Jim D.
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Alexandria, Virginia
Oh...forgot to mention: I'll try the WD40 route as well. What have I got to lose?
anyone painted the stock black "fading to grey" flares?
- Thread starter 96CheroKeeClassik
- Start date
88trailcrawler
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- OC SoCal
Painted mine and the rubber rocker guard stuff. Just used a rustolem gray auto body primer and a rustoleum satin black finish.
Washed em, knocked em down with a little sand paper, taped em off at the body, then two coats of each. One right after another. Looks pretty good and easy to touch up.
Washed em, knocked em down with a little sand paper, taped em off at the body, then two coats of each. One right after another. Looks pretty good and easy to touch up.
Hammered
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Jeep Fiend Club
I did the FUSION paint & still good with almost no Prep work... Wiped em down with ammonia. Painted. One or two coats. DONE.
alex22
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- CT: waterbury area
A friend of mine with a Volvo showed me a link on one of the Volvo forums where a member had used Kiwi leather die on his faded black plastic fenders, He put 2 or 3 coats on it and it looks like new. IIRC he had it on for a year or so with no signs of fading. Just be sure to mask off the painted areas.
~Alex
~Alex
- Location
- Far West Suburb of Chicago
I used a glossy black rattle can for plastics.
then, I sprayed them with Clear Coat.
I use clear coat on my shocks and axles too.
The clear coat gives it some extra sheen,
and helps keep them from fading so soon.
BOB
then, I sprayed them with Clear Coat.
I use clear coat on my shocks and axles too.
The clear coat gives it some extra sheen,
and helps keep them from fading so soon.
BOB
Jim D.
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Alexandria, Virginia
Attention in the ranks: Mr (Ms?) 96CheroKeeClassik for President. Good advice. It is indeed simply "crud" built up on the plastic trim! Mr. Clean Magic Erasers (just get the double strength ones, and wash them with soap often during use to wash out the crud) work great! Bit sensitive getting close to the paintwork, and I did use nytril gloves to keep from scrubbing off my finger prints...and the grey simply scrubs off and underneath is BLACK...as in as new. FYI, my XJ is a 97 Sport, red with black trim. Looks great now!! 10 years worth of crud gone after 2-3 hours of hard scrubbing...well worth it.
epitaphmike
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Phoenix, AZ
I have a 98 Sport, Black on Black. I am gonna try the Mr. Clean tonight. I will post Before and After Pics when I am done
Hammered
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Jeep Fiend Club
the krylon FUSION only took about 30 minutes.
Markos
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Seattle, WA
Start with a propane torch or heat gun. This works VERY well. Next, apply Kiwi Leather Shoe Dye, which works great even without the heat. The dye is in a small plastic container with a sponge applicator. The product is black, and can stain your paint if you let it run without wiping it up. Be sure to get the DYE, not the POLISH.
This is a tried and true approach in the automotive world. I've personally done this on my '90 Jetta, and it looks great, even after a year in the PHX sun.
This is a tried and true approach in the automotive world. I've personally done this on my '90 Jetta, and it looks great, even after a year in the PHX sun.
- Location
- Lafayette, CA
I will have to get that the next time I go out. Looks like that might be the key.Markos said:Start with a propane torch or heat gun. This works VERY well. Next, apply Kiwi Leather Shoe Dye, which works great even without the heat. The dye is in a small plastic container with a sponge applicator. The product is black, and can stain your paint if you let it run without wiping it up. Be sure to get the DYE, not the POLISH.
This is a tried and true approach in the automotive world. I've personally done this on my '90 Jetta, and it looks great, even after a year in the PHX sun.
I used Mothers Back to Black, and it worked well for about a month. Then the snow and ice and crummy road conditions turned them back to the color they were. Looked good while it lasted though!
hubs97xj
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Fort Wayne, IN
Used the Mother's and some other brand of "Trim Restorer", same results as you.
Just gave the Magic Erasers a try, and initial thoughts are "Sonofa*****, I think that rattlecan paint sounds pretty good." Definitely an improvement, but nowhere near original looking. Bah.
Just gave the Magic Erasers a try, and initial thoughts are "Sonofa*****, I think that rattlecan paint sounds pretty good." Definitely an improvement, but nowhere near original looking. Bah.
epitaphmike
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Phoenix, AZ
adamst said:
If you have any pics of the rhino coat I would like to see them.
I just Mr.Clean'd mine and they look brand new, but not as black as I think they should look. I think I am going to try the DYE tonight.
- Location
- Lafayette, CA
I finally had a chance to do a bit of testing.
On the right is the Kiwi leather dye. In the middle is what it looked like originally, and on the right is with the heat gun.
Did it all with the Kiwi stuff:
The heat gun didnt do all that much. It might have restored it to the "original color" but I dont know what it was originally supposed to look like. It got to a point where it didnt get any blacker, and started to melt the plastic.
On the right is the Kiwi leather dye. In the middle is what it looked like originally, and on the right is with the heat gun.
Did it all with the Kiwi stuff:
The heat gun didnt do all that much. It might have restored it to the "original color" but I dont know what it was originally supposed to look like. It got to a point where it didnt get any blacker, and started to melt the plastic.
For the flares and bumper end caps just take them off, clean them and hit them with a few coats of Krylon Fusion flat black. Allow the paint to dry completely between coats and it looks great. No need to reapply something that will come off the first time it rains or you get the Jeep washed.
Rattle can it w/ Krylon Fusion and forget about it. If you scratch through it just hit it with a quick spray and its good as new.
Rattle can it w/ Krylon Fusion and forget about it. If you scratch through it just hit it with a quick spray and its good as new.
Markos
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Seattle, WA
I must have missed this thread. Thanks for the test photos. The heat gun works well to melt any wax and residue that's been trapped in the pores of the plasic. If you have the time, the best approach would be to use the heat gun followed by the leather dye. How is the trim color holding up after a few months?
Starboard M said:I finally had a chance to do a bit of testing.
On the right is the Kiwi leather dye. In the middle is what it looked like originally, and on the right is with the heat gun.
Did it all with the Kiwi stuff:
The heat gun didnt do all that much. It might have restored it to the "original color" but I dont know what it was originally supposed to look like. It got to a point where it didnt get any blacker, and started to melt the plastic.
scavengerj
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA
Hi all. Still a noob to the world of Jeeps. I'd like to add my .02 if I can. 12yo vehicle. Hasn't been washed or cleaned in about 6yrs. Black trim , was well almost a light grey. I saw a thread about restoring the look to the trim and thought I'd give it a go. I first off tried the heat gun method. Results were mixed. Looked good at first and then a couple of days later it looked splotchy. I believe this to be due to uneven heating of the material. Most think that the heat is getting rid of wax and such. I don't think this is true. As I first stated, this vehicle hadn't been washed in years. There is no way there was any type of wax left on the thing. I live where they use salt during the winter and have driven the vehicle on the beach. I believe that what happens with the heat gun method is that you are basically pulling up the color molecules that haven't been expsoed to UV rays. I think it will eventually fade back in no time. Even when using a shiled, not sure I liked the idea of heat like that on my body panels. I think this is the same thing you are seeing while using the scrubbing pads (erasers). Your just pulling off a layer of the plastic that contains the faded molecules. Which I guess isn't a bad thing if you like the looks of it. I just thought it was too much work to do.
So the next thing to try was the Krylon Fusion Satin paint. I have to say I was very pleased with the results. Very easy to do. Color matches great - not splotchy or anything. And I think that any touch up will be a piece of cake. Besides, it is only fender caps and moulding, they get abused alot no matter...bugs/road tar/other vehicles/trees/bushes...etc.
So the next thing to try was the Krylon Fusion Satin paint. I have to say I was very pleased with the results. Very easy to do. Color matches great - not splotchy or anything. And I think that any touch up will be a piece of cake. Besides, it is only fender caps and moulding, they get abused alot no matter...bugs/road tar/other vehicles/trees/bushes...etc.