How do you replace body side molding on 2001 Chevrolet Silverado?

Answer 1

Almost all modern body side moldings are attached by way of one or more 2 sided adhesive strips. Skinny moldings may only have one strip, wide moldings almost always will have two strips. First thing to do is to wait for a warm day or do it in a heated garage. The next thing is to heat the molding at one end with a heat gun or hair dryer, being careful not to burn the paint in the process. It's possible, but not likely. After the molding heats up using fingers only, pick at the end until it comes up. As it does, some of the adhesive will separate and you can fold the molding back (doubled over). When you've done that keep continuous pulling pressure on the molding while applying heat to the joint as it separates from the paint. Don't worry that some adhesive will stick to the paint as the molding comes off. Once the molding is completely off, wash the area with soap and water so you don't work dirt into the paint while getting the rest of the adhesive off. Warm the remaining adhesive and roll it off with your thumb. It's tedious, but most of it will come off this way. After you've gotten most of the adhesive off with the thumb roll method, take WD40 and soak a rag with it. Take the rag as if you're waxing the area and wipe the residue until the surface feels smooth as you wipe it. After all of the residue is up you'll see that there will be a pronounced dirt pattern in the outline shape of the molding. Use any major brand liquid cleaner wax, and you see that the dirt residue comes up nicely. I just removed the hideously wide moldings on my 04 Silverado today and you can not see any evidence that they were ever there. Mine is a white truck, it's possible that darker colors, especially those left outside might have some paint fading which means that the color "might" be different under where the molding was. Good luck.