I know it's probably been discussed before and there are probably different options but I see these on ebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/200183417469?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AITI'm guessing the best way to cut this stuff is with a mitre saw?? What do you guys think? Thoughts.....
I want to keep my favorite truck looking good!

 

Biggest problem with by the foot/off the roll aftermarket moldings is there are no molded ends like the factory moldings - you can cut it with a razor blade, fine toothed saw, whatever gives you the best edge in your eyes. If you're happy with no molded ends - you can stop reading here.

If you still have your old moldings and theyve begun curling/peeling away from the body at the ends or simply fallen off, they can be restored.

In the collision industry it's fairly common to come across trucks with moldings discontinued from Ford - worse that most of these are easily damaged from the removal process, curling them even further than they may have been before. Here is my process to restoring these moldings.

1: Take all the molding off the vehicle at one time.
2: Curl them up and throw them in a freezer. Wait 2-3 days.
3: Take one out.
4: You should see a thin metal strip (or two) running the length of the molding. Take a sharp knife and carefully slide it in between the metal and the molding itself, just need to lift a corner of it initially.
5: Grab the corner of the metal strip a set of pliers and rip it off in one fell swoop. Dont worry if it tears, just rinse & repeat. If they are stubborn, back to the freezer.

Repeat steps 3-5 until all of them are stripped.

I place them all inside our paint booth during a heat/cure cycle on a piece of cardboard to help them lay perfectly flat - some people put them on their hoods outside in the sun, on the sidewalk, etc etc. They should lay perfectly flat!

The next steps are mildly more difficult.

You'll need some adhesion promoter - we use a 3M 06396 or a product called "Bulldog".

3m 6396:





From their I'd wash the moldings and apply whatever finish i'd like, some people dye, paint, or heatgun to return the color.

Wipe on the adhesion promoter, apply the attachment tape, remove the existing traces of attachment tape off the body of the vehicle, place masking tape to align the moldings perfectly, then place the moldings.

Sorry the end seems a little short winded. I've typed this THREE times and FTE keeps deleting my instructions.

 

Thank for responding MR KROGOTH, My moulding are black unpainted with the chrome strip, the reason I want to change mine is the chrome is peeling off and one of the moulding the VHB tape came loose (somebody must have removed it before and used some off brand tape to put it back on)
Is there a way to replace the chrome strip on the original moldings? On step 4, you mention a metal strip, is that on the back side of the moulding along with the VHB tape? Maybe the metal strip it there to make the moulding more rigid??
I'd like to keep the original moldings with the molded ends, I'm thinking on the aftermarket moldings the chrome strip will peel at the edges in a few years and I'd have to replace them again. So IDK if the aftermarket is some cheap Chinese garbage or not, you can't tell from a picture.
I bought some tape off ebay, it was advertised as 3M VHB tape, when I got it there were no 3M marking on the sleeve and it came in a clear plastic bag, I knew it was some chinese garbage as soon as I opened the package. The tape wouldn't hold anything and ended up it the trash where it belonged. So with that in mind I'm very cautious about buying those aftermarket moldings and other stuff off ebay.

 

I havent yet figured out a way to replace the chrome strip Going to experiment with painting the chrome on (Eastwood offers a "Liquid Chrome" paint im willing to try. If that fails I will match the inset where the chrome resided with paint color-matched to the body, quite like the older foxbody cobra mustangs.

3M tape doesnt come in a plastic bag - it comes in a clamshell case.
You may want to attempt grafting the molded ends off the OE moldings onto the aftermarket. I never tried doing that as they, being customer cars, dont need an unnecessary risk. Lifetime paint+body work warranty has to be done right.

Yes the metal strip is on the backside of the molding. It's there to help keep it rigid, correct. The problem is, the plastic/vinyl the molding is made out of shrinks with time. The metal doesn't, so it curls away from the body. many newer moldings dont have that metal strip.

 

That shrinking is also happening with my moldings, so you have had good luck taking the metal strip off and getting them to return back "normal"? I didn't think about painting where the chrome strip layed, that another option that would probably look pretty good.

 

I cannot tell you how many trucks/moldings I've done... Wish I would have taken some pictures now! The strip it what makes it curve.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ng-wanted.html

 

Thanks FORDF250HDXLT, The pictures you have on post #32 look real good, I could live with that. How are they holding up?

 

yeah,i actually prefer them to the more bulky oem style.these are a bit more sleek and sharper.they are still in the same condition as the day installed.like new.will they last for 10-15 years like the oem did is yet to be determined.i'll likely upgrade trucks to an (92-97) f450 to replace chip truck before i'll ever know,hard to say lol.