Side Moldings Add Protection And Good Looks

Greener Driving · 04-08-2008, 02:49 PM

Wow - those do look good! I hope they have them in Tideland green.

charleydarwin · 04-22-2008, 08:42 AM

Excellent product ordered through this site ($122. with free shipping) that I installed on my Prius several months ago with great satisfaction. No problem at all to install myself. Instructions are quite clear, and I can't imagine why anyone would go to a body shop. Just used masking tape to mark the spot as they instruct, and used the measurements they provide. It took less than 15 minutes to do both sides.

The trick is not to measure with a flexible tape from the bottom of the door, but to measure from the ground with a simple wooden yard stick, after allowing for the added distance from the ground to the bottom of the door.

With a rigid stick from the ground, you avoid trying to measure on the curved door surface which is much more iffy. As long as the tires are properly inflated, there is no chance of an error measuring from the ground.

Boo · 04-22-2008, 10:22 AM

Using painter's tape can be problematic as well. The 3M adhesive on the back of the molding is very sticky. Once one part of the molding has been stuck on, it's hard to do-over. If you're off a degree (even though to your eye, you're lined up with the tape) while starting to unpeel and press down on the molding, that one degree error will be much more noticeable when you're done. In this regard, 2 more tips may be useful:

-- Get flat, thick, rectangular magnets from a hardware store. Use the magnets to align the molding with the painter's tape and to hold the molding up while you're slowly peeling and sticking.

-- Have a 2nd person with a good eye stand back 10 feet from the car while you're slowly peeling and sticking. This 10 feet back perspective is much more likely to catch slight alignment errors.

charleydarwin · 04-23-2008, 06:16 PM

Here is how to be sure the molding doesn't get stuck in a misaligned position while working alone. (You don't need another person to watch.)

1. Use the yardstick to place the masking tape in place with the lower edge of the masking tape at the level where you want the upper edge of the molding. Ordinary masking tape can be repositioned repeatedly until you have it perfectly placed. Step back and see how it looks.

2. Do the back door first, as the molding is shorter and easier to work with while you gain experience. Be sure that you position the back door molding so that the front end is at the edge of the door so there won't be a gap after both pieces are applied. The absence of a gap is what makes it look professional. The bevel on the front edge of the back piece of molding is what permits you to place the molding almost up to the edge of the back door. To see how close you can go, just hold the molding in place before you remove the tape backing and open the back door to see if it clears.

3. Peel off the backing from about one third of the piece of molding. Hold the molding against the lower edge of the masking tape perpendicular to the door surface with the 3M tape facing down. At this point only the edge of the 3M tape is in contact with the door and it will only stick slightly and you can reposition it.

4. NOW with the molding firmly butted up against the masking tape, simply 'fold' the molding downward so the 3M tape starts to stick to the door. If you have the portion with exposed 3M tape aligned properly against the masking tape, once this is stuck the rest of the rigid molding must follow the line you have established. Peel off the rest of the backing and stick down the molding.

If you mess it up, don't worry for a moment. Just peel off the used 3M tape from the molding, and discard it. You can buy another roll of tape at Home Depot or PEP Boys. They sell exactly the same 3M product, it's inexpensive, and you can start all over again. They may not have a roll of tape as wide as the original tape on the molding. Buy tape that is half as wide and just lay down two strips side by side on the back of the molding. You can trim accordingly at the beveled ends.

Good Luck!

Husker4theSpurs · 05-17-2008, 12:22 AM

Anyone have any more pics of their Prius with body side moldings?

Boo · 05-17-2008, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Husker4theSpurs

Anyone have any more pics of their Prius with body side moldings?

There are 3 pictures of my Magnetic Gray with body side mouldings and bumper guard strips in the last post (#150) of this page:

New To Sfbay Group? Say Hello Here!

Husker4theSpurs · 05-18-2008, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boo

There are 3 pictures of my Magnetic Gray with body side mouldings and bumper guard strips in the last post (#150) of this page:

New To Sfbay Group? Say Hello Here!

Thanks so much! I think I actually like it better w/o them ... unsure though. I appreciate your help!

04-08-2008, 02:49 PM	#11
Greener Driving Greener Driving Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 5 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #5 Touring Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Side Moldings Add Protection And Good Looks Wow - those do look good! I hope they have them in Tideland green.

04-22-2008, 08:42 AM	#12
charleydarwin Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 2 My Car: 2008 Prius Package: #5 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Side Moldings Add Protection And Good Looks Excellent product ordered through this site ($122. with free shipping) that I installed on my Prius several months ago with great satisfaction. No problem at all to install myself. Instructions are quite clear, and I can't imagine why anyone would go to a body shop. Just used masking tape to mark the spot as they instruct, and used the measurements they provide. It took less than 15 minutes to do both sides. The trick is not to measure with a flexible tape from the bottom of the door, but to measure from the ground with a simple wooden yard stick, after allowing for the added distance from the ground to the bottom of the door. With a rigid stick from the ground, you avoid trying to measure on the curved door surface which is much more iffy. As long as the tires are properly inflated, there is no chance of an error measuring from the ground.

04-22-2008, 10:22 AM	#13
Boo Boola Boola Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New York, NY Posts: 2,337 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 12	Re: Side Moldings Add Protection And Good Looks Using painter's tape can be problematic as well. The 3M adhesive on the back of the molding is very sticky. Once one part of the molding has been stuck on, it's hard to do-over. If you're off a degree (even though to your eye, you're lined up with the tape) while starting to unpeel and press down on the molding, that one degree error will be much more noticeable when you're done. In this regard, 2 more tips may be useful: -- Get flat, thick, rectangular magnets from a hardware store. Use the magnets to align the molding with the painter's tape and to hold the molding up while you're slowly peeling and sticking. -- Have a 2nd person with a good eye stand back 10 feet from the car while you're slowly peeling and sticking. This 10 feet back perspective is much more likely to catch slight alignment errors. __________________ Best regards, Tom 07 Pkg 2 Magnetic Gray - GY TripleTreds 195/60/15, BT Tech Stiffening Plate & Strut Tower Brace, Philips X-Treme Power Headlights 9003/H4/HB2, BumperDefender.com Bumper Guard Strips, PriusChat Body Side Moldings & Rear Bumper Protector, NoBump.com License Plate Screw Bumpers, Bumper Bully, Wheelskins Leather Steering Wheel Cover, PriusHoods.com Leather Center Console Cover, Rubber Queen Center-Hump Litter Basket, eBay Non-Slip Pads, Dalmatian Bobble Heads.

04-23-2008, 06:16 PM	#14
charleydarwin Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 2 My Car: 2008 Prius Package: #5 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Side Moldings Add Protection And Good Looks Here is how to be sure the molding doesn't get stuck in a misaligned position while working alone. (You don't need another person to watch.) 1. Use the yardstick to place the masking tape in place with the lower edge of the masking tape at the level where you want the upper edge of the molding. Ordinary masking tape can be repositioned repeatedly until you have it perfectly placed. Step back and see how it looks. 2. Do the back door first, as the molding is shorter and easier to work with while you gain experience. Be sure that you position the back door molding so that the front end is at the edge of the door so there won't be a gap after both pieces are applied. The absence of a gap is what makes it look professional. The bevel on the front edge of the back piece of molding is what permits you to place the molding almost up to the edge of the back door. To see how close you can go, just hold the molding in place before you remove the tape backing and open the back door to see if it clears. 3. Peel off the backing from about one third of the piece of molding. Hold the molding against the lower edge of the masking tape perpendicular to the door surface with the 3M tape facing down. At this point only the edge of the 3M tape is in contact with the door and it will only stick slightly and you can reposition it. 4. NOW with the molding firmly butted up against the masking tape, simply 'fold' the molding downward so the 3M tape starts to stick to the door. If you have the portion with exposed 3M tape aligned properly against the masking tape, once this is stuck the rest of the rigid molding must follow the line you have established. Peel off the rest of the backing and stick down the molding. If you mess it up, don't worry for a moment. Just peel off the used 3M tape from the molding, and discard it. You can buy another roll of tape at Home Depot or PEP Boys. They sell exactly the same 3M product, it's inexpensive, and you can start all over again. They may not have a roll of tape as wide as the original tape on the molding. Buy tape that is half as wide and just lay down two strips side by side on the back of the molding. You can trim accordingly at the beveled ends. Good Luck!

05-17-2008, 12:22 AM	#15
Husker4theSpurs Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Lincoln, Nebraska Posts: 232 My Car: 2008 Prius Package: #6 Touring Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Side Moldings Add Protection And Good Looks Anyone have any more pics of their Prius with body side moldings?