After talking about removing the window, back door, and trunk molding, today we have roof molding and racks removing. Again, it makes it a lot easier for you to wrap cleaner and better if you can remove those parts – But of course safely. So here we will be looking at three case studies, just for your reference.
Double Sided Tape
First of all, we have a case of a roof molding that is held by a double-sided tape – However, in most cases, they are usually held on with plastic clips. In this case here, the best way to deal with is actually not to remove it, because it is not promising that it will fit properly back on if you take it off and try to re-apply a double-sided tape on this long, stripped and soft molding, as it is going to stretch when you pull it. Thus, as long as you find out there is a double sided tape on the roof molding, just leave it on.
Straight Forward Kind
Following, here we are coming to a straight-forward kind of roof molding that is exactly being held on by plastic clips. And again, the best way to do your removing is to have your plastic removal tool in hand. Bear in mind that it is essential to pry the molding as close to the clips as possible when you do it to avoid breaking it because as we frequently mention, those plastic clips are extremely fragile. So make sure you take your time when prying it off. The other important thing is to put your right inside the car once it is off – do not leave it on the roof so that it will not scratch the surface.
Different Style
The third case is something with the same concept as the second one, where the molding is also held on by clips. But instead of the plastic one, this one is painted. And in this case, do not forget to start with your plastic removal tool as well. One more trick here is that when you do the removing, slowly slide your fingers forward and gently pry it off. Remember not to be rushing during the process so that you will not break the molding or the clips. And make sure you put the molding in a safe spot as soon as you get it off, because usually there is metal under those and it can scratch the roof if you leave them on there.
Roof Rack – Get Torx Screwdrivers prepared
Last but not least, we move on to roof rack removal. In most cases, roof racks have plastic covers that either sit on the front and the back or sometimes in the middle. As soon as you pry it off, you will be able to figure out what is holding it on. And mostly it is either torx or bolt. You have to loosen those before you want to remove anything.
When doing it, it is good to make sure that your toolset has a wide range of different torx tips to choose from, because you never know what kind of torx you will come across. And if you do not have the right tool in hand, you will not be able to get it off.
Once the rack is loose, be careful that it does not fall on the roof right away. Instead, gently pull it up straight in the air. And then put it either inside the car or a safe spot in your workspace so that it will not be damaged. You will probably see much more dirt than you can think of is underneath. This is why we have to remind that never do the cleaning before these removals. Otherwise, that dirt will go everywhere, and you have to re-do the cleaning all the way.
There will be the time when you come across roof moldings or racks that are not able to come off. But do not panic. We also have articles about wrapping with those parts on our blog. Just check them out, and they will save your world. Happy wrapping
