Custom Cab side trim removal
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 258
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From: East SF Bay Area
Custom Cab side trim removal
I'm having trouble trying to figure out how to remove the exterior body side trim on my truck. It looks like it should be easy enough, just unscrew the little nuts from the threads poking through the body. Problem is that the threads turn with the nut. Am I missing something here?
Thanks in advance for any light you guys can shed on this for me.
Thanks in advance for any light you guys can shed on this for me.
Lead Gopher
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 10,051
Likes: 1,607
From: Seattle
I'm having trouble trying to figure out how to remove the exterior body side trim on my truck. It looks like it should be easy enough, just unscrew the little nuts from the threads poking through the body. Problem is that the threads turn with the nut. Am I missing something here?
Thanks in advance for any light you guys can shed on this for me.
Thanks in advance for any light you guys can shed on this for me.
If the threads turn with the nut then I suspect the likely problem is the threaded stud has come loose from the retainer that holds the trim on allowing it to spin. If no other way then you might need to cut the nut off. Good luck!
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Lead Gopher
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 10,051
Likes: 1,607
From: Seattle
Yes, you could be. I've removed a lot of these trims and once the nuts are removed better have a hand on the trim or it will fall off on the ground. Nothing tricky about it as long as there is nothing wrong with the retainers.
Either the threaded stud has spun loose in the retainers (it's molded as one piece so any internal turning is bad news) or the retainers are spinning. But, if the retainers are spinning then each one will at least temporarily be in a position to have the trim fall off. But, they should also spin about 180 degrees and then get tight in the trim backside so they won't rotate 360 degrees or the retainers would have to be snapped in half at which point they would not hold the trim on anyway.
I have used retainers. I have lots of NOS retainers in the Ford envelopes. I can take pictures of the retainers and the back side of the trim if it would be of any use to you.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,651
Likes: 60
From: Hemet ca.
If you have a spare piece of trim you can look at the backside and see the grooves which the clips ride in. Here's an ebay listing of something that is close but will help you understand.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Early-Ford-molding-clips-9-/321424131895?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4ad65f0737&vxp=mtr
Now that you see what they look like, get yourself a plastic putty knife. At each clip location put a little pressure with putty knife while turning the nut. If the whole assembly is turning you'll only need to turn a quarter turn. If only the stud is turning then you may have to pry gently on the trim until it disengages from the clip. Just do the bottom of the trim. Once you have disengaged the bottom of trim from the clips push the trim up to disengage from the top.
Once the trim is off you can figure out what to do about the clips.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Early-Ford-molding-clips-9-/321424131895?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4ad65f0737&vxp=mtr
Now that you see what they look like, get yourself a plastic putty knife. At each clip location put a little pressure with putty knife while turning the nut. If the whole assembly is turning you'll only need to turn a quarter turn. If only the stud is turning then you may have to pry gently on the trim until it disengages from the clip. Just do the bottom of the trim. Once you have disengaged the bottom of trim from the clips push the trim up to disengage from the top.
Once the trim is off you can figure out what to do about the clips.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 785
From: Simi Valley, CA
There is more than just one type of clip, as you can see.
This is the only pic in the 1964/72 catalog, but depicts Uni's and "wrong" beds.
Another possibility is that the mouldings were R & R'd some time in the past, so the clips may not be genuine Ford.
Ford supplied the clips with the mouldings, the clips themselves were available separately, but most body shops bought moulding clips from Auveco.
This is the only pic in the 1964/72 catalog, but depicts Uni's and "wrong" beds.
Another possibility is that the mouldings were R & R'd some time in the past, so the clips may not be genuine Ford.
Ford supplied the clips with the mouldings, the clips themselves were available separately, but most body shops bought moulding clips from Auveco.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: East SF Bay Area
Thanks guys for all the useful info, especially the pics. I probably should have been clearer that I was working on removing the hood trim. The original retainers were pretty rusty & in need of replacement. I ended up using a combination of wire wheeling the threads of the studs with a dremmel and spraying PB Blaster on them to get a few of the nuts off, enough to pry the trim off anyway. Then I resorted to slotting the stud heads with a cutting wheel & use a screwdriver to back up the wrench on several more. A couple of them had to be ground down & pushed through the hole to remove, but I was able to get them all out. Now I just need to find replacements to reinstall them after repainting the hood.
All this hassle is due to some maladjusted individual who decided to torch my engine compartment a couple months back.
All this hassle is due to some maladjusted individual who decided to torch my engine compartment a couple months back.
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