it's going to suck, a lot. I'd probably see how it reacted to being sanded on with some 80 grit on a da if it's thin, and I'd try to to at it with a heat gun and scraper if it's thick. it's going to be incredibly unpleasant regardless. be very careful with the heat gun/scraper combo you can definitely do some damage with this setup. use no more heat than is necessary to soften the Bedliner and use a blunt edged scraper as to gouge the surface you're trying to save the least amount possible. post up some pics so we can see what you're working with.
How to sand and paint FJ40 top? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Jay-
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Are you planning on putting a new headliner in? Maybe it’s not necessary to remove the bedliner? I’ll defer to the more experienced people.
Is "topside" the outside? If so, that will be a handful to remove.
If it's the inside...yeah, I'd probably sand what I could to level it and then headliner it.
If it's the inside...yeah, I'd probably sand what I could to level it and then headliner it.
X2. I made the assumption we were talking about the exterior and he's trying to paint. If it's the interior we're talking about I'd definitely just smooth(sand) it out enough to glue headliner on top of and not remove any more than necessary.
Darkwing58
SILVER Star
It’s the out side, and the rain gutter is full of it.
i will get some pictures of it.
thank everyone for the good advice
Darkwing58
SILVER Star
Yes a new headliner with heat/ sound deader under it.
luckely no bed liner on the underside.
Darkwing58
SILVER Star
Here are some pictures of the bed liner on the roof.
Yikes, that's not gonna sand off. Scraper and heat gun imo are your only hope. Luckily a very low percentage of people prep worth a damn for bedliner, we will hope your PO was one of them. Looks like it's already bubbling up in the gutter which is a good sign. I'd start heating peeling and scraping from there and see how it goes. Make sure you use a blunt scraper not one with a sharp edge, you're not necessarily scraping as much as working the scraper between the liner and fiberglass to separate the two. Even if it goes well it will absolutely without a doubt suck.
thatcabledude
GOLD Star
Smother it in citri-strip gel and cover with plastic for a few days. Should be a goop you can scoop up with a plastic scraper by then.
^^^^^ This. I would agree with trying a chemical strip.
I'm not crazy about filling my rain gutter totally up with seam sealer. It didn't appear Toyota did anything but put a bead of sealant around the 90* corner of the rain gutter where the fiberglass top and vertical section of the rain gutter meet. I know these are prone to leaking so I'd like to keep that from happening, but other than aesthetics is there any reason to fill the entire gutter with seam sealer? I'm currently installing a new CCOT rain gutter because mine was rusted beyond patching.
Opinion is that no matter how much you smash aluminum rivets to hold fiberglass to metal, at some point, things will loosen up and water will find a way in between and start the rust process. So I guess building a silicone ramp for water to slide on, instead of flowing into the gutter and then out the front or back cutout, seams to some a better route.
I pinched some kind of rubber roll in between the fiberglass and metal rim, hoping it would flex and keep the water at bay. It bulges a little roll all around the area, but does not cover the rivets.
I also installed a new CCOT piece.
This. Do it once right. No issues after. Not everything TEQ did was great. Gutter approach is one. Seam seal is a big improvement
Indeed - materials improve over time (or we can improve over what was needed mass assembly purposes).
FWIW, you don't actually "fill" the gutter, it's just enough to cover the heads. There's still a gutter trough.
FWIW, you don't actually "fill" the gutter, it's just enough to cover the heads. There's still a gutter trough.
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Darkwing58
SILVER Star
Great job
Vae Victus
Posting more than I know
I too agree that you should put the seam sealer in. I just did it (had it done in my case). Not sure why you @tacoma2002 are concerned about this. It smooths out nicely if you use the right stuff, and it keeps the rust prone, pain in the ass to replace, gutter from doing just that. And it keeps most water from getting into the cabin interior, and helps to keep water out of the internal walls of same so that you don't get long term hidden rust issues.
I haven't followed what you are doing to your vehicle, but in my case, I'm spending the extra $40 and the couple hours of labor for the sealer (again, I paid for both, not actual time on my part). I did replace the rain gutter myself, including the welding and prep of it. But my top needed a whole lot of fiberglass work after that. They basically rebuilt me a custom top using the existing fiberglass as an internal frame.
I haven't followed what you are doing to your vehicle, but in my case, I'm spending the extra $40 and the couple hours of labor for the sealer (again, I paid for both, not actual time on my part). I did replace the rain gutter myself, including the welding and prep of it. But my top needed a whole lot of fiberglass work after that. They basically rebuilt me a custom top using the existing fiberglass as an internal frame.
Nice work!
Mine too needed a ton of fiberglass work. My main concern is having to deal with removing the seam seal later down the line if the need arises. I did swing by the body shop supply on lunch and picked up another tube of seam seal. I think I'd rather deal with all the sealant down the line rather than leaks.
Thanks for the replies and motivation!
Wire wheel does the trick to remove.
Bloomer
SILVER Star
I have my cap at a boat repair shop currently. It sounds like they are proposing to do what they did with your top, reshoot the entire surface with fiberglass to create a smooth new top. Originally started with just patching a hole a PO cut for an antenna. The place repairing has indicated the fiberglass is thin and recommended recoating the entire top so they can blend the repaired areas and it is smooth. I am curious if you removed the metal rain gutter and associated rivers before having your top rebuilt/recoated. The shop working on mine says it isn’t necessary but my concern is whether any future need to remove the rivets may result in damage if they recoat with rivets in place.
Any thoughts/guidance would be appreciated.
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