What did you do to / for your E53 today??

[admranger]

Originally Posted by upallnight

Replace the rubber trim over the front windshield. After 16 years of uv on the rubber, the rubber has failed and started to crack and crumble and fall apart. I brought the rubber trim from ECSTuning and they packaged it in a large box with a lot of bubble wraps and it arrived in perfect condition. Would hate to install a rubber trim if the seller had coiled it up and stuck it in a padded envelope.

How'd you install it or did you have a new windshield to go in at the same time?

Mine is crumbling pretty well right now and I'd like to fix it too.

Thanks!

[Ricky Bobby]

^Pry it out very carefully using small trim tool and needlenose pliers, then clean the channel real well and lube it up and slide the new one in - its held in place by a pressure fit and an adhesive strip on the bottom

[admranger]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

^Pry it out very carefully using small trim tool and needlenose pliers, then clean the channel real well and lube it up and slide the new one in - its held in place by a pressure fit and an adhesive strip on the bottom

So a plastic trim tool to pry it out, then goo gone the old adhesive out, the press a new one in?

Everything except the "pry it out very carefully" is within my abilities...I might have to enlist the help of my wife.

[phathom]

Installed the backup camera for my new Eonon deck. I haven't installed the deck yet, or ran the extension harness, but I knew installing the camera would be the hardest/longest part. I just have the wire set in the spare tire well to run with the rest of the harness.

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by admranger

So a plastic trim tool to pry it out, then goo gone the old adhesive out, the press a new one in?

Everything except the "pry it out very carefully" is within my abilities...I might have to enlist the help of my wife.

This one gives good tips - pretty much how I did it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCNxg0D2d7g

[jljljl]

Cleaned up the running boards because there were some rust spots on it, and again, Ricky Bobby pulls through!
He suggested I use any of Sonax Full Effect Wheel Cleaner, Adam's Wheel Cleaner, or CarPro IronX. I went Sonax. And it worked like a charm!
They're so much cleaner!
Respects to RB once again
Here are some of the before, during, and after shots.
still some minor dirty imperfections, not a big issue, but at least no rust spots!

[RToth]

Originally Posted by jljljl

Cleaned up the running boards because there were some rust spots on it, and again, Ricky Bobby pulls through!
He suggested I use any of Sonax Full Effect Wheel Cleaner, Adam's Wheel Cleaner, or CarPro IronX. I went Sonax. And it worked like a charm!
They're so much cleaner!
Respects to RB once again
Here are some of the before, during, and after shots.
still some minor dirty imperfections, not a big issue, but at least no rust spots!

Looks great!

I haven't used the Sonax cleaner yet, but have used the CarPro Iron X as well as Americana Ameririd which are all the same type of cleaner and love them both! They are great for a lot of things like this as well as decontaminating paint from nasty imbedded brake dust that clay doesn't always get without nasty marring.

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by jljljl

Cleaned up the running boards because there were some rust spots on it, and again, Ricky Bobby pulls through!
He suggested I use any of Sonax Full Effect Wheel Cleaner, Adam's Wheel Cleaner, or CarPro IronX. I went Sonax. And it worked like a charm!
They're so much cleaner!
Respects to RB once again
Here are some of the before, during, and after shots.
still some minor dirty imperfections, not a big issue, but at least no rust spots!

Looking phenomenal and glad to help! Now use some very mild metal polish and they should polish right up if you need - I've also heard of guys protecting the finish by wiping them periodically with WD-40 to be honest.

[jljljl]

Originally Posted by RToth

Looks great!

I haven't used the Sonax cleaner yet, but have used the CarPro Iron X as well as Americana Ameririd which are all the same type of cleaner and love them both! They are great for a lot of things like this as well as decontaminating paint from nasty imbedded brake dust that clay doesn't always get without nasty marring.

thanks! I spoke to the guy where I bought the Sonax from, and asked about IronX; they didn't carry but he said that they were essentially the same, but IronX is slightly stronger.

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Looking phenomenal and glad to help! Now use some very mild metal polish and they should polish right up if you need - I've also heard of guys protecting the finish by wiping them periodically with WD-40 to be honest.

ah, yes that was my next step, metal polish. I want to buff it out to make all smooth and clean look.
Just WD-40? wipe with cloth?

[Ricky Bobby]

Yeah I would polish with like a metal polish like Eagle One, something like that.

The WD40 thing is just a rumor I heard, after polishing - I guess the premise is just to wipe the aluminum down with it after you've polished it so it can penetrate the metal a bit and inhibit any corrosion