I think Armor All is a drug. Once you start using it, you are hooked. If you quit, whatever you put it on looks like crap.

Last weekend I got bored and took the black trim pieces off the bumper, step bar trim pieces, door and tailgate handles and painted them with gloss black plastic paint and followed up with clearcoat. I'm not sure why, but if you don't spray the clearcoat when the black is still wet, it spiderwebs and you have to start all over again.

I was afraid the gloss would be too much, but it turned out great. This picture doesn't do it justice. I just hope that the bumper pieces will stay looking the way they do now after it rains and the water stands on it for awhile. Otherwise I may be regretting kicking the addiction.

 

That looks really good. I personally don't like the armor-all stuff either. It seems like when we get the mexicans to detail the trucks inside, they just dump it on the dash and push it around, they really like it, Even spraying it on their tires

So, how did you get the plastic pieces off? I was seriously thinking of taking mine off and herculining them. I did it to my chrome cab step plastic pieces without removing them, and for what it was, it held up ok.

 

If you look under the bumper you'll see some tabs on the trim piece that stick through. You just have to squeeze them and pry up lightly. Start from one side and work your way across until you have freed up the trim.

Some of them are a little hard to get to, but keep working at it and you'll get them off.

I highly recommend a product called Total Prep by May-Hyde for getting everything prepped so it will hold the paint. I tried gas, paint thinner, red degreaser, and none of that worked. The Total Prep worked like a champ. I think it cost $5-6 at the local Autozone or Advance.

 

as far as Armor All goes... I have used a product called "Back to Black" on most of my external plastic parts. I believe it is a 3m product. It works very well!!! Seems to last much longer than Armor All. I was introduced to it back when I was into Motorcycle Shows. Makes old faded plastic look new.

 

where do you buy this back to black?

 

Thats one fine lookin bumper.

 

You can get Back To Black at any auto store. I am pretty sure it is made by Mothers

 

Mothers 6108 Back-to-Black Bumper and Trim Dressing in the red 8 oz. bottle. It works great, you can get it at most auto parts places.

 

Thanks Rampage that'll give me something to do this weekend.

 

If you've never started with Armor All, you can also try a product called 303 Aerospace Protectant. It's more of a low gloss, but it's supposed to be a lot better protectant and also a UV blocker. I use it to keep the decals on my camper looking good and also on my interior trim pieces.

You can get it at a Camping World, or Google it and find it at several online stores. I learned about it in Jeep forums where people were talking about the best top protectant.

But I figure if the trim is painted and clearcoated, I can just wax them at the same time I wax everything else and not worry about white residue.