How do you remove this molding trim piece by window?

[Balboa]

Any body have experience at removing this door molding? The rubber is peeling and I want to do a re-tape with some black molding tape.

[Balboa]

According to the manual you have to remove the power mirrors first.

[gilbertguy]

I haven't done it myself but need to, from things I've read on the forum you need to take the inner panel off first.
removing door panel
Also I copied this from a post some time in the past:
Step #1 With a flat screwdriver, gently pry the speaker cover off. It helps to cover the screwdriver(s) with masking tape to prevent scratching. Remove the three #1 Phillips head screws around the speaker. These are deeply recessed, and are not the three screws that hold in the speaker.

Step #2 Pry open the small black screw cover near the chrome door handle. Pry from the front, this cover is hinged in back(I think!). Remove the black screw with a #00 Phillips.

Step #3 Gently pry the top & bottom black plastic covers off of the door pull (these pull off perpendicularly from the door, and are probably the hardest part of the job). Remove the screws underneath with a #1 Phillips. These screws have a larger head; don't mix them with the speaker screws.

Step #4 Remove the triangular piece covering the outside mirror anchors by grabbing it with your fingers near the window channel and pull it perpendicularly towards you.

Step #6 Sit down in the seat, place your feet on aluminum door bottom to brace the door. Starting at the bottom outside plastic edge, pull perpendicularly while trying to get your fingers between the plastic and the aluminum. There are six "pop-pins" that need to be released, two near the hinge, two on the bottom near the armrest and door pull, and two on the outside edge.

Step #7 When all six "pop-pins" are released raise the panel up about two inches on the rear outside edge. This is to partially release the window channel

Step #8 Gently pull the plastic assembly that holds the window switch and chrome handle from the back, towards the rear, twisting slightly. This releases the metal tab that holds this assembly in place. Because the switch and chrome handle stay with the door, it must pass through the hole in the panel in which it mounts.

Step #9 Lift the panel straight up to release it from the window channel.

Step #10 Release the speaker wire lock and remove the speaker wires.

[jack9994]

I have done it twice and you end up breaking the clips that hold the moulding to the door - its really difficult to prise off. Best to buy a new one as they tend to lose their seal against the window.

Cheers
John

[Balboa]

Originally Posted by jack9994

I have done it twice and you end up breaking the clips that hold the moulding to the door - its really difficult to prise off. Best to buy a new one as they tend to lose their seal against the window.

Cheers
John

Not interested in spending $100 for a pair of new ones. I got some black out tape for $6.

I don't think the that inner door panel needs to be removed for this job as well.

Going to attempt the job today. Will post some before and after pics.

Hopefully the clips won't break.

[Balboa]

Well I did have to remove the inner door panel unfortunately.

Removing the outer trim panel proved difficult. I broke two clips but I recovered the plastic bits that broke off and used a soldering tool to melt the plastic and fuse them together as a quick fix. I took some scrap plastic also and melted it around the broken area to reinforce it. Seems to of worked fine, I just snapped it in and it holds well.

Hardest part is getting the inner door panel back on. Still got to do that and do the other side.

It doesn't look too bad however.

I'm just concerned about how long this black out tape is going to last. Seems pretty durable but we'll see.

[AbCaRed00]

I used some tape carefully placed over the existing weatherstrip without removing anything and trimmed the excess with a small sharp exacto hobby knife. Took all of three minutes at a guess and looks ok. Can hardly tell it's not supposed to be unless compared to the other 'good' side where the shine and texture is a tiny bit different. Nobody's noticed.
The only thing I notice because I had my eyeball right on it and 'know', is the very slight depression where the original plastic underneath is missing. Have to be in the proper light to spot it.
If doing it again, and may do so next year, I would have filled the short gaps with some trimmed-to-fit electrical tape to make the surface flat before laying on the thicker and stickier semi-gloss tape product.
Either that, and/or trimmed off a greater length of the still good section like I'd done on a different vehicle. There i'd painted it all masked off on the vehicle.
I hate breaking plastic connectors and removing panels etc.
Funny I saw another red Insight in town identical to mine [but the wheels] except the damage was only on the passenger side likely parking by habit that way [into the sun], so UV might be the thing down there, maybe a UV protectant spray might help durability.
My plastic adhesive tape on the car fix should last in the light we have here for awhile [low UV for at least 6 mo.]; the tape's rated to take 200F; and adheres well up to 100mph.

[Balboa]

I wonder what tape you used, the tape I used was kind of short in width so I had to trim some of the top rubber off. I might try doing it how you did it next time, but it was easier to work with once off to remove all the old rubber and crap, and sand it down. Turned out good I think however:

Before:



After:

[Eli]

I'm just waiting until all of the black wear off mine, then it's simply a chrome trim piece.

[AbCaRed00]

Looks good.
I used an 11 mil polyethylene coated cloth "professional/industrial" grade duct tape sold as "Nashua 398", made in the US. Not an automotive product specifically, but was a bit better then the standard duct tape.
It's got a rubber adhesive which grabs well and it conforms to the slightly irregular surface and it's curl resistant. It's a bit shinier then the other stock covering but hopefully will bear up over winter. The section over the door handle shows the shadow where I should have patched and smoothed the surface before covering.