De-Chroming a FJ60

[notagp_afj55]

I am in the process of a total de-chroming of my truck and am having a hard
time figuring out how to remove the trim around the door windows. The gutters and
the rocker chrome and wheel wells were a snap. What would be the best tool to use
to pry the chrome off without damaging the metal to the doors? I checked the FAQ
and search but came up empty.....

thx

-Jim

 

[Dirtgypsy]

Jim,

It has been some time since I have done any body work but it seems to me that there is a tool you can buy at your local parts store that is designed for the trim removal. I would double check with NAPA or CarQuest and tell them you need a window trim removal tool. They should be able to help.

Good luck and post pics of the finished project!

Clint

 

[In2cruisers]

Whats you going to do about the bumpers?

 

[notagp_afj55]

I think i will put custom bumpers on

 

[dogboy2]

I am in the process of a total de-chroming of my truck and am having a hard
time figuring out how to remove the trim around the door windows. The gutters and
the rocker chrome and wheel wells were a snap. What would be the best tool to use
to pry the chrome off without damaging the metal to the doors? I checked the FAQ
and search but came up empty.....

thx

-Jim

Jim,

The chrome inserts around the rear quarter glass is functional -- it helps hold those gaskets in place if you are thinking of pulling those too. If by door chrome you mean the horizontal pieces that are found at the top of the door panel where the glass emerges from the door cavity, those too are functional as they hold the sweeps for the window glass. Encountered similar issues when doing a similar removal.

Non-USA spec window gaskets that don't have the chrome inserts exist. You might try SOR if you are hell bent on an absolute and total chrome removal.

HTH,
-dogboy- '87 FJ60

 

[notagp_afj55]

The only chrome on the doors i want to remove is the square narrow strip that
goes around the window opening, my rear quarter glass chrome is already off as they have
sliders and those are black, so the only window glass with chrome would be the
front windshield which i wont take off, i am just having a hard time getting the
narrow strips off and was wondering what others did to remover theres

-Jim

 

[Southbound]

The chrome that goes around the front windows is easy to pop off. I just used a thin butter knife. One piece of chrome overlays the other so you need to get that one off first. I think there was a trick to the back windows so I never pulled the trim off of those.
The piece of trim that runs along the bottom of the window and is attached to the door is attached by tabs that reach underneath a lip in the door. I used a tool that was basically a small chisel bended to have a hook at the end.

 

[notagp_afj55]

Southbound

By removing the horizontal piece at the top of the door panel doesnt hurt
anything? wouldnt it leave a pretty big gap between door and window?

 

[Southbound]

Yeah, I think that was dogboy's point - the window sweeps act as a gasket to keep water out of the door. I just pulled that piece off when I was painting my truck and then put it back...

 

[kevinmrowland]

Chrome inserts IN rubber window gaskets are very easy to remove but NEED to be replaced with appropriate rubber welting.

Horizontal "chrome" strip between window glass and the door panel on the side doors holds the window sweeper in place and is also necessary. This piece is not actually chrome, but stainless steel and paints quite well.

The chrome bands that surround the side door window openings are just for bling. (the ones you are asking about)
In my experience it is virtually impossible to remove them all without scratching the paint in some place. It also appears that they are hard to install without scratching the paint as there always seems to be some rust under there.
Once they are removed it is very easy to touch the paint up, it is a very small area and it is easy to mask off.
Go for it.
Good Luck.

 

[Fourrunner]

I think there was a post a while back the someone had found a replacement for the functional chrome strip that was black. Do a search for it.

 

[Weaver]

here's a good link for taking care of the windshield and the 3 back windows...

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=67729&highlight=public+service+announcement

 

[brownbear]

for those little side windows, to cover up the slim chrome strip you buy some black pin stripe and stick it over it. Thats a simple solution.

The welting thread is excellent!