Z71 Plastic Molding

[neloms]

My black Z71 has black plastic molding around all the wheel wells. Is there a way I can remove those and have the stock fender look, or is the body not painted underneath those moldings? I'm sick of cleaning them every time I wash the truck, and if there was an easy way to remove them I would.

 

[Shaggy]

You can remove it. There are a few plastic pop out clamps/screws that come off easy and there will also be 3m sticky tape on the molding where it attaches to the paint/body. The pop off clamps/screws are under the fender just in the beginning of the wheel well. Easy to remove, just get a flat head screwdriver. The only issue you may have is that the fender probably rubbed against the paint over the years, so you may have scratching.

 

[neloms]

I'll check it out, thanks!

 

[HitandRunDriver]

For some reason on the old forum I believe someone did this but found holes where they mounted up....not to try and dissuade you from doing it, maybe it was a ****** job done by the previous owner?

 

[brndns_hoe]

i know trend_setta on the old forum did it, never saw any complaints about the holes. My hoe is an LT and has the same flares, I'm about to take them off too, just think that grey plastic color looks tacky

 

[brndns_hoe]

well, just took mine off...came off way easier than the door moldings, that turned into an all day thing. dunno, I used a heat gun and I think that made it leave a thin film of goo that took forever to get off...

with the flares I just pulled them off, I think I got lucky, a lot of the adhesive already wasn't sticking anymore....and the wife volunteered to pick off what was less, just with that I was ecstatic lol...anyways, an hour and half total i think to pull them off, use some goo gone, then clay bar'd and waxed

As far as those peg holes, they are tiny, don't think anyone is gonna be looking, but at any rate I just put the plastic pegs back in. I'll get some before/after pics up by the weekend.

 

[brndns_hoe]

ok here's some before/after.... mine's an 05 so over time the edges of the flares i guess wore a bit on the paint, but very minor, even in the close up pic it's not noticeable.

 

[CodeB4U]

I have the newer body style Z71 emblems if you want to add them to yours. I see your in houston tx also.

 

[brndns_hoe]

I have the newer body style Z71 emblems if you want to add them to yours. I see your in houston tx also.

nah, that's cool. mine's not a z71...yeah, i'm in sw houston, i saw one of your other posts said you're in katy and you work at a dealership...wouldn't happen to be mac haik? just had my work vehicle in there the other day.

 

[neloms]

ok here's some before/after.... mine's an 05 so over time the edges of the flares i guess wore a bit on the paint, but very minor, even in the close up pic it's not noticeable.

Looks great! I'll see if the wife wants to do this to her rig next weekend...