Plastic Bits and Heat Guns

[Carves]

Coupla quick questions .....


Who has rejuvenated their wheel arch trims and stuff this way ??

Is it worthwhile using a pot scrubber to clean up the plastic first ??

How long did the heat treatment last before needing doing again ??


Cheers

[Carves]

Pot scrubber optional apparrently ... :D:D


OK ... Now I knew the actual process worked fine ... but have been putting off doing this job for ages ... Was waiting until the door moulds fell off and I had a complete set - of better condition, wheel arch trims ....

but since Im an impatient sort of fella .... today seemed like a good day to do it ... specially since I dont really wash the thing all that often ... :rolleye0012: .. :D


Looked like this after a bath ....

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n629/carves-oz/Vehicle%20Bits/Body%20and%20Trims/HeatTreat01b.jpg




... and 30 minutes later with the heat gun ... and both sides looked like this ...

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n629/carves-oz/Vehicle%20Bits/Body%20and%20Trims/HetTreat02b.jpg


A quick splash of armor-all after the "black" pic above, was taken ... and its now as flash as a rat with a gold tooth ... :cool0010:


Im still interested in longetivity of the treatment ... from anybody who has done this.

[Silverfoot]

I'd love to know how long this lasts as well because my bumpers and door guards are faded so far that they almost match the color of my ZJ haha

[nickxj94]

Pot scrubber optional apparrently ... :D:D


OK ... Now I knew the actual process worked fine ... but have been putting off doing this job for ages ... Was waiting until the door moulds fell off and I had a complete set - of better condition, wheel arch trims ....

but since Im an impatient sort of fella .... today seemed like a good day to do it ... specially since I dont really wash the thing all that often ... :rolleye0012: .. :D


Looked like this after a bath ....

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n629/carves-oz/Vehicle%20Bits/Body%20and%20Trims/HeatTreat01b.jpg




... and 30 minutes later with the heat gun ... and both sides looked like this ...

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n629/carves-oz/Vehicle%20Bits/Body%20and%20Trims/HetTreat02b.jpg


A quick splash of armor-all when it was finished ... and its now as flash as a rat with a gold tooth ... :cool0010:


Im still interested in longetivity of the treatment ... from anybody who has done this.

looks good! I went with some spray bomb bedliner from walmart on my bumpers and flairs its been on a year without any peeling..

[Mudderoy]

I've been wanting to do this to the 99 since the interview with Josh on the podcast. Just haven't done it yet. After seeing this I'll be more likely to do it. How black was it before the greasy stuff was put on?

[Carves]

I've been wanting to do this to the 99 since the interview with Josh on the podcast. Just haven't done it yet. After seeing this I'll be more likely to do it. How black was it before the greasy stuff was put on?

The "black" pic ... is before the greasy stuff went on ...

Now its just positively dazzling ... :D:D

.... but shining it up did highlight some of the blemishes from age, and the numerous, previous, applications - of useless, auto shop, bottled, "guarranteed to restore faded plastic", magic goo .. :rolleyes:

Just looking at it this morning ... I wouldnt recommend doing the job in cold weather tho ....

Had a cold snap this morning ... and the ends of the door strips have lifted/curled, a little bit more ... Obviously the heat gun weakened the sticky tape glue.

Thought it might ... which is why I was waiting for the strips to be off before doing it .... So it looks like I will still be removing and fastening them to something curved - so I can reshape them to sit flat on the doors again.


yes yes ... I could just leave em off ...

.... but toyota driving, grocery buying, soccer mums and shopping trolleys have no respect for an XJ's paint ... in a mall parking lot .. :D:D:D

[NW99XJ]

Just looking at it this morning ... I wouldnt recommend doing the job in cold weather tho ....
Had a cold snap this morning ... and the ends of the door strips have lifted/curled, a little bit more ... Obviously the heat gun weakened the sticky tape glue.
Heat guns, unfortunately, end up heating the plastic all the way thru before you get the desired results, whereas a flame source heats the surface real quick, keeping the adhesive relatively un-changed.
The heat guns are safer, and work well enough, but they can lead to some "side-effects."

>
In any case, good job Carves!
It does look a million times better.

[4.3LXJ]

You could have also used something like Forever Black to do the same thing. It is what the street rodders use.

[Carves]

You could have also used something like Forever Black to do the same thing. It is what the street rodders use.


Good stuff is it ???

Havent seen it on the shelves down here ...

The supposed best of all the expensive, promise the moon, products down here that I've wasted money on ... have only provided a dark grey colouring ... for about a week .. :bang:



Heat guns, unfortunately, end up heating the plastic all the way thru before you get the desired results, whereas a flame source heats the surface real quick, keeping the adhesive relatively un-changed.
The heat guns are safer, and work well enough, but they can lead to some "side-effects."


Didnt need much heat gun application ... Seemed as quick as what I would think a flame would be - going by some perspex shaping and stuff Ive done ... I was all done in 30 minutes ... May be dependant on different brand heat gun outputs tho ??

In my case - the main issue with the lifting ... is years of hot weather, moisture, and dust affecting the sticky tape ... but excessive heating will certainly make it worse.



In any case, good job Carves!
It does look a million times better.

Cheers Cobber ... that it does :D

and btw ... since my caffeine addiction seems to have made me miss your recent podcast "jeep tip", about doing this .. :o ........... I'll add the link .... http://podcasts.xjtalk.com/index.php/2012/09/episode-46-september-16th-2012-xj-talk-show/


... and another piccy from this morning ...

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n629/carves-oz/Vehicle%20Bits/Body%20and%20Trims/HeatTreat10b.jpg

[XJ Wheeler]

Whew, looks like a whole new jeep Carves. Nice work!

[4.3LXJ]

I have seen the results of Forever Black. Very Black

[Mudderoy]

The "black" pic ... is before the greasy stuff went on ...

Now its just positively dazzling ... :D:D

.... but shining it up did highlight some of the blemishes from age, and the numerous, previous, applications - of useless, auto shop, bottled, "guarranteed to restore faded plastic", magic goo .. :rolleyes:

Just looking at it this morning ... I wouldnt recommend doing the job in cold weather tho ....

Had a cold snap this morning ... and the ends of the door strips have lifted/curled, a little bit more ... Obviously the heat gun weakened the sticky tape glue.

Thought it might ... which is why I was waiting for the strips to be off before doing it .... So it looks like I will still be removing and fastening them to something curved - so I can reshape them to sit flat on the doors again.


yes yes ... I could just leave em off ...

.... but toyota driving, grocery buying, soccer mums and shopping trolleys have no respect for an XJ's paint ... in a mall parking lot .. :D:D:D

No I agree, leaving them on is much better for the metal and the paint. People hit those nice beefy bumpers a lot.

[LizardRunner]

Sweet! BTW that treatment should last at least 2 years (asked a couple of buddies who have done it for you) they haven't used the armorall. True black lasts about a month but that's when you are probably going to want to reapply anyway if you go that route. That's per some guys that regularly show their cars. They said you should be able to locate the stuff at pep boys for an easy find.

[Carves]

2 weeks closer to that magical 2 year mark promised by LizardRunner and his mates .. :D:D:D


No polish ... just wiped the dust off ...


http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n629/carves-oz/Vehicle%20Bits/Body%20and%20Trims/301001201b.jpg