under your rail edge. Then tape plastic sheet to the tape, you're not trying to but up to the rail as the first tape did that. Once you've covered the truck w/ plastic you're ready to go. When you spray, there is always a mist that drifts, so yes cover it all. Several thin coats ALWAYS ends up better than fast & thick!

Good luck. Post before during & after of whatever you do.

 

I tried the heat gun on some old plastic i had from an old car. It went from good to bad really quick.

I would try Solution finish also. I plan on doing some of my trim soon and thats what i plan on using.

 

I went ahead and painted both bed rails and the tail gate cap today. They turned out pretty good. I also spray painted the bed extender as it was looking pretty rough.


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